GE Brand Expression Guidelines User manual

Direct Response
Brand Expression Guidelines
Version 2.0 (December 21, 2006)
The GE Brand
Introduction
1.0 Brand Architecture
2.0 Monogram
3.0 Tagline
4.0 Color Palette
5.0 Typography
6.0 Imagery
7.0 Tone of Voice
8.0 Direct Marketing Components
Envelopes
Letters/Letterhead
Forms
Brochures, Postcards and Inserts
Dimensional Mail
Electronic Direct Response
9.0 Grids

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The GE Brand
GE plays a vital role in our modern world, making
extraordinary ideas a natural part of everyday life. The
GE Brand reflects that role as it represents the flexibility,
optimism and can-do attitude of the people who fulfill it.
Brand attributes and character
GE is:
Contemporary
Innovative
Dynamic
Leader
Trusted
Dependable
Approachable
Global
Our brand is the symbol of our heritage, and of the
quality and trust we have delivered for more than 126
years. To our customers, it embodies our commitment
to anticipate and meet their changing needs. To our
organization, it represents the imagination we use to
address those needs in a manner that reflects our values.
We created these guidelines to ensure that we always
remain true to our brand, and the people, products and
services it represents.

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Introduction to Direct Response
At GE, direct response marketing has a two-fold challenge ― you have to generate, retain and grow
customers, as well as deliver a branded experience that makes the GE Brand more personal and
relevant in one-to-one communications.
The GE Brand provides DR marketers with a simple, unique style that can be used to make mail stand
out among the competition. As recognition and positive perception of the GE Brand grows among
B2C and B2B targets, leveraging the revitalized image of GE in DR can support improved response
results.
These brand expression guidelines have been customized to address unique components of direct
response, from sidebars on letterhead to the use of color on envelopes.
They also provide flexibility and breadth of options in how you apply guidelines for the brand
essentials in DR, including the Monogram, brand architecture, tagline, color palette, typography,
imagery, tone of voice and grid system.
The graphic examples presented throughout this document are conceptual to support rationale of
specific guidelines and are not necessarily live in-market pieces.

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Introduction to Direct Response (continued)
Strong and relevant direct response
practices are a necessary driver in creating
and maintaining a closer personalized
relationship with our customers. It is
recognized that what works today with
one segment, may not work tomorrow as
preferences change.
To identify the best balance of certain
brand guidelines and response driving
techniques for ongoing communications,
GE encourages marketers to continue to
test the eff ectiveness of direct response
techniques. With the goal of maintaining
business results and cost effi ciencies,
tests should be carried out in the smallest,
statistically valid quantities that can
measure the impact of variations of creative
brand elements against the current GE
Direct Response Guidelines.
Mr. John Smith
V.P.
ABC Company
123 Any Street
Anytown, NY 10000
Refreshing ideas
to save you time and money.
Dear Mr. Smith,
Energy Solutions by GE provides temporary water chilling and air conditioning
rental solutions to help you meet your seasonal challenges.
It may be worth 15 minutes of your time to contact GE if any of these
situations sound familiar:
• You’ve outgrown your process cooling capacity.
• You need supplemental comfort cooling due to expansion or change
in process.
• Production capacity limitations are delaying a new product release.
Cooling solutions from GE can put control back in your hands. Please take a
few minutes to look through the enclosed materials and then contact us to
learn how we can customize a solution to save you time and money.
Sincerely
Bob Newton,
Sales Manager
Energy Solutions by GE
P.S. You can contact a GE representative at
1-877-555-5555 or visit gepower.com/rentals.
GE
Energy
imagination at work
Direct response communications
leverage the simplicity and unique
characteristics of the GE Brand
while also using proven response
driving techniques.

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Introduction to Direct Response (continued)
As our Businesses continue to engage in testing practices, Corporate would like to understand results
that have potential for scalability across all our DR marketing groups. Please forward test results that
prove positive and corresponding testing plans or business cases to [email protected]. This will
help to understand the elasticity of our Brand in DR and how to continue to provide our DR marketers
with updated guidelines and tools to remain competitive.
For any brand guidelines not included here, please refer to B2C/B2B Print Advertising, Online or
Literature Guidelines.
For specific questions regarding these guidelines, contact your Brand or Marketing Communications
Manager, the Brand team at [e-mail] or visit www.ge.com/brand.

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1.0
Brand Architecture
1.01 Overview
1.02 GE Brand and Markets
1.03 GE Businesses
1.04 GE Solution Platforms
1.05 Understanding the Architecture
1.06 Lock-up for Levels 1, 2 and 3
1.07 Proper Use
1.08 Improper Use
1.09 Review

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1.01 Brand Architecture: Overview
We have evolved the way we do business.
We have moved toward a more fluid, broad-based
offer designed with our customers in mind. The brand
architecture is designed to accommodate this shift.
DR marketers will have opportunities to convey and
promote Solution Platforms or products within the
architecture.
It is simple, flexible and focuses on making GE easier
for the outside world to understand.

