Congratulations on becoming part of the Ygrene network of independent contractors. Now that you’re official, we’d like to help you leverage the strength of the Ygrene brand in your marketing and promotional material to support and grow your business. This guide will help you express the Ygrene brand appropriately and accurately, and ensure your communications properly represent and remain compliant with Ygrene program requirements.
Introduction
Welcome to the Ygrene Contractor Marketing Brand & Editorial Style Guide. We created these guidelines to help you understand how to accurately and consistently represent the Ygrene brand in your company’s marketing communications, as well as how to incorporate Ygrene-approved content, logos and icons in relation to your own company brand.
This information is created for enrolled contractors and their representatives (employees, graphic designers, marketing companies, third-party agencies, etc.,) to offer Ygrene financing, and applies across all communications referencing Ygrene PACE financing or bearing the Ygrene name, logo or icon.
Please keep in mind that adhering to these guidelines is a term of your Ygrene Contractor Participation Agreement. If you are found to be out of compliance with these guidelines (which includes these prohibited practices), Ygrene reserves the option to suspend or terminate your ability to offer Ygrene financing.
Only enrolled contractors able to offer Ygrene financing or third parties with specific written permission from Ygrene are granted the right to use Ygrene logos or icons on their materials as defined by these guidelines. All other parties who use the Ygrene logo or icons in their written materials, for advertising or otherwise, without explicit permission may be in violation of U. S. trademark laws.
Contractors failing to comply with or found in violation of the Ygrene Contractor Marketing Brand & Editorial Style Guide or the Ygrene Contractor Participation Agreement terms and conditions will be subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the Contractor Participation Agreement terms and conditions.
Approvals
All material bearing the Ygrene name, logo or icon must be reviewed and approved by the Ygrene Marketing Department. In certain cases, additional information regarding target audience and distribution may also be requested and evaluated. Please email proposed materials to contractormarketing@ygrene.com for review and approval.
Materials which do not reference PACE financing or do not reference or include the Ygrene name, logo or icon do not need to be submitted for review. If you are uncertain about the need for review, please contact contractormarketing@ygrene.com.
Prohibited Practices
At Ygrene, we believe good marketing and advertising demonstrates integrity and transparency. Communications that mislead or misinform consumers are strictly prohibited. Ygrene has a zero-tolerance policy for the use of these tactics and any violation discovered will result in immediate suspension and/or termination from the Ygrene network of independent contractors. Such practices include:
- Unfair, false, deceptive, misleading, incomplete or inaccurate communications which misrepresent the Ygrene program. This includes any practice that violates any applicable federal, state and local laws or regulations.
- Suggesting that Ygrene PACE financing is a free government program or that improvements will “pay for themselves”. While PACE programs are enabled by state legislation and must be approved by local city and county governments, Ygrene is not a government program, nor is it free of cost.
- Describing Ygrene as a “lender” or Ygrene financing as a “loan.” Ygrene is not a bank or a lender, and PACE financing is not a traditional loan. Ygrene PACE financing functions as a special tax or assessment with annual payments incorporated into and repaid with property taxes.
- Offering tax advice. You should not include language that promises PACE payments are tax deductible or infer such potential.
- Language that implies financing will transfer with absolute certainty. Ygrene financing is repaid with property taxes which legally transfers with the property. However, some mortgage lenders often do require full payoff of PACE financing upon sale or refinance.
- Marketing of products or services contractor does not perform or cannot fulfill.
- Misleading promotion of PACE-eligible improvements alongside non-eligible improvements. Not permitted unless accompanied by the disclaimer: Not all improvements may be eligible for PACE financing.
- Use of fake checks, fake currency or vouchers.
- Implied endorsement from a city or county government body. You should not use fake or authentic city, county and government seals and logos.
Ygrene Financing Icon
Authorized contractors are allowed to use the Ygrene financing icon in full color, PMS 382 and PMS 425, or reversed.
Download the Ygrene financing logo:
Gray and green (.png) | (.eps)
White (.png) | (.eps)
Placement & Minimum Clear Space
To preserve legibility, the Ygrene icon should be placed on white backgrounds, or if using a colored background or on an image, it must be shown in reverse (white) and placed in the most visually clear area. Give the icon a little room to breathe. Allow at least .25” of white space around all sides.
