✦Marketing · 13 recordsWrite brand guidelines

Brands drift when the rules live in one designer's head. This gathers what already exists, decides the few rules that matter most (logo use, colours, typography and voice), writes them into a short guide with examples of right and wrong, and puts it where everybody who makes anything can find it.

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Goal

Brand guidelines the team actually uses Week 6

Short, specific, with examples, and easy to find.

Gather and decide Week 3

What exists, and which rules matter.

  • Collect every logo file, colour and font currently in useDo firstDay 5
  • Choose the final logo versions and where each is usedDo firstDay 10
  • Set the colour palette with exact valuesDo firstWeek 2
  • Choose the typefaces and sizesDo firstWeek 2
  • Write the tone of voice in three to five words, with examplesDo firstWeek 3

Write and share Week 6

A short guide, where people will find it.

  • Write the guide, with right and wrong examplesDo firstWeek 4
  • Package the logo files and templates for downloadDo firstWeek 5
  • Walk everyone who makes anything through the guideDo firstWeek 6
  • Set a yearly reviewWeek 6
✦ It comes with a note

Guidelines outline

Logo: versions, clear space, minimum size, and what not to do Colour: primary and secondary palette, with HEX, RGB and CMYK values Typography: typefaces, weights, and sizes for headings and body Voice: three to five words, with example sentences that fit and ones that do not Imagery: the style of photography or illustration Templates: presentations, social posts, documents

Show a wrong example next to every rule. People remember what not to do far better than a description of what to do.

✦ Questions

Write brand guidelines, answered.

The logo and how to use it, the colour palette with exact values, typography, the tone of voice, and examples of photography or illustration. Short guidelines that get followed are worth more than a long brand book nobody opens.
For a small business, a few pages is usually enough. Start with the rules people actually break, such as stretched logos and off-brand colours, and add sections only when a real question comes up.
The terms are often used interchangeably. Sometimes a style guide means the writing rules alone, while brand guidelines cover visuals and voice together; this plan covers both.
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