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Logo

Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice)  Logo

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Introduction

 

In response to the Resolution of our Council of Ministers to change our institute’s name to Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), the Director General has approved a new logo to visually represent our Center’s new image.

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The logo presents on the one hand, continuity because rice remains the focus of our work and on the other hand, the pan-African transformation of the Center.

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The logotype of the acronym “AfricaRice” is a symbolic representation to show that African people and environment are central to our research for the development of sustainable and productive rice systems for Africa.

 

Following these guidelines in all AfricaRice communications will maintain the integrity of the brand, and enable visual recognition of AfricaRice communication products as belonging to a unified whole.

 

The AfricaRice name and logo form the cornerstone of this identity. A coordinated set of logos and standardized references to AfricaRice are an important element of a unified AfricaRice brand.

 

All including staff and partners must use AfricaRice branding consistently as described.

 

 

The AfricaRice brand: Universal guidelines

 

The name ‘AfricaRice’

‘AfricaRice’ is the official name and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Consequently, ‘AfricaRice’ should never be separated into two words out or translated, but promoted as a recognizable name in itself. ‘AfricaRice’ – the letters A and R should always be uppercase. Period marks after each letter should not be used.

 

The use of ‘AfricaRice’ as a name may generate questions on its meaning. It is recommended that the following text be used when necessary to explain the name: Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), formerly WARDA/ADRAO, is the new official name adopted in September 2009. Africa Rice Center is an intergovernmental association of African countries. AfricaRice is a CGIAR Consortium Research Center.

 

Any abbreviation of the name is discouraged.  ‘AfricaRice’ should feature in glossaries along with the descriptor text, never the old extended name (see page 2 on Descriptor).

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Logo

The existing rice symbol has been retained in the logo. It is familiar to staff, donors, research partners, and other stakeholders. It represents 40 years of innovation in agricultural research for development and references AfricaRice’s roots in the Green Revolution.

 

A coordinated set of logos built around this symbol represents the AfricaRice brand.

  • The basic logo contains the rice symbol with the ‘AfricaRice’ logotype embedded in it.

  • The tagline logo includes an embedded tagline.

 

General rules for using the logo:

The logo should always contain the rice symbol with the ‘AfricaRice’ logotype embedded in it. The symbol itself should not be used alone, except as a background graphic or watermark.

 

Select the appropriate logo according to the guidelines for your AfricaRice system component and follow the graphic guidelines in the final section of this document.

 

Use the electronic version of the logo provided by the Director General’s Office.

 

Do not manipulate the logo in any way. Condensing, expanding, or skewing it can damage its balance and degrades the brand.

 

Use the logo on all official communications materials.

 

Ensure that partners, collaborators, and funders do not use the logo without permission (see page xx  for more details).

 

When asked by third parties for permission to use the logo, the appropriate AfricaRice system component should ensure that the proposed usage does not violate the rules in this document and reflects the nature of the relationship accurately.

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The basic logo contains the rice symbol with the ‘AfricaRice’ logotype embedded in it.

 

The tagline logo includes an embedded tagline

 

 

Descriptor

The name ‘AfricaRice’ does convey what the organization is or does. The phrase to be used to describe AfricaRice is:

 

Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), formerly WARDA/ADRAO, is the new official name adopted in September 2009. Africa Rice Center is an intergovernmental association of African countries. AfricaRice is a CGIAR Consortium Research Center.

 

The logotype of the acronym “AfricaRice” is a symbolic representation to show that African people and environment are central to our research for the development of sustainable and productive rice systems for Africa.

 

The main component of the design is the careful selection of colors to depict Africa and the environment and the typeface, e.g., if you look carefully at the “i” in AfricaRice logo, it looks like a human being and embodies the African people.

 

The logotype and the pantone color coding were fixed to ensure uniformity and standardization.

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Tagline

AfricaRice’s tagline, “Rice science at the service of Africa’ expresses the organization’s global vision.   The tagline should be used as often as possible to reinforce the brand, both through the tagline logo (logo with embedded tagline) and as separate text (used independently of the logo).

 

When the tagline is used independently of the logo:

  • The tagline can be typeset on a single line or with multiple lines. It should be in sentence case, e.g., ‘Rice science at the service of Africa’ 

  • When the tagline is used, language in adjacent text should be adjusted to prevent redundancy in key words and phrasings.

 

Within a Boilerplate text

The boilerplate text provides a standard and consistent way to explain both the nature and the remit of AfricaRice. It should be used:

  • in press releases from AfricaRice

  • in website descriptions of AfricaRice (e.g. in ‘About’ sections)

  • when AfricaRice is described in publications such as reports, flyers, briefs, etc.          

 

The full boilerplate text is:

AfricaRice is a CGIAR Research Center – part of a global research partnership for a food-secure future. It is also an intergovernmental association of African member countries. 
The Center was created in 1971 by 11 African countries. Today its membership comprises 26 countries, covering West, Central, East and North African regions, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo and Uganda. 
AfricaRice headquarters is based in Côte d’Ivoire. Staff are located in Côte d’Ivoire and also in AfricaRice Research Stations in Benin, Liberia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania. For more information visit:www.AfricaRice.org

 

Where space is limited, a shorter version can be used:

AfricaRice is a CGIAR Research Center – part of a global research partnership for a food-secure future. 
It is also an intergovernmental association of African member countries. For more information, visit www.AfricaRice.org

 

Other communications materials

  • The relevant logo should be used on official social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

  • Text based on the AfricaRice boilerplate text should be included in the ’About’ section of these media sites.

  • The relevant logo should be used on letterheads, compliments slips, and business cards, as shown in the examples on pages xx and xx.

  • The AfricaRice PowerPoint template provided by the Communication office should be used for presentations.

