Brand Guideline Breakdown
Imagine this—You just wrapped up your branding project and opened up a zip folder to see dozens (and quite possibly, hundreds) of final files. You’re excited for all your shiny new branding elements, but then a thought creeps into your mind: “How am I going to keep up with all of this? I’m not a designer.”
Well my friends, the good news is that you don’t need to be a designer to beautifully and effectively use your new brand elements! So today, we’re going to take a look at one of the most important branding files you’ll receive—your brand guidelines.
What are Brand Guidelines?
Your brand guidelines are a document that details all of your brand elements and how to use them (and how not to use them). You may also hear this referred to as a Brand Book, Brand Guidelines, Brand Bible, Identity Guidelines, or even something else, but despite the name, the function is the same:
The brand guideline document outlines all brand elements and defines brand standards to ensure consistency across all applications.
What’s Inside?
While every brand guidelines is tailored to each company’s specific needs, you can expect a standard brand guideline to include sections on:
LOGOS
All of the files from your logo suite will be included along with information on any secondary brand marks your visual identity system includes. This section will detail specifications on sizing, color, filetype, and usage within digital & print applications to ensure your logo always looks its best.
COLORS
The section detailing your brand color palette will include the color values for print (CMYK & Pantone) and digital (RGB & HEX) uses. You can also expect information on how & when to use each color and even information on what colors can be paired with each other.
TYPOGRAPHY
Information on your brand fonts will be listed here, in addition to recommendations for alternate fonts. An alternate font (which is sometimes called a systems font) will look similar to your main brand font, but is used with digital platforms such as Word or Powerpoint when your brand fonts are not available for use. This section should also include information on text styling (hierarchy, colors, letter case) across different applications.
PHOTOGRAPHY & GRAPHIC ELEMENTS
Other visual elements or imagery such as photography, brand patterns, illustrations, icons will also have its own section outlining styles, color, and detailed guidance on how & when to use each element.
APPLICATIONS
One of the most exciting parts of the brand guidelines is the applications section. This is where you can expect to see a variety of real world mockups that will help you better understand how all of your brand elements will work together across various applications. These applications will really bring your branding to life and give you ideas of how to integrate the different elements in your day-to-day usage.
ADDITIONAL SECTIONS
While this document will usually focus on your company’s visual identity, it can also include guidance on other facets of your company’s branding such as: brand voice & messaging, target audience, mission & goals, brand strategy, marketplace competition, and more!
Why Do I Need One?
One of the most important thing to remember about branding is that consistency is key! And having a brand guideline document for all employees to reference helps keeps everyone on the same page, and helps ensure that all of your brand elements are being used the way they were intended—setting you up for success!
Did you know that it takes 5 to 7 impressions for the average person to remember your brand? With stats like that, consistency in how your materials look and how the voice sounds will ensure that a customer becomes familiar with your company’s branding, and soon, will be able to subconsciously pick your branding out of a lineup (this is what’s call “Brand Recognition”).
And as a more tangible reason, consistent branding has also been shown to increase revenue by up to 33% (Lucidpress, 2019).
Customers may not be the only ones you’re trying to connect with either. 82% of investors want the companies they invest in to have a strong brand (Vengage, 2021).
Final Thoughts
Even though the logos, colors, and other visual elements are crucial to your branding efforts, your brand guideline document will be the most important file you receive at the end of your branding project. Without the consistent, intentional, and strategic use of all of the items in your branding tool belt, the items on their own simply won’t be as effective or drive the same results.
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