aaa ncnu brand standards rev 05-10-2

AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah

Brand Standards(rev. May 2010)

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© 2010 California State Autombile Association. All rights reserved. | 1

AAA Brand StandardsTable of contents

Look and feelMake sure your logos, colors and text treatments are all on-brand whenever you’re designing, printing or desktop-publishing.

Masterbrand logo usage ...............................................................3Logo color specifications ..............................................................5Logo don'ts ..................................................................................6Logo with tagline usage ...............................................................7Logo placement ............................................................................9Color palette organization ..........................................................11Brand color formulations ............................................................15Typography .................................................................................16

FormattingFind out how to approach the different parts of your document: what to capitalize, whether to use sentences or fragments, how long your headline should be and other handy directions.

Headline .....................................................................................17Subhead .....................................................................................17Subsubhead (optional) ................................................................17Cover teaser ...............................................................................17Body ...........................................................................................17Headlines, subheads and lead-ins inside body copy .....................17Charts, graphs and tables ...........................................................18Member/employee quotes ..........................................................18Contact information ...................................................................18Call to action ..............................................................................19Legal ..........................................................................................19Additional standards for inserts and brochures ...........................19Everyday applications..................................................................19

VoiceLearn more about the principles that guide AAA copy and get some helpful tips and tricks for writing in the AAA voice.

Personality ..................................................................................22Principles ....................................................................................22Structure.....................................................................................22Word choice ...............................................................................22Marketing communications ........................................................23Quotes .......................................................................................23Tips ............................................................................................23Tricks ..........................................................................................24

NomenclatureFind out when to capitalize a product name and when it needs a ®. This section lists the preferred treatment of AAA company names, titles, product names and more.

Our company names...................................................................25Products and services..................................................................26

Trademarks .................................................................................27Taglines ......................................................................................28Job titles .....................................................................................28Locations ....................................................................................29List of AAA branded terms ..........................................................30

StyleDive into the manual for our house style — how we treat bullets, commas, em dashes and general syntax. Refer to this when you’re writing or proofreading a piece.

Titles of works ............................................................................33Titles of people and groups ........................................................33Trademarks and copyrights .........................................................34Bulleted lists ...............................................................................34Numbered lists ...........................................................................36Times and dates .........................................................................36Addresses and phone numbers ...................................................37URLs, email addresses and references to the Web .......................37Legal ..........................................................................................38License numbers .........................................................................38Copyright ...................................................................................39Revision date ..............................................................................39Recycling bug .............................................................................39Footnotes ...................................................................................39Numbers.....................................................................................39Abbreviations .............................................................................40Acronyms and initialisms .............................................................41Jargon and clichés ......................................................................42Capitalization ..............................................................................42Punctuation ................................................................................42Troublesome words and terms ....................................................45Troublesome spellings .................................................................46

Legal disclaimersCheck here for the current text of our legal disclaimers — a handy reference for writers, proofreaders and marketers building briefs.

Copyright ...................................................................................47Insurance disclaimers ..................................................................47Travel disclaimers ........................................................................49Membership disclaimers .............................................................49

Additional resources ....................................................................50If you can’t find the answer you need elsewhere in this guide, you should be able to find it in one of these helpful references.

Index .............................................................................................51

May 2010 TAble oF ConTenTS | 2

How to use this guide

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AAA Brand StandardsLook and feel

May 2010 look AnD Feel | 3

AAA Masterbrand logo The logo is composed of the AAA oval and a network ring.

Using clear space To maintain the logo's visual integrity, it should never be crowded by text, titles, photographs or other symbols. The logo makes a greater impact when surrounded by a standard clear space. The proper measurement is a distance of one-half the height of the middle portion of the oval. exceptions to this rule are made for building signage and online use.

Using AAA product, service and feature logos Clear space rules apply to this level of logo as well. The logo makes a greater impact when surrounded by a standard clear space. The proper measurement is a distance of one-half the height of the middle portion of the oval. The example at left shows the text descriptor outside of the required clear space. The clear space must then encompass both the AAA logo and the text descriptor, in this case, Approved Auto Repair.

Positive and reverse logos Positive refers to the use of color versions of the logo that overprint a white or color background. Whenever possible, the two-color logo should be used, ideally printed, using spot colors. The one-color positive red logo, while approved, has very limited applications. The one-color positive black meets the needs of grayscale reproduction or when color logos would impair the coherence of the design. A “reverse” logo is one knocked out of a color or grayscale background (to white or the paper color); refer to “Usage with background colors,” page 5.

AAA Masterbrand

.5x .5x

.5x .5x

x

Clear space

.5x .5x

x

.5x .5x

Clear space

Masterbrand logo usage

The AAA Masterbrand logo is the cornerstone of the AAA design and branding system and is the most recognizable of all the tools we use to communicate our brand's strength and reliability. It is one of the most recognized corporate logos and instantly communicates AAA. As such, it is a priceless asset and each AAA employee and business partner shares the responsibility of safeguarding it. by adhering to established standards we protect the logo’s integrity and help to build the AAA Masterbrand.

2-color positive

1-color positive, red

2-color positive, black

1-color reverse, white



Descriptor usage When the AAA logo includes a descriptor, they occupy a lockup together.

The descriptor area below the AAA logo may contain either an approved club name or an approved business line name. It may not contain multiple club names, taglines, headlines, non-AAA products, product or service names, Web site addresses, or anything other than an approved club name or an approved business line name.

For approved descriptors see the brand Relationships module on BrandPoint.

Descriptor typography In select cases, a AAA product or service may warrant a method of expression that will differentiate it from offerings. For entities at the key products and services brand level, a descriptor joins the AAA Masterbrand. This descriptor appears in a fixed position, below the logo and left-justified. In these instances the typeface must be Frutiger next bold.

Within our current set of offerings, exceptions to this logo treatment exist (such as VIA® magazine, AAA Sojourns and AAA battery Service) and are represented by pre-approved, customized logos that were developed to emphasize their differentiated offerings in unique market situations.

Scaling and minimum sizeWhen scaling the AAA logo, make sure to resize proportionally. A minimum size of 5/32" is required. This measurement refers only to the height of the oval. This rule applies to the AAA logos that are part of our service logos such as emergency Road Service and AAA Approved Auto Repair.

Optical centering When centering the AAA logo within a space, include the entire logo (AAA oval and network ring). The goal is to achieve an optical center spacing, which differs from measuring the mechanical center. The diagram at left shows the optical horizontal and vertical centers relative to the mechanical center.

Descriptor

Lockup

Optical centering

Optical horizontal center

Optical vertical center

5/32"

Minimum height (actual size)

5/32"

Minimum height (actual size)

http://www.aaabrandpoint.com



Usage with background colorsWhen using the Masterbrand logo on a colored background, use a black or white logo for clarity and visibility. When the background is solid gray, use the figure at left to guide you in selecting the black or white logo.

Usage with background images To assure legibility, background colors and imagery must provide adequate contrast. The placement of the Masterbrand over both color and black-and-white images must ensure clear visability of the brand. Please note that in the examples on the left the staging of the logo is positioned over images to maximize clarity.

One-color reverse white on a range of acceptable grayscale contrast values

100% 85% 65% 50%

One-color reverse white on AAA Red One-color reverse white on AAA Blue

One-color black on a range of acceptable grayscale contrast values

50% 35% 25% 10%

One-color reverse white on color photo

Two-color logo on color photo Black on grayscale image

One-color reverse white on color photo

Logo color specifications

Two-color logo specifications Whenever possible, the two-color logo should be printed using the PAnTone® Matching System, often referred to as PMS colors. Please refer to color specs on page 15 for information on using the logo with different application or print methods.

One-color logo specifications The logo may also be reproduced in one color. only the following single colors are compliant:

White (or paper color) Red (or PAnTone 485), see specs aboveBlack (solid 100% black)

Metallic logo specifications The use of metallic colors should be reserved for situations portraying premium quality, such as three- to five-Diamond facilities, metal or wood plaques, and superior quality promotional items.

Paper Metallic gold (or PAnTone 873)Metallic silver (or PAnTone 877)

Foil stamping Gold foil (or PAnTone FS-SG 54 C)Silver foil (or PAnTone FS-bS 78 C)



Logo Don’ts

To maintain design integrity, do not alter the AAA logo or stage it with distracting elements. Following are some examples of what not to use::

1. Color gradations 2. Color swapping 3. Distracting patterns 4. Drop shadows 5. Distracting backgrounds 6. Knockouts of oval interior 7. Logo patterning 8. Outlines 9. Embellishments 10. Tints / transparency 11. Part of a sentence or word 12. Background colors that limit legibility 13. Disproportionate scaling 14. Cropping 15. Non-approved colors

These rules also apply for all descriptor logos such as emergency Road Service and AAA Approved Auto Repair.

Any representation of the AAA brand (AAA logo or name) for use on any Web site other than AAA.com must be approved by brand Strategy & Design. AAA national’s bylaw 17 serves to control and protect smaller AAA clubs’ territorial rights from larger clubs, who may have better bargaining power and deeper discounts to offer to Members. This rule also applies to selling and / or marketing products, services or offerings through traditional channels to Members of other AAA clubs.

If you have gained approval to use the AAA logo on a Web site, you must also include our club’s legal name outside of the allowable logo clear space and a disclaimer that this product, service or offering is available only to Members of AAA northern California, nevada & Utah.



Logo with tagline usage

In this guideline you will find the basic graphic standards for use of the tagline in the acceptable configurations, as well as a few examples of the tagline in applications. Research tells us that customers are often pleasantly surprised to learn about all that AAA Membership offers. our tagline reminds readers of the added value. Use it as a sign-off whenever possible.

Our tagline is a powerful call to actionThe tagline may be used only in the configurations shown, and creative applications are subject to review and approval by brand Strategy & Design. Use authorized artwork only. Reset type only for specific URls beneath the tagline.

Use of tagline In our communications, the tagline is used as a sign-off or summary. It should not be used as a headline or as part of the content of running text.

Tagline configuration Though flush right is our preferred configuration, versions of the tagline exist to suit a variety of layouts. It may be used alone or with a call to action / URl (example 3). The call to action is used underneath the tagline, to ensure customers are aware of how to access AAA through their preferred channel; a customized URl or phone number may be used in place of “Call | Click | Come In” for tracking purposes, as shown in the examples.

Fonts The tagline font is Clarendon Roman, set in title case. The call to action / url font is Futura bold, set in all caps. Generally, the size ratio between the tagline and call to action / url is 2.33:1 (ex., 14 pt. over 6 pt.).

3) Tagline with URl / call to action, flush right

2) Tagline, flush right

1) Tagline, centered



Minimum sizing When layout limitations require the tagline to be smaller than 14 pt., it is necessary to increase the proportion of the call to action in relation to the tagline (figure 1). Use a ratio of 1.4:1 (e.g., 10 pt. over 7 pt.). Minimum size for the call to action is 6 pt. At any size or configuration, the space between the elements is equal to the “X” height of the call to action.

Clear space and its relationship to the AAA logoTo ensure visual integrity, the tagline must be surrounded by clear space — meaning no interfering type or graphics are to be placed within close proximity (see diagram at left). As a unit of measurement,

“X” is equal to the distance from the top to bottom of the AAA oval. The minimum clear space is a distance of one-half of “X,” expressed as

“.5X.” All other AAA logo guidelines apply.

Generally, the tagline is aligned with the left edge of body copy text. Another option would be to choose an appropriate visual anchor for alignment, while preserving the minimum distance requirements. In its horizontal version (figure 2), the tagline must be located left or right of the AAA logo no closer than .5X. In its vertical version (figure 3), the tagline must be centered above the AAA logo no closer than .5X.

Registration mark (®) relationship to AAAAlign to the top of the “A”. Minimum 5 pt. in proportions similar to those shown here (figure 4).

Color specifications In color documents, the tagline should be printed in PAnTone® 287. When a document is printed in black and white, the AAA tagline and logo are printed in solid black. When printing with spot colors, they should be printed using the PAnTone® Matching System, often referred to as PMS colors. See page 15.

CALL | CLICK | COME IN

3) Vertical configuration with clear space and minimum distance between AAA tagline and AAA logo

2) Horizontal configuration with clear space and minimum distance between AAA tagline and AAA logo

4) Registration mark proportion to AAA

Spacing must be equal to “X” height of the call to action

1) Alternate proportions for use with limited space (minimum size)

In lieu of the colors listed on this page, you may use the PAnTone® colors cited, the standards for which can be found in the current edition of the PAnTone formula guide. The colors and CMYK and RGB breakdowns shown on this page have not been evaluated by Pantone, Inc., for accuracy and may not match the PANTONE Color Standards. For accurate PAnTone Color Standards refer to the current edition of the PAnTone formula guide. PAnTone® is the property of Pantone, Inc.


Summer heat puts extrastrain on weak batteries.

Give us a call and we’ll come toyou to diagnose and, if necessary,replace your auto’s failing batterybefore it leaves you stranded.

Call (800)AAA-HELP (800-222-4357)

Hours: Mon–Fri 7AM–7PM,Sat–Sun 9AM–5PM*

Prevent summer breakdowns.Save $25 on batteryreplacement

*Service available in most areas. If you choose to have usreplace a failing battery, the battery replacement servicewe provide will not count as one of the four EmergencyRoad Services that you are entitled to receive eachMembership year.

© 2010 California State Automobile Association. All rights reserved.


Save at the pump.Visit AAAmaps.com to find low gas prices before you fill up.

AAA Membership, working for you. Now you can find gas stations with low prices before leaving home. Whether you’re commuting or traveling, visit AAAmaps.com and click on Gas Price Finder to search for low gas prices nationwide.

Plus, get point-to-point directions, maps and more at AAAmaps.com.

Visit AAAmaps.com.©2009 California State Automobile Association

Logo placement

A: VIA Ad, one-half page Use the horizontal configuration set flush left when space allows. Staging the tagline separately from the AAA logo allows for a greater range of layout possibilities. observe all clear space requirements.

B: VIA Ad, one-third page Use the vertical configuration when space limitations are narrow. observe all clear space requirements.

A

B

C: Outdoor board Use the one-line horizontal configuration as space allows. observe all clear space requirements.

MEMBERS GET20% OFF AT FTD.COM

©2007 California State Automobile Association

C

D

D: Television sign-off Use the two-line vertical configuration to maximize screen coverage. For TV, the call to action typically includes the following: 800 JoIn AAA | AAA.com | VISIT A loCAl bRAnCH



Print ads, flyers, letter-size collateral: Stage logo with tagline lower right to fill 1/2 of grid. When using only the Masterbrand, fill approximately 1/5 of the grid. In both brand applications, ensure that ample white space is given.

Postcards, inserts: Stage logo with tagline lower right to fill 2/5 of grid.

Web pages: Stage logo upper left to fill 1/5 banner width.

Email banners: Stage logo on the left to fill approximately 1/6 grid.

Web banners: Stage logo as shown according to the specific banner size. For more details refer to the banner ad standards on brandPoint at aaabrandpoint.com.

Grid system for staging the AAA logoPlacement is as important as prominence, size and color when displaying the logo. The grids provided here show staging requirements for all collateral and Web applications. Using standards for staging the AAA logo ensures consistent presence and visibility of the AAA logo.

152 x 248 192 x 230 328 x 96

Email footers: Stage logo with tagline on the right to fill approximately 1/3 grid.




Color palette organization

Color is an important component of the AAA brand image and helps to differentiate AAA from competitors. The brand colors were chosen to resonate with our brand attributes. These colors are grouped in three palettes that identify our three main lines of business: Membership, Insurance and Travel. This section describes our brand palette and provides examples of how we identify our products through color choice. Color formulations are on page 15.

MEMBERSHIP

INSURANCE

TRAVEL

PMS

287

PMS

542

PMS

138

PMS

299

PMS

383

PMS

1805

PMS

116

PMS

159

PMS

159

PMS

7468

PMS

4675

PMS

459

PMS

5503

PMS

287

PMS

116

PMS

485

Blac

k

Whi

te

PMS

287

PMS

138

Whi

te

PMS

116

PMS

485

Whi

te

PMS

138

Blac

k

Tints The use of tints allows for greater design flexibility and provides a highlight for key messaging. To ensure sufficient contrast and consistency across communications, we specify a tint of 20% for AAA Yellow (or PAnTone® 116) and 50% for AAA Insurance blue (or PAnTone® 542). We do not use tints of any other colors.

AAA Insurance blue Tint (50% of PMS 542)

AAA Yellow Tint (20% of PMS 116)

In lieu of the colors listed on this page, you may use the PAnTone® colors cited, the standards for which can be found in the current edition of PAnTone Publications. The colors, CMYK, RGB and hexadecimal breakdowns shown on this page have not been evaluated by Pantone, Inc. for accuracy and may not match the PANTONE Color Standards. For accurate PAnTone Color Standards, refer to the current edition of PAnTone Publications. PAnTone® is the property of Pantone, Inc. Note: The PAnTone Foil Stamping Color Guide has been discontinued. We will permit your inclusion of these colors in this piece as many individuals still reference this product.



