Setting an event co-branding hierarchy
Five organisations expect their logos on the backdrop, and each assumes theirs comes first.
The short answer
A co-branding hierarchy is a written ranking of logo groups, with one rule for order, relative size and placement that applies to every item. Contracted sponsor rights set the floor, not the committee's mood.
Write the rule once, then apply it to each item. Disputes are then about the rule, not about each banner.
Name the logo groups
Most professional events have some of these groups: the organiser, co-organisers, strategic or institutional partners, headline sponsors, other sponsors, media partners and supporting associations. Decide which groups exist and which organisation sits in which.
The rules to write
- Order: left to right or top to bottom, and whether it is fixed or alphabetical within a group.
- Relative size: whether groups are the same size or stepped, expressed as a rule, for example 'the organiser logo is the largest on every item'.
- Clear space and minimum size, taken from each owner's own brand guide.
- Which items carry which groups, since a lanyard may carry fewer than a backdrop.
- What a partner may not do: alter the logo, add taglines or change colours.
Start from rights, not from preference
Collect what each sponsor and partner is entitled to from the signed agreements or confirmed offers: placements, size, exclusivity. Enter them in the sponsor rights and exclusivity conflict checker to see where two entitlements collide.
Where wording is unclear, ask the person who manages the sponsor agreements, or your legal adviser, rather than interpreting it yourself.
Check across materials
- List every item that carries logos, using the collateral inventory.
- Apply the rule item by item and note exceptions with a reason.
- Send each owner the final logo group for approval, with their logo version and file name.
- Compare printed and digital items against the same rule before sign-off.
When the hierarchy changes late
A sponsor confirmed after the print deadline needs a decision: add to digital only, reprint, or wait for the next edition. Record who decided and which items changed, and update the sponsor logo approval record.
Worked example · Fictional example
A forum with an institutional partner
Fictional organisation and figures, for illustration only.
Persatuan Fiktif Pengilang organises a forum with one government-linked partner, two headline sponsors and six other sponsors. The first backdrop draft puts a headline sponsor above the partner at the sponsor's request.
The secretariat writes a rule: organiser first and largest, institutional partner second, sponsors in agreed tiers, and equal size within each tier. The headline sponsor's contract is checked and does not require top billing, so the draft is corrected and the rule is applied to the other items.
Use this yourself
Co-branding hierarchy table
Fill one row per logo group and attach the rights evidence.
| Logo group | Organisations | Order within group | Relative size rule | Items carrying this group | Rights source and confirmed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organiser | To fill | Fixed | Largest on every item | All items | Organiser's brand guide |
| Institutional partner | To fill | Fixed | Second tier | Backdrop, programme, website | Partner's letter, date |
| Headline sponsors | To fill | By agreement | Per contract | As contracted | Contract clause, checked by |
| Other sponsors | To fill | Alphabetical or tier | Equal within tier | As contracted | Contract or confirmed offer |
| Media or supporting partners | To fill | Alphabetical | Smallest tier | Selected items | Confirmed email, date |
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- One organiser, a few sponsors and clear written entitlements.
- The secretariat can ask each owner for logo files and approval.
- Nobody disputes the order.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Several co-organisers or regional bodies each expecting equal prominence.
- Sponsor entitlements are unclear or conflicting.
- Logo groups change after printing, and no one holds the master rule.
Want the hierarchy agreed before artwork starts?
A conference project lead can gather the confirmed entitlements, draft the hierarchy and apply it across the collateral list, then take it to your decision owner for sign-off. Sales of sponsorship and the interpretation of sponsor contracts stay outside that coordination.
Questions organisers ask
Should sponsors be ranked by what they paid?
Rank by what each agreement entitles them to. Do not state amounts on any item, and take any question about contract wording to the person who manages it.
Can partners supply their own logo lockups?
Yes if they provide the approved file. Record the file version and do not alter it.
How do we handle a partner who wants more prominence?
Refer to the written rule and their agreement. Changing the rule means updating it for every item and informing the others.
Does this also apply to the website?
Yes. The same rule should be used for the website, the app and printed items so the order stays consistent.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.