Resources

Why You Need a Brand Guide

(And How to Use It!)

When you’re looking to make a lasting impact, you need consistent messaging to get you there.

Think about major brands we see every day. They each have distinctive, memorable, consistent branding: The golden arches of McDonald’s. Amazon’s subliminal smile. The Nike “swoosh.”

These brands stick out to us because they define themselves by a set of standards. From their fonts to their logos and colors, these brands maintain a memorable presence everywhere: in-person, online and in print marketing.

Whenever we start working with new clients, we inquire about your branding guidelines. This helps us create materials that stay true to the core of your organization. Here’s what you need to know about branding guidelines and how we use them for maximum ROI on your marketing spend.

What ARE Branding GuidelineS?

Branding guidelines are a set of standards that your organization can use when developing marketing materials. It outlines the composition, design and feeling that your content should evoke.

A branding guideline or style guide defines your company. Not only does this unify your marketing materials, it ensures you end up with a cohesive final product that is recognizable, refined and well thought out.

We can create content that complements the work you do.

What Should You Include in Your Brand Guideline?

What should you include in your branding guideline? The easy answer is, “Anything that could be helpful!”

Your Brand Story

Mission statement: What are you passionate about? What are your goals?
Vision: Who is your ideal user? What is your company’s overall vision?

Your Writing Guide:

A basic guide to your editorial style: How do you write? You can start with an existing style guide, like AP Style, and personalize it.
Formatting: How do you use dashes, formulate bullet points, and present lists and quotations?
Tone and voice: Do you prefer long, poetic sentences or short and snappy ones? What is the mood?
Extra details: You should include phrases you want to implement as well as phrases to avoid.

Your Visual Guide

Format: How should things be laid out?
Colors: Which colors do you use and when?
Logo: Share each version of your logo and outline when each version is used.
Fonts: Which fonts do you use for headings, titles and paragraphs?
Visuals and imagery: Share examples of images that have worked well for your brand.

hey leverage their wealth of experience to face the challenge at hand and develop outcome-oriented solutions. Our people thrive on solving complex problems and building programs that track toward real business objectives. Put them to the test on your next project.