Red Hat partner handbook
By working with partners, Red Hat becomes a catalyst for open innovation. We treat all partners as equals, and we aim to support our common goals while maintaining neutrality and transparency in our marketing.
Transparency in partner marketing means being clear about when a message is from Red Hat versus from a partner, as well as being clear about the relationship between Red Hat and the partner. It can be tempting to mix elements from both brands—like colors from both palettes, or a template from one brand with fonts from the other. Unfortunately, this results in muddled branding that’s less credible to customers, and can also require longer design and approval times on both sides of the partnership. Instead, always establish a lead brand for each marketing asset.
Use this handbook to determine which brand is in the lead and how to produce marketing materials accordingly.
Red Hat-led marketing
When Red Hat is the lead brand, that means the co-branded materials should look and sound like they came from Red Hat. Use our fonts, templates, and color palette—just like any other Red Hat marketing material. It should always be clear that Red Hat-led materials are coming from Red Hat, not from the partner. When Red Hat is in the lead, we are responsible for creating the marketing materials, getting the necessary approvals from the partner, and representing our brand well and accurately.
Using co-brand logos
When a co-branded marketing asset is Red Hat-led, use our co-brand logo guidelines. The Red Hat logo should come first. Use the partner’s logo respectfully—if the partner has specific guidelines about how their logo should be used by their partners, we should know what they are and make sure they are followed.
Marketing with partners
When we create co-branded marketing material with our partners, our top priority as Red Hatters should be maintaining the integrity of the Red Hat brand and the trust we’ve built with our customers. It should always be clear to customers when an asset is coming from Red Hat.
We’ve built our partner ecosystem by acting as a catalyst for collaboration between partners and customers of all sizes and industries. Our co-branding strategy supports our role as a catalyst by emphasizing our neutrality and ensuring that we treat all our partners’ brands as peers and equals.
The partner’s logo should appear second in the co-brand lockup, and can be referenced in the headline and copy. Do not incorporate the partner’s colors, brand elements, or voice into Red Hat-led materials.
Most of the time, the template and creative will not change between the standard Red Hat and the co-branded versions of a marketing asset, other than adding the partner logo and updating copy to reflect our joint marketing strategy and goals.
Use Red Hat fonts, design language, and messaging.
Use colors from the Red Hat color palette.
Use our collateral templates with the co-brand at the top.
Use the same templates that we use for Red Hat-branded materials.
Do not put the partner’s logo first or use the partner’s co-brand style when Red Hat is the lead brand.
Do not mimic or reproduce the partner’s brand, or mix elements from the partner’s brand with our brand.
Do not use a partner’s brand colors or try to color-code materials for different partners.
If a partner is concerned that the co-branded asset is “too Red Hat,” we can use neutral colors like gray, light blue, or teal as accents instead of our brand red. Do not use the partner’s brand colors.
Example of a standard Red Hat illustration.
Example of a Red Hat illustration without Red Hat red.
Example of a Red Hat illustration with no color for complete neutrality.
Some partners may prefer to create their own version of certain assets, so that they can be more consistent with their other branded materials. We support that approach, and the “partner-led” portion of this guide includes resources to ensure they’re using our brand and logo appropriately.
Messaging
When Red Hat is the lead brand, we lead in the messaging as well as the visual branding. You should always use the Red Hat voice, follow the Red Hat Style Guide, and use our full product names, just like you would for any other Red Hat marketing materials. The “partner-led” portion of this guide includes guidance and example copy that you can use when developing messaging with a partner.
You should also refer to the guidelines provided for the specific campaigns and kits you’re co-branding, to make sure that the co-branded materials fit into those larger campaigns or initiatives.
Questions?
If you have questions about how we should appear with a partner, contact the Brand team via email at brand@redhat.com
