There’s a beauty to simplicity. Brand guidelines prove this in both their form and function. Not only do they spell out big-picture rules and concepts, but the best ones also give the reasons why. It’s made up of every interaction that your customers and company have. When you consider the brands that stand out to you, think about the interactions you have with them. You know that the tone they use on their website will come across in the newsletter design you subscribe to or the product and sales emails you receive. They are the result of having clear-cut brand guidelines examples that drive every decision in an organization. But how do you go about creating and maintaining them?
What are Brand Guidelines?
Brand guidelines are the rules and regulations that help keep any business’s identity, style of communication, visual identity, and messaging consistent. This document is created to keep any company’s internal and external communications in line with the brand.
They include everything that shapes your brand identity, from visual elements like logos and logo usage guides to more abstract details like voice and tone.
Brand Guides vs. Style Guides
They include everything that shapes your brand identity, from visual elements like logos and logo usage guides to more abstract details like voice. Sometimes, brand guides and style guides get used interchangeably. However, they are two different assets that share a little bit of overlap. For example, Salesforce’s brand guide states that the company is committed to improving communities around the world. To do this, their brand guide includes guidance on using an honest, helpful, and inspiring voice and tone in all branded communication.
Read more: Why is branding important for businesses?
The Role of Brand Guidelines
The main function of brand guidelines examples is to create a strong and reliable brand identity. No matter how well-defined your brand guidelines are, even the most well-crafted brand guidelines need to be easily accessible to your team to be effective. We recommend making your brand guidelines easily available on an intranet software, Notion page, or wiki. Even better, make a review of them part of your onboarding process for new employees. It will help new employees understand your business and customers better and set them up for success in the long run.
What Teams are Involved in Developing Brand Guidelines?
Large Organizations
In large organizations, a brand department may lead the brand guidelines examples development process, along with support from cross-functional teams like sales, marketing, and customer success. These teams provide insights on tone, voice, and the messaging that will resonate best with your audience. The brand department uses this information to develop writing and visual specifications that align with the company’s desired brand image.
Small- And Mid-Size Organizations
Smaller organizations or agencies without a robust brand or design department can look for outside help by collaborating with an experienced design company to develop their brand guide. Working with an external team is a viable option for businesses that have cost-effective branding solutions or do not have the day-to-day need for an in-house branding team.
What Should be Included in Your Brand Guidelines?
Visual Brand Elements
Visual brand guidelines can also influence the style of photography and videography you use in your design assets. Many companies use their brand guidelines to help when planning photos or choosing what kind of stock photography can be used.
- Brand colors and color palette
- Fonts and typography
- Logos
- Icons and artwork
- Photography and video
Voice Specifications
Voice specifications influence written content, including website copy, social media posts, and audio content such as video or podcast scripts. They define the nuances of how your brand communicates with its audience. Your brand voice reflects your organization’s personality, values, and tone across all platforms. Your brand voice is your organization’s personality. For example, Salesforce’s brand voice is always truthful and genuine, avoiding exaggeration or misdirection. Here’s an example from this tweet: Most organizations use it to help guide interactive communication like social posts and direct or private messages. It’s also helpful to highlight your brand values, persona, and brand essence in the document. For example, see how Slack pulls this off.
Why are Brand Guidelines Important?
Brand Guidelines Help You Achieve Brand Consistency.
According to Forbes, if a brand is presented consistently across all platforms, revenue can increase by around 23%. Additionally, it helps the brand become the top choice in the audience’s mind when they consider different options. Brand guidelines help ensure this consistency, so your company can communicate effectively and reliably with its audience.
Brand Guidelines Lead to More Design Efficiency
The business world changes rapidly, which means your design and marketing teams have to work much smoothly. Brand guides improve design efficiency, not only allowing your marketing campaigns to launch faster, but also reducing the chance of errors in style, tone, or appearance. Your design team doesn’t have to waste time on small details.
How Often Should You Update Your Brand Guidelines?
When we asked a group of marketers and creatives about brand guidelines, 98% said keeping their brand guides up to date was important. In terms of how often they updated their brand guides, 80% indicated that they do so annually or biannually.
Brand Guideline Examples
Here are examples of brand guidelines from some well-known global brands, each reflecting their unique style and objectives:
1. Slack
Slack’s style is fun, friendly, and collaborative. Their branding guidelines are very clean and easy to understand, which ensures that the company’s message is delivered consistently and effectively everywhere.
Check out Slack’s brand guidelines.
2. Spotify
Spotify’s guidelines are based on colors, musical views, and emotional connection with users. They are designed in such a way that every element reflects the true spirit of the brand — that is, music and emotions.
Check out Spotify’s brand guidelines.
3. Uber
Uber’s brand guidelines emphasize simplicity, trust, and practicality. Everything in their guides is presented in a very organized and comprehensive manner, so that the company’s identity always looks professional and trustworthy.
Check out Uber’s brand guidelines.
4. My Trees
My Trees is an eco-conscious brand whose guidelines highlight natural colors, soft design elements, and an eco-friendly identity. These guides perfectly reflect the brand’s vision — harmony with nature.
Check out MyTrees’ brand guidelines.
5. Salesforce
Salesforce’s brand guidelines are comprehensive and cover all aspects of the company, whether for internal teams or external partners. Their guidelines describe every small component, which maintains the brand’s consistency and effectiveness.
Check out Salesforce’s brand guidelines.
6. Twitter
Twitter’s brand guidelines provide clear instructions on the correct positioning of the logo, the rules for its use on social media, and the choice of fonts. Through these guides, a simple yet effective visual identity of the company is maintained.
Check out Twitter’s brand guidelines.
7. Mural
Mural is a visual collaboration company, and its brand guidelines are designed to be creative, user-friendly, and interesting. Their guides promote teamwork, interactivity, and innovative thinking, which aligns with their brand mission.
Check out Mural’s brand guidelines.
Your Brand Guidelines Define Your Success
Whether you are a small startup or a growing company, your branding document example helps to create a clear, memorable, and strong impression on your team, clients, and market.
WBSoft Tech completes your brand guideline development. Provides services from brand development services and web development services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Brand Guidelines and Why are They Important for Businesses?
Brand guidelines are a set of principles and guidelines that define how a business presents itself to the world, whether in its visual style or messaging. They aim to ensure that the brand identity remains consistent across platforms and touchpoints, such as logos, colors, tone, and visual style.
This consistency not only helps establish a strong brand identity but also builds trust and recognition among customers and other stakeholders.
What Should an Ideal Guideline Document Include?
A comprehensive brand guideline document usually includes the following points: logo usage principles, typography (writing style), color selection (color palette), visual style, brand tone, messaging, and design principles. Also, it may include information about the brand’s history, target audience, and brand values.
In addition, this document provides examples of correct and incorrect use of brand elements and outlines guidelines for brand extensions or collaborations.
Can Brand Guidelines Change Over Time?
Yes, the brand guideline document should be viewed as a “living document”, evolving with the business and its changing needs. As a business grows and expands, its brand identity may change. Therefore, the brand guideline must be reviewed and updated periodically so that it remains effective and relevant to the brand’s visual style and messaging.