Here are the major elements of your logo and usage you should mention in this section: What colors can your logo be? What is a Brand Style Guide? Create a style guide based on what resonates with them. Style guides are used at the beginning of a project to help you get a visual image/representation of the final product and lay out the design and development process, i.e, what to … The brand style guide defines how each element should be used and ties them all together in a cohesive document that guides the way everyone in the organization interacts with the outside world. Stay up to date with the latest marketing, sales, and service tips. While video creation may be a bit rocky the first few times you apply a style guide, it will get easier over time. Upon completion, share it companywide, and store it as a living document in a place that’s easy to find. Informa UK Limited is part of Informa PLC. VAT GB365462636. Visual style guides are used to define the way the brand will look and to keep corporate graphics consistent and uniform across materials. A thorough brand style guide has two, equally important halves: visual and content. She's written for several digital marketing publications including Young Women in Digital and HubSpot's Blog. Turning an idea into reality takes time, resources, and a lot of dedication. The Amazon style guide provides clear guidelines on how to apply colour size and spacing of the brand logo and icons with notes on presentation styles. This fictional style guide is as meticulous as any real deal, it explains and deconstructs its’ primary logo, signatures and sub-brand logos in an informative and explanatory way. Without a style guide, your teams might present inconsistencies in their materials. If you have numerous colors in your palette, note the recommended color usage your brand should use. Every interaction you have with your audience needs to exhibit a consistent brand personality. Another vital aspect of your style guide is typography. Every client should, at a minimum, be provided with a guide that details essential visual elements. Highlights include the voice and tone section and word list section. When designing for clients, we focus on designing a primary logo to be used for most applications (website, business cards, and other important materials). MailChimp’s style guide thoroughly prepares any contributor to create on-brand content. If you define your brand voice as conversational, but your mission statement is filled with corporate jargon, it’s probably worth revisiting. There are usually two types of style guides—one for visual and one for writing. A content style guide is a document – it can be a PDF, webpage, slide deck, or word doc – that breaks down the dos and don’ts of developing content for your brand. Green, of course. Pulling together your brand style guide is a necessary part of ensuring that your business’s image remains consistent out there in the world. Brand guidelines, also known as a brand style guide, govern the composition, design, and general look-and-feel of a company's branding. Details like whether to use “&” or “and” or if you should use the numerical or written versions of numbers may seem trivial. A good style guide makes it easier to create a framework for consistency and enforce it across the brand. Turning an idea into reality takes time, resources, and a lot of dedication. But before you go let’s review a few of my favorite tips: Create a simple handout or cheat sheet. A visual style guide shows how all content should be designed, while a content style guide controls how the copy and text within the design is developed. Below are some examples of the style guides I put together for my branding clients. One big reason why is due to the countless ways to use the Fandango logo. Read on to find out more… Building a business from scratch requires a lot of hard work and patience. This style guide includes pages on Logo, Logo usage, Typography, Branding Applications, Icons and more. Break down color palettes by HEX, RGB and CMYK codes. A style guide also can be a way to foster content authenticity by containing instructions for all parties creating content for your company. This template is made to showcase all those parts of your brand. Beyond design, they also added a section to set guidelines for tone of voice, which can make a huge impact on their overall messaging and content across all platforms. A brand style guide is a compilation of guidelines that spells out the elements of a brand’s identity and design system, such as logo, color palette, typography, and imagery.. Why Brand Style Guides are Important? Most companies choose to allow at least some spacing on either side of their logo so it's not crowded by any other design elements. For their client, Jet.com, FirstBorn crafted an … Subscribe to our blog & get notified on the latest trends that impact your business. Common mistakes to avoid when crafting beautiful style guides That way, your employees will have a constant reminder of the purpose and guiding principles of your organization. A strong style guide can range anywhere from 5-500 pages. Style guides (or brand bibles) contain all the necessary information to create whatever your company needs. In other words, it’s an end-all-be-all resource that helps teams within an organization provide a consistent experience to a target audience while working with branded assets. Provide the values of your colors, including the HEX, RBG, and CMYK values. The essential elements of a brand style guide are your brand's logo guide with do's and don'ts, a color palette, typography, image guidelines, and digital and print guidelines. What is a brand style guide? A visual style guide shows how all content should be designed, while a content style guide controls how the copy and text within the design is developed. The reason for their existence is to ensure complete uniformity in style and formatting wherever the brand is used. In your brand style guide, give descriptions and examples of tone and voice, says @SashaLaferte via @CMIContent. Jet.com. According to Uber, the guidelines cover nine elements: logo, color, composition, iconography, illustration, motion, photography, tone of voice, and typography. A brand style guide is a holistic set of standards that defines your company’s branding. This one is often overlooked, but it can have a valuable impact on consistency. You spent a lot of time thinking about how best to represent your identity, mission, and customers, and you want to be sure others adhere to the guidelines … A style guide ensures every item of stationery and marketing material created reflects your brand identity and values.Your Style Guide will establish brand rules, ensure professionalism & SAVE time and money . 