 

AfricaRice Partners

AfricaRice  work with a wide variety of organizations in various partnership arrangements. These partners should be recognized through the use of their logos in AfricaRice materials.

 

AfricaRice shall be responsible for approving the use of the AfricaRice brand, name and logo, by its own staff, or other personnel operating on its behalf and any partners participating in the AfricaRice, and shall ensure that such partners comply with the branding requirements.

 

Use of partner logos in AfricaRice publications

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  • Other logos should not be incorporated with that of AfricaRice into a combined graphic.

  • Partner logos can be preceded by the phrase “In close partnership with ...”

 

Use of AfricaRice branding elements by partners

Partners are permitted to use the AfricaRice logo only in approved publications, at the discretion of the AfricaRice system component. AfricaRice components should make their partners aware of this rule and comply with the branding requirements.

 

Color Application

Two color options have been selected. These are:   green and black. The CMYK, Pantone and RGB specifications of the two colors are:

 

Naming Structure

Staff will be permitted to select one of two options– a functional name to depict the core line function of the Center (e.g. Africa Rice Center), or an acronym (e.g. AfricaRice).  

 

Typography

Black-and-white rendition is  also permitted where colour application is not possible or practical (e.g. in fax format). Two options are permitted, namely (i) black on white and (ii) white on black reversed. Consistent typographical application is as important as colour usage to ensure a uniform brand. The following prescripts apply to font and font size:

 

Primary font for naming:

TAHOMA, Regular, Crisp

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Color usage

The symbol and logotype must always appear in Pantone 364 green and Pantone Process Black C  for each component. If Pantone Matching System (PMS) colors are not available, use the equivalent process color (CMYK) equivalent. For Internet application, use the RGB or HEX equivalent. For other promotional applications, use any of the supporting color palette colors provided below. The black and white version of the logo can only be used in black and white publications.

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Typography

TAHOMA  is the primary typeface for logos and graphic elements. Consistent use of the primary typeface in designed materials will reinforce the AfricaRice brand identity. By using a combination of typographic weights, for example, Tahoma Light and Tahoma Bold, you can enhance graphic interest and create hierarchies of information. Where Tahoma is not available, the use of Arial is recommended.

 

Primary Typeface Tahoma Family

Tahoma Regular

AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNn

OoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz

1234567890 ~!@#$%^&*()_+|}{“:?

 

Tahoma Bold

AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNn

OoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz

1234567890 ~!@#$%^&*()_+|}{“:?

 

Tahoma Bold Italic

AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNn

OoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz

1234567890 ~!@#$%^&*()_+|}{“:?

 

Tahoma   Italic

AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNn

OoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz

1234567890 ~!@#$%^&*()_+|}{“:?

 

Arial

AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNn

OoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz

1234567890 ~!@#$%^&*()_+|}{“:?

Arial Italic

AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNn

OoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz

1234567890 ~!@#$%^&*()_+|}{“:?

Arial Bold

AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNn

OoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz

1234567890 ~!@#$%^&*()_+|}{“:?

Arial Bold Italic

AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNn

OoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz

1234567890 ~!@#$%^&*()_+|}{“:?

Arial Black

AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNn

OoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz

1234567890 ~!@#$%^&*()_+|}{“:?

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Background graphics

The basic logo alone can be used as a ‘watermark’ background image. When using as background art, the symbol must be at least 500% larger than the AfricaRice signature appearing on the same document. When using the symbol as a graphic background element on a white background, the symbol should be printed at no more than 7% ink screen of Pantone 364. If the symbol is appearing on a solid color background, the symbol should print at 80% of the PMS 364 green background color.  When using the symbol as a watermark, the bottom of the symbol must bleed off the bottom of the page.

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The Guidelines only feature examples of the most prevalent stationery items, namely

letterheads and business cards. Two examples – application of an acronym and functional

are included for each of these items. It is important that all stationery applications adhere to the specified fonts (see page x), color (see page x) and naming structure (see page x).  

 

These Guidelines have been developed to assist staff in building a uniform AfricaRice

Brand. Building a strong and coherent AfricaRice Brand will require a commitment from all staff

to adhere to the stipulations contained in these Guidelines.

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Significance of the new composite logo: The new logo presents on the one hand, continuity because rice remains the focus of our work and on the other hand, newness i.e., the pan-African transformation of the Center.

 

The logotype of the acronym “AfricaRice” is a symbolic representation to show that African people and environment are central to our research for the development of sustainable and productive rice systems for Africa.

 

The main component of the design is the careful selection of colors to depict Africa and the environment and the typeface, e.g., if you look carefully at the “i” in AfricaRice logo, it looks like a human being and embodies the African people.

 

The logotype and the pantone color coding were fixed to ensure uniformity and standardization.

 

Communicating the New Brand

  • Conventional (letters, emails, news release) and new channels (Facebook, Yammer, Twitter, etc.) were used to communicate the new brand to our partners and donor community members

  • Website: We had already reserved the following domain names of our website a couple of years ago: www.AfricaRiceCenter.org and www.AfricaRice.org. With the name change, our website domain name was changed to www.AfricaRice.org

  • Five big international journals were selected to post the announcement of the new brand: The Economist, Science, Nature, Jeune Afrique, New Africa Business

  • National newspapers of the 23 member States of AfricaRice were also selected

  • Posters and banners with the new logo were posted at the headquarters and in all regional stations

 

Communication material

All corporate communication material was designed to communicate the new brand:

  • Staff email signatures

  • Letterheads

  • Visiting cards

  • Identity badges

  • Vehicle stickers

  • Office room labels

  • PowerPoint template

  • Airport welcome sign

  • T-Shirts

  • Caps

  • Mugs

  • Mouse pad

  • Lapel pin

  • Calendar

  • Agenda

  • Greeting card

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