AWIN Branding & Messaging Guidelines (Influencers)
These guidelines tell you how to present our brand and products (knives, outdoor/EDC gear, machined pens, bit drivers) across your channels while participating in our AWIN program. Hype, click-worthy hooks, and superlatives are allowed—as long as they’re honest, responsible, and compliant.
1) Brand & naming
Use our brand and product names exactly as provided in AWIN/our site.
Capitalization matters for materials and finishes (e.g., Damasteel, Black Timascus, ZircuTi, M390, Magnacut).
Do not create look-alike logos or brand accounts. Use only logo/imagery from our official asset pack or AWIN creatives. Keep proportions; don’t stretch or recolor.
2) Voice & tone
Allowed: energetic, bold, premium, craft-driven, performance-oriented; opinionated superlatives (“the smoothest action I’ve tried”) are fine when grounded in your experience.
Avoid: technical misinformation, misleading absolutes (“indestructible,” “legal everywhere”), or safety-irresponsible framing.
3) Hooks, headlines & “clickbait”
Hooks are welcome if the content delivers on the promise and isn’t deceptive.
Good examples:
“This knife just replaced my entire EDC—here’s why.”
“I didn’t expect a pen to feel this solid. (Titanium Epika review)”
“Can a compact folder punch above its weight? Sting stress test.”
Not allowed: fake scarcity (“last units” when not true), fake prices, false endorsements, or implying official brand promos that don’t exist.
4) Claims, specs & pricing
Specs can change; verify on the product page before posting.
Use price screenshots sparingly and timestamp them (“Price checked on Aug 28, 2025”).
Present performance claims as your opinion or measured result:
✅ “In my testing, it kept an edge through X boxes.”
❌ “Scientifically sharpest knife” (without a cited, credible test).
Never claim legal carry/age eligibility—laws vary by region.
5) Content standards (responsible use)
Show safe handling. No illegal use, violence, or dangerous stunts. No content targeted to minors.
Pens/bit drivers: no “self-defense” positioning. Focus on design, materials, ergonomics, mechanisms, refills/bits, and craftsmanship.
6) Visuals & creative use
Use high-quality images/video; no AI-spun product photos that misrepresent finishes or colors.
Color variance is normal for forged materials (e.g., Black Timascus); don’t promise an exact hue match unless we confirm it.
Watermarks: allowed on your originals; do not watermark our official assets.
7) Disclosures & compliance
Always disclose affiliate relationships (FTC/ASA or local equivalent). Phrases like “This post contains affiliate links; I may earn a commission” near the link are required.
Respect platform ad policies (YouTube/Meta/TikTok/Google).
GDPR/CCPA: don’t drop third-party pixels on our site or collect users’ data on our behalf.
8) PPC & traffic (short version)
You may run paid ads to your own content, not directly to our site.
No bidding on our trademarks/brand or misspellings. No coupon extensions, toolbars, or traffic “redirectors.”
9) Coupons & promotions
Do not invent discounts or reuse old codes. Only promote a code explicitly assigned to you in AWIN.
“Deal roundups,” voucher/cashback, and general coupon portals are not part of this program.
10) Do’s & Don’ts (quick scan)
Do
Use bold hooks that match the content.
Frame superlatives as your opinion/experience.
Verify specs/pricing before posting and timestamp price claims.
Show safe, legal, responsible usage.
Don’t
Promise exact color/pattern on forged materials.
Imply official sales/drops not confirmed by us.
Make legal or medical claims.
Use violent or unsafe demos.
11) Sample copy you can adapt
YouTube title: “The Herman Sting That Broke My EDC Routine (Full Dress, Damasteel, Black Timascus)”
IG caption: “Titanium precision you can feel. This Epika pen surprised me—weight, balance, and zero rattle. Link in bio (affiliate). Price checked Aug 28, 2025.”
Blog H1: “Herman Knives Sting Review: Fit, Finish, and the Smoothest Action I’ve Tested”
Short hook: “I thought I’d seen every folder—until this pivot and detent combo.”
12) Approvals & questions
For embargoed launches or custom builds, ask for pre-publication approval via the AWIN inbox.
If in doubt about a claim, screenshot your draft and ask—we’ll confirm fast.
By participating in our AWIN program, you agree to follow these branding rules. We want you to go big on storytelling—hype is welcome—while keeping things accurate, compliant, and safe.
