NFC Forum

About the NFC Forum N-Mark

The NFC Forum has developed the N-Mark trademark as a universal symbol for NFC, so that consumers can easily identify NFC-enabled products as well as the locations where NFC services are available. A stylized letter “N,” it has two uses:

• The NFC Forum N-Mark lets consumers know that NFC services are available on mobile devices and other consumer electronics, as well as smart posters, signs, badges, labels, etc. It indicates where to touch to enable NFC services.
• The N-Mark on a display screen, digital media, product packaging, or product or service promotional material indicates that the particular software, product, or service has NFC capabilities.

The N-Mark is available to anyone for download at no charge after completing the N-Mark Trademark License Agreement. Read the N-Mark FAQs for more information.

The N-Mark is different from the NFC Forum Certification Mark, which is the industry-facing mark used to indicate that a hardware device has been certified compliant with NFC Forum specifications. Use of the NFC Forum Certification Mark is granted only to NFC Forum member companies that have successfully completed certification.

Using the N-Mark

The NFC Forum N-Mark Brand Guide is a comprehensive document that details the purpose and value of the N-Mark. It includes helpful design and usage guidelines for using the N-Mark on devices, software, tags, and media. Following these guidelines will create a strong visual global presence for the N-Mark and builds product and service credibility on a global basis.

Devices. On an NFC-enabled device, such as a mobile phone, or consumer electronics, the N-Mark is used as a touchpoint to identify the position on the device where the user can align it with an NFC tag or with another NFC device to enable an NFC interaction. While the N-Mark is complementary to – and may be displayed alongside – other proprietary marks and trademarks, the N-Mark should be the touchpoint indicator to enable a user to access the service.

Software. The N-Mark should be displayed in system-level and application software of NFC-enabled devices to make users aware of the availability of NFC functionality and to make it easy to interact with other NFC-enabled devices and tags. Uses of the N-Mark in software include:

• In the graphical user interface (GUI) to indicate whether NFC functionality is on or off
• As an NFC touchpoint in a GUI if the screen can act as an antenna
• In system settings dialogues and other device-specific low-level software related to the NFC functionality of an NFC-enabled device
• In preinstalled or user-installed application software programs that support NFC

Tags. In NFC tag applications, the N-Mark is used to identify the position over an NFC tag where the consumer can align an NFC-enabled device to initiate an NFC interaction. NFC tags may be applied to virtually any physical medium, including printed posters, point-of-sale displays, counter cards, shelf signs, adhesive labels, bottles and containers, and product packaging.

Media. The NFC Forum encourages N-Mark licensees to incorporate the N-Mark into their printed, digital, and online advertising, promotional materials, and packaging, both to inform readers that their products are NFC-enabled and to create greater consumer awareness and use of NFC technology. When used for these purposes, the NFC Forum N-Mark trademark may be applied to:

• Advertisements
• Direct mail materials
• Exhibition stands
• Outdoor posters
• Product packaging
• Point-of-sale materials
• Press materials
• Product and sales literature
• TV commercials
• Visual aids/slide presentations
• Corporate websites
• Social media

All such uses of the N-Mark must conform to the design and usage guidelines detailed in the NFC Forum N-Mark Brand Guide at: www.nfc-forum.org/resources/N-Mark/brandguide.pdf.

How to Obtain the N-Mark

The N-Mark is available free of charge through a simple click-through license. The NFC Forum N-Mark Brand Guide is provided with the N-Mark, and users should follow the guidelines for implementation to ensure global consistency.

To download the NFC Forum N-Mark:

1. Read the click-through license at www.nfc-forum.org/resources/N-Mark/nmark_license carefully.
2. To accept the terms and execute the license, fill in the fields at the bottom of the page and click Accept. The N-Mark Download page is displayed.
3. Click the link to download the N-Mark zip file. The N-Mark zip file includes the following:
   • N-Mark graphic in several file formats
   • NFC Forum N-Mark Brand Guide
   • Requirements for Compliance
   • NFC Forum Device Requirements

Registered Jurisdictions

The license agreement for the NFC Forum N-Mark provides limited indemnification for licensed users of the NFC Forum N-Mark in those jurisdictions where the N-Mark is registered. Licensed N-Mark users are not shielded from liability in jurisdictions where the N-Mark is not registered or in connection with products or services not specified in the registration of that jurisdiction.

An up-to-date list of the countries in which the N-Mark is registered can be found at:
www.nfc-forum.org/resources/N-Mark/n-mark_jurisdictions/.