Stay Consistent with a Brand Identity Package
Brand guidelines, sometimes called brand identity guidelines or a brand book, are documents you can use to help develop a cohesive identity to build and grow your brand. With a consistent visual identity and style, your brand will convey a clear message of your brand.
New brand guidelines documents should be created whenever a company is created or goes through the rebranding process. Your new brand guidelines document can then be used internally and externally to ensure consistency and continuity with your brand’s visual identity and underpinning strategy..
The Elements in a Brand Guideline
- Logo
- Brand Colors
- Typography
- Imagery
- Voice & Tone
Logo
The cornerstone of any business identity is the logo. Logos allow you to showcase your brand’s personality visually. A logo acts as the face of your brand and will appear on most company assets such as your website, social media profiles, merchandise, and marketing materials.
That’s why it’s vital to ensure that when you create a logo, it represents your brand and can connect with consumers.
Several aspects go into a logo design that will impact and connect with the public.
Since most consumers only focus on a logo for a limited time, simplicity can be key. Having a simple, timeless, and versatile logo can help a brand establish recognition,
Your logo should highlight the most essential parts of a brand’s personality. Aspects like colors and fonts can instill a mental association with a particular set of values or ideas. So, taking the time to know your brand mission and the audience is key to logo creation.
Logo Usage Standards
What are logo usage guidelines? Setting boundaries on how and where your logo can be is important. As one of the most essential parts of your brand, a logo should be reflected consistently along the way. In your guide, you can dictate precisely how to use your logo. Logo usage guidelines should include how a logo looks over different backgrounds, how it is oriented over the page, its shape, logotype, and proportion, and what it can and can not be used for.
Brand Colors
Your brand color scheme says a lot and is a key component of a brand’s visual identity. It’s important to select a palette that compliments your brand’s personality. Typically, I recommend selecting 3-8 designated colors that create a color palette, 2-3 Primary colors, and 3-5 Secondary colors.
Primary vs Secondary Brand Colors
The primary brand color stays constant and rarely changes. For example, Pepsi’s iconic red, white, and blue logo offers strong brand recognition. Over the years, they have updated elements of the logo. Still, the color scheme has stayed consistent, initially using red as a primary color, and white and blues were added later.
Secondary colors complement the primary palette and can be changed more frequently to reflect current trends or marketing goals. Your secondary color schemes should not exceed 50% usage compared to your primary colors.
When selecting your colors, you should also consider color theory and the emotions colors portray. For example, red can make be energizing, passionate, powerful, and strong but can also imply urgency or alarm.
Brand Typography
Font choice can set a tone so consider your brand’s message and personality when deciding on a typeface. Make sure your font is versatile and should be used for marketing graphics and web design.
Keep type hierarchy in mind when pairing fonts. Does the typeface used for headers compliment sub-headings? In your Brand Guide outline, what fonts you approve of and sizing and placement recommendations.
Brand Voice and Tone
A brand’s voice represents the overall values and message you want to portray. The brand tone is how you communicate to your audience. The tone of voice can have a significant impact on your relationship with your audience, your brand identity, and even your overall performance.
Get to know your audience’s demographic when choosing your tone to ensure you engage in a way they can relate to. Your brand book should include a Mission Statement that concisely outlines your message. You can even include how and when you want to use different tones.
You can choose your tone to be
- Funny vs. serious
- Formal vs. casual
- Respectful vs. irreverent
- Enthusiastic vs. matter of fact
Slogans and Taglines can mingle with the above elements in your Brand Tone. Creating something catchy and memorable will help your brand reach a wider audience and establish trust and recognition.
Some great slogan and tagline examples:
- Dollar Shave Club: “Shave Time. Shave Money.”
- Nike: ‘”ust Do It”
- Apple “Think Different”
- State Farm: ‘Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There”
- L’Oréal: “Because You’re Worth It.”
Start Building Your Brand Guidelines
There are no negatives to creating a Brand Guideline to clearly define your identity consistently. It also helps when outsourcing design work to an agency and ensures your brand vision and message are always working properly. You can choose how in-depth you want to get in this document. Brand boards, such as a one-page “Brand Style Guide,” have become popular, but a complete guide is sometimes needed.