Incorrect Logo & Icon Usage
To ensure consistent brand recognition, the Ygrene icon must be used and properly positioned within the material. The following examples apply to all Ygrene logos and icons.
The Ygrene Message
We have made weaving Ygrene key messaging into your marketing material as simple and as straightforward as possible. Please select your state below and use language from the approved short and long messages blocks. You may also refer to the messaging found our website for additional approved content.
Message Blocks Select your state
California
Florida
Missouri
Short form: Award-winning Ygrene offers no money down financing for energy efficiency, renewable energy, seismic and water saving home improvements, conveniently repaid with your property taxes.1
Long form: Award-winning Ygrene offers no money down property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing for energy efficiency, water conservation and renewable energy improvements, conveniently added to and repaid with your property taxes.1 A smart alternative to traditional credit-based financing, approval is based primarily on property equity and ability to pay - not on your credit score. Rates are fixed and flexible terms up to 30 years are available depending on service area and project type.
- 100% Financing, No Money Down
- No Payment For Up To 12 Or More Months2
- Approval Is Based Primarily On Property Equity And Ability To Pay
- Fixed Rates, Flexible Terms Up To 30 Years3
- No Minimum Credit Score Required4
- Get Approved In 30 Minutes Or Less
1While PACE programs are enabled by state legislation and must be approved by your local government, Ygrene is not a government program.
2Subject to underwriting guidelines and approval; timing of first payment depends on date of funding, interest accrues after funding.
3Terms of 10, 15 and 20 years are valid in all Ygrene service areas; 25 and 30 year terms are available depending on service area as well as type and estimated useful life of the improvement.
4While Ygrene does not consider your credit score, we will pull your credit during underwriting in order to determine your eligibility.
5In California Program Administrator License #60DBO-91942
Short form: Award-winning Ygrene offers no money down financing for energy efficiency, renewable energy and hurricane protection home improvements, conveniently repaid with your property taxes.1
Long form: Award-winning Ygrene offers no money down property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing for energy efficiency, renewable energy and hurricane protection improvements, conveniently added to and repaid with your property taxes.1 A smart alternative to traditional credit-based financing, eligibility is based primarily on property equity - not on your credit score. Rates are fixed and flexible terms up to 30 years are available depending on service area as well as type and estimated useful life of the improvement.
Ygrene Benefits
- 100% Financing No Money Down
- No Payment For Up To 17 Months2
- Approval Is Based Primarily On Property Equity
- Fixed Rates, Flexible Terms Up To 30 Years3
- No Minimum Credit Score Required4
- Get Approved In 30 Minutes Or Less
1While PACE programs are enabled by state legislation and must be approved by your local government, Ygrene is not a government program.
2Subject to underwriting guidelines and approval; timing of first payment depends on date of funding, interest accrues after funding.
3Terms of 10, 15 and 20 years are valid in all Ygrene service areas; 25 and 30 year terms are available depending on service area as well as type and estimated useful life of the improvement.
4While Ygrene does not consider your credit score, we will pull your credit during underwriting in order to determine your eligibility.
Short form: Award-winning Ygrene offers no money down financing for renewable energy and energy efficiency home improvements, conveniently repaid with your property taxes.1
Long form: Award-winning Ygrene offers no money down property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements, conveniently added to and repaid with your property taxes.1 A smart alternative to traditional credit-based financing, eligibility is based on primarily property equity - not on your credit score. Rates are fixed and flexible terms up to 20 years are available in all service areas.
- No Money Down, 100% Financing
- No Payment For Up To 17 Months2
- Eligibility Is Based Primarily On Property Equity
- Fixed Rates, Flexible Terms Up To 20 Years3
- No Minimum Credit Score Required4
- Property Can Be Prequalified In Minutes
1While PACE programs are enabled by state legislation and must be approved by your local government, Ygrene is not a government program.
2Subject to underwriting guidelines and approval; deferral of first payment depends on date of funding; interest accrues during entire deferred payment period. No current mortgage liens recorded before 8/28/10.
3Terms of 10, 15 and 20 years are valid in all Ygrene service areas.
