Skip to content
The Level One Project
  • About L1P
    • Principles
    • Practices
    • Lenses
  • L1P in Action
  • Partners & Community
  • Library
  • Search
  • The L1P Guide

Tool

Minimum Branding Guidelines

Overview of select features that constitute minimum branding guidelines, namely in-app logo placement, logo repetition, and point-of-sale experience requirements.

Inclusive IPS provide guidance to DFSPs on acceptable and unacceptable use of the common brand. The details of the guidance vary, but it typically includes common attributes. Select attributes are listed below.

For guidance on how to ensure women’s voices are included in brand design, see: User Friendly Interface Design Practice.

Minimum Branding Guidelines could specify key features:

In-App Logo Placement

Specifies where and how the Inclusive IPS logo (typically requires high visibility) should be placed in DFSP’s mobile app interfaces, especially the home page. 

This makes it easier for end users to find the option for Inclusive IPS payment services and provides assurance of the payment method throughout the payment initiation (or acceptance) user journey.

Repetition of Logo

Requires repetition of the logo in different user interface screens and throughout the payment journey on a mobile app.

This drives logo recognition and contributes to end users’ confidence that they are using Inclusive IPS services throughout the payment.

Point-of-Sale (POS) Experience

Requires logos to be placed at a POS or some other visible locations at a store or kiosk. This includes iconography posted at a point of sale, embedded in a QR code, and in some cases, communicated via trademarked audio cues at a merchant location or in-app. 

The Inclusive IPS may allow for DFSPs to customize deployment of the logo at the POS to appeal to local customers. Notable examples include deploying well-known cultural symbols like the beckoning cat (a symbol of wealth and prosperity) to promote PromptPay at merchant locations in Thailand, and using celebrity narrations to accompany UPI sonic branding for successful transactions in India. 

This signals to the end user which merchants accept payments processed by the Inclusive IPS and encourages users to choose this option at the moment of payment.

Cautionary Guidance

Brand guidelines often specify how not to use brand assets. This includes altering the logo inappropriately, for example by adding new elements, changing colors, changing the size. 

This ensures that the logo is highly recognizable even for populations with low basic and digital literacy and regardless of the DFSP used. Reducing confusion related to brand can contribute to building trust in the Inclusive IPS.

    Open the document

    This Resource

    Relevant Principles

    Review the Principles
    • Inclusive Governance

    Visit the L1P Library

    The Level One Project
    © 2025 Gates Foundation. All rights reserved.
    The Level One Project is an initiative of the Gates Foundation.
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy & Cookies Notice
    • Be Aware of Fraudulent Activity
    • About L1P
    • Principles
    • L1P in Action
    • Partners & Community
    • Library
    • Sitemap