In the innovative and competitive world of branding, maintaining a consistent and cohesive visual identity is key. To do this, you need to create a brand style guide.
The Importance of Consistent Brand Identity
There are a lot of reasons as to why you should be focusing on creating a consistent brand identity. Regardless of the industry that you work in or the size of your business, consistency establishes a sense of reliability and professionalism. When people encounter a brand with a uniform look and message across various platforms, it boosts confidence and trust, showcasing the brand as one that they can rely on. Consistency in branding creates a stable and familiar presence, leading to increased brand loyalty. People are more likely to stay loyal to a brand that consistently delivers on its promises.
A consistent brand identity helps in creating and reinforcing brand recognition. When consumers repeatedly see familiar colours, logos and messaging, they are more likely to remember the brand when making purchasing decisions. Plus, In a crowded marketplace, brands need to stand out. Consistent branding sets a brand apart from competitors, which is where a brand style guide comes in.
What are Brand Style Guides?
A brand style guide is a comprehensive document that outlines the guidelines, rules and specifications for everything involved in showcasing your brand visually. Whenever you are presenting and communicating your brand, the brand style guide should be consulted, to ensure everything is aligned and there is a clear brand message. A brand style guide acts as the ‘go to’ resource for anyone involved in creating content or representing the brand. As the person responsible can change, and various teams are often involved, a brand style guide ensures a unified and recognisable identity across all channels.
Why are Brand Style Guides Important?
A lot of people underestimate the importance of brand style guides, even though they are a key part of developing a recognisable and memorable business. Every successful business, from McDonalds to Facebook, will have a brand style guide for employees to refer to. There are a lot of benefits to having a brand style guide, such as improved consistency. Everything in the guide ensures uniformity in how your brand is presented, regardless of which channel it’s being presented on. Consistency across various touch points builds trust and recognition, which helps with business growth and success.
A brand style guide also boosts professionalism, ensuring a business is represented in the best possible way. Presenting a cohesive brand image demonstrates a commitment to professionalism and delivering a high quality service. It reflects a careful approach to every aspect of your brand’s visuals, instilling confidence in your audience.
For both in house teams and external partners, a brand style guide streamlines the design process. It provides clear instructions, saving time and resources, and reducing the chances of mistakes. A consistent brand identity also increases brand recognition. When consumers consistently encounter familiar brand elements, such as a specific colour scheme or font, they are more likely to remember and engage with your brand in the future.
What Goes Into a Brand Style Guide?
- Brand Style Overview – At the beginning of a brand style guide, you should provide an introduction to the brand, including your mission, values, goals and target market. It’s also a good idea to highlight your unique selling points. All of this helps to set the tone for the rest of the guide.
- Logo – Give clear guidelines for when and how your logo should be used, including its size and placement. Include any other acceptable variations of the logo, if there are any. It’s helpful to include visuals for reference, clearly showing what the logo should look like and how it should be used.
- Typography – Don’t underestimate the impact font can have on how your brand is perceived. Outline the approved fonts for all communications, specifying usage for headings, text and other typographic elements.
- Colour Palette – The majority of businesses use specific colours in their branding, and this should be detailed in the colour palette. Define the colour palette for your brand, including colour codes for both print and digital usage.
- Photography and Imagery – Include details related to the style of imagery and photography that you want to use, ensuring everything aligns with your brand. Include guidelines on the types of photos, illustrations or graphics that complement your brand’s visual identity.
- Tone of Voice – The tone of voice that your brand uses can impact how it’s viewed by others, so define the preferred style of communication. Whether it’s formal, casual or somewhere in between, establish guidelines for maintaining a consistent brand voice on all communications.
- Examples of Application – To ensure that you really get the brand style across, include practical examples of your various elements in different applications. For example, show how the logo would be used on social media, versus how it would be used on a printed brochure. This helps users to visualise how to implement the guidelines successfully.
- Digital and Print Guidelines – If your brand operates digitally and with printed communication, include guidelines for each, and highlight how they differ. Distinguish guidelines for digital and print applications, considering factors like resolution, file formats and colour codes.
- Updates and Revisions – Establish a process for updates and revisions to the brand style guide, ensuring it evolves with your brand. As your business evolves, you might change how you want the brand to be represented visually, and an updated brand style guide is needed to reflect this.
Creating a brand style guide can seem daunting, but it’s a key part of building a business, an aspect that shouldn’t be overlooked. At Profici, we can help you with all aspects of branding, from graphic design and logo creation, to creating detailed style guides. Get in touch to find out more.
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