MembershipThis palette is used when creating communications that focus on our gateway products and services, which are not specifically aligned with the Insurance or Travel business lines. Within this palette, color-weighting for individual products is rooted in the significance of specific colors, which combine to create distinctive and relevant identities.

AAA Blue: solidity, heritage, trustAAA Yellow: action, optimism, clarityWhite: freedom, forthrightness, freshnessAAA Orange: sun, warmth, hospitalityAAA Red: response, excitement, importanceBlack: power, purpose, confidence

PMS

287

PMS

116

PMS

485

PMS

138

Blac

k

Whi

te

Upgrade today!

Call (800) 922-8228, click AAA.com/paymybill or check the upgrade box on the enclosed payment coupon.

California License #0175868 CST 1003968-80 1 You are entitled to four free service calls per year. Towing not to exceed 200 miles for one (1) and 100 miles for the remaining three (3) service calls.

2 Car must be rented for two-day minimum period; one day will be complimentary. Does not apply to car inoperability caused by accident.

3 Covers Premier Member and spouse/dependents traveling with Premier Member. Travel must be purchased through AAA Travel.

4 You must be on a trip 100 miles or more from home to qualify for this benefit. 5 Coverage is limited to auto travel anywhere in the continental United States, Canada or Mexico. Certain restrictions apply.

6 Coverage is provided on a reimbursement basis after submission of a claim form. 7 Reimburses up to $250 to purchase emergency clothes and up to $250 off the cost of shipping replacement items to you from home.

Your new AAA Roadside Assistance becomes active 48 hours after we process your payment. Safety situations will always be handled with the highest attention. In these exceptional situations, we may waive the waiting period policy, but a surcharge will be assessed.

© 2009 California State Automobile Association. All rights reserved. F2427 (Rev. Jul 2009)

Move up to the ultimate peace of mind on the road >>

AAA PremierMembershipOne amazing new Card. Countless possibilities.

AAA Battery Service

* Service available in most areas. If you choose to have us replace a failing battery, the battery replacement service we provide will not count as a service call. Services and procedures may be changed without notice.

© 2009 California State Automobile Association. All rights reserved. F646 (Rev. Feb 2009)

Save time and worry.We’ll come to your home or office to

replace your battery on the spot. It’s easy

and convenient.

▪ Quick, professional installation

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▪ 6-year warranty, 3-year free replacement,

3-year pro-rate

Plus, we’ll recycle your old battery for free.

Please call (800) AAA-HELP (800-222-4357) and take advantage of same-day service. Go without the tow: Count on AAA

Date:

Call Number:

✓Call (877) 206-3992, click AAA.com /renew or visit your local AAA branch.

>>

With AAA, you’ve got the best Roadside Assistance there is. Renew today! ▪ We reach you 15 minutes sooner than others.

▪ We cover you even when you’re in a car

that belongs to someone else. ▪ AAA tow truck drivers are trained to address

minor mechanical problems on the spot.

Sign up for automatic renewal and save $5.00!

AAA Classic $54 per year AAA Plus1 $89 per year AAA Premier 2 $109 per year

Miles of FREE towing5 miles

100 miles 200 miles (1x 200 miles, 3x 100 miles)

FREE emergency fuel and delivery FREE delivery (Member pays for fuel) 3 gallons FREE

5 gallons FREE

Locksmith reimbursement for car and home $60 locksmith (car only) $100 locksmith (car only) $100 locksmith (car and home)

One-day FREE car rental with a tow

As you renew, choose the level of benefits that’s right for you.

Renew today: Call (877) 206-3992,

click AAA.com / renew or visit your local AAA branch.

Your AAA Membership

is about to expire.

Renew today to ensure uninterrupted coverage of your benefits.

If you’ve already paid your annual renewal fees, thank you!

It’s time to renew!

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AAA Traveler’s Companion

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CORE ACCENT



InsuranceThis palette is used when creating communications that feature AAA Insurance products. The Insurance palette is intended to suggest qualities that we know customers find important: trust, peace of mind and forthrightness.

AAA Insurance Blue: peace of mind, enablementAAA Blue: solidity, heritage, trustWhite: freedom, forthrightness, freshnessAAA Orange: sun, warmth, hospitalityBlack: power, purpose, confidence

† Offer expires 10/31/2009. Offer good while supplies last. You must get a no-obligation life insurance consultation with an Agent in an office or telephone to receive a

Life Tools Kit. Acceptance of the Life Tools Kit does not require the purchase of this policy. California State Automobile Association (CSAA), a AAA Member Club, which

does business as AAA Nevada in Nevada, provides life insurance underwritten by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI. AAA Life is licensed in all states except NY.

AAA Life CA Certificate of Authority #07861. CSAA Life Insurance Agency of California, Inc. License #0D12130. ALCS-18684-89-XX. Policy Form Series TL20081


Good news:

Life Insurance from AAA is more affordable than you think. Get a no-obligation quote today and get a free gift.†

Turn your AAA Auto Insurance quote into $100 in free AAA travel.

Hilton Hawaiian Village® Beach Resort & SpaEscape to an island paradise that offers the perfect combination of hotel luxury and classic Hawaiian hospitality. On Waikiki’s best beach, the Hilton Hawaiian Village gives you stunning views of Diamond Head. It also boasts of the largest pool in the island — the venue for the “King’s Jubilee” cultural celebration every Friday night. Package includes round-trip airfare, 7 nights’ accommodations, all hotel taxes and more. Plus, guaranteed upgrade and $100 dining credit.

AAA Member Benefit: $50 activity credit per booking.

Aug 24 – Dec 3, 2009

7 nights from $1,133 per person (including airfare)

Meliá Caribe Tropical, Dominican Republic Discover the perfect all-inclusive tropical getaway. Meliá Caribe Tropical sets the standard for family-oriented, all-inclusive hotels in Punta Cana, where the white-sand beaches are among the finest in the Caribbean. From your deluxe junior suite, you’ll enjoy unlimited drinks, snacks, non-motorized water sports, nightly entertainment and more. Includes all meals, accommodations, hotel taxes and round-trip airfare.

AAA Member Benefit: $50 activity credit per booking

Aug 24 – Dec 7, 2009

7 nights from $1,390 per person (including airfare)

Where will you take your savings? Need an idea about where to go? Check out the two great trips below from AAA Travel and Pleasant Holidays. To learn more about these and other Pleasant Holidays vacations, talk with a AAA Vacation Specialist at (888) 673-5038 or your local AAA branch. Or click AAA.com/travel for trip ideas.

Let’s go! Get your auto insurance quote by 7/ 31/09.

Book your trip by 8 / 31/09.*

FREE$100 TRAVEL VOUCHER

Superior value starts here >>

AAA Home Insurance Protection that goes the extra mile to make things right again.

Discover the AAA Home Insurance difference >>

Welcome to the most generous coverage available in California. For California Homeowners

Stop by your local AAA branch, or call us: (800) 274-0468

Insuring homes for more than 35 years, we provide insurance to AAA Members in 18 states. We are rated A+ Excellent by A.M. BEST based on our financial ability to pay claims.

*The AAA Home Insurance policy does not cover flood or earthquake. Separate policies are

available for these coverages.California License #0175868 California State Automobile Association (CSAA), a AAA Member Club, provides auto, home

and personal umbrella insurance through the California State Auto Group. Life insurance

underwritten and annuities offered by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI.

This brochure only highlights certain provisions of the insurance described, and is not and will

not become a part of the insurance policy. For complete insurance provisions, pick up a policy

from any AAA Insurance representative or branch office. You must be an active AAA Member

to purchase or renew AAA Insurance.© 2008 California State Automobile Association. All rights reserved.

F1993 (Nov 2008)

Superior value starts here >>

AAA Home

Insurance

Protection that goes the extra

mile to make things right again.

Discover the AAA Home Insurance difference >>

Welcome to the

most generous

coverage available

in California.

For California Homeowners

Stop by your local AAA branch,

or call us: (800) 274-0468

Insuring homes for more than 35 years, we

provide insurance to AAA Members in 18 states.

We are rated A+ Excellent by A.M. BEST based

on our financial ability to pay claims.

*The AAA Home Insurance policy does not cover flood or earthquake. Separate policies are

available for these coverages.

California License #0175868

California State Automobile Association (CSAA), a AAA Member Club, provides auto, home

and personal umbrella insurance through the California State Auto Group. Life insurance

underwritten and annuities offered by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI.

This brochure only highlights certain provisions of the insurance described, and is not and will

not become a part of the insurance policy. For complete insurance provisions, pick up a policy

from any AAA Insurance representative or branch office. You must be an active AAA Member

to purchase or renew AAA Insurance.


F1993 (Nov 2008)

PMS

542

PMS

287

PMS

138

Blac

k

Whi

te

CORE ACCENT

Turn your AAA Auto Insurance quote into $100 in free AAA travel.

Call (877) 530-6AAA or visit your local AAA branch for a free Auto Insurance quote and $100 Travel Voucher.

Get a AAA Auto Insurance quote and get $100 savings at AAA Travel. Need a vacation? Now a AAA Auto Insurance quote can help get you there, for less. Get a quote by the end of July and we’ll give you a Travel Voucher, redeemable for $100 off a Pleasant Holidays vacation with AAA Travel.

That’s on top of other AAA Insurance savings, including discounts for teens, seniors, good drivers, hybrid owners, and multipolicy discount when you have AAA Home Insurance and more. Call for your quote today and start thinking about where your savings will take you.

* Discount applicable on any Pleasant Holidays package valued at $2,000 or more that includes the purchase of the Pleasant Holidays’ Protection Plan with at least two adults traveling. Must book through AAA Travel by 8/31/09 and present this voucher along with your Auto Insurance Quote number. Travel must be completed by 12/15/09. This offer is not applicable with the “Hot Deals” promotions. We make every effort for accuracy at the time of printing, but reserve the right to correct errors. CST #1003968-80. Registration as seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California. California State Automobile Association (CSAA), a AAA Member Club, provides automobile, home and personal umbrella insurance through the Cal State Auto Group. © 2009 California State Automobile Association. All rights reserved. AAA-V102



Road TripSavings

FREE $10 GAS CARD OFFER ON BACK >>

Save up to 50%on parking at Oakland International Airport.Expresso Airport Parking is the least expensive choice for long and short term parking at Oakland International. And these special AAA rates make it even more affordable: Daily Rate $4.95 (regularly $9.95), Indoor Daily Rate $7.95 (regularly $12.95) and Valet Daily Rate $9.95 (regularly $14.95). Make your free, guaranteed reservation online at expressoparking.com.

Offer valid through 8/31/09

Save 30%on complete pair eyewear, sunglasses and accessories. Plus, get 15% off lenses and frames purchased separately, and a free eyeglass cleaning kit with purchase of a complete pair of eyeglasses.For participating locations, visit AAA.com/searchfordiscounts.


........................................................................................

Up to 40% off parkingwhen you’re traveling out of SFO.Save $4 per day at SkyPark’s indoor and outdoor facilities and receive each 5th day absolutely free when parking 5 or more consecutive days. The AAA Member day rate for outdoor parking is only $12 (regularly $16) and $15 for indoor (regularly $19).Make your free reservation online at skypark.com.

SkyPark

30% off weekend stayswith a three-night reservation.Have more fun for less money at participating Marriott, Courtyard, Renaissance, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn and TownePlace Suites when you present your AAA Card. There’s no better time than now to get out and enjoy the sites and sounds of all our nearby attractions.


Save up to $15 when you rent any class car at Hertz for a minimum of one weekend day. Save $5 a day, up to $15. Use code number PC#132845 when you make your reservation, and redeem this offer at any participating Hertz location in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Just show your AAA Card at the time of rental.

Offer valid for vehicle pickup through 12/31/09

2 free nightswhen you join the free AAA Preferred Best Western Rewards® program and stay twice.Simply stay two times between June 21 and August 16, 2009 and earn a maximum of 2 free night vouchers, each equivalent to 16,000 Best Western Rewards points. You’ll also earn 10% bonus points with each qualified stay and up to a 20% discount at participating hotels. Visit AAA.com / bestwestern to register or for further details.

Promo code: AAASUM09

Save 15%on the latest Magellan navigation devices. Take the guesswork out of road trip planning. Get searchable AAA TourBook® content, AAA Discounts

and Roadside Assistance in the easy-to-use, AAA Magellan RoadMate devices.Find out more at AAA.com / gps

Save $40on a bumper-to-bumper 60-Point Vehicle Inspection.Get your car road-trip-ready for only $19.95 (regular price $59.95) with a comprehensive vehicle inspection at AAA Approved Auto Repair shops or Car Care Plus centers. Plus save 10% on labor on any needed repairs. Locate participating repair shops and book your appointment before August 31, 2009.Call (800) 645-4288 and press #6, or click AAA.com /carcare.Offer valid through 8/31/09

SAvE up tO 4O%

Offer valid through 7/31/09 in California only. F964CA (Jul 2009)© 2009 California State Automobile Association. © AAA Publishing 2009

Get a free $10 gas card with a AAA Auto Insurance quote today! If you already have AAA Auto Insurance, ask us about our referral program.

$10 free gas!

TravelThis more extensive palette is used when creating communications that feature AAA Travel products. The selected colors are intended to convey various positive aspects of leisure travel that unite our greatly varied travel offerings.

AAA Orange: sun, warmth, hospitalityAAA Light Blue: sky, water, playAAA Green: newness, refreshment, vigorAAA Blue: solidity, heritage, trustWhite: freedom, forthrightness, freshnessBlack: power, purpose, confidence

Road TripSavings

FREE $10 GAS CARD

OFFER ON BACK >>

Save up to 50%on parking at Oakland International Airport.

Expresso Airport Parking is the least expensive choice for long

and short term parking at Oakland International. And these

special AAA rates make it even more affordable: Daily Rate $4.95

(regularly $9.95), Indoor Daily Rate $7.95 (regularly $12.95) and

Valet Daily Rate $9.95 (regularly $14.95).

Make your free, guaranteed reservation

online at expressoparking.com.


Save 30%on complete pair eyewear, sunglasses and accessories.

Plus, get 15% off lenses and frames purchased separately,

and a free eyeglass cleaning kit with purchase of a complete

pair of eyeglasses.

For participating locations, visit AAA.com/searchfordiscounts.


................................................

........................................

Up to 40% off parking

when you’re traveling out of SFO.

Save $4 per day at SkyPark’s indoor and outdoor facilities and

receive each 5th day absolutely free when parking 5 or more

consecutive days.

The AAA Member day rate for outdoor parking is only $12

(regularly $16) and $15 for indoor (regularly $19).

Make your free reservation online at skypark.com.

SkyPark

30% off weekend stays

with a three-night reservation.

Have more fun for less money at participating Marriott, Courtyard,

Renaissance, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn and

TownePlace Suites when you present your AAA Card.

There’s no better time than now to get out and enjoy the

sites and sounds of all our nearby attractions.


Save up to $15 when you rent any class car at Hertz for a minimum

of one weekend day.

Save $5 a day, up to $15. Use code number PC#132845 when you

make your reservation, and redeem this offer at any participating

Hertz location in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Just show your

AAA Card at the time of rental.

Offer valid for vehicle pickup through 12/31/09

2 free nightswhen you join the free AAA Preferred Best Western

Rewards® program and stay twice.

Simply stay two times between June 21 and August 16, 2009

and earn a maximum of 2 free night vouchers, each equivalent

to 16,000 Best Western Rewards points. You’ll also earn 10%

bonus points with each qualified stay and

up to a 20% discount at participating hotels.

Visit AAA.com / bestwestern to register or for

further details.

Promo code: AAASUM09

Save 15%on the latest Magellan navigation devices.

Take the guesswork out of road trip planning.

Get searchable AAA TourBook® content, AAA Discounts

and Roadside Assistance in the easy-to-use, AAA Magellan

RoadMate devices.

Find out more at AAA.com / gps

Save $40on a bumper-to-bumper 60-Point Vehicle Inspection.

Get your car road-trip-ready for only $19.95 (regular price $59.95)

with a comprehensive vehicle inspection at AAA Approved

Auto Repair shops or Car Care Plus centers. Plus save 10%

on labor on any needed repairs. Locate

participating repair shops and book your

appointment before August 31, 2009.

Call (800) 645-4288 and press #6,

or click AAA.com /carcare.


SAvE up tO 4O%

Offer valid through 7/31/09 in California only.

F964CA (Jul 2009)

© 2009 California State Automobile Association. © AAA Publishing 2009

Get a free $10 gas card

with a AAA Auto Insurance

quote today!If you already have AAA Auto Insurance,

ask us about our referral program.

