What Are Brand Guidelines?

What Are Brand Guidelines?

What exactly are brand guidelines, and should you be creating them for every brand?

In this video, I’ll explain what brand guidelines are, what they should include, and whether every brand needs one. I’ve also included three free brand guideline templates, so make sure you stick around until the end.

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What Are Brand Guidelines?

Brand guidelines are a set of rules that define how a brand should look and how its assets should be used.

They exist to keep a brand consistent across all platforms, especially once multiple people start using the brand identity.

After a visual identity is finished, it’s rarely used by just one person. Designers, marketers, developers, and external teams may all need access to the brand. Some of them may not be designers at all.

The purpose of brand guidelines is to ensure the brand is used correctly and consistently, no matter who is using it.

When followed properly, brand guidelines:

• Protect the brand’s image
• Make collaboration easier
• Keep the brand recognizable and trustworthy over time

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What Should Brand Guidelines Include?

Brand guidelines don’t need to be complicated, but they must cover a few key elements.

1. Brand Overview

This section explains:

• Purpose
• Vision
• Mission
• Values
• Tone of voice
  

2. Logo

Includes:

• Primary logo
• Logo variations
• Correct and incorrect usage

3. Typography

The fonts used for the brand, including guidance on hierarchy and usage.

4. Colors

The brand’s olor palette, usually including:

• Primary colors
• Secondary colors
• Optional accent colors

5. Imagery and Graphics

Visual elements that support the brand’s look and feel, such as:

• Photography style
• Icons
• Patterns

6. Applications

Real-world examples showing how the brand is applied, such as:

• Marketing materials
• Digital layouts
• Print usage

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Note: Akrivi Guideit automatically creates all of these important sections when generating brand guidelines.

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Do You Need Brand Guidelines for Every Brand?‍

This is a common question designers ask.

‍The short answer is yes.

Every brand should have brand guidelines. However, the size and depth of the document depends on the brand’s stage and scale.

A startup may need a simple, lightweight guide.

A growing company or established brand will need a more detailed system.

The goal is not complexity. The goal is clarity and consistency.

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Create brand guidelines faster with Akrivi Studio

With Akrivi Studio, you can generate professional brand guidelines in seconds using Akrivi Guideit, the official plugin for Adobe Illustrator.

Upload your logo, fonts, and colors, choose a template, and click generate.

Start your Akrivi Studio 3 day free trial here.

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