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1.02 Brand Architecture: GE Brand and Markets
Our brand architecture organizes our Markets in a way that
defines our key offerings, communicates the breadth and depth
of GE to our primary audiences, and clarifies how these offerings
meet their respective needs.
Accordingly, we have reorganized all of our activities into six
major Markets and our overarching communications goal is to
reinforce our offer: we are a singular, global company providing
diverse technology, media and financial services. In our brand
architecture, GE is the dominant brand. Markets, Businesses and
Solution Platforms have names that describe their function.
Note Of our six Markets, only five may use the GE Brand. Do not
use any other brand architecture component, sub-business,
organization, brand or product name with the GE Brand. Rare
exceptions exist and must have Corporate approval.*
This section describes the architecture that reflects the
structure of our organization. It also illustrates how to use that
structure properly across a range of Corporate and marketing
communications media.
There are four levels of the GE brand architecture. They work
together to clearly communicate the GE Brand, Business, and
offer to the customer.
Level 1 is the GE Brand itself. “GE” must appear in every GE
branded application and communication.
Level 2 defines the specific Market providing the communication
or offer. The use of the Market name is optional and should be
confirmed with your marketing leader.
* It is acceptable to use GE Money in markets where GE Money
has already been launched.
GE Commercial Finance
GE Consumer Finance*
GE Healthcare
GE Industrial
GE Infrastructure
NBC Universal

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1.03 Brand Architecture: GE Businesses
Level 3 states the specific Business within the Market. Of the 5
Markets that may use the GE Brand, this level consists of one of
GE’s 29 business entities as listed here under the appropriate
GE Markets. Use of the Business name is optional and should be
confirmed with your business leader. It is acceptable to use both
the Market name and the Business name together.
Business names always appear in English. Do not translate a
Business name into a local language.
GE Commercial Finance
Capital Solutions
Corporate Financial Services
Healthcare Financial Services
Insurance Solutions
Real Estate
GE Consumer Finance
Americas
Asia
Australia
Europe
GE Healthcare
Biosciences
Technologies
Diagnostic Imaging
Clinical Systems
Information Technology
Services
GE Industrial
Advanced Materials
Consumer & Industrial
Equipment Services
Fanuc
Inspection Technologies
Plastics
Security
Sensing
GE Infrastructure
Aviation
Commercial Aviation Services
Energy
Energy Financial Services
Oil & Gas
Transportation
Water & Process Technologies

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1.04 Brand Architecture: GE Solution Platforms
Level 4 contains the Solution Platform. The Solution Platform is the
“offer” to the customer. Solution Platforms are optional and may be
translated into local languages. Listed here and on the next page
are the 120+ Solution Platforms associated with GE Markets and
Businesses from Sections 1.02 and 1.03.
Note This is subject to change. Check Brand Central for updates.
GE Commercial Finance
Capital Solutions
Fleet Services
Commercial Distribution Finance
Transportation Finance
Corporate Aircraft
Intermediary Funding
Business Financing Solutions
Public Finance
Global Electronics Solutions
Technology Finance
Franchise Finance
Federal Finance
North America Leasing
Dealer Financial Services
Xerox Capital Services
Asia
Mexico & Latin America
Europe
Canada
Access Distribution
Corporate Financial Services
Global Media & Communications
Technology Lending
Telecom Solutions
Telecom Lending
Media Solutions
Media Lending
Technology Solutions
Entertainment Solutions
Entertainment Lending
TMT&E Solutions
TMT&E Lending
Global Sponsor Finance
Commercial & Industrial Finance
Food, Beverage & Agriculture Solutions
Automotive Solutions
Transportation Solutions
Construction Solutions
Aerospace & Defense Solutions
Chemicals Solutions
Steels, Metals & Mining Solutions
Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) Solutions
Paper, Packaging & Forest Solutions
Sports & Entertainment Solutions
Corporate Lending
Restructuring Finance
Retail Finance
Metals Finance
Transportation Funding
Bank Loans
Distressed Debt
Capital Markets
Trade Payables
Trade Services
Trade Distribution Solutions
EUROPE
Working Capital Solutions
Leveraged Finance
Factofrance
Business Finance
Healthcare Financial Services
Life Science Finance
HPSC
Insurance Solutions
Mobile Solutions
Real Estate
Business Property
North America Debt
North America Equity Investments
Specialized Industries
Business Property
REGIONS
Europe, Asia Pacific, Canada, Mexico, United
Kingdom, France, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Central
Europe, Iberia Region, Nordic Region, Spain, Japan,
Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India
GE Consumer Finance
Americas
Asia
Australia
Europe
GE Healthcare
Biosciences/Technologies
Diagnostic Imaging
Clinical Systems
Information Technology
Services