$10 free gas!$100 says you’ll enjoy your next vacation more as a valued AAA Plus Member.

Use this Travel Voucher and save $100 on your next adventure with Pleasant Holidays.Please see reverse side for details.

216791a.qxd 10/18/08 3:35 PM Page 1

Get more from every road trip >>

This brochure may not be a comprehensive listing of services, products, benefits,

offers and procedures. Services, products, benefits, offers and procedures may

be changed without notice. Various conditions and restrictions may apply.


F591 (rev. Sep 2009)

The best road trip ever starts with AAA. Whether you’re just starting to plan your trip or already on the road, visit AAA.com / roadtrip or a local branch for travel expertise >>

Auto TravelMember benefits, tools and discounts.

AAA Auto Travel:How much will you save? Find AAA discounts nationwide at AAA.com / savings or visit your local AAA branch.

Get more from every road trip >>This brochure may not be a comprehensive listing of services, products, benefits,

offers and procedures. Services, products, benefits, offers and procedures may

be changed without notice. Various conditions and restrictions may apply.


F591 (rev. Sep 2009)

The best road trip ever starts with AAA.

Whether you’re just starting to plan your trip

or already on the road, visit AAA.com / roadtrip

or a local branch for travel expertise >>Auto Travel

Member benefits,

tools and discounts.

AAA Auto Travel:

How much will you save?

Find AAA discounts nationwide

at AAA.com / savings or

visit your local AAA branch.

PMS

138

PMS

299

PMS

383

PMS

1805

PMS

159

PMS

7468

PMS

4675

PMS

459

PMS

5503

PMS

287

PMS

116

PMS

485

Blac

k

Whi

te

CORE ACCENT



AAA BlueCoated Pantone: PANTONE 287 CUncoated Pantone: PANTONE 287 UCoated CMYk: 100 69 0 12Uncoated CMYk: 100 69 0 12RGb: 0 51 141HeX: 00338DGraphic Source RGb: 3 54 192

AAA YellowCoated Pantone: PANTONE 116 CUncoated Pantone: PANTONE 108 UCoated CMYk: 0 16 100 0Uncoated CMYk: 0 10 100 0RGb: 254 203 0HeX: FECB00Graphic Source RGb: 255 255 159

AAA RedCoated Pantone: PANTONE 485 CUncoated Pantone: PANTONE 485 UCoated CMYk: 0 100 91 0Uncoated CMYk: 0 95 100 0RGb: 213 43 30HeX: D52B1EGraphic Source RGb: 255 24 0

AAA Insurance BlueCoated Pantone: PANTONE 542 CUncoated Pantone: PANTONE 543 UCoated CMYk: 60 20 5 3Uncoated CMYk: 54 10 0 4RGb: 100 160 200HeX: 64A0C8Graphic Source RGb: 125 173 206

White BlackRich Black 60 40 40 100

AAA Travel OrangeCoated Pantone: PANTONE 138 CUncoated Pantone: PANTONE 130 UCoated CMYk: 0 50 100 0Uncoated CMYk: 0 48 100 0RGb: 254 160 26HeX: C75B12Graphic Source RGb: 255 173 21

AAA Travel GreenCoated Pantone: PANTONE 383 CUncoated Pantone: PANTONE 397 UCoated CMYk: 26 3 93 17Uncoated CMYk: 20 0 100 19RGb: 162 173 0HeX: A2AD00Graphic Source RGb: 160 240 29

AAA Travel Light BlueCoated Pantone: PANTONE 299 CUncoated Pantone: PANTONE 2995 UCoated CMYk: 86 8 0 0Uncoated CMYk: 86 8 0 0RGb: 0 161 222HeX: 00A1DEGraphic Source RGb: 70 195 255

AAA Travel RedCoated Pantone: PANTONE 1805 CUncoated Pantone: PANTONE 1795 UCoated CMYk: 0 91 100 23Uncoated CMYk: 0 94 100 10RGb: 170 39 47HeX: AA272FGraphic Source RGb: 240 37 29

AAA Travel Dark OrangeCoated Pantone: PANTONE 159 CUncoated Pantone: PANTONE 1595 UCoated CMYk: 1 74 100 7Uncoated CMYk: 1 72 100 7RGb: 199 91 18HeX: C75B12Graphic Source RGb: 255 105 21

AAA Travel BlueCoated Pantone: PANTONE 7468 CUncoated Pantone: PANTONE 307 UCoated CMYk: 94 16 7 28Uncoated CMYk: 100 4 4 24RGb: 0 117 154HeX: 00759AGraphic Source RGb: 41 141 175

AAA Travel TanCoated Pantone: PANTONE 4675 CUncoated Pantone: PANTONE 4685 UCoated CMYk: 2 18 24 6Uncoated CMYk: 6 16 26 0RGb: 219 192 168HeX: DBC0A8Graphic Source RGb: 238 215 179

AAA Travel YellowCoated Pantone:PANTONE 459 CUncoated Pantone: PANTONE 459 UCoated CMYk: 2 5 53 5Uncoated CMYk: 1 3 60 6RGb: 226 212 120HeX: E2D478Graphic Source RGb: 245 252 136

AAA Travel AquaCoated Pantone: PANTONE 5503 CUncoated Pantone: PANTONE 5503 UCoated CMYk: 35 0 10 10Uncoated CMYk: 39 3 11 8RGb: 153 191 194HeX: 99BFC2Graphic Source RGb: 173 222 211

© Pantone, Inc., 2010

Brand color formulations



Typography

Limit typography to AAA fonts

Frutiger Next, a friendly typeface that communicates confidence and forthrightness, is our primary font for Member- and employee-facing communication.

Sabon, an elegant serif font useful for body copy and for design contrast, is our secondary font.

Verdana, a sans serif font chosen for legibility on screen, is our Web and interactive font.

Arial and Times New Roman are common fonts that are our standard when Frutiger next and Sabon are unavailable.

Frutiger Next Light

AbCDeFGHIJklMnoPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890@$%&

Frutiger Next Regular

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890@$%&

Frutiger Next Medium


Frutiger Next Bold


Sabon


Sabon Italic


Sabon Bold


Verdana


Arial


Times New RomanABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890@$%&

AAA Brand StandardsFormatting

Headline

keep the headline brief. Headlines longer than two lines can be difficult to read. The headline may be a sentence, sentence fragment or question. Set it in sentence case (only the first letter of the first word is capitalized). Do not use terminal punctuation unless the headline is a question. Avoid exclamation points.

Subhead

keep the subhead on a single line. If the headline fits on a single line, the subhead may go to two lines. The subhead must be a complete sentence. Set it in sentence case and use a period or question mark at the end. Avoid exclamation points.

Subsubhead (optional)

If you use a subsubhead, keep it to a single line. The subsubhead may be a list of services separated with a vertical stroke ( | ) or event information. If the subsubhead is an event name, date or location, you may place it above the subhead.

Cover teaser

keep the teaser on the cover of an insert or brochure shorter than the headline. The teaser can be a complete sentence or sentence fragment. Set it in sentence case. Do not use terminal punctuation. end with two motion marks, preceded by a space.

Great rates start here >>

Body

Single-space body copy, but put an additional line space between paragraphs. Use a single space — not a double-space — after periods. Avoid the temptation to use exclamation points. Use complete sentences and proper grammar. body copy should be left-justified, not full-justified. Whenever possible, avoid breaking a word between two lines.

body copy should be short and direct, especially for flyers and ads. For longer pieces, play close attention to the Voice section.

Follow the guidelines in the Style section for using bullets (page 34). Indicate times, dates, addresses and hours clearly. Follow the guides below for times, dates and addresses.

Headlines, subheads and lead-ins inside body copy

Headlines inside body copy should be written as sentence fragments and set in sentence case. Do not use terminal punctuation. In flyers or ads, set headlines in bold. In brochures and inserts, use a larger font. Add a line break after the headline.

Subheads inside body copy should be written as sentence fragments, single words or phrases. Set them in sentence case and do not use terminal punctuation. Set them in bold, but not as heavy or as large as the headline. Add a line break after the subhead.

Call (866) 798-4AAA, click AAA.com or visit your local AAA branch for your no-obligation consultation.

In today’s economy, we could all use a little more peace of mind. If something happened to you, would those you love be able to live the way you want them to? Could they make the mortgage payments, pay for college education and everything in between? Call now or visit your AAA local branch to see how affordable life insurance through AAA Life Insurance Company can be. Ask about:

▪ Affordable rates on life insurance. Did you know you can get 100% of your term life insurance premium dollars back with our Return of Premium rider?†

▪ Up to a 5% discount on your AAA Auto Insurance with a life insurance policy from AAA Life Insurance Company*

Life Insurance Affordability, right when you need it most.

* Discount not available in Utah and offered through the California State Automobile Association.† The term policy and Return of Premium rider both must remain in force at the end of the term length chosen to be eligible to receive the full return of premium. No Return of Premium is made if the policy is terminated prior to the end of the sixth year. Exclusions may apply. See policy and rider for details of coverage. California State Automobile Association (CSAA), a AAA Member Club, which does business as AAA Nevada in Nevada and AAA Utah in Utah, provides auto insurance through the California State Auto Group. Life Insurance underwritten by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI. AAA Life is licensed in all states except NY. AAA Life CA Certificate of Authority #07861. CSAA Life Insurance Agency of California, Inc. License #0D12130. ALCS-18522-99-XX. Policy Form Series TL20081

AAA Emergency Road ServiceWelcome to the nation’s fastest and most dependable road service. Unlike other road service providers, AAA covers you even if you’re in someone else’s car. Just call (800) AAA-HELP, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to get you back on the road — fast. Benefits include:

FREE Towing We’ll tow you to the nearest gas station, AAA Approved Auto Repair shop or your mechanic — up to 200 miles free of charge based on your level of Membership.

AAA Battery Service We’ll send a technician to test, and if necessary, replace your failed battery with a new one on the spot for a special Members-only price.

FREE Mechanical First Aid Our service vehicle drivers are trained to identify and address some of the most common mechanical problems on the spot.

FREE Tire Changes If your spare tire is safe to use, we’ll install it for you.

FREE Battery Jump Start Our service person will jump-start your battery, and even check connections and fluids, or perform other minor mechanical repairs.

FREE Lockout Services If you’re accidentally locked out of your car, AAA will send a service provider who will try to open it.

FREE Emergency Fuel Delivery We’ll deliver the gas you need to get to the closest gas station. Fuel is free for Plus and Premier Members.

Visit AAA.com / ERS for more details about your Emergency Road Service benefits.

Emergency Road Service4

AAA Membership Levels Upgrade your road service benefits at any time.While each type of Membership provides a different lineup of features, every Member can expect the same personal service, security and peace of mind on the road.

AAA Classic AAA Plus AAA Premier

Miles of FREE towing

5 miles 100 miles 200 miles (1x 200 miles, 3x 100 miles)

FREE emergency fuel and delivery

FREE delivery (Member pays for gas)

FREE delivery, up to 3 gallons FREE

FREE delivery, up to 5 gallons FREE

Locksmith reimbursement for car and home

$60 locksmith (car only)

$100 locksmith (car only)

$100 locksmith (car and home)

One-day FREE car rental with a tow (with a two-day car rental)

No No Yes

Visit AAA.com / upgrade to upgrade your Membership.

>> AAA reaches you 15 minutes sooner than other road service providers.

AAA covers you in any car — whether you’re the driver or passenger.

Our trained technicians get 2 out of 3 drivers back on the road without the hassle of a tow.

Free AAA Roadside app Download the AAA Roadside app for your iPhone and get ERS help at your location fast and easy.

5Membership Levels

May 2010 FoRMATTInG | 17


lead-ins should be written as sentence fragments that introduce the first sentence of the section. Set them in bold, the same size as the rest of the body copy. Set them in sentence case, but do not use terminal punctuation — instead, leave an en-space after the subhead, then run right into the body copy.

Trip Continuation coverage can be purchased for an additional premium for a street-legal motorcycle when physical damage liability coverage is purchased.

Charts, graphs and tables

Tables and charts need to be clear and easy to read. Chose your title carefully and make sure that everything in the table or chart relates to that title. Set the title of a chart or table in title case and the contents in sentence case. Pay close attention to parallelism in charts and tables: if one item is a noun, they must all be nouns; if one is an adjective, they must all be adjectives; if one is a sentence fragment beginning with a verb, they must all be sentence fragments beginning with verbs. Rewrite your chart or table to make it consistent.

Graphs need to be appropriate for their content: use pie charts to represent fractions of a whole; use line graphs or scatter plots to show changes over time; use bar graphs to show small changes and quantities. label your graph clearly. Use title case for the title. Use all lowercase for the axes and legend. Pay attention to how you represent the range — a graph that only shows what happens between 10 and 20 will tell a very different story than a graph that shows 0 – 100.

Member / employee quotes

When you use a Member or employee quote, set it as its own paragraph. The attribution should be on the same line as the end of the quote. list attribution as “ – John Smith, AAA Member.” For privacy reasons, we do not give the hometown of our Members.

Contact information

list information completely, but do not add unnecessary information. list the ZIP code in the address — it will be useful for people who use online mapping sites to get directions. Follow the standards for addresses and phone numbers listed below. It is acceptable to set the contact’s name and / or the branch name in bold.

Jeremy Lastname AAA San Francisco 4045 16th Street San Francisco, CA 94114 (415) 123-4567 [email protected] Auto VIA Ad NovDec 2009

California

“ AAA’s insurance rates made switching a no-brainer.” – JAnet DiAl, AAA Member

Call (877) 496-6AAA, click AAA.com or visit your local AAA branch for a free quote.

So Janet called AAA and was surprised at how competitive the rates were. With the help of an agent, she got the right coverage and saved big on her premiums.

“I might be the only person around whose insurance payments actually dropped after adding a teenager!”

The rates were so good, it also made sense for her to add a AAA Home Insurance policy — saving her even more thanks to AAA’s Multipolicy Discount.

Get superior coverage from AAA Insurance today. It might just be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make.

Janet is a shopper when it comes to everything, including her auto insurance. “i tend to make a few phone calls,” she said.

California State Automobile Association (CSAA), a Member Club, provides automobile, home and personal umbrella insurance through the Cal State Auto Group. CA License # 0175868 © 2009 AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah. All rights reserved.

1 IRAs and qualified plans already provide tax-deferral of earnings. There is no additional benefit from the annuity’s tax deferral feature. An annuity should be used to fund an IRA when its features, other than tax deferral, are beneficial. 2 Under current tax law benefits may be taxable. 3 Withdrawals prior to 59½ may be subject to IRS penalties, which are separate from the annuity’s schedule of withdrawal charges. 4 During the surrender charge period, withdrawals exceeding 10% will be subject to a surrender charge that may be higher than fees associated with other types of financial products and may reduce principal.

Feature Annuity Certificate of Deposit (CD)

Short-term investment? No Yes

Tax deferred?1 Yes2 Yes, if an IRA

Length of surrender charge periods? Generally, a minimum of 6 years Generally, a minimum of 3 months

Do surrender charges have an effect on principal?

Yes No

Early withdrawal fees /charges?3

Yes; as high as 10% initially (depending on product) and eventually reduced to 0%

Yes; surrender periods are much shorter

Free withdrawals?Yes; up to 10% before surrender charges apply 4

No

Safety of principal? Yes Yes

Guaranteed minimum renewal rate? YesNo, but customer is locked in for a much shorter period of time and can move money to another institution with higher rates when the CD matures

Subject to probate? Not if beneficiary named Not if jointly owned or payable on death

Can provide income one cannot outlive?Yes, dependent on the amount of the initial premium and payout options selected

No

Small additional contributions? Yes Generally, not to a currently held CD

Interest compounded? Yes Yes

Interest reinvested with no current tax? Yes No

Considered liquid?Not until end of surrender charge period

Yes

Can provide an interest income stream? Yes No

Features of Annuities and Certificates of DepositThis chart serves as a comparison and highlights the differences between annuities and certificates of deposits.



Call to action

The call to action must be a complete sentence. It must be clear and direct and should end in a period, not an exclamation point. When appropriate, direct the reader to a phone number or Web site.

Legal

Follow the guidelines for legal in the Style section (page 38) and use the exact copy from the Legal disclaimers section.

Additional standards for inserts and brochures

Billboard spread in a four-panel brochureWrite the billboard spread in complete sentences. Set the billboard spread copy in sentence case and use terminal punctuation.

Back panel of insertsRestate the call to action on the back panel.

Back panel of brochuresThe back panel should have a brief restatement of the product described by the brochure and a strong but brief call to action. Use complete sentences. Set them in sentence case and use terminal punctuation. Avoid the temptation to use exclamation points.

