Building a successful brand requires a consistent style guide that can be followed by team members. With the rise of online marketing tools, a brand style guide has become more important than ever before, as it ensures all team members remain aligned with the brand’s objectives and provide a coherent message to consumers. Your brand’s style guide should encompass everything from the colors used in a logo to the tone of copywriters.
The essentials for a brand style guide
The core of a good brand style guide is the four essentials: logos, colors, typography, and images. A well-designed logo is the starting point for all branding and should be present in you style guide. Your brand’s color palette should also be well-defined, so as to ensure it is consistent and easily recognisable. Typography is another important element of your brand’s style guide, as it sets the tone for any content written. Finally, the images used in a brand’s marketing materials should be consistent with the brand’s message and style.
Creating the brand style guide
1. Start with the four essentials. Build a coherent brand story that can be reflected in the logos, colors, typography, and images of the brand.
2. Define the logo. The style guide should specify the logo’s size, color, orientation, and usage guidelines. It should also define any variations of the logo to be used, and note any restrictions on usage.
3. Include the color palette. The style guide should contain the primary and secondary colors to be used in the brand. In addition, it can also include colorways for special promotions or events.
4. Note the typography guidelines. Fonts used in a brand’s marketing materials should be consistent and align with the brand’s story. Include the typefaces to be used, as well as the size, weight, and tracking of the fonts.
5. Define the image guidelines. The style guide should specify the types of images that can be used in the brand’s marketing materials, as well as the style, color, and orientation of the images.
6. Include additional elements. Other elements, such as spacers, social media icons, and calls to action, can be included in a brand’s style guide.
Tips for creating a good brand style guide
1. Keep it simple. Simplicity is important when creating a brand style guide. Opt for a clean design, with plenty of white space, to create a visual guide that can be easily understood and followed by team members.
2. Make it easily accessible. Avoid creating a style guide that is too big for people to easily access. Consider creating an easy-to-read PDF or an online version that can be easily shared and accessed by team members.
3. Utilize visuals. Use visuals to demonstrate the brand’s logo, colors, typography, and images. This will help team members understand and follow the guidelines more effectively.
4. Stay updated. A brand style guide should be updated regularly to reflect any changes in the brand. This can be as simple as creating an updated PDF or an online update that can be shared and accessed by team members.
Conclusion
A consistent brand style guide is an essential tool for building a successful brand. The style guide should encompass logos, colors, typography, images, and other important elements, and should be created in a simple, visually appealing way. It should also be made easily accessible and updated regularly in order to reflect changes in the brand.