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Whether it’s a designer creating a brochure, a social media manager posting online, or a partner using your logo, brand guidelines make sure your identity stays strong and intact.
If you want your brand to be recognisable, professional, and trustworthy across every platform, you need solid brand guidelines. Let’s explore the essential elements that go into building them.
Your logo is your brand’s signature, it’s how people identify you at a glance. In your guidelines, it's important to explain exactly how the logo should appear in different contexts. This includes minimum sizing rules, the space that must surround the logo (so it doesn’t look cramped), and the correct colour versions for light or dark backgrounds.
You should also clearly state what not to do: never stretch, distort, recolour, crop, rotate, or add effects to the logo. If your brand includes variations like a horizontal version, an icon-only mark, or a lockup with a tagline, explain when to use each one. Visual examples of right and wrong usage are especially helpful.
Colours are powerful, they help people remember your brand. Your brand guidelines should define a primary colour palette that represents your brand's identity. These are the main colours that appear in your logo, website, packaging, and other materials.
Alongside your primary palette, you might also include a secondary set of complementary colours for accents, backgrounds, or highlights. Don’t forget to specify each colour’s codes: HEX for web, RGB for digital displays, CMYK for printing, and Pantone (if you’re using spot colours). These details ensure your brand always shows up in the right shade, no matter the medium.
Fonts might seem like a small thing, but they have a huge impact on how your brand feels. Your brand guidelines should specify the fonts to be used both primary and secondary and how they should be applied. This includes details like font weights (light, regular, bold), sizes, letter spacing, and line height.
Make sure to include web-safe font alternatives in case your brand fonts can’t be used online. Consistency in typography helps your brand look polished and professional across every touchpoint from websites to emails to ads.
The images and graphics you use help shape your brand’s personality. Are your visuals light and minimal? Vibrant and energetic? Soft and emotional? Your guidelines should explain the visual style that fits your brand, including the types of imagery to use (real photos, illustrations, product-focused shots, etc.) and the tone they should convey.
If you use filters, colour overlays, or specific editing styles, note those too. It’s also helpful to clarify what not to do like avoiding overly staged stock photos, clashing colours, or inconsistent image formats. This section ensures that everyone working with your brand maintains a visual style that feels unified.
Brand voice is how your brand speaks and sounds. Is your tone casual and friendly? Witty and playful? Professional and reassuring? Define this clearly in your guidelines. Include examples of how to write headlines, social media captions, product descriptions, and emails in your brand voice.
Also note the words or phrases your brand likes to use, as well as those to avoid. Your tone may slightly shift depending on the platform being more formal on LinkedIn and casual on Instagram, for example. A well-documented tone of voice ensures your messaging always “sounds” like you, even if it’s written by different people.
Curious how to create the right tone? See how you can set the tone of your brand with this helpful guide.
Every great brand starts with a clear purpose. This section of your brand guidelines should explain why your brand exists (your mission), what you hope to achieve (your vision), and the beliefs that guide your decisions (your values).
When teams understand what your brand stands for, they make better, more aligned choices. It also helps customers and collaborators connect with your brand on a deeper, more emotional level. A strong purpose inspires consistency and loyalty.
Theory is helpful, but nothing beats real-world application. Show examples of your brand in action like website banners, social media templates, business cards, ads, merchandise, or packaging.
These kind of visuals make your guidelines practical, helping people see exactly how to bring your brand to life.
You can also include templates or downloadable assets that make execution easier for your internal team and collaborators.
Brand guidelines aren’t just for big companies, they’re essential for any brand that wants to show up professionally and consistently. When done well, they give your team a roadmap to follow and save time, confusion, and guesswork. From your logo to your tone, every element works together to build recognition and trust.
If you’re building a brand from scratch or refining an existing one, investing in clear, simple, and actionable brand guidelines is one of the smartest moves you can make.
Need help creating brand guidelines that reflect your voice and vision?
Reach out to us at Together, we’ll work with you to build a brand that’s not only beautiful but consistent and impactful everywhere it shows up.