Everyday applications

Email from employees to Members or employees to employees (not an email campaign)keep your subject line brief, descriptive and easily searchable. Think of it as a headline for your email.

Do not bulk up your email with wallpaper templates, unnecessary graphics or overly long signature files. be sure that your signature file clearly lists your name, title, department, company name and contact information. Remember that your initial email may get buried in a long reply chain and someone may need to contact you based only on the information in your signature. brand Strategy & Design recommends the format below:

Jeremy Lastname | Job Title Department or Branch Name AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah 100 Van Ness Avenue, 13th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94102 415 333 3333 | [email protected] Get more. Get AAA.

You are entitled to four free service calls per year. Please see your Member Handbook or visit AAA.com for details. Plus: Towing not to exceed 100 miles per disablement. Premier: Towing not to exceed 200 miles for one (1) and 100 miles on the remaining three (3) service calls. 1 You must be on a road trip 100 miles or more from home to qualify for this benefit. For complete details on all travel emergency related services, see the summary of coverage brochure. 2 Coverage is limited to auto travel anywhere in the continental United States, Canada or Mexico. Certain restrictions apply. 3 Coverage is provided on a reimbursement basis after submission of a claim form. 4 Premier: Covers Premier Member and spouse/dependents traveling with Premier Member. Travel must be purchased through AAA Travel. 5 50% of benefit covers clothes replacement and 50% of benefit covers shipping of replacement items.Document may not be a comprehensive listing of services, products, benefits, offers, procedures and prices, any and all of which may be changed without notice. Various conditions and restrictions apply. California License #0175868 CST 1003968-80

© 2010 AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah. All rights reserved.49 8007 CA 07012009

3 facts other road service providers don’t want you to know >>

Join AAADrive with the nation’s most reliable road service.

And for less than you might think possible >>

What makes AAA road service the most dependable there is? 1. AAA reaches you 15 minutes sooner than other road service providers.

2. Unlike road service from other providers, AAA covers you even when you’re in someone else’s car.

3. We get two out of three drivers back on the road without the hassle of a tow.

Anytime AAA is there

Your car breaks down Towing (if necessary)

You get a flat Tire change (towing if necessary)

You run out of gas Emergency fuel delivery

You lock your keys in the car Lockout service

Your battery dies Jump start or battery replacement

Anywhere AAA is there

Over 43,000 service vehicles Greater coverage

Over 110 call centersFamiliar with virtually every region of the United States and Canada

Over 5,000 dispatchersHelpful, friendly staff is always there to answer your call

In the car AAA is there

You’re stranded in any car You’re covered in any car

“ There I was, stranded at the edge of the desert, still 150 miles from my daughter’s wedding. AAA arrived in no time, identified the problem and fixed my nephew’s car right there on the spot.” – AAA Member Judy S.

Find out more about AAA products and services.

Call (800) 222-5040, click AAA.com orvisit your local AAA branch.

The AAA Home Insurance policy does not cover flood or earthquake. Separate policies are available for these coverages.

California State Automobile Association (CSAA), a AAA Member Club, provides auto, home and personal umbrella insurance through the California State Auto Group. Life insurance underwritten and annuities offered by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI. California License #0175868 ALCS-18660-79-XX

This brochure only highlights certain provisions of the insurance described, and is not and will not become a part of the insurance policy. For complete insurance provisions, pick up a policy from any AAA Insurance Agent or branch. You must be an active AAA Member to purchase or renew AAA Insurance.

© 2009 AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah. All rights reserved. F1606 (Sep 2009)

Discover AAAGreat benefits and amazing value >>

What makes AAA different?

AAA is a not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1900 by automobile enthusiasts whose vision was to increase the comfort and safety of drivers like you. We offer superior products designed to protect you wherever you are on the road of life.



LettersFormatUse the AAA northern California, nevada & Utah letterhead template (which can be found at Passport > Tools > Forms > General) or print on AAA northern California, nevada & Utah letterhead for the first page. For Insurance correspondence, use the AAA Insurance letterhead. Put the date of the letter's composition below the logo. Put the name and address of the addressee below the date.

Whenever possible, use the addressee’s first name in the salutation. Follow it with a comma or colon. body copy should be left-justified, not full-justified. Whenever possible, avoid breaking a word between two lines.

Do not indent the first line. keep paragraphs single spaced, but add an additional space between paragraphs. If Frutiger next is not available, use Times new Roman in an easy-to-read font size — at least 10 points. keep your paragraphs short and easy to read.

If the content of your letter goes beyond one page, use plain paper rather than letterhead for the remaining pages. beginning with the second page, put page numbers in the lower right-hand corner, using the same font as the rest of the letter.

SignaturesWhenever possible, a letter should be signed by a real person. leave space for the signature between the signoff and the typed name, title and contact information. In lieu of a real signature, you may drop in a hi-resolution .jpg of a scanned signature, if one is available. but never replace a real signature with a name typed in a script-style font. of course, if there is to be no signature, do not leave the extra space for one.

In Member-facing communications, Paula Downey's signature should only appear on welcome messages and news of obvious benefit to the recipient. All other correspondence should be signed by the appropriate division head or by the Member’s face-to-face AAA contact.

AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah

PO Box 22221Oakland, CA 94623-2221

33 5502 06012009 Membership | Insurance | Travel

Dear John Smith

Congratulations and welcome to AAA Auto Insurance powered by uDrive.™ By participating in the uDrive program, you’ve put yourself in the driver’s seat of savings. With the new uDrive program, you’ll save money:

▪ Save with a participation discount of up to 10 percent for each vehicle you enroll — you’ll save at sign-up and each time you renew your policy

▪ Save up to an additional 5 percent per vehicle at renewal if you’ve driven less than 10,000 annualized miles

You’ll receive your uDrive device and instructions for getting started by mail in 7 to 10 days. Plug in the device right away in order to begin automatically transmitting your driving data. Visit AAA.com/uDrive to access this information at any time.

Share your thoughts. If you have any questions or comments about uDrive or your policy, please call us at (800) 207-3618.

Thank you for going somewhere new with us,

Steve A. George Executive Vice President, Products & Services AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah

John Smith 100 Van Ness AvenueSan Francisco, CA 94102

March 3, 2010



PowerPoint presentationskeep text to a minimum. Use simple pictures, charts and graphs to make your point. Use headlines that engage the audience, and take every opportunity to link the message to our core values and our brand. You can find approved PowerPoint templates on brandPoint (aaabrandpoint.com).

If your PowerPoint is very long, put a table of contents on the second slide (the first slide will be your cover page). Double-check to make sure your table of contents gives the slide headlines exactly as they appear on the slides. It is not necessary to give the page numbers in the table of contents of a PowerPoint presentation.

Set headers in sentence case. Do not use terminal punctuation other than question marks. Avoid exclamation points. keep an eye on parallelism in your headers: they should all be nouns, or all be verbs, or all be sentence fragments, or all be sentences. Don’t mix and match.

Graphics should be clear and easy to read. Do not use all caps within a graphic. Avoid cutesy clip art.

If you will be delivering the presentation in person, make sure that your verbal remarks go beyond the content of the slides. There is no point in just reading aloud what everyone can read for themselves. The PowerPoint should highlight the main ideas of your presentation; it shouldn’t be the entire presentation. Remember — you want your audience to pay attention to you, not just your slides.

If you are not delivering the presentation in person, and viewers will be reading it on individual computers, be sure to include enough information for them to follow your ideas. Also, put more information on each slide than you would for a live presentation; don't devote an entire slide to just one idea in 36-point font. Use clear, consistent headers to help your readers navigate. Review your PowerPoint; do you ever need to flip back to a previous slide to understand the point this slide is making? If so, you may need to reorganize your information.

Pay close attention to the rules regarding bullet points (see the Style section).

keep an eye on the size of your PowerPoint file. Don’t let it get much larger than 2 or 3 Mb. If it gets too large, it will be difficult to email and cumbersome for recipients to review.

Headline 28 pt., Left Aligned,Arial Bold, Blue

ENTER DIVISION NAME HERE, USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS

32/24/10

ENTER DIVISION NAME HERE, USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS

Headline 28 pt., Left Aligned,Arial Bold, Blue



AAA Masterbrand StandardsVoice

Personality

our personality should shine through in all of our communications. let our brand attributes and values inform your content and word choice. our brand promise — on the move with peace of mind — is how you want your audience to feel.

Principles

Brand Attributesexpertconvenientproactivesupportingreliableresponsible

ValuesMembers FirstIntegrityCollaborationAdaptabilityAccountabilityexcellenceDiversity

Brand Promiseon the move with peace of mind

Value PropositionWe are the most reliable, convenient, caring and knowledgeable Membership organization getting people on their way.

Structure

keep the “above the fold” principle in mind: if your communication were a newspaper, would there be something in that top half of the front page to pull the reader in? let your audience know up front what you’re trying to say. Don’t force them to read halfway through to get to the main point.

Sentences should be brief and to the point. A longer sentence now and then can be fun, but don’t lose your reader in unnecessary strings of clauses. Read over your sentence; if it’s confusing, find a way to break it into smaller sentences, or just rephrase your idea.

Start a new paragraph for each new idea. Varying the lengths of your paragraphs can create interest, but don’t get carried away with long, confusing paragraphs.

bulleted and numbered lists can be a great way to communicate a lot of information easily. but they can also be used ineffectively, as catch-alls for mismatched information. Think your list through carefully and follow the recommendations in the Style section.

Whenever possible, sign off with a strong call to action. engage the audience and let them know what to do next. offer contact phone numbers or Web sites for more information.

Word choice

Chose words that emphasize what’s best about AAA. Focus on value, community and reliability. The following will give you an idea of the kinds of words and phrases we prefer:

adjectivesdependableunparalleledfastest

nounsvaluepeace of mindeasespeedexpertiselow costhuge networktrained techniciansuncommon valuebenefitslifestylediversityexcellenceperformance

phrasesfor over 100 yearsyou see our tow trucks everywhereAAA invented emergency road service15 minutes or lessAAA knows carswe’ll get you back on the road without a towwherever you go, AAA is there with youget the most out of AAAother programs cover your car, we cover yousave time, money and worrymore than just the fastest roadside assistancemore than just dependable roadside assistanceall the benefits at a fraction of the costmore than you expect

Avoid negative words as much as possible. Avoid distracting word puzzles and puns.

especially when writing claims pieces, use collision or crash instead of accident.

May 2010 VoICe | 22

AAA Brand StandardsVoice

Marketing communications

Marketing communications call for a slightly different voice than employee-facing communications or one-on-one communications between a sales representative and a Member. our marketing voice is guided by two schools of thought: the principles of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and the six principles of persuasion as described by Dr. Robert Cialdini.

DMA principles▪ Demonstrate a preference for imperative sentences over declarative

sentences:

DECLARATIVE: You will enjoy the benefits of AAA.

IMPERATIVE: Enjoy the benefits of AAA.

▪ Make sure your communication is fast and timely

▪ Communicate a message that is unique to the marketer and relevant to the recipient

▪ Choose a relevant message over a customized message

▪ Respect the recipient’s intelligence: keep your communication simple and direct, but talk up (not down) to your audience

▪ be original

▪ Simplify, but be true to the key message

▪ be personal

The DMA lists news, a schedule of events and seminars, and a reading list at the-dma.org.

Dr. Robert Cialdini’s six principles of persuasion▪ Reciprocity: when the customer has already gotten something from

you, they are more likely to reward you with loyalty and more likely to purchase more products; so be the first to give, and establish that reciprocal relationship

▪ Consistency: once you have made a promise, follow up on the promise; customers appreciate it when you are consistent with existing commitments

▪ Consensus: customers are likely to follow the lead of many others, and of similar others; emphasize what the Member’s peers are doing

▪ Authority: a credible communicator is knowledgeable and trustworthy; establish yourself as an authority, reference other duly constituted authorities and always be honest

▪ Liking: give genuine compliments and praise, and emphasize your mutual efforts and mutual goals

▪ Scarcity: people are more motivated by the fear of loss than by the possibility of gain; highlight the uniqueness of our products and let the customer know how they will be missing out if they don’t take advantage of what AAA has to offer

Find more information about Dr. Cialdini and his theories of persuasion at influenceatwork.com or in his book, Influence (ISbn: 978-0061241895).

Quotes

Member quotesWe are a membership organization. emotional messages are more effective and authentic when they come from other Members than when they come from us. Testimonials convey credibility and a sense of security to your audience. Try to use a testimonial from someone who is similar to your target audience. If you are speaking to new Members, use a new Member testimonial. If you are targeting families, use a quote from a mom or a dad.

To protect the company from legal risks, use only approved Member quotes — these can be found at aaabrandpoint.com.

Employee quotesWe use employee quotes for the same reason we use Member quotes: the real words of real people are powerful tools. You do, however, have a little more leeway in reworking employee quotes. If you re-write a quote from an employee — especially from an executive — be sure to get approval on the quote the way it will appear. If you are using an employee quote in a Member-facing piece, especially in an advertising piece, be sure to get a signed waiver from the person you are quoting.

Tips

Be natural. Write the way you speak; use everyday language and contractions. our brand should never be patronizing or exclusive, so avoid jargon.

Be clear. Your writing should be accessible. even when the things you write about are complicated, your writing shouldn’t be. Use everyday words and short sentences. If you’re describing a complicated product or process, have someone else read over what you’ve written and explain it back to you.

Be strong. Your writing should make the reader feel that we deserve their confidence. State your point up front, follow with clear details and never use “weasel words” (“some people say…”).

May 2010 VoICe | 23

http://www.the-dma.org

http://www.influenceatwork.com


AAA Brand StandardsVoice

Be economical. Make it simple for the reader to find the information they need. Try using headers and subheads to break lengthy information into digestible bites. Use short sentences, short paragraphs and bullet points. Don’t bog your writing down with unnecessary adverbs and adjectives.

Be upbeat. Choose strong, upbeat verbs and nouns (“enjoy,” “adventure”). Steer clear of words with negative connotations (“dead,” “lose,” “end”).

Be positive. Say what you mean directly. Don’t lose your reader in confusing negatives.

CONFUSING: Our records indicate your renewal period does not begin until 2/13/2005.

BETTER: Our records indicate your renewal period begins 2/13/2005.

Be active. The passive voice sounds heavy, formal and dull. Sentences in the active voice are more concise and deliver more impact.

PASSIVE: Membership is annually renewed by Members.

ACTIVE: Members renew their Membership annually.

Be personal. Use we and you.

Tricks

Your audience will influence the way you write and the words you choose. before you begin writing, ask yourself, who is your target audience? Is it Members? Prospective Members? non-Members? What are their expectations? What do they already know about this subject? What do they need to know?

Trick yourself into being direct with the “WIRMI” technique. WIRMI stands for What I Really Mean Is…. If you are having difficulty being direct, write down, “what I really mean is...” then go on to write it in the simplest terms possible — as if you were explaining it to a child. once you’ve got that down, you can go back and reword it for style.

experiment with punctuation. A long, complicated sentence can often be broken into shorter sentences.

When reviewing your writing, ask yourself, does my writing align with our brand attributes and brand promise? Is there a way to make it simpler, livelier, friendlier? Try reading it aloud or asking someone else to read it to see how it sounds. Does it sound conversational or does it sound formal and unfriendly? be sensitive to what others may think. Is the content in any way sexist? Is it politically charged?

May 2010 VoICe | 24

AAA Brand StandardsNomenclature

Our company names

In the past, we went to some trouble to make the distinction between our club and the national federation explicit. but now people in our territory know us as AAA — an identity we reinforce whenever possible. More often than not, we can use AAA in place of AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah without fear of misrepresentation or lack of accuracy.

AAA plans to open a new branch.

our business unit names (AAA northern California, nevada & Utah; AAA Member Services Company; AAA Club Affiliates, Inc.) have little meaning to people outside the company, and can cause confusion. entity names should only be used in these three situations:

1. When it’s important to distinguish one business unit from another2. When more than one business unit is being discussed and it’s

important to avoid confusion or make a distinction3. When using a business unit name would help audiences understand

the company, its scope and its capabilities

In all cases, the name of a business unit must be used with AAA.

AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah (AAA)Whenever possible, use AAA in place of AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah — especially in Member-facing materials. Use our full name when it’s important to distinguish between our club and the federation of AAA clubs. To avoid awkward mouthfuls, you may want to replace AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah with our club, we or the company.

Come to the AAA Blood Drive.

I work for AAA in Glendale.

As a leading advocate for road safety, AAA responded to the increasing incidents of traffic… ORAs a leading advocate for road safety, we responded to the increasing incidents of traffic… OR As a leading advocate for road safety, our club responded to the increasing incidents of traffic…

When referring to our territory (not our club name) in running text, it is Northern California, Nevada and Utah. only use the ampersand when you are writing our full club name.

WRONG: We serve Members in Northern California, Nevada & Utah.

