All content in the USPS digital ecosystem is subject to the review and guidance of the USPS legal standards. Some of the more common considerations for digital properties are listed below.
Using Trademarks
In general, the first mention of the trademarked term needs to be accompanied by the appropriate mark while subsequent mentions do not. When the first instance of a trademarked term is in a heading (<H1>, <H2>, or <H3>) or navigational item, the mark can be omitted as long as the next subsequent mention includes it. (NOTE: In some cases, trademarks are used in <h4> headings, but only when there is no other mention of the trademarked term on the page.)
When developing content for any expandable elements, such as drawers or tabs, trademarks must be repeated as needed. If a trademark is hidden when the element is collapsed, the trademark should be repeated on each subsequent usage of the term until there is an instance that is perpetually viewable.
All USPS registered trademarks and trademarks should be included. Please check the USPS Law Department's Trademark Guidelines & Lists web page for up-to-date listing (both require USPS ACE networked computers)
Other Legal Considerations
Content, particularly marketing or sales language, must be researched to ensure it is not already trademarked or registered by another company. Search using the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) trademark database search.
Footnotes & Disclaimers
If a sentence, word, or statement requires a disclaimer or footnote, it should go either at the bottom of the text or at the bottom of the page. In most cases, it should NOT be italicized, but it happens on occasion and can be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Footnotes are numerical. There should be a space between the number and the text. If it's necessary for the text to stand out, it can also be bolded. Footnotes numbering is to be linked to the corresponding footnote below.
For a disclaimer, the text should be proceeded with the word "Disclaimer".
Ad Review Check List
Much of what is developed for USPS.com must go through a legal ad review. See the latest USPS Ad Review procedural guidelines on the Blue USPS Business and finance rules and guidelines page (only available from USPS ACE networked computers).
