Guidelines for Using AEV Intellectual Property

These guidelines are for AEV manufacturers, licensees, authorized retailers, authorized distributors, developers, customers, employees, consultants, outside vendors, and other parties wishing to use AEV’s trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade dress, or copyrighted photo images, and the like (“Intellectual Property”) in promotional, advertising, instructional, or reference materials, or on their web sites, products, labels, or packaging. Use of AEV’s trademarks for commercial purposes without the prior written consent of AEV may constitute trademark infringement and unfair competition in violation of federal and state laws. Use of AEV’s Intellectual Property may be prohibited, unless expressly authorized.

Except for the limited right to use, as expressly permitted under these Guidelines, no other rights of any kind are granted hereunder, by implication or otherwise.

If you are a licensee or other party who has obtained the express written consent of AEV to use AEV’s Intellectual Property, your formal, written agreement (license agreement, sponsorship agreement, endorsement agreement, etc.) that you signed with AEV may have special Intellectual Property usage guidelines different than the Guidelines set forth here. If so, please follow the special guidelines provided to you pursuant to your formal, written agreement.

If you have any questions regarding these guidelines, please talk to your AEV representative, or submit your query to AEV’s Marketing Department.

Philosophy on Trademarks and Brands

Each piece of AEV’s Intellectual Property is a valuable asset of the corporation. As such, trademarks, service marks, trade names, or trade dress, must be used properly. Follow these Guidelines for using AEV’s trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade dress, and brands (AEV Marks) properly in all communications, documents, and electronic messages. In following these guidelines, you help us protect our valuable trademark rights and strengthen our corporate and brand identities. The goodwill derived from using any part of an AEV Mark exclusively inures to the benefit of, and belongs to, AEV.

By using an AEV Mark, in whole or in part, you are acknowledging that AEV, and its related entities, are the sole owners of the trademark and promising that you will not interfere with AEV’s rights in the mark, including challenging AEV’s use, registration of, or application to register such trademark, alone or in combination with other words, anywhere in the world. Further, in using an AEV Mark, in whole or in part, you are acknowledging that you will not harm, misuse, or bring into disrepute any AEV Mark or any other AEV Intellectual Property.

Authorized Use of AEV Trademarks

1. Generally:

You may refer to AEV products and services by their associated trademarks and service marks, so long as such references: 1) are truthful, fair, and not misleading, and 2) comply with these Guidelines, including proper notice and attribution, which may be modified by AEV from time to time in AEV’s sole discretion.

Advertising, Promotional, and Sales Materials:

Only AEV and its authorized manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and other licensees may use the AEV Marks in advertising, promotional, and sales materials. Such authorized parties may use the AEV Marks only as specified in their agreement with AEV and any associated Guidelines.

2. Publications:

You may use an AEV word mark in connection with book titles, magazines, periodicals, seminars, or conferences provided you comply with the following requirements:

• The AEV logo or any other AEV-owned graphic symbol, logo, icon or image does not appear on or in the publication or on any materials related to the publication, seminar, or conference without express written permission from AEV.
• A disclaimer of sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement by AEV, similar to the following, is included on the publication and on all related printed materials: “(Title) is an independent (publication) and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by American Expedition Vehicles, Inc. or its related entities.”
• A trademark attribution notice is included in the credit section giving notice of AEV’s ownership of its trademark(s). Please refer to the section below titled “Proper Trademark Notice and Attribution.”
• The use reflects favorably on both AEV and AEV products or technology.

3. Web Sites:

Web sites that serve only as noncommercial electronic informational forums concerning an AEV product or technology may use the appropriate AEV word mark, provided such use complies with the guidelines set forth in Section 2 above.

Web sites of AEV and its authorized manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and other licensees may use the AEV Marks in accordance with their specialized agreement with AEV and with “Proper Trademark Notice and Attribution”.

Unauthorized Use of AEV Trademarks

1. Company, Product, or Service Name:

You may not use or register, in whole or in part, any AEV trademark, including but not limited to those listed on the AEV Trademark Listing page, available at: www.aev-conversions.com/, AEV-owned graphic symbols, logos, icons, or an alteration thereof, or as part of a company name, trade name, product name, or service name except as specifically noted in these guidelines or guidelines within specialized agreement with AEV.

2. AEV Logo and AEV-owned Graphic Symbols:

You may not use any AEV Logo or any other AEV-owned graphic symbol, logo, or icon on or in connection with web sites, products, packaging, manuals, promotional/advertising materials, or for any other purpose except pursuant to an express written trademark license agreement from AEV, such as an authorized supplier, distributor, or retailer agreement.

3. Variations, Takeoffs or Abbreviations:

You may not use an image of, or other variation of, the AEV logo for any purpose. Third parties cannot use a variation, phonetic equivalent, foreign language equivalent, takeoff, or abbreviation of an AEV trademark for any purpose.

4. Disparaging Manner:

You may not use an AEV trademark or any other AEV-owned graphic symbol, logo, or icon in a disparaging manner.

5. Endorsement or Sponsorship:

You may not use any AEV trademark, including AEV-owned graphic symbols/logos, or icons, in a manner that would imply AEV’s affiliation with or endorsement, sponsorship, or support of a third-party product or service without the express written consent of AEV and a formal written endorsement or sponsorship agreement with AEV.