RIGHT: We serve Members in Northern California, Nevada and Utah.

AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah Insurance Exchange, or AAA NCNU IE (formerly California State Automobile Association Inter-Insurance Bureau, or CSAA IIB)At the time of this publication, the California DoI has approved the new name for the insurance company, AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah Insurance Exchange, which provides insurance to our policyholders and employs us. During the last half of 2010 all regulatory items with the old name will be changed to the new name. Regulatory items are defined as those items on which the DoI requires us to use our legal name, including:

▪ Correspondence involving an insurance function▪ Forms that constitute the insurance contract

(policy and endorsements)▪ Forms that are not the insurance contract but are required by law

(ID cards, disclosure notices containing the insurer's name, etc.)▪ Government filings▪ business cards

In many cases, this is accomplished by using the name in the legal sections, copyright notices, or other “fine print.” For more information about the status of the name change and how it may affect your area of responsibility, contact [email protected].

For legal and regulatory reasons, we must sometimes be more explicit about the difference between the legal owner of our business, AAA nCnU Ie, and the brand, AAA. Make the following clear to the readers:

▪ The provider of AAA Insurance is AAA nCnU Ie▪ The employer of AAA employees is AAA nCnU Ie

In general, communications should be branded AAA, but include a clarifying statement of ownership. For example, in a letter to an insured it’s permissible to refer to “AAA Insurance” so long as we include,

“…your insurance policy, underwritten by the AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah Insurance Exchange,” or similar language.

likewise, in creating an offer letter to an employee, we brand the letter with the name AAA northern California, nevada & Utah but identify in a footer that, “this offer of employment is being made by the AAA northern California, nevada & Utah Insurance exchange.”

If you enter into contracts with vendors, AAA northern California, nevada & Utah Insurance exchange is the name you’ll use when designating our organization.

When you must explicitly state the provider of insurance, use AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah Insurance Exchange:

…your insurance policy is underwritten by the AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah Insurance Exchange.

May 2010 noMenClATURe | 25

mailto:dawn.richards%40goaaa.com?subject=


AAA Member Services Companyour Member service centers in oklahoma City and Glendale, AZ comprise the AAA Member Services Company. our agreements with AAA national require that we identify the geographic home of this company in running text in any external communications (for AAA Member Services Company, the only external communications are recruiting collateral).

the AAA Member Services Company, Glendale, AZ

AAA Club Affiliates, Inc. (ACA)our holding company is AAA Club Affiliates, Inc. This has replaced the previous name of ACA.

Using our namesAbbreviations

because we now refer to ourselves as AAA, there is generally no need to abbreviate our club name. only use NCNU as an abbreviation for our full name in informal communications (mostly email and verbal) when you need to clearly identify our club versus another club. Try to avoid this abbreviation in external documents, contracts, presentations or news articles.

If you can’t avoid the abbreviation — which should only happen when space is very limited — use the full name in the first occurrence, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses.

apostrophe-s

AAA modifies the noun that follows it. You don’t need to add the apostrophe-s.

WRONG: AAA’s responsive customer service

RIGHT: responsive AAA customer service.

likewise, never precede a product name with AAA’s.

WRONG: AAA’s Home Insurance

RIGHT: AAA Home Insurance

indefinite article

The acronym AAA is correctly pronounced “Triple Ay,” and so would be preceded by the indefinite article a rather than an. However, this leads to visually awkward constructions like, “A AAA Insurance Agent can help you.” Also, readers not familiar with the correct pronunciation of AAA (there are many who mistakenly pronounce it as “Ay-Ay-Ay”) are apt to stumble when they encounter a AAA in text. never precede

AAA with the article a at the beginning of sentences, and avoid it generally. Workarounds are fairly simple:

a trusted AAA Insurance Agent your AAA Insurance Agent

The name California State Automobile Association (CSAA), should be used in customer facing communications only for regulatory purposes, as in copyright notices and insurance transactions.

Products and services

Product categoriesAlways capitalize our three main lines of business and precede them with AAA:

AAA Insurance AAA Travel AAA Membership

AAA MembershipWhen referring specifically to AAA Membership and AAA Members, use a capital M. note that Membership should be preceded by AAA whenever possible.

AAA Classic Membership AAA Plus® MembershipAAA Plus RV® MembershipAAA Premier® Membership

AAA Auto InsuranceWhile AAA offers three types of auto insurance targeting different drivers, we refer to all three auto insurance products in Member-facing communication simply as AAA Auto Insurance. These names are intended for internal use only:

AAA Auto Insurance Signature Series: launched in nevada in 2009, Signature Series replaces AAA Select Auto Insurance in nevada and some partner states, and will roll out to Utah in 2011. It is positioned for customers looking for a competitive insurance product that has a broad array of unique features and benefits.

AAA Select Auto Insurance (California only): Preferred Auto Insurance product with the broadest protection. To qualify for Select a potential auto insured must have gone 3 years without a serious vehicle code violation.

AAA Flex Auto Insurance (California only): Preferred Auto Insurance product with some coverage limitations and a lower price on average then the Select product. This product is currently being phased out.

AAA Choice Auto Insurance (California only): Good coverage for drivers who do not meet the California “good driver” definition (previously Western United). Any potential insured who does not qualify for Select will automatically be provided a quote using this auto insurance product.



When creating communications that will be used outside our territory, we are required to be more explicit about the underwriter. In these instances use Western United’s name as directed by our legal department.

Using our product namesChoose lowercase whenever possible

Reserve caps for proper names:

WRONG: Does your Home Insurance offer as much?

RIGHT: Does your home insurance offer as much?

ALSO RIGHT: Get a quote on AAA Home Insurance.

For additional guidance, see the list of branded terms below.

Avoid italics

Proper names associated with AAA don’t require the extra distinction of italic type. Set AAA products, services, business lines, divisions, job titles or branch names in the same font as surrounding text.

exception: because italics are part of VIA® magazine’s trademark, it is always set in italics.

Precede products and services with AAA

We strengthen associations with the AAA brand by making AAA an integral part of product and service names. We prefer AAA Home Insurance over your home insurance and AAA Membership over Membership.

AAA Membership AAA Auto Insurance AAA Claims Service AAA Emergency Road Service AAA Member

When multiple AAA products are listed together, one preceding AAA will modify all of them.

AAA Auto and Home Insurance

In settings where AAA branding is particularly strong — for example in our branches — the additional branding provided by AAA is sometimes unnecessary. Use your best judgment.

Use only existing product names. Do not invent a new product name by placing AAA in front of a noun. For guidance, see the list of branded terms below.

Lowercase generic product features

Unless a feature has a proper name that carries some legal weight, set it in lowercase.

trip interruption coverage passport photos

When listing specific insurance discounts, policies or coverages, capitalize the name but leave the generic descriptor lowercase.

Multipolicy discount Personal Liability coverage

For additional guidance, see the list of branded terms below.

Spell out acronyms

As a brand, we strive to be plain-spoken. It’s AAA Emergency Road Service, not ERS. For more guidance on acronyms, see the Style section.

Trademarks

Trademarked names are adjectives, not nouns, and must modify a generic descriptor set in lowercase.

AAA Car Care Plus® center

Do not use the registration or trademark symbol in a headline. Use the registration or trademark symbol for a term only once in each piece, in the first or most prominent non-headline appearance.

Do not use trademarked AAA product names as part of the grammatical structure of running text.

WRONG: AAA brings you exceptional Car Care® Plus more.

RIGHT: AAA brings you exceptional car care, plus more.

Don’t invent new trademarks or smack a trademark or registration symbol onto a name that hasn’t been vetted by legal.

AAA trademarksAAA Campbook® guideAAA Car Care Plus® centerAAA MemberPoint™ systemAAA Prescription Savings® programAAA Tourbook® guideAAA TripTik® routingAAA Rewards Platinum Visa® cardAAA Traveler™ magazineotto The Auto®

ottoClub®

For the treatment of non-AAA trademarks (page 34), refer to the Style section of this guide. A complete list of AAA branded terms can be found below.



Taglines

Taglines only appear in approved logo lockups. Do not generate your own logo lockups. never use a tagline in running text.

AAA taglinesGet More. Get AAA.®

Traveling out in the World®

A Safe Place To Play® (referring to ottoclub.com)

Job titles

Capitalize the title of AAA employees with Member-facing positions. non-Member-facing titles do not get capitalized.

AAA Vacation Specialist BUT project manager

In most cases, precede the job title with AAA. See the Style section of this guide for more complete direction.

Member-facing job titlesAAA Claims RepresentativeAAA Insurance AgentAAA life Insurance SpecialistAAA Vacation Specialist



Locations

BranchesWe serve our Members in branches. You can direct a Member to their local AAA branch. The b in branch is lowercase. You can refer to specific branches by just the branch name or by the branch name followed by the word branch. Always put AAA before the location. Avoid branch office: it is redundant. We no longer use the term district office.

WRONG: Sonora AAA

ALSO WRONG: the Sonora branch

RIGHT: AAA Sonora

ALSO RIGHT: the AAA Sonora branch

Use only the following names when referring to our branches:

CaliforniaAAA express el CerritoAAA express San Jose blossom HillAAA express San Jose Capital expresswayAAA express San leandroAAA express Union CityAAA Angels CampAAA AntiochAAA AuburnAAA berkeleyAAA Capitola / Santa CruzAAA ChicoAAA Citrus HeightsAAA ClovisAAA ConcordAAA Daly CityAAA DublinAAA elk Grove – lagunaAAA eurekaAAA FolsomAAA FresnoAAA GilroyAAA Grass ValleyAAA GreenhavenAAA HanfordAAA HaywardAAA Hollister

AAA JacksonAAA lakeportAAA larkspurAAA livermoreAAA lodiAAA los banosAAA los GatosAAA MaderaAAA MantecaAAA MarysvilleAAA MercedAAA ModestoAAA MontclairAAA MontereyAAA Mountain ViewAAA napaAAA natomasAAA newarkAAA oaklandAAA oakland – City CenterAAA orovilleAAA Palo AltoAAA PetalumaAAA PlacervilleAAA QuincyAAA Red bluffAAA ReddingAAA Redwood CityAAA Richmond – HilltopAAA Roseville – northAAA Roseville – SouthAAA Sacramento – Power InnAAA SalinasAAA San Francisco – Financial DistrictAAA San Francisco – lakeshore PlazaAAA San Francisco – Potrero CenterAAA San Francisco – Richmond DistrictAAA San Jose – oakridgeAAA San Jose – Stevens CreekAAA San MateoAAA San RafaelAAA San RamonAAA Santa RosaAAA SonomaAAA SonoraAAA Stockton – northAAA SusanvilleAAA TracyAAA Truckee – north lake TahoeAAA TurlockAAA UkiahAAA VacavilleAAA VallejoAAA Walnut CreekAAA Watsonville

AAA WestgateAAA WillowsAAA WoodlandAAA Yreka

NevadaAAA Anthem AAA Carson CityAAA Green ValleyAAA las VegasAAA RenoAAA Reno – Damonte RanchAAA South DurangoAAA Sparks GalleriaAAA SummerlinAAA Warm SpringsAAA West lake Mead

UtahAAA DraperAAA ogdenAAA oremAAA Salt lake CityAAA St. George

Other AAA locationsColorado Springs operations Center,

Colorado Springs, CoAAA Distribution Center, brisbane, CAFairfield operations Center, Fairfield, CAGlendale operations Center, Glendale, CAlas Vegas operations Center, las Vegas, nVoklahoma City operations Center,

oklahoma City, okAAA Station landing, Walnut Creek, CAAAA Training Facility, Hayward, CAAAA Training Facility, Sacramento, CA



List of AAA branded terms

Pay close attention to capitalization, italics and the use of AAA. Use these terms exactly as they appear below. If a term is not preceded by AAA, don’t stick a AAA onto it when you use it in your communication. If a term is preceded by AAA, always use AAA with that term in text.

If a term doesn’t appear on this list, it is not a branded term. Do not call it out with inappropriate capitalization, italics or bold.

note that, for purposes of this guide, “AAA” has been disregarded in alphabetization.

Company namesAAAAmerican Automobile Association (AAA)AAA northern California, nevada & Utah

(AAA)California State Automobile Association

Inter-Insurance bureau (CSAA-IIb)AAA Member Services CompanyAAA Club Affiliates, Inc. (ACA)AAA.com

MembershipMembership terms and levels of

MembershipAAA MembershipAAA Classic MembershipAAA Plus® MembershipAAA Plus RV® MembershipAAA Premier® MembershipAAA Membership Card (or AAA Card)AAA Membership numberAAA MemberAssociate Membernon-Member25-year AAA Member50-year AAA MemberMembership duesGift Membershipupgradejoinrenew

Automotive servicesAAA Approved Auto RepairAAA Approved Auto Repair facilityAAA Approved Auto Repair shopAAA Auto buying ServiceAAA Auto Diagnostic ClinicAAA Auto Inspection ServicesAAA Car Care Plus® centerAAA contract stationAAA Direct Repair networkAAA Vehicle Inspection and Smog ClinicsAuto GuardianAuto PartnersAuto Repair Hotlinecertified pre-owned vehiclesemission offsetsvehicle inspection and smog services

Emergency Road ServiceAAA emergency Road Service (eRS)AAA Motorcycle Roadside AssistanceAAA battery Service$50 windshield repair / replacement

reimbursementalternator servicebattery jump startCreditCard key®

emergency fuel deliveryliquid tire sealantlockout servicemechanical first aidtire changetowing

DiscountsAAA Attraction & entertainment DiscountsAAA Automotive DiscountsAAA Discount locationsAAA DiscountsAAA Discounts app on your iPhone

or iPod TouchAAA Home & business DiscountsAAA Personal Service DiscountsAAA Prescription Savings® programAAA Shopping DiscountsShow Your Card & Save®

AAA Travel Discounts

Other Membership services and productsautomatic renewal of your AAA MembershipDMVDMV servicesMagellan® GPSAAA Mobile navigator®

AAA Rewards Visa® card

InsuranceAAA InsuranceAAA Claims Service

AutoAuto Insurance productsAAA Auto InsuranceAAA Watercraft InsuranceAAA Motorcycle InsuranceADePT Driver® Teen Driver Safety programteenSMART® driving programuDrive™



Auto Insurance coveragesAutomobile Death benefits coveragebodily Injury liability coverageCollision coverageComprehensive coverageCourtesy coverageCustom Parts and equipment coverageDeductible Waiver coverageMedical Payments coverageMotor Vehicle Return coverageMotorcycle Roadside Assistance coveragePersonal Injury Protection coverageProperty Damage liability coverageRental Reimbursement coverageRoadside Assistance coverageTrip Continuation coverageUnderinsured Motorist bodily Injury coverageUnderinsured Motorist coverageUninsured Motorist Property Damage coverageUninsured Motorist bodily Injury coverageUninsured / Underinsured Motorist coverage

Auto Insurance discountsaccident forgivenessAnti-theft discountAssociation discountGood Driver discountGood Student discountHybrid / Alternative Fuel Vehicle discountMature Driver Course discountMulti-car discountMultipolicy discountnew Driver discountPersistency discountRecovery Device discount

Internal terms for certain Auto Insurance products (do not use in Member-facing materials)AAA Choice Auto InsuranceAAA Select Auto InsuranceConsistent Auto IConsistent Auto II

Home Home Insurance productsAAA Home InsuranceAAA Condo Insuranceearthquake InsuranceFlood InsuranceAAA Rental Property InsuranceAAA Renters InsuranceAAA Personal Umbrella Policy

Home Insurance coveragesbuilding Code Upgrade coveragebuilding ordinance or law coverageCoverage A limitCoverage A valueDetached Garages and Sheds coverageemergency Medical Transportation coverageliability coveragelimited Replacement Cost coverageloss Assessment coverageMold coveragePersonal Injury coveragePersonal Property coveragePersonal Umbrella coverageWater back-up from Sewers coverage

Home Insurance discounts100% Dwelling Renovation discountAge of Home discountMultipolicy discountProtective Device discount

Life Life Insurancelife insurance through AAAlife insurance through AAA life

Insurance Companylife insurance and annuities through

AAA life Insurance Companyterm life insuranceuniversal life insurancewhole life insuranceReturn of Premium rider

Annuitiesannuities through AAA life

Insurance CompanyelitebonuseliteGuaranteePlatinum bonus “6”Platinum bonus “10”

Other Insurance-related services and productsautomatic payment of your AAA Insurance

TravelAAA TravelAAA Travel AgencyAAA Travel CommitmentAAA Travel Discountsauto travel

Programs for travelersAAA Diamond RatingsAAA DirectionsAAA Drive TripsAAA Quick Getaways

Tools for travelersattraction ticketsAAA Gas Price FinderAAA Gas Watcher’s GuideInter-American Driving PermitInternational Driving PermitMexico auto insurancepassport photosroad trip planning toolsAAA Travel Moneytravel toolstravelers chequesAAA Visa card

Protection for travelerslost baggage coverageRoad Trip Interruption and Delay coverageRoad Trip Travel emergency ServicesTravel Accident InsuranceTravelGold® medical coveragetrip interruption reimbursementWorldwide Travel emergency Services

Community and safer / greener drivingbuckle Up baby eventsCarFit programAAA Car Seat InspectionsCommunity RelationsCorporate ContributionsDriver-ZeD Teen DVDDriveSharpGreener DrivingAAA Greenlight Hybrid Driver Training classesAAA Greenlight ShowcaseAAA Greenlight Showcase Road ShowAAA Greenlight®

AAA Greenlight® initiativeotto the Auto Safety DVDsotto The Auto®

ottoClub®

AAA Roadwise ReviewSafer DrivingAAA School Safety PatrolAAA StartSmartAAA’s Tipsy TowTraffic Safety activities and classroom lessonsAAA Traffic Safety Poster and Video ContestAAA Volunteers



PublicationsAAA Campbook® guideAAA europe Travelbook™AAA MapsAAA north American Road AtlasAAA SojournsAAA Tourbook® guideAAA Traveler™ magazineAAA Traveling with Your Pet:

The AAA Petbook®

AAA TripTik® Travel PlannerVIA® magazine

Internal programsAAA MemberPoint™ systemAAA brandPointFastlanePrintStoreQuickPath

Member-facing employee titlesAAA Claims RepresentativeAAA Insurance AgentAAA life Insurance SpecialistAAA Vacation Specialist


AAA Brand StandardsStyle

Titles of works

BooksSet book titles in italics. Capitalize every word but articles and prepositions. If the first word is an article or preposition, capitalize it anyway.

