How to Create a Brand Style Guide
A style guide is a reference sheet that defines the visual aspects of your brand, such as your logo, fonts and colors. It’s an essential tool for maintaining consistency throughout all of your branding materials, and is particularly helpful if you’re working with an outside designer or printer, or have multiple people creating new things for your brand. It can also help save time, so you’re never scrambling to find a new font or color to use.
Style guides (also referred to as "brand bibles") can get really in-depth and cover everything from your mission to your target audience, values and brand personality. Below we've outlined some of the more basic, visual design-related to include.
1. Your logo
Consider all the ways it might look in different places, and include multiple versions if necessary. For example, you might have different versions for your website homepage, business cards, letterheads, etc. You should also include any alternate color options you have (reversed, black and white, etc.).
WhatsApp offers several options of their logo to use for various layouts and occasions. (View the rest of their brand guidelines here.)
Specify the minimum size your logo should be displayed at, and whether it should be surrounded at a certain amount of empty space.
2. Your colors
This will typically be the colors from your logo, as well as a few complementary colors. This section should include HEX codes for web use, and CMYK values and Pantone colors for print. Conversions from RGB colors (using HEX codes) to CMYK can be dramatic sometimes, so be sure to test all of your colors. (Learn more about the differences between RGB, CMYK and Pantone colors.)
Coolors is a great, easy source for generating color schemes. You may also want to try Adobe Kuler and Paletton.
3. Your fonts
Specify which fonts go where — such as which fonts will be used for headings, subheadings, body text, etc. You can also specify sizes, weights, styles, etc.
from Mailchimp's style guide
4. imagery
Include any graphic or web elements and icons you might use. You might also want to describe what style of photography should be used, and if there are any visual elements that should be avoided.
Skype's style guide includes its own illustrations
-
May 2023
- May 14, 2023 Branded Collateral, what you should know. May 14, 2023
-
July 2020
- Jul 14, 2020 Getting back to business After Covid-19 Jul 14, 2020
-
March 2017
- Mar 8, 2017 Postcard Marketing Ideas Mar 8, 2017
-
February 2017
- Feb 22, 2017 Actor Headshots: What You Should Know Feb 22, 2017
- Feb 10, 2017 The Emotional Effects of Print vs Digital Marketing Materials Feb 10, 2017
-
January 2017
- Jan 25, 2017 Letterhead Design Tips Jan 25, 2017
-
December 2016
- Dec 29, 2016 Brochure Design Tips Dec 29, 2016
-
November 2016
- Nov 3, 2016 How to Combine Fonts Nov 3, 2016
-
October 2016
- Oct 26, 2016 How to Create a Brand Style Guide Oct 26, 2016
-
September 2016
- Sep 21, 2016 Color Variations from Screen to Print Sep 21, 2016
- Sep 7, 2016 Why Business Cards Are Still Relevant Sep 7, 2016
-
August 2016
- Aug 24, 2016 5 Common Brochure Folds Aug 24, 2016
- Aug 11, 2016 Coated vs. Uncoated Paper Aug 11, 2016
-
July 2016
- Jul 20, 2016 Understanding Paper Weight Jul 20, 2016
- Jul 7, 2016 14 Tips for Effective Poster Design Jul 7, 2016
-
June 2016
- Jun 15, 2016 Raster vs. Vector Graphics Jun 15, 2016
- Jun 1, 2016 What File Format Should You Use? Jun 1, 2016
-
May 2016
- May 18, 2016 4 Popular Print Finishes May 18, 2016
- May 11, 2016 Choosing a Cardstock May 11, 2016
- May 5, 2016 Understanding Resolution May 5, 2016
-
April 2016
- Apr 21, 2016 Setting Up a Print Bleed Apr 21, 2016
- Apr 14, 2016 7 Tips for Choosing a Font Apr 14, 2016
- Apr 12, 2016 What Are Pantone Colors? Apr 12, 2016
- Apr 7, 2016 Designing Your Comp Card Apr 7, 2016
-
March 2016
- Mar 16, 2016 7 Tips for Designing Your Business Card Mar 16, 2016
- Mar 2, 2016 RGB vs. CMYK Mar 2, 2016
-
February 2016
- Feb 17, 2016 Offset vs. Digital Printing Feb 17, 2016