6. Merchandise Items:

You may not manufacture, sell, or otherwise distribute any secondary source materials or merchandise items, such as t-shirts, mugs, water bottles, tools, bags, stickers, etc. bearing any AEV Intellectual Property, such as any AEV trademark, including symbols, logos, or icons, except pursuant to express written consent by AEV.

7. AEV’s Trade Dress:

You may not imitate the distinctive AEV packaging, distinctive AEV product configurations (e.g., fuel caddy, wheels, snorkel, etc.), product badging, web site design, logos, etc.

8. Slogans and Taglines:

You may not use or imitate an AEV slogan or tagline. For example: “PROVEN WORLDWIDE”.

9. Domain Names:

You may not use an identical, virtually identical, or confusingly similar AEV trademark as a domain name.

Rules for Proper Use of AEV Trademarks

A trademark can be a word, phrase, symbol, or design that distinguishes the source of the goods or services. Also, as trade dress, it can be the configuration or appearance of a product or its packaging, including size, shape, color, texture, graphics, and appearance.

1. Trademarks are adjectives used to modify nouns; the noun is the generic name of a product or service.
2. As adjectives, trademarks may not be used in the plural or possessive form.
   • Examples:
     • Correct: I purchased a BRUTE DOUBLE CAB truck.
     • Correct: I purchased an AEV snorkel.
     • Correct: I purchased a BORAH Wheel.
     • Incorrect: I bought a BRUTE.
     • Incorrect: I bought two BORAHS.
3. An appropriate generic term should appear after the trademark the first time it appears in a printed piece, and as often as is reasonable after that. For a list of suggested generic terms see the AEV Trademark List.
4. Always spell and capitalize AEV’s trademarks exactly as they are shown in the AEV Trademark List.
5. Do not shorten or abbreviate AEV product names.
6. Do not make up names that contain AEV trademarks.

Proper Trademark Notice and Attribution

1. Distribution Within the United States Only:

On product, product documentation, or other product communications that will be distributed only in the United States, use the appropriate trademark symbol (TM, SM, ®) the first time the AEV trademark appears in the text of the advertisement, brochure, or other material.

Refer to the AEV Trademark List for the correct trademark symbols, spelling of the trademark, and generic term to use with the trademark. Generally, the symbol appears at the right shoulder or right foot of the trademark.

• In letters, memos, press releases, white papers, advertising, slides, foils, video, and other multimedia presentations:
  • Properly designate (with ®, ™ or ℠ all of AEV’s trademarks at the most prominent use (usually a headline) and again on the first occurrence in copy.
  • In the case of presentation graphics, trademarks should be designated with the proper trademark symbol on each page, slide, and foil.
• In newsletters, magazines, and publications containing multiple articles:
  • Properly designate (with ®, ™ or ℠ all of AEV’s trademarks on the first occurrence in the Table of Contents, in headlines and on the first occurrence in EVERY article in which they are used.
• In brochures, annual/quarterly reports, books, technical documentation, and other bound documents:
  • Properly designate (with®, ™ or ℠) all of AEV’s trademarks on the first occurrence in the Table of Contents, in headlines, and on the first occurrence in text,
• In all charts or graphs, properly designate trademarks (with ®, ™ or ℠), as they could be copied or pulled and used independently.
• In all tag lines incorporating a trademark slogan, always use the trademark symbol in every reference.

Always include an attribution of AEV’s ownership of its trademarks within the credit notice section of your product, product documentation, or other product communication.

Following are the correct formats:

_________ and _______ are registered trademarks of American Expedition Vehicles, Inc., StreetCar ORV, LLC d/b/a American Expedition Vehicles, and/or other AEV related entities

_________ and _______ are trademarks of American Expedition Vehicles, Inc., StreetCar ORV, LLC d/b/a American Expedition Vehicles, and/or other AEV related entities.

Distribution Outside the United States:

Do not use trademark symbols on products, product documentation, or other product communications that will be distributed outside the United States.

Instead utilize the appropriate trademark attribution notice, for example:

Use one of the following international credit notices:

_________ is a trademark of American Expedition Vehicles, Inc., StreetCar ORV, LLC d/b/a American Expedition Vehicles, and/or other AEV related entities, registered in the U.S. and other countries.

_________ is a trademark of American Expedition Vehicles, Inc., StreetCar ORV, LLC d/b/a American Expedition Vehicles, and/or other AEV related entities.
“American Expedition Vehicles, AEV, and are trademarks of American Expedition Vehicles, Inc., StreetCar ORV, LLC d/b/a American Expedition Vehicles, and/or other AEV related entities, which are registered in the U.S. and other countries”.

Depictions of AEV Products

1. Endorsement or Sponsorship:

AEV does not support the use of its logos, company names, product names, or images of AEV products by other parties in marketing, promotional or advertising materials, as such unmonitored use may create the perception that AEV endorses or sponsors the product, service, or promotion.

You may use an AEV trademark, including AEV-owned graphic symbols/logos, or icons, in a manner that would imply AEV’s affiliation with or endorsement, sponsorship, or support of a third-party product or service ONLY with the express written consent of AEV and a formal written endorsement or sponsorship agreement with AEV.

AEV Photography

Use or reproduction of proprietary copyrighted AEV photographs, appearing on its website www.aev-conversions.com or in printed materials is strictly prohibited, unless pursuant to the express written consent of AEV.