MagazinesSet magazine titles in italics. The descriptor magazine should not be in italics. With the exception of VIA® and Traveler® magazines, never use a registration or trademark symbol.

VIA® magazineThe New Yorker

ArticlesSet the title of an article within a magazine in quotes. Do not use italics. Set the title of an article in title case: capitalize every word but articles (a, an, the) and prepositions

I learned a lot when I read “Ancient Egypt Unwrapped” in VIA.®

Adsonce in a while, you may need to refer to a AAA ad. Treat AAA ads as you would magazine articles. Set the title of the ad in quotes. Do not use italics. Use title case: capitalize every word but articles (a, an, the) and prepositions. Treat the headline as the title of the ad.

Did you see our “AAA Membership Pays for Itself” ad in VIA®?

BrochuresSet the title of a brochure in sentence case; follow with the two-letter abbreviation for the state enclosed in parentheses. You may add the descriptor brochure after the title, if you want to clarify.

Member Handbook (UT) Auto Insurance brochure (NV)

InsertsSet the title of an insert in title case. The headline of the insert is considered the title. Do not refer to an insert with an outdated nickname. When necessary, give the state of the insert in parentheses; use the two-letter abbreviation for the state. You may add the descriptor insert after the title, if you want to clarify.

Good News insert (CA / NV)

SignsRefer to a sign by setting the text of the sign in title case: capitalize every word but articles and prepositions. Do not set a sign in italics and do not use quotation marks.

Pay attention to the Do Not Enter sign.

Titles of people and groups

PeopleTitles of Member-facing employees should be capitalized, all other job descriptions remain lowercase. When you are referring to a formal position within AAA, it is best to precede the title with AAA.

AAA Vacation Specialist

When using a title with a name, if the person’s name is additional information, set it off with commas. If the name is essential to the meaning of the sentence, do not set it off with commas.

AAA Vacation Specialist Maryanne Sample was awarded the Circle of Excellence.

The AAA Vacation Specialist, Maryanne Sample, helped me plan my vacation.

Always double-check the spelling of names.

For more guidance on titles within AAA, see the Nomenclature section.

GroupsCapitalize the names of departments within AAA. When a group uses an ampersand in their department name, use the ampersand when you refer to the department in text. Precede the department name with AAA. Do not abbreviate department names.

This guide was prepared by AAA Brand Strategy & Design.

May 2010 STYle | 33


Trademarks and copyrights

When you mention the brand name of a AAA product or one of our partners, use the trademark or registration mark in the first non-headline occurrence of the brand name. Do not use registration marks or trademarks in headlines. Do not use registration marks or trademarks for brand names that do not belong to AAA or our partners.

The brand name should be capitalized. If it is a brand name that begins with a lowercase letter or has a second, mid-word capital (iPhone, Payless ShoeSource), leave the brand-appropriate capitalization in place. Do not start a sentence with a brand name that begins with a lowercase letter; rewrite your sentence to avoid this.

The trademark and registration mark should generally be set in superscript. The exception to this is Disney: the registration mark for Disney parks and resorts should be set in subscript. either way, do not insert a space between the brand name and the registration mark. If there is a punctuation mark at the first instance of a brand name, set the superscripted registration mark on the outside of the punctuation mark, but close up the space between them as much as possible. If the first use of a brand name is followed by a question mark, put the question mark after the registration mark. Set a subscripted registration mark on the inside of the punctuation mark.

Target®

Disneyland®

That’s why AAA partnered with ADEPT Driver,® creator of teenSMART® — a computer-based driving program proven to improve your teen’s driving skills and reduce their risk of car crashes.

See the list of branded names in the nomenclature section for guidance on AAA product names.

Bulleted lists

A bulleted list can be a simple way to present information so that it’s easy for your reader to absorb; it is not an excuse to pass off poorly composed notes as content. Use bulleted lists only when the content merits it: when (1) you have multiple things of the same type that fit under a single heading and (2) leaving them in a sentence would be confusing or difficult to follow. When you choose to use bullets, put extra care into composing them so that they are as clear as possible.

Introduce your bulleted list with a complete sentence followed by a colon. The bulleted items should be in sentence case (the first word starts with a capital letter, the rest start with lowercase letters) and should not have terminal punctuation, even if they are complete sentences. no single bullet should have more than one sentence — remember, a bulleted list is supposed to be a quick hit. In case any single item in your bulleted list is composed of multiple sentences, it is acceptable to use terminal punctuation for all sentences in that item, but don’t add terminal punctuation to any of the other items in the list. All items in the list must be parallel: if one is a noun, they must all be nouns; if one is an adjective,

they must all be adjectives; if one is a sentence fragment beginning with a verb, they must all be sentence fragments beginning with verbs. Rewrite your list to make it consistent.

A discount will be applied if your rental property is 10 years old or older, and you have updated any of the following items through a qualified licensed contractor: ▪ Plumbing▪ Electrical▪ Heating and cooling system▪ Roof

We are the value of Membership: ▪ We are more than just products and services▪ We know that it takes people to help people▪ We listen and take action▪ We do extraordinary things▪ We take responsibility for the success of AAA

Follow each bullet with a 1/3 space and set bullets in the same color as the text that follows.

Avoid common mistakes with bulleted listsDon’t introduce your list with a sentence fragment It is tempting — but incorrect — to think of the bullets as optional ends to a sentence. Rewrite your list to avoid this.

WRONG: You’re especially exposed to the risk of an incident resulting in a lawsuit if you: ▪ Have a swimming pool, hot tub or trampoline▪ Have a young driver in your family▪ Engage in recreational sporting activities like snow skiing, golf,

baseball, etc.▪ Operate jet skis, watercraft and other high-risk recreational

vehicles▪ Own a horse

RIGHT: You’re especially exposed to the risk of an incident resulting in a lawsuit if any of the following is true: ▪ You have a swimming pool, hot tub or trampoline▪ You have a young driver in your family▪ You engage in recreational sporting activities like snow skiing,

golf, baseball, etc.▪ You operate jet skis, watercraft and other high-risk recreational

vehicles▪ You own a horse

May 2010 STYle | 34


Don’t mix and match parts of speechParallelism is always important in lists and series, and doubly so in bulleted lists.

WRONG: I have many hobbies: ▪ To run▪ Painting▪ I also like traveling to exotic destinations

RIGHT: I have many hobbies: ▪ Running▪ Painting▪ Traveling to exotic destinations

Don’t use bullets when your list only has one or two itemseven if you’re writing a longer piece with many bulleted lists, if this particular list has only one or two items, let it stand as a sentence. A bulleted list must have at least three items in it.

Don’t add bullets that don’t fit the introductionIf you have an extra piece of information that logically comes after a bulleted list, let it be a new paragraph after the list instead of tacking it unceremoniously onto a list where it doesn’t belong.

WRONG: You will need the following information handy to sign up: ▪ Email address▪ Home phone number▪ Mobile phone number▪ Remember, you must have your coaching device installed within

two weeks of receiving it

RIGHT: You will need the following information handy to sign up: ▪ Email address▪ Home phone number▪ Mobile phone number

Remember, you must have your coaching device installed within two weeks of receiving it.

Don’t link items in a bulleted list with commas or semicolons and the word and or orYou’ve already formatted this series with bullets, so the and or or is redundant. If your meaning is unclear without the addition, a bulleted list is probably inappropriate and you should find a better way to present the content.

WRONG:If any of the following describes your rental property, you could qualify for a discount up to 15 percent: ▪ It is located within a gated community;▪ It has a local or central burglar and / or fire prevention system

installed; or▪ It has a residential sprinkler system

RIGHT: If any of the following describes your rental property, you could qualify for a discount up to 15 percent: ▪ It is located within a gated community▪ It has a local or central burglar and / or fire prevention system

installed▪ It has a residential sprinkler system

Don’t use ellipses (…) to introduce bulleted listsThose three dots, called an ellipsis, indicate that information has been omitted. If information is missing from your list, rewrite it to include the information.

WRONG:We understand everyone has special needs — and with that in mind, we offer… ▪ Coverage for your antique car▪ Coverage for recreational motor homes and travel trailers▪ Rental car reimbursement when your car is being repaired after

an accident

ALSO WRONG: We understand everyone has special needs — and with that in mind, we offer: ▪ …coverage for your antique car▪ …coverage for recreational motor homes and travel trailers▪ …rental car reimbursement when your car is being repaired

after an accident

RIGHT:We understand everyone has special needs — and with that in mind, we offer flexible options: ▪ Coverage for your antique car▪ Coverage for recreational motor homes and travel trailers▪ Rental car reimbursement when your car is being repaired after

an accident

May 2010 STYle | 35


Numbered lists

For numbered lists, follow all the rules for bulleted lists. Give the number, followed by a period, followed by a space.

If you have sub-lists within your numbered list, use bullets or capital letters for the sub-list.

Times and dates

TimesWhenever possible, use small caps (without periods) for am and pm. If it’s not possible, as in an email or Web communication, set them in lowercase and follow each letter with a period but don’t insert a space between them. never use regular capitals. either way, there should be a space between the numerals for the hours and the am / pm. If you’re referring to a round hour, just use the hour without the minutes; if you’re referring to half-past or another exact time, use a colon followed by the minutes.

9 am7:20 pm4 p.m. noon

There is no such time as 12:00, either am or pm. Instead, use midnight and noon. These words should be lowercase and not set in small caps. by 12:01, you can get back to using am and pm.

Ranges of timesWhen you’re indicating a range of times, separate the two numbers with an en-dash. If the entire range occurs in the morning or in the afternoon, use am / pm only once, at the end of the range. If the range begins in the morning but ends in the evening (or vice-versa), use am / pm, preceded by a space, after both numbers.

noon – 3 pm9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. 3 – 4:30 pm

DatesWe use the standard American month-day-year format to express dates. Use cardinal numbers (1, 2, 3) instead of ordinals (1st, 2nd, 3rd) when referring to dates. Spell out the month whenever possible. If space is limited, use the three-letter abbreviation for the month, but do not add a period (see the section on abbreviations). There is never a need to abbreviate the month of May. Separate the day of the week from the day of the month — and the day of the month from the year — with commas. Follow the year with a comma.

Come to our Member appreciation event on Monday, August 24.

AAA Reno held a successful Member Appreciation event on Monday, August 24, 2009.

August 24, 2009, began like any other day.

Offer valid through Aug 24, 2009.

Years aloneThere’s no need to set off a year with commas when referring to it specifically in a sentence. Try not to begin a sentence with a year. If it’s impossible to rewrite a sentence so that it doesn’t begin with a year, spell out the year.

That meeting of motorists in 1907 had a greater impact than any of them could have imagined.

Two-thousand nine was an exciting year for AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah.

DecadesA decade can be spelled out or given in numerals. If you use numerals, it is acceptable to give the century as well as the decade, or to precede the decade with an apostrophe (Word tends to format this automatically as an open single quote, so double-check to make sure you’re using a true apostrophe); either way, pluralize the decade with a lowercase s without an apostrophe.

the eighties the 1990s the ’20s

May 2010 STYle | 36


Dates in legalIf space is limited and you are referring to a specific date in legal — for example, the range of dates or end dates for a sweepstakes or coupon — it is acceptable to list the date in month-day-year format, separated by slashes, with a two-digit number for the year. If, for some reason, you are giving a century other than the current one, use a four-digit number for the year. Indicate a range with an en dash.

12 / 30 / 1967 4 / 23 / 09 1 / 12 / 08 – 2 / 14 / 08

Addresses and phone numbers

AddressesIn general, don't abbreviate street names. If space is limited, it is acceptable to abbreviate Boulevard to Blvd. and Parkway to Pkwy. no other abbreviations are acceptable. Use the two-letter abbreviation for the state; capitalize both letters and do not put a period at the end of the state abbreviation. Use a comma between the city and the state. Don’t use periods in PO Box.

Business address

Timothy Blank AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah 100 Van Ness Avenue, Floor 13 San Francisco, CA 94102

Home address

Maryann Sample 1234 Someplace Circle, #2 Townburg, CA 12345

Branch address

AAA Citytown 789 Main Street, Suite 111 Citytown, UT 98765

PO box address

Rudy Mailbox PO Box 6543 Burgfield, NV 15937

Phone numbersPhone numbers should be written as ten digits, with the area code in parenthesis followed by a space, and the prefix and suffix separated by a hyphen.

(123) 456-7890

1-800 numbers follow the same format.

(800) 123-4567

When you give the phone number as letters, put the actual number after it in parentheses with hyphens separating all the parts of the phone number.

(800) 222-2AAA (800-222-2222)

URLs, email addresses and references to the Web

In printed pieces, URls and email addresses should be formatted as normal text (no underline, no bold, no italics, no change of color). It is distracting for the reader when inactive URls or email addresses are underlined and blue.

Active linksWhen writing copy for a Web page or email with active links, avoid the construction “click here.” Most people are savvy enough to recognize a link when they see it, so just make the active or significant parts of your call to action live.

WRONG:To learn more about great vacation offers, click here.

RIGHT:Learn more about great vacation offers.

ALSO RIGHT:Learn more about great vacation offers.

Email addressesTry to fit the entire email address on a single line. If you can’t get it to fit on a single line, break at a period or the @ sign. This period or @ sign should go on the second line, not the first.

brand.strategy@goAAA .com

If an email address comes at the end of a sentence where you would normally use a period, go ahead and use the period.

If you have any questions, email us at [email protected].

Remember that we spell email without a hyphen.

May 2010 STYle | 37


URLsWe do not include http:// when writing out URls. Whenever possible, we omit the www as well. excepting our own URl (which is always AAA.com), the preference is to use all lowercase letters in a URl.

AAA.com viamagazine.com / events google.com

Try to fit your entire URl on a single line. If you can’t get it to fit on a single line, break at a period or slash. This period or slash should go on the second line, not the first. never add a hyphen at a line break in a URl.

dmv.ca.gov / pubs / foreign_hdbk / dl600C.pdf

If a URl comes at the end of a sentence where you would normally use a period, go ahead and use the period.

Learn more at AAA.com / autotravel.

Whenever you list a URl, make sure that you have checked it first by typing it as written into a browser window.

The WebThink of the Internet or the Web as a place, like Cincinnati. So always capitalize those words. Words like page or site are generic terms like building or house, so leave them lowercase. never give “website” as one word.

Visit our Web site.

Visit us on the Internet.

Parts of Web pagesDo not use italics, bold, commas, quotation marks or all caps when directing someone to part of a Web page. Parts of a Web page — like links or buttons — should be indicated with initial caps.

Go to the home page and follow the Getting Started link.

Next, click the OK button.

Just click on the link to learn Who We Are.

Legal

If your piece makes a specific claim or offer — even just an offer of a quote — you must include legal disclaimers. This is especially important with our Insurance products, and, even more important with life Insurance and Annuities. legal should be set at the bottom of the last page, panel or side of your piece. If you are running a sweepstakes or partnering with another corporate entity, make sure you obtain all appropriate legal copy from the partner and our legal department. If you are only describing current AAA products, consult legal to make sure you are using the most current legal copy. Remember that legal copy changes over time.

