Building a Guide That is Focused and Flexible

Brand guides help your team (internal and external) properly adhere to your brand standards while also giving them the flexibility to continue extending the brand.

A good brand guideline document should be focused and flexible. It should guide you with a refined strategy for today, tomorrow, or whatever 2021 brings. Here are some ways to make sure your brand guideline provides the answers you need to create a consistent and strong brand, without holding you back.

1. Tell Your Story

Your brand guidelines should tell everyone what your goals are and who you serve. This can be woven throughout the document to help retain attention and make sure the important information is read.

2. Provide Brand Extension Pieces

Showing how the brand is applied to print, digital, and environmental is critical. This ensures that those pieces fall in line with the brand as they create new pieces. As the world changes, your brand will too. Make sure everyone is on the same page.

3. Stick to the Basics

In every brand guide, rules for typography, brand colors, logo usage, etc. are non-negotiable. If brands start using a variety of different styles, consumers will have different perceptions of the brand.