4While Ygrene does not consider your credit score, we will pull your credit during underwriting in order to determine your eligibility.
Copy Promoting Effective Monthly Payment Amount
You may promote an effective monthly payment amount in advertising using these guidelines:
Advertising copy must:
- Prominently describe the monthly effective amount (improvement type, cost, term), i.e., Based on installation of new $xx,xxx 50-year XYZ Roof repaid over xx years, and;
- Disclose these details: Monthly payment for budgeting purposes only; to be repaid annually with property taxes. Call for more details. Offer expires xx/xx/xxxx, and;
- Ensure disclosures of the monthly payment amount are not more conspicuous than disclosures of the estimated annual payment.
Including Offers & Discounts
Contractors wanting to include discounts or offers in their co-marketing materials, please reference and integrate the following disclaimers:
Discount from Contractor:
($____ ) discount provided by (Contractor Company Name) and will be applied at the time of estimate. Discount is available to cash customers and those with other Non-PACE modes of financing. (Contractor company name and address)
Non-PACE Improvements
If ad has multiple improvements that do not qualify for PACE Financing, then add this disclaimer:
PACE Financing is only available to finance energy efficiency and storm resistance improvements.
Websites
Contractors may only use the Ygrene logo on websites below the header and at least 500px down from the top of the browser. Websites should prominently display the contractor logo at the top of the website and there should be no representation or possible confusion that Ygrene is the website’s brand.
A contractor’s website may also include links to:
- Ygrene website ygrene.com
- Ygrene How It Works video in English and/or Spanish.
Print & Email Marketing
The Ygrene Financing icon is the only Ygrene logo permitted on print marketing material (e.g., direct mail postcards and letters, brochures, fact sheets, print home show ads, business cards) and email marketing campaigns. The Ygrene icon must be positioned secondary to the contractor company logo and placed at the bottom right or left corner, to avoid brand confusion. Use only approved Ygrene message blocks and disclaimers.
All layouts must be reviewed and approved through contractormarketing@ygrene.com before submitting artwork to vendors or signing contracts. We may also ask about your targeted audience and distribution.
Email Addresses and URLs
Contractors may not use Ygrene or any derivative of the Ygrene name in company email addresses or URLs.
Email Signatures
Contractors may not use the Ygrene icon in email signatures.
Radio, TV & Online Video
All radio, television and video scripts mentioning Ygrene must be approved through contractormarketing@ygrene.com prior to production. Please reference copy blocks provided in these guidelines and on the Messaging page.
Vehicles
Ygrene icon window decals are permitted on the rear or driver side windows of contractor vehicles. Ygrene icon vehicle magnets are permitted on driver side, side panels or rear doors. Ygrene does not permit the use of its logo or icon on wrapped cars or trucks.
Decals and door magnets may be ordered from your Regional Account Manager.
Outdoor
The Ygrene icon is the only artwork permitted on billboards, bus stops or other outdoor advertising. All layouts (and locations) must be approved through contractormarketing@ygrene.com before signing a contract or submitting artwork to vendors.
Canvassing
Contractors may walk neighborhoods to inform property owners of Ygrene financing by door-to-door canvassing and must follow any local rules and registration requirements related to such canvassing. Any print material left with a homeowner, and any oral representations regarding Ygrene financing must comply with marketing and copy guidelines. Contractors and their representatives (employees, temporary staff, subcontractors, affiliates) shall not represent themselves as agents, representatives, or employees of Ygrene, or any government or participating municipality.
Events
All event signage must use only the approved Ygrene icon and content consistent with these guidelines. You must clearly state that your affiliation with Ygrene is that you offer Ygrene as a financing option. Do not create customer giveaways using the Ygrene icon locked up with your own logo.
For an event kit, support and guidance, please contact contractormarketing@ygrene.com at least two weeks prior to your event.
Apparel
You are permitted to place the Ygrene icon only on shirt sleeves, or on the side or back of a hat. The Ygrene logo and icon are not permitted for use on the front of shirts or jackets. Patches may be ordered from your Regional Account Manager.