The legal disclaimers for a life or Annuities piece must be set in at least 10-point font to be in compliance with AAA life Insurance Company regulations.

Consult the section on footnotes if your copy requires specific legal disclaimers.

CaliforniaIn California, pieces that reference AAA Travel must use the travel disclaimer and CST number.

If your piece is appearing in California and describes our life Insurance products, in addition to the current legal disclaimers, be sure to list the Certificate of Authority number. It should appear at the end of the other legal, but before the license number. let it run in paragraph form with the rest of the legal and put a period at the end.

AAA Life CA Certificate of Authority #07861.

New Yorkbrochures in new York use a different standard legal disclaimer than we use in California, nevada, Utah or the other partner club states. Consult legal to make sure your legal copy is the most current.

Partner states (other than New York)brochures in partner states use a different standard disclaimer than we use in California, nevada and Utah.

License numbers

If your piece mentions AAA Insurance products — and especially if it makes an offer — you should put a license number in the legal. Use only one license number in your piece, but be sure to choose the right one. There are three insurance license numbers to choose between:

1. Numbers for individual AgentsUse this number when your piece is specific to one — and only one — AAA Insurance Agent, for example, in an ad.

2. The life insurance number for AAA California, Nevada & UtahUse this number when your piece mentions AAA life Insurance or Annuities through AAA — but no other AAA Insurance products — and lists multiple Agents or does not list a specific Agent.

3. The general number for AAA California, Nevada & UtahUse the general number when your piece references multiple Agents or does not reference a specific Agent at all, and it refers to multiple AAA Insurance products.

May 2010 STYle | 38


Use a license number even if your piece is not California-specific — it’s just good practice. The license number should be at the end of the legal disclaimers. Run the license number in paragraph form with the rest of the legal. Spell out and capitalize California and License and use the pound sign (#) instead of the word Number. There should be a space before the pound sign, but not after. Do not use a colon and do not put a period at the end. If space is limited, as in an ad, it is ok to abbreviate California to CA, but do not abbreviate License. list an Agent-specific number as Agent License #.

California License #0175868

CA License #0D12130

Agent License #0B66488

Copyright

The copyright should be set on its own line, after the license number. Put a space after the copyright sign. Put a period at the end and follow it with “All rights reserved,” which must also have a period.


Revision date

The final piece of information in the legal disclaimer is the revision date. This must appear on pieces that go into the inventory, but is optional on posters, flyers and ads. Set it on its own line, after the copyright information. Give the form number first, then set the revision date in parentheses. Abbreviate revision, rev. (all lowercase), and use the three-letter abbreviation for the month, followed by the year.

P1797-3 (rev. Apr 2009)

Recycling bug

If you are printing your communication on recycled paper, you may place the recycling bug below the revision date.

Refer to the full copy of the standard legal disclaimers in the Legal disclaimers section.

Footnotes

When you need to add information (usually legal disclaimers) but you don’t want to interrupt the copy with a callout, you can put that information at the bottom as a footnote. There are two systems for linking the footnotes, and either is acceptable. Do not mix the systems — either use symbols or numbers, but not both.

Symbol systemThe symbol system is preferred when you only have one or two footnotes. In the body copy, the symbol should be set in superscript and should come at the end of the sentence, immediately after the terminal punctuation.

Members can save an average of $87 a year.*

At the bottom, the symbol should be repeated full size at normal line height before the note. There should not be a space between the symbol and the note. If you have multiple footnotes, it is best to run the notes together as a paragraph.

* Based on Member self-reporting of Show Your Card & Save discount usage.

If you are using the system for multiple footnotes, use the following symbols in the following order: *, †, ‡, §.

Number systemIf you have a lot of footnotes, you’re better off using the number system. In the body copy, the number should be set in superscript and come at the end of the sentence, immediately after the terminal punctuation. If you have multiple footnotes coming after the same sentence, separate them with commas and spaces.

Discover our $1,500 Road Trip Interruption and Delay coverage.1, 2, 3

At the bottom, the number should be repeated, also set in superscript. There should not be a space between the number and the note. If you have multiple footnotes, it is best to run the notes together as a paragraph.

1You must be on a trip 100 miles or more from home to qualify for this benefit. For complete details on all travel emergency related services, see the summary of coverage brochure. 2Coverage is limited to auto travel anywhere in the continental United States, Canada or Mexico. Certain restrictions apply. 3Coverage is provided on a reimbursement basis after submission of a claim form.

Numbers

One – tenWrite out the text for numbers one through ten.

11+Use numerals for numbers 11 and higher. For 1,000 and higher, use commas in the numeral.

WRONG: 1000000

RIGHT: 1,000,000

May 2010 STYle | 39


Large numbersWith large numbers (millions or more), you can either spell out the whole thing, or use a numeral before million, billion, etc.

30 million thirty million

Mixed numbersIf your communication uses both numbers one through ten and numbers higher than ten, then use either numerals or text for all the numbers, whichever makes the communication easier to read.

Permit valid for one year and is not renewable. Permit is restricted to drivers who are eighteen years or older.

If your communication uses two numbers in a row but they are of different categories, it is ok to use both text and numerals together to keep your communication clear.

When applying for a passport, you will need to provide two 2"x2" photos.

Numbers at the beginning of a sentenceSpell out numbers when they begin a sentence. If this is awkward, rewrite the sentence so that the number isn’t at the beginning.

One thousand five hundred and fifty-four AAA employees volunteered in 2008.

Over 1,500 AAA employees volunteered in 2008.

In 2008, 1,554 AAA employees volunteered.

Spelling numbers outWhen written out, numbers 21 – 99 are hyphenated. All other numbers are left open. Do not insert commas. Use and between the hundreds and the tens.

one thousand five hundred and fifty-four forty-two six hundred and fifty

PercentagesAlways give percentages as a numeral and spell out the word percent. If space is very limited (in, for example, an ad or poster) it’s acceptable to use the percent sign (%) as long as it is used consistently throughout the piece. Don’t leave a space between the number and the percent sign.

83 percent 6%

FractionsYou can either spell fractions out or use the numerals, but be consistent within a single piece.

In general, spelled-out fractions should be hyphenated. The exception to this is when you are explicitly describing the number of pieces.

Two-thirds of us prefer pizza to hamburgers.

She took seven-tenths of the pizza.

I cut the pizza into tenths. She took seven tenths and left me three.

If you are using numerals, use the ligature for common fractions (½, 3/4, ¼) whenever possible. For less common fractions, use the slash with no spaces. Put a space between the whole number and the fraction.

½ 4/5 4 ¼ 9 7/8

Abbreviations

Months of the yearJanuary .................................JanFebruary ...............................FebMarch ...................................MarApril .....................................AprMay ......................................MayJune ......................................JunJuly .......................................JulAugust ..................................AugSeptember ............................Sepoctober ................................octnovember .............................novDecember .............................Dec

The United States of AmericaRefer to this country as the United States. Avoid abbreviating it in body copy. In legal disclaimers, when space is limited, it is acceptable to abbreviate it as U.S., both caps, periods after each letter, no space between them.

May 2010 STYle | 40


StatesAbbreviate states in addresses or legal only. In running text, spell out the full name.

Alabama ...............................AlAlaska ...................................AkArizona .................................AZArkansas ...............................ARCalifornia ..............................CAColorado...............................CoConnecticut ..........................CTDelaware ..............................DeDistrict of Columbia .............DCFlorida ..................................FlGeorgia ................................GAHawaii ..................................HIIdaho ....................................IDIllinois ...................................IlIndiana .................................InIowa .....................................IAkansas ..................................kSkentucky ...............................kYlouisiana ..............................lAMaine ...................................MeMaryland ..............................MDMassachusetts ......................MAMichigan ..............................MIMinnesota ...........................MnMississippi .............................MSMissouri ................................MoMontana...............................MTnebraska ..............................nenevada .................................nVnew Hampshire ....................nHnew Jersey ...........................nJnew Mexico .........................nMnew York ..............................nYnorth Carolina ......................nCnorth Dakota ........................nDohio .....................................oHoklahoma .............................okoregon .................................oRPennsylvania .........................PAPuerto Rico ...........................PRRhode Island .........................RISouth Carolina ......................SCSouth Dakota ........................SDTennessee .............................TnTexas ....................................TXUtah .....................................UTVermont ...............................VTVirginia .................................VAWashington ..........................WAWest Virginia ........................WVWisconsin .............................WIWyoming ..............................WY

Units of measurementCentimeters ..........................cmMeters ..................................mkilometers ............................kmInches ................................... in. or "Feet ......................................ft. or 'Miles .....................................mi.Pounds ................................. lb.Gallons .................................gal.Miles per gallon ....................mpgMinutes ................................min.

TechnologyUse all caps for common initialisms: DVD, CD, URL, FTP and so on. To make them plural, add a lowercase s with no apostrophe: DVDs.

Write file extensions in all caps with no dot: JPG, PDF and so on. To make them plural, add a lowercase s with no apostrophe: PDFs. If you are giving the file extension as part of a file name, use lowercase.

Acronyms and initialisms

Acronyms and initialisms are awkward to read, so avoid them as much as possible.

If the acronym or initialism is much more common than the actual term — to the point that the actual term might be confusing — just give the acronym or initialism.

CONFUSING: portable document format health maintenance organization

BETTER: PDF HMO

If you use the indefinite article (a or an) with an acronym or initialism, say it aloud. If begins with a vowel sound, use an. If it begins with a consonant sound, use a.

an HMO

a UFO

Make an acronym or initialism plural by adding a lowercase s. Do not use an apostrophe.

UFOs

In the first use, write out the entire term and follow it with the acronym or initialism in parentheses. Do not use periods after each letter and do not put spaces between them.

high occupancy vehicle (HOV)

May 2010 STYle | 41


If you only use a term once, do not give the acronym or initialism at all.

Do not set acronyms or initialisms in italics or bold. Do not put them in quotation marks.

Very few AAA product names should be abbreviated. Consult the list of branded terms in the nomenclature section to see the appropriate way to refer to a product.

Jargon and clichés

In general, avoid jargon and clichés.

Corporate-speak terms like incentivize, utilize, bandwidth and leverage are jargon and are unclear. It’s ok to use these things occasionally in casual communication (talking, email), but they should never, ever show up in Member-facing communications.

be especially wary of clichéd corporate phrases like game plan, next steps, tighten our belts, bottom line, apples to apples, touch base or ducks in a row. We tend to forget we use them, and that can lead to confusing mixed metaphors:

WRONG: Let me get my ducks in a row, then we can review our game plan, apples to apples.

Why does this game need ducks? or apples? Do you feed the apples to the ducks? What? If you must use these phrases, use only one at a time — or least limit yourself to clichés with a common theme.

WRONG: What’s the game plan? This project is your baby.

NOT GREAT: What’s the game plan? The ball is in your court. OR What’s the game plan? You make the call.

BETTER: What’s the game plan? We’re waiting for your decision.

EVEN BETTER: What do we do next?

Again, it’s not really a problem when you use these casually and internally, but they should never, ever show up in Member-facing communications.

Many industry-specific terms are also jargon. If you’re writing for an internal audience of your peers, it may be better to use common jargon that everyone recognizes than to twist up your copy looking for a novel term. but if you are writing for an audience outside your group, it may be a good idea to run your copy past someone on the outside to make sure it is clear and doesn’t sound jargony.

Capitalization

Capitalize the first word of a sentence, proper nouns and appropriate branded terms (see the list in the nomenclature section).

Always capitalize AAA Member and AAA Membership, but use lowercase letters when using member and membership as generic terms.

We deliver more than expected value to our Members.

AAA Members are the best people in the world.

We are a membership organization.

Capitalize our product names (and, usually, precede them with AAA), but do not capitalize insurance, travel or membership when they are being used as generic terms.

Most people don’t have enough life insurance.

Stop by and get a quote on AAA Insurance.

never capitalize random words for emphasis — it’s distracting. Avoid all caps, especially in electronic communications.

Refer to the Formatting section for guidance on capitalization within sections of your document.

Punctuation

Approach punctuation from a minimalist standpoint: use exactly as many marks as are necessary to communicate your point, but no more. This is sometimes open to interpretation, so use your best judgment.

AmpersandsDo not use ampersands unless you are using an approved company, department or program name. If you are using an approved company, department or program name, always use the ampersand.

WRONG: I enjoy hiking & fishing. Vision and Values AAA Northern California, Nevada and Utah

RIGHT: I enjoy hiking and fishing. Vision & Values AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah

May 2010 STYle | 42


ColonsThe text that comes before a colon must be a complete sentence.

WRONG:AAA offers: ▪ Auto▪ Home▪ Life

RIGHT: AAA offers the following: ▪ Auto▪ Home▪ Life

BETTER: AAA offers Insurance to fit your needs: ▪ Auto▪ Home▪ Life

When you are writing a list in running text, if the first part of the sentence is a fragment that explicitly introduces the list, a colon is redundant and should be left out. If the first part of the sentence could stand alone without the list, you should use a colon.

WRONG: Our partner clubs include: Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana.

RIGHT: Our partner clubs include Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana.

ALSO RIGHT: We have partner clubs in several states: Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana, to name a few.

CommasIn a series, we do not use a comma before the word and.

AAA offers Auto, Home and Life Insurance.

If one of the items in the series is a compound (two things linked with and) or it would be otherwise confusing to leave out the comma, it is ok to use the comma before and.

Our products include Membership, Insurance, and domestic and international Travel.

Remember that all components of your series must be the same part of speech.

WRONG: Get discounts on dining, shoes, new and used cars.

RIGHT: Get discounts on dining, shoes, and new and used cars.

Ellipses (…)An ellipsis indicates an omission in the text. It is composed of three spaced dots with a space before the first dot and after the third. The spaces before and after the ellipsis should be equal to the spaces between the dots.

The most appropriate use of an ellipsis is when you are giving only part of a direct quote. In this case, do not use an ellipsis at the beginning or end of the quote, even if you are leaving part of it out.

WRONG: “You can’t plan for everything…” says AAA Member Janet Dial.

WRONG: “…you never plan to have your tire blow out, and you potentially miss a cruise ship,” says AAA Member Janet Dial.

RIGHT: “You can’t plan for everything. You never plan to have your tire blow out, and you potentially miss a cruise ship,” says AAA Member Janet Dial.

RIGHT: “It’s great to have help…you never plan to have your tire blow out, and you potentially miss a cruise ship,” says AAA Member Janet Dial.

Do not use an ellipsis at the end of a sentence or paragraph. If you are citing a direct quote, this is unnecessary. If you are writing your own copy, rewrite it to complete the thought. If you are introducing a list, use a complete sentence followed by a colon (see the section on bulleted lists page 34).

May 2010 STYle | 43


Hyphens, en dashes and em dashesHyphen (-)

Use hyphens to link hyphenated compound words (check the dictionary to find out whether a compound word needs a hyphen, a space or nothing at all).

high-yield out-of-pocket

You don’t need a hyphen when you are modifying an adjective with an adverb ending in -ly.

This is a list of frequently asked questions.

You can also use a hyphen to break a word between two lines of text, but it’s better to avoid breaking the word if at all possible.

never add any extra space or kerning around a hyphen.

If you have any hesitation over whether a compound word is hyphenated, closed up or takes a space — any at all — look it up in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition.

en dash (–)An en dash is a dash longer than a hyphen but shorter than an em dash. It’s about the width of the letter n. Set the en dash with a hair space on either side. Use the en dash to indicate a range.

1 – 10 Monday – Friday 1900 – present

You can also use an en dash to link a compound word when one or both parts of the compound are compound themselves.

San Francisco – born writer non-Member – directed communication

em dash (—)At about the width of a lowercase m, the em dash is the longest — and most flexible — of the dashes. We usually use it to indicate an aside. To avoid confusion, never use more than two em dashes in a single sentence — and be aware that too many em dashes in a document can lose their impact and start to feel disruptive instead of dynamic. Set the em dash with a hair space on either side. Try to format your copy so that an em dash never appears at the beginning of a line.

Most insurance companies offer this extra cushion up to only 125 percent of the policy’s dwelling coverage limit — an amount that often does not cover the actual reconstruction costs in California.

Use our trusted travel resources — Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA PetBook,® AAA North American Road Atlas and the AAA Europe TravelBook™ — to plan your next trip.

If it’s necessary to break a line at an em dash, the dash stays on the first line.

We’re proud to say that AAA Life Insurance Company received an A– (Excellent) rating as of May 2009 from A.M. Best Company for financial strength and overall operating performance — the fourth-highest rating out of a possible 16.

Periods, question marks and exclamation points (terminal punctuation)Use a single space after a period or other terminal punctuation, never a double space.

