You have a logo, some colors, and maybe some random icons you found on the web. Do they show a cohesive story that at first glance says: yeah, that is my brand and it shows who we are.
Please reference our syllabus here. You can find the brand audit template here.
If you can’t say that, there is work to be done, but no sweat because that is all part of the brand-building maturity process. Also, you likely inherited a website, slide decks, and other materials with a myriad set of brand elements, so you shouldn’t have to start from scratch. Be sure to capture each of these in your brand audit. If you don’t have a creative director, work with your designer on this piece.
So, what goes into your brand guidelines? Keep in mind it is taking every bit of myself not to go into the why behind the what, but we will get to that in a moment and essentially get to the checklist.
Your brand guidelines are a systematic process to ensure consistency and coherence in representing your brand. It’s designed to empower people within and outside your organization to help stay within the rails of your brand. That means your partners, customers, and employees can look to it as a reference for what should and should not be done with your logo, trademarks, color palette, and other critical positioning.
It does not, however, mean that you can simply hand these off into the world and assume they will be followed.
Typically, you need a designated brand manager to conduct quality checks, ensuring items are consistent and not misused. Your sales team is typically enemy number 1 when they start adding their own slides into a deck or changing the design, followed by partners who want to slap your logo on something.
Unfortunately, brand management is often saying ‘no’ more than it is saying ‘yes’, and these guidelines make it a bit easier for people to digest that.
Now on to building your brand guidelines…
The process typically includes the following steps:
Define brand values and identity:
Clearly articulate the core values, mission, and vision of the brand. Identify the key attributes that define the brand's personality and positioning.
This is of course why we’ve already discussed these elements.
Conduct Market Research:
You must understand your target audience, competitors, and industry trends before you can carve out your niche and find a unique voice.
During the brand audit, we’ll analyze the brand's current perception and identify areas of improvement.
Develop brand elements:
This is where we create visual elements such as logos, color schemes, typography, and imagery that reflect the brand's identity.
Craft a Brand Style Guide:
Now we are all caught up, and it’s time to document everything. Document the guidelines for using the brand elements. Include specifications for logo usage, color palettes, typography, tone of voice, and other visual and verbal guidelines.
Implement and Communicate the Guidelines:
Like anything you create, you must communicate the deliverable and get alignment. You’ll want to ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the brand guidelines and they understand how to apply them consistently. Training is always a good option, a-sync videos are great for internals and partners, and simple and accessible resources are important for external parties.
Monitor and Update:
Regularly review and evaluate the brand guidelines to ensure they remain relevant and effective. Update them as needed to adapt to evolving market trends and business goals. When you do, be sure you communicate that an update has taken place. Even if you make a big splashy rebrand, you need to ensure you reach out to stakeholders directly.
That’s it; that’s the process of building your guidelines. Easy peasy.
Now for the why.
Yes, your brand guidelines can look very pretty. They can showcase your brand voice and identity, and go deep into the philosophy of what angles and triangles and squares were used and other elements that may help you justify spending $1M on a rebrand. But, beyond the bells and whistles, it must do one thing and do it very well: Drive consistency across all channels.
Read on to lesson 4.2 where we chat about driving consistency using your guidelines:
Understanding Brand Guidelines and Its Value