USGS brand guidelines

Freedam's take

I appreciate how the USGS frames identity rules around statutory reality and public use. Rather than treating guidelines as a marketing manual, this site embeds brand standards inside administrative policy. I like the clarity around identifier colors, restricting the mark purely to PMS 348 green, black, or white. Coupling trademark guidance directly with audience segments and public domain crediting rules shows how civic agencies must balance open access with strict institutional integrity. It is concise, direct, and straightforward.

At a glance

Sections

USGS Visual Identity System · Acknowledging or Crediting USGS · Copyrights and Credits · Use of Trademarked USGS Identifier · Definitions of USGS Audience Types

Tone

Formal administrative guidance detailing public domain credits and trademark regulations.

What I noticed

1. The identity system specifies four key rules for the trademarked identifier, including restricting colors to green (PMS 348), black, or white, with no alterations allowed.¹²
2. The documentation outlines that USGS-authored data resides in the public domain and provides required citation formats for crediting the bureau, photographers, and artists.³⁴
3. Communication guidelines define four separate audience types: core professional, noncore professional, the general public, and USGS employees.⁵⁶
4. A search input is available on the site's pages.⁷⁸⁹

Numbers refer to the screenshots above.

Ideas to borrow

1. Pair identity usage rules directly with audience definitions so creators immediately understand who each communication product is intended to serve.⁵⁶

Quick answers