Overview
This WFC aims to tackle an issue within the Polkadot ecosystem that currently surrounds the branding, adoption, and awareness of Polkadot.
Whilst many have received funding from the treasury, there are a number of teams, projects, and individuals who have not included Polkadot’s Logo, or its branding, as part of their own branding, campaign, product, or socials.
To help increase the visibility of Polkadot and thus, awareness of its adoption, we propose to make it a requirement to display the Polkadot Logo, in some format on their websites, campaign materials, products, socials, and other public materials.
Guidance to follow
Teams who receive funding from the treasury, from any track, must adhere as closely as possible to the rules and guidelines set out by this WFC.
Minimum Requirements
- Teams who receive funding from the Treasury must display the Polkadot branding, for as long as their product, campaign or project is live and functioning.
Example: A project team that has secured funding from the Treasury to build a new product. ‘Funded by Polkadot’ should be displayed somewhere on the landing page or product.
The Branding / Logo will remain visible and will not be removed.
When requesting money from the Treasury, teams shall explicitly say in their proposal what they intend to display, and where. Lack of acknowledgment of this WFC may result in voters questioning their proposal.
Wording and Design
Teams are encouraged to use one, or multiple, of the following designs found within the Polkadot brand hub. These designs are up to date with the latest Polkadot branding [Q4 2024].
The designs are purely for guidance. You may also benefit from Distractive’s Ecosystem Resource Centre found here or heading directly to the Polkadot website where you can find more assets.
In the end, it is your choice what to display, providing it is part of the Polkadot branding.
Branding Guidance
Whilst this WFC cannot enforce what teams display, teams are advised to display what most accurately describes their product. As of now, there are no ‘set’ guidelines or definitions on each, thus we leave this choice up to the team themselves.
- Secured by Polkadot
- Powered by Polkadot
- Funded by Polkadot
Next steps
Going Forward
The enactment of this Wish For Change will ensure that anyone looking to be funded by the Polkadot Treasury must represent the Polkadot Branding. How you display the branding is your choice, but we heavily encourage the usage of
Appendix
Important to note
Since OpenGov’s debut in 2023, we’ve seen numerous projects, teams and individuals have had their referenda executed, granting them funding from the Polkadot Treasury.
We encourage the DAO’s, DV’s and DOT Holders to help us enforce this Wish For Change, if approved.
Going forward, teams, projects and individuals who have requested funding, but have no mention of displaying the logo should be questioned as to why, before having their referenda execute and or, be voted upon.
Teams, projects and individuals who have received funding already, and or will receive funding before this Wish For Change passes cannot be held to this Wish For Change.
- This being said, all teams, present and previous will be highly encouraged to include the logo as part of their branding.
Exemptions
- Whilst rare, there may be a case where an individual has received funding but has no way to display the logo. This can be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
- Tipping for work done, whether this be retroactive or not, will be of course exempt. If it is easy for you to do, then by all means go ahead, otherwise there is no minimum requirement.
Motivation behind the WFC
Polkadot, the world's largest DAO, allows any DOT holder to partake in governance, including requesting money from the Polkadot Treasury.
Every DOT holder has the right to decide what happens with treasury funds, as they are part of the DAO, it is their money that is being awarded to teams, projects and individuals.
Whilst we encourage participation in the treasury, we also believe that being proud and showcasing Polkadot is a mutually beneficial relationship. If Polkadot has helped fund you, in any way, then it should be a right that DOT Holders can see their logo showcased and displayed proudly on teams, projects and individuals it has helped fund.
The end goal of this Wish For Change is something that benefits all DOT Holders, Individuals and project teams, helping bring visibility to the Polkadot Ecosystem.
What happens if a team decides not to follow this rule after receiving treasury funds?
We’re not going to sue them, and once the funds are spent, they’re gone. It seems like this referendum is more about setting a community standard or expectation rather than enforcing hard consequences. That’s not necessarily a bad thing—community standards can go a long way in shaping behavior. However, without clear mechanisms for accountability, we might want to think about how we can proactively encourage teams to stay aligned with the community’s vision. Could this be an opportunity to inspire compliance through recognition, incentives, or other positive reinforcement?