Pay-per-Click Ads
When creating paid search marketing campaigns (pay-per-click ads, Google display/banner ads, etc.,) that involve keywords related to Ygrene, you must follow the guidelines below:
Bidding Guidelines
Max. CPC Bid: $3.07
DO NOT outrank Ygrene for branded keywords (ex. “Ygrene”). Therefore, contractors must not set a Max CPC bid any higher than $3.07 when bidding on Ygrene-related keywords. Please ensure that any campaigns utilizing Ygrene-related keywords are set on a manual CPC bid strategy in order to facilitate these max CPC caps.
Keyword Usage
Ad copy descriptions should be aligned with the contractor marketing guidelines.
DO follow these examples:
BIG Heating & Air contractor
BIG Heating & Air offers Ygrene financing.BIG Heating & Air – offers Ygrene financing
BIG Heating & Air is proud to offer Ygrene financing.HVAC contractors
BIG Heating & Air proudly offers Ygrene financing.
DO NOT appear as though you are Ygrene.
Press & Media
All press releases, newspaper, magazine or online articles must be reviewed and approved by Ygrene Media Relations. For assistance, please email contractormarketing@ygrene.com.
When communicating with members of the press or media (including bloggers), be sure to abide by the following:
DO:
- Talk about the positive impact on your business.
- Talk about your experience with Ygrene financing.
- Talk about the products and types of services that you provide.
- Reporters, bloggers, writers and members of the media with specific questions about the PACE industry or Ygrene financing may be referred directly to Media Relations.
DO NOT:
- Proactively contact reporters or post press releases within the first 10 days of the launch of a new Ygrene service area. Ygrene manages media relations for new community launches.
- Describe how Ygrene or PACE financing works to members of the media.
- Refer to Ygrene or PACE as a free government program.
- Claim your company is the only company offering Ygrene in the area.
- Reference yourself, or your employees, as employees of Ygrene or any affiliated program, or represent yourself as a partner or representative of Ygrene.
Social Media & Blogs
When posting on social media or a blog, it is important that you represent yourself as your own company and not as an affiliate or representative of Ygrene. Posts must clearly state your only affiliation is that you offer Ygrene as a financing option.
DO:
- Feature content showing your projects financed by Ygrene, including how financing benefited the consumer.
- Clearly state that Ygrene is a financing option (an alternative to traditional, credit-based financing repaid with property taxes) and not a free government program.
- Share Ygrene posts; demonstrate with words and pictures how Ygrene has had a positive effect on your business, your customers, or the community.
DO NOT:
- Use Ygrene or a derivative of the name in the title of any social media channel.
- Use the Ygrene logo or icons as your profile picture.
- Associate Ygrene branding or messaging with official governmental communication channels, e.g., ‘.gov’ links.
Third-Party Agencies & Subcontractors
Ygrene does not condone or support using any tactics or communications which are incomplete, inaccurate or misleading with respect to Ygrene PACE financing. Any third-party agencies or subcontractors must comply with these Contractor Marketing Guidelines and Ygrene policies regarding consumer protection.
Contractors are responsible for any materials and communications these third-party agencies have or leave-behind with consumers, including any misrepresentations or misleading tactics. This includes any third-party service proactively representing the contractor and any third-party service from which the contractor is purchasing leads, regardless of whether or not the contractor was expressly disclosed during the lead generation process.
Contractors who engage in misleading communications (either directly or through third parties) regarding Ygrene financing, or if Ygrene receives complaints from property owners about misleading advertising or marketing, may be subject to suspension and/or termination.
Telemarketing
Ygrene does not authorize Contractors to conduct telemarketing which references Ygrene PACE or the features or benefits of the Ygrene PACE financing program.
Contractors and their third-party agencies or services who are promoting their home improvement business through telemarketing should fully comply with all applicable state and federal laws, including, but not limited to, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and abide by all applicable “Do Not Contact” and “Do Not Call” registries.
Violations of Guidelines and Requirements
Marketing and advertising are important for generating property owner interest in home improvement financing. It is important for you to follow the guidelines set forth here, in the Contractor Participation Agreement, and in other materials provided by Ygrene, to maintain the ongoing viability of the industry as a whole.
Contractors who do not follow these guidelines may be suspended and/or terminated from offering Ygrene financing. For assistance, or if you have any questions, contact us at contractormarketing@ygrene.com.
