Distributor & Dealer Co-Branding

For Print

It is not required that the Toro logo be included on all print marketing or other communications developed by distributors/dealers in which Toro product is represented – with the exception of items being supported through Toro co-op dollars. However, when the Toro logo is being used with the distributor/dealer name or logo, the following guidelines must be followed:

• The Toro logo should always appear in its signature red color, which is Pantone® (PMS) 186 or its 4-color process equivalent.
• The Toro logo should always measure by a size ratio of three (wide) by two (high). Never alter the logo's proportions, the typeface of the TORO logotype and its position, or the location of the registration mark (sits on the same baseline as the logotype).
• When including a number of product brands, the Toro shield should always be of equal size to the other competitive brands presented.

Horizontal Layout of Brand Logos

When another brand logo or entity is being associated with the Toro logo, they need to be separated by at least the height of the Toro logo with a divider line between.

Stacked or Vertical Layout of Brand Logos

Where a horizontal treatment will not work for co-branding purposes, due to space and design constraints, the Toro logo can be stacked with another brand logo. In this case, the logos should be centered and spaced apart by at least the height of the Toro logo with a divider line between.

Another co-branding option, if space is too confined to allow for separation between logos the height of the Toro logo, is for the logos to be separated by at least the height of the TORO logotype. In this case, a divider line is not needed, but the logos should be centered.

Social & Digital Media

When distributors and dealers of The Toro Company represent our brands in the marketplace – whether on their website or social media accounts – it must be clear that they are an independent partner of Toro. Our channel partners should not market or represent themselves as Toro by brand and/or name. This is important for several reasons:

• Transparency: Toro's legacy is built on trust and integrity. Our customers and other external stakeholders should clearly know when they are interacting with either Toro or an independent partner of Toro.
• Brand Management: It is important that distributors/dealers strictly adhere to Toro's co-branding requirements, which are part of our corporate branding strategy. Furthermore, Toro is very intentional about how we present our brand in the marketplace and who may speak on behalf of Toro. If distributors/dealers or their employees are representing themselves as Toro, rather than as a Toro partner, this creates confusion among customers and violates our branding strategy. We cannot allow others to speak as though they are us.
• Protection of Intellectual Property: The Toro brand is our most valuable asset, which our shareholders expect us to protect. Legal requirements dictate that we actively manage and control the use of our brands.

Social Media

Social media is an increasingly valuable and important component of The Toro Company's marketing and communications efforts across our family of brands. It helps to enhance our reputation as a trusted voice, maintain a constant pulse on the needs/issues of customers, drive brand loyalty, and increase visibility and market preference for our products and services.

Across The Toro Company, we manage multiple brand accounts through various social media channels. While we encourage our distributors and dealers to utilize social media in their businesses, we prohibit use of our brand logos as profile images and our brand names as social accounts (e.g. @ToroMornings, @ToroTurf, @ToroParts, etc.). This ensures transparency of identity, prevents brand confusion among stakeholders, and mitigates potential brand implications.

One exception is that Toro distributors/dealers may use "Toro" in their social account name, if it is preceded by their own name and an underscore (_) is included for separation. However, the social account (i) should not use the Toro shield as the profile image on the account; and (ii) should clearly state in the profile description that they are an independent distributor/dealer of Toro products. An example is shown above.

Digital Media / Websites

Domain Names

• What a Channel Partner may not do: The Toro Company has a long-standing domain name policy, as described in our distributor/dealer agreements. A distributor/dealer may not register or use any domain name that includes brand names of The Toro Company (e.g. Toro, Exmark, Irritrol, etc.) or any other company-owned trademarks. For example, "www.torouk.co.uk" is not an acceptable domain for a distributor/dealer in the U.K. Additionally, distributors/dealers may not use our brand names in front of the distributor/dealer domain name, as a subdomain, such as "www.toro.distributordomain.com".
• What a Channel Partner may do: Distributors/dealers may use brand names of The Toro Company in their website page structure, where the brand name (e.g. Toro) is used after the distributor/dealer's domain name. For example, "www.distributordomain.com/toro".

Website Branding Requirements

• Distributors/dealers must brand their websites so that it is clear that the website is owned by a partner of Toro, and not by Toro.
• The distributor/dealer brand (logo and/or business name) must appear prominently in the header.
• The distributor/dealer's name, address and contact information must appear directly (or via link) on the homepage.
• Any pages that refer to the website owner, such as Our Company or Contact Us, must refer to the distributor/dealer, not The Toro Company.
• The Toro Company's brand logos must be used according to our branding guidelines.

Below are examples of acceptable website branding:

For Apparel & Merchandising

We always encourage top billing for the Toro shield. However, if a distributor/dealer is buying apparel for their staff and/or customers, their branding should appear on the left chest with the Toro shield appearing on either the sleeve or back yoke.

However, if a distributor/dealer is buying co-branded apparel, which qualifies for Toro co-op, the Toro shield must appear on the left chest. The distributor/dealer name is then centered below the Toro shield at a distance of least the height of the "T" in the logotype (as shown below) – or the distributor/dealer logo can be on the opposite chest, sleeve or back of yoke.

Vehicle Graphics

When the Toro shield is included on vehicles with the distributor/dealer name, the following guidelines must be followed:

• The Toro shield should always appear in its signature red color, which is Pantone® (PMS) 186 or its 4-color process equivalent. The only exception is red-colored vehicles, in which the Toro shield can be black with white logotype. The TORO logotype and registration symbol inside the shield must always appear in white. See examples below.
• The Toro shield must always measure three units wide by two units high. Never alter the logo's proportions, the typeface of the logotype and its position, or the location of the ® registration symbol (sits on the same baseline as the logotype).
• The distributor/dealer name should be centered beneath the Toro shield and maintain a minimum clear space that is the height of the "T" in the TORO logotype. The size of the name should not appear larger than the TORO logotype.

Creating Graphical Images

The Toro brand should always be used in good taste and reflect our brand values. When the Toro shield is paired with illustrations, cartoons or other artwork not in alignment with our corporate image, we reserve the right to reject such usage.

In certain situations, there may be the need to create a graphical element to name an event, customer group, tradeshow, special promotion or other award. In these cases, the Toro shield should always take the dominant position and sizing, and maintain the clear minimum space required. The Toro shield and other graphics should appear in separate locations. Do not use special artwork to build up these names, and never encompass the Toro shield in another graphical element.