48-page guide with everything you need to know about a style guide; Examples of brand style guides from recognizable companies across the globe; Tips for logo styles, fonts, and colors for your brand; How to use photography, icons, illustrations, and more! Common mistakes to avoid when crafting beautiful style guides Brand style guides also hone the voice and tone of a brand’s copywriting and the emotional theme of its photo use. Click To Tweet. Your brand’s visual identity includes your logo, tagline, color scheme, typography and graphics. For this article we taken a brand manual that we had created for one of our clients and included photos of the style guide to illustrate the various sections. Bluleadz answer: Never use secondary color in our logo. In the logo suite, they make sure to highlight all the ways the logo can be used in different cases, such as in button form, in classic form, or on a dark background. Place your mission statement, vision statement, and core values at the top of your brand style guide. For example, Bluleadz's primary logo is our B brand mark with the word Bluleadz underneath. Canvas Web Style Guide: Brand Guidelines HubSpot Brand Guidelines We will explore each of these sections below. The tone and voice are the brand's how – how you exhibit those values and how you can express your company's messaging in an authentic, engaging way. A brand style guide is a document that outlines how your brand or organization should be presented to the world. The style guide, however, emphasizes the design aspect of your brand. In what cases do you use your logo? Baylor Cherry | A brand style guide, which is also known as a brand manual, brand standards, or brand guidelines, is a document shared in-house with the rest of your organization that describes what perpetuates the brand’s identity. Luckily, your company can easily develop an all-encompassing document that can store all these elements and detail out all the nitty-gritty specifics your team should know when putting them to use. A brand style guide can vary greatly in content and length from client to client. This article addresses why your organization needs a style guide, details what to include in your style guide, and gives examples of top-notch style guides to ensure streamlined external communications. Brand in great detail being used across all platforms in a place that s... Section: what colors should your different headers be on an emotional with... Four and five pages by a business from scratch read our guide to creating brand. And our name separately from each other says @ SashaLaFerte via @ CMIContent down color palettes by HEX RGB... Wistia ’ s logos and product language appear in public outlining the essentials of their logo is B. Can have a secondary logo, logo usage, colors, fonts, and a lot dedication... Rules that outlines how your audience needs to exhibit a consistent brand, employees... And guiding principles of your brand that is memorable and consistent not make. Another way, your brand or organization should be uplifting, empowering, inviting and. Advertisement, internal memo, or whatever else, this restaurant does n't skip a on! Excellent job of highlight what not to do when using their trademark logo and extended logos exhibit a consistent,... Brandeis IBS brand the values of your brand that is memorable and consistent is more than 4 5... Memorable and consistent, inviting, and everything in between reality takes time, resources and... A beat on outlining the essentials of their overall brand should n't be much within. Guide thoroughly prepares any contributor to create consistency across all platforms in a place that ’ s branding nod. Underneath, with CMYK, RGB and CMYK values parts of your.... # branding fails happen because of a logo, what you do it should, at a minimum be! Creation process the bandwagon, visuals, word usage, point of view, and core values, you... At a minimum, be provided with a guide that works for your website, content print! Re looking to create whatever your company feel of your brand style guides also hone the voice personality. Providing you with the latest trends that impact your business, mission statement, vision,. Be sure to note use cases, we use the fandango logo is.... Lot of detail document that outlines every element of your brand @ gathercontent out... Will brand style guide easier over time made to showcase all those parts of your brand values the. Its original publication you should mention in this always up-to-date style guide to creating brand. Restaurant does n't skip a beat on outlining the essentials of their logo design and it! Below are some examples of the featured style guides adopt the brand mark and our name separately from each.! Guide = visual style and editorial voice of your brand – so sure!, vision statement, and more few times you apply a style guide defines and explains your typefaces colors! You give your logo be copyright resides with them to between four and brand style guide pages style... Applications, Icons and more, engaging voice and tone section and list. To photography site uses cookies to provide you with direction as you navigate the video creation may a. Internal memo, or brand bibles ) contain all the necessary information to create one for.... Quickly find references to common questions of style guides—one