The Formatting section will tell you whether your headline / subhead / call to action needs terminal punctuation. In running text, be sure to place your terminal punctuation inside quotation marks, but outside close brackets or parentheses. (Unless the entire sentence is inside the parentheses.)

Don’t use exclamation points — they give your copy an overexcited tone that detracts from content. If you feel like you absolutely must use exclamation points, be sure to use them sparingly and only when the message merits the excitement. exercise restraint and never, ever use more than one exclamation point. ever.

WRONG: Save on shoes at Payless ShoeSource!

VERY, VERY WRONG: Save on shoes at Payless ShoeSource!!!

ACCEPTABLE: Visit your local AAA branch — now with new Saturday hours!

BETTER: Visit your local AAA branch — now with new Saturday hours.

ParenthesesParentheses, along with em dashes and commas, are used to indicate asides. but unlike with commas and em dashes, if an aside opens with a parenthesis it must also have a close parenthesis. If you’re inserting a parenthetical aside at the end of a sentence, the terminal punctuation goes outside the close parenthesis, even if the aside is a complete sentence. If the parenthetical aside is its own sentence, the terminal punctuation stays inside the close parenthesis.

If you are legally liable for an accident, your insurance policy can pay for medical bills incurred by injured parties (depending on the circumstances, this may include coverage for guest passengers).

All repairs are covered by a 24-month / 24,000-mile warranty (12 months / 12,000 miles for non-Members) and are thoroughly documented in a repair history that we’ll maintain for your vehicle.

(Don’t underestimate the impact of your grammar.)

May 2010 STYle | 44


Quotation marksUse quotation marks when you are referencing a direct quote or describing jargon or terminology unfamiliar to your audience. Do not use quotation marks around common or accepted terms. When you do, it gives the impression that you’re using the term sarcastically. If you suspect that the term you’re about to use is jargon and you want to distance yourself from it, you’re probably better off rewriting the sentence to avoid it, anyway.

RIGHT: AAA Member John Everyman says, “AAA really delivers peace of mind.”

RIGHT: Quotation marks around an everyday term — sometimes called “scare quotes” — give that term an ironic tone.

WRONG: Emergency Road Service from AAA delivers “peace of mind.”

VERY, VERY WRONG: AAA is a “caring” company.

Terminal punctuation marks belong inside the closing quotation mark.

Troublesome words and terms

keep your writing simple and use words accurately. If you’re even a tiny bit unsure about a term, look it up.

and, but and orTake care not to go overboard, but it is acceptable to begin a sentence with a conjunction in order to emphasize a point or add variety to your sentence structure.

a or anIf the word begins with a vowel sound, use an whether or not it actually begins with a vowel. likewise, if it begins with a consonant sound, use a. “AAA,” which is pronounced, “Triple Ay,” gets an a.

an hour

a AAA Vacation Specialist

a one-diamond restaurant

composed or comprisedTo compose means to make something up of other parts, whereas to comprise means to contain the parts listed; so a whole is composed of its various parts, while various parts comprise a whole. It is always wrong to refer to something as being “comprised of” its parts.

WRONG: AAA is comprised of many regional clubs.

RIGHT: AAA is composed of many regional clubs.

RIGHT: Many regional clubs compose AAA.

RIGHT: AAA comprises many regional clubs.

data and mediaWhile these words are technically plural, and do technically have singular forms, datum and medium can look bizarre and are distracting in context. It is ok to use data and media in the singular.

hopefullyIt is ok to begin a sentence with hopefully, in the sense of “it is to be hoped that.” Use a comma after hopefully.

Hopefully, the event will be a success.

i.e. or e.g.The abbreviation i.e. stands for id est, a latin phrase that means “that is” (if it’s easier to remember, you can think of it as, “in other words”); e.g. stands for exempli gratia, latin for “for example.” Since what comes after e.g. is explicitly an example, don’t try to list everything or use etc. If you want to list everything, you’re better off using i.e.

AAA branches offer services you might not expect (e.g., DMV services).

I always make myself a new task list at the beginning of the week, i.e., Monday morning.

Whichever abbreviation you use, always put periods after each letter, but no space between them, and follow the abbreviation with a comma. Set the i.e. or e.g. phrase apart from the rest of the sentence with parentheses, commas or em dashes.

May 2010 STYle | 45


that or whichUse that with restrictive clauses and which with nonrestrictive clauses. In other words, if the information that comes after it is necessary to the meaning of the noun before it, use that. If it’s extra information, use which.

Get your quote today and get the peace of mind that comes from knowing AAA Home Insurance will be looking out for you, come what may.

Spring, which follows winter, is my favorite season.

Always use a comma before which, but no comma before that.

they / them / theirIf you can rewrite your sentence to avoid an awkward “he or she” construction, do so. If you can’t, it is acceptable to use they instead of he or she, them instead of him or her, and their instead of his or her.

Every Member has their own reason for joining AAA.

You can find an extensive list of troublesome terms and words in the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition, beginning on page 196.

Troublesome spellings

The following spellings are correct:

coworkerdriver licenseemaile-newsletterflyergraduated driver licensehealthcareinboxInternetjudgmentknowledgeablelearner’s permitmakeupMembers-onlymultiunitnonbusinessprovisional licenseokonlinepreapprovedroad tripseat beltWeb siteworkdayworkweek

Refer to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition for any word not on this list.

Refer to the list of branded terms in the nomenclature section for the correct spelling of AAA product and service names.

May 2010 STYle | 46

AAA Brand StandardsLegal disclaimers

For direction on how to treat disclaimers in your communication, refer to the Style section (page 38).

Copyright

Copyright notice; all states

Put the copyright notice on everything that has any chance of circulating outside AAA, including PDFs.


Insurance disclaimers

General / P&C insurance

1. Insurance disclaimer; California, Nevada and Utah

Use this disclaimer any time you mention our property and casualty products (auto, home), but especially when you describe particulars of the product or make an offer of service — even if it’s just the offer of a quote.

California State Automobile Association (CSAA), a AAA Member Club, which does business as AAA Nevada in Nevada and AAA Utah in Utah, provides auto, home and personal umbrella insurance through the Cal State Auto Group. Life insurance underwritten and annuities offered by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI. California License #0175868

2. Insurance disclaimer (abbreviated); California, Nevada and Utah

Use the abbreviated disclaimer when you don’t have enough space to include the full insurance disclaimer.

California State Automobile Association (CSAA), a AAA Member Club, provides auto, home and personal umbrella insurance through the Cal State Auto Group. Life insurance underwritten and annuities offered by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI. California License #0175868

3. Insurance disclaimer (Spanish); California, Nevada and Utah

Use the Spanish disclaimer when your insurance piece is written in Spanish.

California State Automobile Association (CSAA), un club Miembro de AAA, que hace comercio en Nevada y Utah balo el nombre de Nevada AAA y Utah AAA, respectivamente, proporciona seguros de automóvil, vivienda y personal ampliado de responsabilidad civil a través de Cal State Auto Group. Seguro de vida asegurado y anualidades ofrecidas por AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI. California License #0175868

4. Insurance disclaimer; California

Use the California disclaimer when your insurance piece will only be seen in California.

California State Automobile Association (CSAA), a AAA Member Club, provides auto, home and personal umbrella insurance through the Cal State Auto Group. Life insurance underwritten and annuities offered by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI. California License #0175868

5. Insurance disclaimer; Nevada

Use the nevada disclaimer when your insurance piece will only be seen in nevada.

AAA Nevada provides auto, home and personal umbrella insurance through its affiliates, AAA Nevada Insurance Company and AAA Nevada Fire & Casualty Insurance Company. Life insurance underwritten and annuities offered by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI.

6. Insurance disclaimer; Utah

Use the Utah disclaimer when your insurance piece will only be seen in Utah.

AAA Utah provides auto, home and personal umbrella insurance through its affiliate, AAA Insurance Company. Life insurance and annuities offered by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI.

7. Insurance brochure disclaimer; California, Nevada and Utah

Use this disclaimer on all Insurance brochures (except partner club brochures).

This brochure highlights only certain provisions of the insurance described, and is not and will not become a part of the insurance policy. For a complete listing of all provisions, pick up a policy containing exclusions, definitions and limits. Policies are available from any AAA Insurance representative or branch. You must be an active AAA Member to purchase or renew AAA Insurance.

8. Insurance brochure disclaimer; New York

Use this disclaimer on all Insurance brochures for new York.

The insurance described in this brochure is underwritten by ACA Insurance Company. ACA is affiliated with the AAA Member Club for Northern California, Nevada, and Utah, with its principal office in San Francisco. ACA is rated A+ (Superior) by the A.M. Best Company, the most widely known and respected independent insurance rating and information service.

May 2010 leGAl DISClAIMeRS | 47


9. Insurance brochure disclaimer; partner clubs other than New York

Use this disclaimer in all Insurance brochures for partner clubs other than new York.

The insurance described in this brochure is provided by the insurers of the California State Auto Group, part of the corporate family of the AAA Member Club for Northern California, Nevada and Utah. The group is rated “A+” (Superior) by the A.M. Best Company, the most widely known and respected independent insurance rating and information service.

Life insurance and annuities

10. Life Insurance disclaimer; California, Nevada and Utah

If your communication mentions our life Insurance product — especially if it makes an offer or offers a quote — use this disclaimer.

California State Automobile Association (CSAA), a AAA Member Club, which does business as AAA Nevada in Nevada and AAA Utah in Utah, provides life insurance underwritten and annuities offered by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI. AAA Life is licensed in all states except NY. AAA Life CA Certificate of Authority #07861. CSAA Life Insurance Agency of California, Inc. License #0D12130

11. Life Insurance disclaimer; California

Use this disclaimer if your life Insurance piece will only be seen in California.

California State Automobile Association (CSAA), a AAA Member Club, provides life insurance underwritten and annuities offered by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI. AAA Life is licensed in all states except NY. AAA Life CA Certificate of Authority #07861. CSAA Life Insurance Agency of California, Inc. License #0D12130

12. Life Insurance disclaimer; Nevada

Use this disclaimer if your life Insurance piece will only be seen in nevada.

AAA Nevada provides life insurance underwritten and annuities offered by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI. AAA Life is licensed in all states except NY. AAA Life CA Certificate of Authority #07861. CSAA Life Insurance Agency of California, Inc. License #0D12130

13. Life Insurance disclaimer; Utah

Use this disclaimer if your life Insurance piece will only be seen in Utah.

AAA Utah provides life insurance underwritten and annuities offered by AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI. AAA Life is licensed in all states except NY. AAA Life CA Certificate of Authority #07861. CSAA Life Insurance Agency of California, Inc. License #0D12130

14. Annuities disclaimer; all states

Use this disclaimer on all pieces that describe our Annuity product.

AAA Life Insurance Company and its agents do not provide legal or tax advice. Therefore, you may wish to seek independent legal, tax or financial advice prior to the purchase of any contract or before selling or liquidating any assets. This brochure only provides a brief summary of key concepts based on current tax laws and is not intended to address any individual’s specific situation or needs. If you are age 65 years of age or older, California Insurance Code § 789.8(b) requires us to advise you about the following: if you plan on the sale or liquidation of any stock, bond, IRA, certificate of deposit, mutual fund, annuity, or other asset to fund the purchase of a life insurance or annuity product, please be advised that there may be tax consequences, early withdrawal penalties, or other costs or penalties as a result of the sale or liquidation. For more information, ask one of our professionals today for details.

15. Annuity rates disclaimer; all states

Use this disclaimer whenever you give our Annuity rates.

* Rates current as of [date]. All rates shown are annual effective yields. Annuity first year guaranteed interest rates include a first year contract bonus. The first year declared interest rate is guaranteed for the first contract year only and is separate from the guaranteed minimum rate effective for all contract years. Base rate is subject to change without notice. Base rate will vary but not fall below 2%. A withdrawal charge will apply to withdrawals exceeding 10% of the account balance during the contract’s withdrawal charge period. Withdrawals prior to age 59½ may be subject to IRS penalties, separate from the annuity’s schedule of surrender charges. AAA Life and its agents do not provide legal or tax advice. Therefore, you may wish to consult independent legal, tax or financial advice prior to the purchase of any contract. Contract and its features may not be available in all states. Policy Form Series 42303. Annuities offered through AAA Life Insurance Company, Livonia, MI. AAA Life is licensed in all states except NY. AAA Life CA Certificate of Authority #07861. [ALCS number will be provided by AAA National].



Insurance quotes

16. Insurance quotes disclaimer; all states

Use this disclaimer whenever you provide a quote for a Member.

This quote is not an offer of insurance. It is an estimate based on information you provided and is subject to change as more information is collected. The information you provided to obtain this quote is not an application for insurance. A policy will only be issued if you apply and meet all of our required underwriting qualifications.

Multipolicy

17. Multipolicy discount disclaimer; all states

Use this disclaimer in pieces that describe the Multipolicy discount.

Home / auto discount subject to eligibility requirements. See your AAA Insurance Agent for details.

Earthquake

18. Earthquake insurance disclaimer; California

Use this disclaimer on pieces that describe the earthquake product.

CEA Earthquake policies have limitations, exclusions and conditions which are more restrictive than Home policies from AAA, along with a substantial deductible. It’s very important that you understand what’s covered and what’s not, so be sure to ask your AAA Insurance Agent for complete details. California License #0175868

Flood

19. Flood insurance disclaimer; California

Use this disclaimer on pieces that describe the Flood product.

The flood insurance provided through AAA is supplementary coverage from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a federally-sponsored program under which property owners may purchase insurance protection against losses due to flooding. Please check with your AAA Insurance Agent on eligibility requirements.

Travel disclaimers

20. Travel disclaimer; all states

Use this disclaimer on any communication that mentions AAA Travel.

CST 1003968-80 Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.

21. Travel pricing disclaimer; all states

Use this disclaimer any time you list a price for a travel package. be sure to put an asterisk after the price in the body of the piece.

* Prices are per person based on double occupancy, are subject to availability at time of booking, and may change without notice. Single supplement may apply. Unless stated otherwise, airfare, taxes and government fees are not included. Offers valid for new bookings only. Member benefit is per person and applies to first and second traveler only. Member benefits are available only with advertised fare and are subject to change without notice. Your travel arrangements may be modified or cancelled, subject to the travel provider’s policies. Black out dates and other restrictions may apply. We make every effort for accuracy at time of printing, but reserve the right to correct errors. AAA Travel strongly recommends the purchase of trip protection insurance. [For cruises, list Ship’s Registry.]

22. Travel brochure disclaimer; all states

Use this disclaimer on all brochures that describe AAA Travel.

This brochure may not be a comprehensive listing of services, products, benefits, offers and procedures. Ask your AAA Vacation Specialist for details. AAA strongly recommends the purchase of trip protection insurance. Your travel arrangements may be modified or cancelled subject to the travel provider’s policies.

Membership disclaimers

23. Membership brochure disclaimer; all states

Use this disclaimer on all brochures.

This brochure may not be a comprehensive listing of services, products, benefits, offers and procedures. Services, products, benefits, offers and procedures may be changed without notice. Various conditions and restrictions apply.

24. Member discount program disclaimer; all states

Use this disclaimer on all pieces that mention the Member Discounts program.

Various conditions and restrictions apply to all offers. Offers not valid with other discounts, promotions or coupons. Good at participating locations only. Active AAA Membership Card required. All offers are subject to change and may expire without notice.


AAA Brand StandardsAdditional resources

The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition (ISbn: 978-0226104034)

The Elements of Style, William Strunk Jr. and e.b. White (ISbn: 978-0205632640)

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition (ISbn: 978-0877798088)

On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction, William Zinsser (ISbn: 978-0060891541)

Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose, Constance Hale (ISbn: 978-0767903097)

We, Me, Them & It: The Power of Words in Business, John Simmons (ISbn: 978-1587990458)

Other AAA Standards are available at aaabrandpoint.com

AAA Auto Insurance Signature Series

AAA banner Ad Standards

AAA brand Architecture

AAA branch Design Guideline

AAA Diversity & Inclusion Identity Standard

AAA email Standards

AAA express logo Standard

AAA Insurance Multi-product Guideline

AAA landing Page Standards

AAA Member Services Company logo Guideline

AAA uDrive logo Standard

AAA University Identity Standard

branding the employee experience

living Healthy at AAA Identity

Retail Merchandising Standards

VIA® Style Guide

May 2010 ADDITIonAl ReSoURCeS | 50


AAA Brand StandardsAdditional resources

May 2010 ADDITIonAl ReSoURCeS | 51

Acknowledgement of AAA Brand Standards

I have reviewed the standards in this document and agree to apply this information whenever possible to ensure that our Members receive clear, consistent and high quality communications.

name AAA employee employee ID #

Signed Date

aaa ncnu brand standards rev 05-10-2

Documents

style logo

logo placement

logo color specifications

logo donts

masterbrand logo usage

aaa northern california

brand color formulations

interactive document