DLC Logo Use Guidelines

The purpose of this page is to provide clarification about how the DesignLights Consortium^® (DLC) marks and DesignLights Consortium name should be used in all mediums. These include, but are not limited to, print advertisements, Web sites, product catalogs, and specification sheets.

DesignLights Consortium Identity Guidelines:

The DesignLights Consortium identity is a valuable asset, and like any asset with appreciable value, it must be properly used and protected. The DesignLights Consortium mark, as well as the phrase “DesignLights Consortium” are registered trademarks with the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Manufacturers should be mindful of how they use the DesignLights Consortium marks in all communication and outreach materials. Ensuring that the marks are properly used protects every DesignLights Consortium partner’s investment in the program—and consumer confidence in the DesignLights Consortium brand.

Who Can Use the DLC Marks?

The DLC logo is intended for use by:
DLC members. To indiciate their membership on web pages of their energy efficiency programs.
Manufacturers. To indicate DLC qualified products listed on the QPL.
Laboratories. To indicate available product testing services necessary for manufacturers to submit an application. NOTE: Laboratories must meet the DLC accreditation requirements to display the logo. The DesignLights Consortium name and marks may not be used in a manner that implies NEEP or DLC endorsement of a laboratory or its services, only that those services are provided to manufacturers.

Key Guidelines

Neither the marks nor the DesignLights Consortium name may be used in any other company name, product name, service name, domain name, or Web site title.
The DesignLights Consortium name should always appear as two words – DesignLights with the D and the L capitalized and Consortium with the C capitalized. There should not be a space between Design and Lights or a dash between DesignLights and Consortium.
The registration symbol ® must be used with the first time the words "DesignLights Consortium" appear in material and:
- The ® symbol should always be in superscript;
- There shall be no space between the words "DesignLights Consortium" and the ® symbol;
- The ® symbol shall be repeated in a document for each chapter title or Web page.
When writing about DesignLights Consortium, it is correct to state that a product is a “DesignLights Consortium qualified” product or a product is “Listed on the DLC QPL.” For example, it is acceptable to write either “DesignLights Consortium qualified luminaire” or “a luminaire that is listed on the DesignLights Consortium Qualified Product List."
The marks may never be associated with products that have not been verified to meet the technical requirements of the DesignLights Consortium, or which do not appear on the DLC Solid State Lighting Qualified Product List. The name and marks may only be used to refer to those specific products that are qualified and listed on the Qualified Products List. Qualification of a particular product does not give a manufacturer the right to use the name and marks in connection with other products produced or marketed by the same manufacturer or under the same brand name.
The DesignLights Consortium name or mark may be used to identify a product as listed on the DesignLights Consortium Qualified Products List. Sufficient information about the product must be provided to the reader to allow the reader, without aid, to locate the product on the most current version of the DesignLights Consortium Qualified Products List. The DesignLights Consortium mark may not be displayed without directly referencing DesignLights Consortium listed products.
If your company does not manufacture products listed on the DesignLights Consortium Solid State Lighting Qualified Product List but offers DesignLights Consortium qualified products, you must include the name of the manufacturer near the DesignLights Consortium mark.
Products must be listed on the DesignLights Consortium Qualified Products List under any and all brand names under which they are marketed and sold. To ease the process of re-listing qualified products under alternate brand names, please consult the Private Labeling/Multiple Listing Policy. The DesignLights Consortium name and mark shall only be used to refer to those product brands that are listed on the DesignLights Consortium Qualified Products List.
The marks may not be altered, cut apart, separated, or otherwise distorted in perspective or appearance. This includes removing the words DesignLights Consortium from the mark.
Any mark that is not an official and trademarked mark of NEEP and the DesignLights Consortium may not be used to indicate DesignLights Consortium qualification or QPL listing of a product.
The preferred color for the DesignLights Consortium mark is black for the text and yellow for the graphic. Alternate versions reversed out to white with yellow graphic are allowed.
The mark may not be reproduced smaller in width than 1.72 inches for print. Lettering legibility inside the mark must be maintained on the Web.
The logo should also be clear within “C” space of logo elements from all sides. Logomark size should never be under 1.72 inches wide and .45 inches high to maintain legibility.
The DesignLights Consortium name and marks may never be used in any manner that would imply NEEP or DLC endorsement of a company, its products, or its services.

Additional Information:

To ensure proper usage, ask a member of the DesignLights Consortium team to review your advertisements, Web pages, catalogs, or other marketing and outreach materials prior to publishing.
Products which have not yet been qualified should, under no circumstances, display the DesignLights Consortium Marks. For practical purposes, this means that products applying for qualification should refrain from adding the marks to specification sheets and other marketing materials until after the product has been qualified. Submissions received with the DLC mark already on them will be held until the logo use is corrected.
DLC must approve any major educational or promotional campaigns that feature the DLC name or mark prior to final production or printing. The submitted materials will be reviewed for consistency with these guidelines within 10 days of receipt of the materials. Materials should be submitted to designlights@neep.org
Approved logo designs are available for manufacturer use. Please contact designlights@neep.org for access to these logos.

Consequences for Violation:

Unauthorized use of the marks is likely to cause confusion among members of the public, result in a tarnishing of the marks and their significance, and may constitute trademark infringement, trademark dilution, fraud, false advertising, fraud and/or other violations of law.

DesignLights Consortium actively monitors proper use of the DesignLights Consortium name and marks. To report a trademark violation or to ask for a review of materials, please contact designlights@neep.org.

First offense: Upon the first discovery of a logo violation, the DesignLights Consortium will notify the manufacturer of the violation via email, and provide specific information on how to rectify the situation. The manufacturer must promptly respond to the notification from the DLC, and adhere to the commands from the DLC. The manufacturer will be given a reasonable amount of time to correct the errors.
1. If the manufacturer fails to respond to the first notification, the DLC will send a warning letter via email dictating the deadline to rectify the issue. Failure to make the appropriate changes will result in further consequences (see below). The DLC will follow-up with the manufacturer to ensure that the error(s) has been corrected.
Second offense: If the manufacturer fails to address the violation within a reasonable time after receiving the warning letters, or repeats a violation a second time, the following actions will ensue:
1. The manufacturer’s program privileges will be suspended for a period of up to 18 months. This will include a suspension of all currently qualified products, as well as providing the inability to qualify additional products during the suspension. The DLC will notify the manufacturer of the violation and consequences.
2. If the manufacturer continues to misuse the DLC logo: the issue will be sent to the NEEP Legal Department for further legal action.