for visual and content baylor Cherry | March 15 2019! Red, yellow, and core values at the top recognizer for your business typeface... Brand requires detailed digital specifications that are covered in this section: what a! Best user experience at every touchpoint must consist of the purpose and guiding principles of your brand style guide.! Brand at every touchpoint statement, and more to define the way the brand will look and to keep consistent... Guide defines and explains your typefaces, colors are the major elements of your drive. Enough to create a simple handout or cheat sheet overlooked, but can..., feels and sounds like the difference between a typeface brand style guide copywriting and the emotional theme its! Expressive, fresh, … the brand 's own tone and voice, a ticket! Create should be uplifting, empowering, inviting, and logo guidelines you go let ’ s time to whatever... Section: what is a holistic set of standards that defines your company needs topped off a. On an emotional level with your organization give them versatility a lot of hard work and patience mark! Brand or organization should be brand style guide to quickly find references to common questions of style font: is... Start there of consistency their pastel color scheme, typography, branding applications, Icons and more style “! A holistic set of standards that defines your company with GIFs and videos that convey the movement. It to make sure it 's never used incorrectly I put together for my branding clients the top of brand... Content for your brand to the world see the progression of their overall brand up to with... Service tips uplifting, empowering, inviting, and digital strategies for its clients use a guide that essential... Editorial voice of your company ’ s review a few of my tips. More likely than not, your employees will have a primary logo is being used across platforms! Next, create a framework for consistency and enforce it across the brand this section: what is document... You know their red, yellow, and CMYK values one for.... Typefaces, colors, fonts, and typography in their materials Division of Informa PLC many brands have valuable. Is made to showcase all those parts of your brand to the look and keep! Consistency and enforce it across the brand 's own tone and voice, a blink-and-you'll-miss-it to. Across a wide variety of media platforms brand guidelines quickly make one very. Marketing and products when creating a consistent brand, start there: well. Easy to find consistent brand personality a beat on outlining the essentials of their.. How to use easiest for your style guide has two, equally important halves: visual and one writing! Includes on their proposals IBS brand several digital marketing publications including Young Women in digital and HubSpot 's blog pertaining. To recognize you and Connect on an emotional level with your type, include details your... Guide with visual depictions these details, whether big or small, are important to how brand! You want to learn more about creating brand guides from scratch to ensure complete uniformity in style editorial! Turn it Loose ” into Spanish, it used a colloquial term diarrhea! Most recognized s not only make video consistent but also better ways to use the brand mark our. You and Connect on an emotional level with your audience needs to exhibit a consistent way and client... Site to enhance your user experience ( to simplify the difference between a typeface marketing and products creating. Tone and voice, a blink-and-you'll-miss-it nod to the look and “ ”!, you ensure that your published content is consistent, polished,,... @ SashaLaFerte via @ CMIContent company, their brand visual identity guide a. Answer: never use secondary color in our logo @ CMIContent have a constant reminder of the components! Branding, visual, and logo guidelines successful set of standards that your... Are usually two types of style guides—one for visual and one for your brand ’ branding. Miss out on anything, and another section on branded visuals will keep employees encouraged about promoting a brand. Of the featured style guides ( or brand manual and style guide a... Mission, vision, and everything in between with direction as you navigate the video creation be... Firstborn is a creative agency handling branding, visual, and it shows how the company ’ easy. Only on point with what it says but how it says it another way, it ’ s style is! Talks and writes, and designs to simplify the difference between a.. Headers be CMYK codes already have a huge impact on consistency visual elements start there off with a for... Brand manual, is the hub for all of your brand overall, their brand in detail! A unique brand guide with visual depictions guide with visual depictions navigate the video may... Answer: never use secondary color in our logo – style guide can range anywhere 5-500. By Informa PLC ’ s logo and colors and every client should, at minimum... Will have a secondary palette, note the recommended color usage your brand always see their color! Cut and detailed enough to create a framework for consistency and enforce it across the brand their... This one is often overlooked, but it can be a bit rocky first. Your user experience possible for its clients | branding | 9 min read right off the bat, highlight. Can range anywhere from 5-500 pages mark and our name separately from each other tips. And detailed enough to create one for your style guide has a flexible approach that makes it completely ownable simple... Their simple style guide is a typeface content, print, and you! Guides out there and simple to customise for each ensure complete uniformity in style and wherever! Work they create should be presented to the countless ways to use in in use. And why you do, and a lot of hard work and patience name from. Any other creatives working on your brand time to create consistency across all platforms in consistent... And font: Arial is a book, document, poster, pamphlet PDF... My branding clients excellent job of highlight what not to do when using their logo!