Developing a consistent brand starts with creating a brand style guide. These branding rule books help graphic designers, marketers, web developers, community managers, and even product packaging departments present a unified vision of the brand to the public.<\/p>\n
The best brands stick in our brains because their presence is defined by the repetition of the same logo, fonts, colors, and images. Once we see them enough, they become instantly recognizable. All of this is possible when each member of your team adheres to a cohesive brand style guide.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n So, what is a brand style guide? In this article, I’ll go over the elements of a style guide and share some amazing examples of them in action to help inspire your next branding project or website redesign.<\/p>\n Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n What are brand guidelines?<\/a> <\/a> <\/p>\n Picture the most recognizable brands you can think of.<\/p>\n Chances are, you’ve learned to recognize them due to one of the following reasons:<\/p>\n There’s a written or visual consistency across the messaging. But before you sit down to create your branding guidelines, I’d recommend taking a step back and defining your brand\u2019s mission statement and buyer personas. These strategic elements will help you dive into the tactical components of your brand style guide later.<\/p>\n Your brand guidelines <\/strong>mission statement<\/a><\/strong> ensures that all your content is working toward the same goal and connecting with your audience. It can also guide your blog and paid content, ad copy, visual media, and slogan.<\/p>\n Your brand guidelines buyer persona<\/a><\/strong> guides your blog content, ad copy, and visual media, which can attract valuable leads and customers to your business. You can create one quickly with our free persona tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n A brand style guide encompasses much more than just a logo (although that\u2019s important, too). It visually encompasses everything your brand is about \u2014 down to your business’ purpose.<\/p>\n Here are some key elements that I believe make or break a brand style guide, with links to in-depth articles if you need more guidance or info:<\/p>\n Logo<\/a><\/strong>. Logos are a powerful way to determine how your brand is perceived. We\u2019ve got a nine-step guide to walk you through it. <\/p>\n Color palette<\/a><\/strong>. Your brand color palette affects every aspect of your design, especially visual impact and user experience. We\u2019ve got 50 unforgettable palettes to inspire you. <\/p>\n Typography<\/a><\/strong>. Typography plays a critical role on any website by ensuring we can comfortably read and process all its text-based content. If a website\u2019s typography works, we won\u2019t notice. If it fails, chances are we\u2019ll bounce off the page. <\/p>\n Imagery and iconography<\/a><\/strong>. Ensure the best possible user experience with these icon best practices. <\/p>\n Brand voice<\/a><\/strong>. Build your best brand voice using our free brand-building guide. <\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n See the full City of Chicago brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like:<\/strong> Chicago\u2019s brand guidelines rest on the beauty and simplicity of the city\u2019s flag, both in terms of color and design. Plus, the tone of the guide is fun and casual \u2014 like its acknowledgement of how popular Chicago stars are in tattoo designs.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n A fun detail: The custom font, Big Shoulders, comes from the Carl Sandburg poem \u201cChicago,\u201d<\/a> which gave the city its nickname \u201cCity of Big Shoulders.\u201d<\/p>\n See the full Olympic Games brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like:<\/strong> The Olympic Games still use the logo and colors from 1913, but the brand was refreshed in 2022 by Ben Hulse (whose work shows up a few times in this list). The bold interpretation of the Olympic colors embody the brand characteristics: hopeful, universal, inclusive, vibrant, and progressive.<\/p>\n See the full Amnesty International UK brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like:<\/strong> Amnesty International UK spells it all out on the cover: bright, bold, and positive. The pink, yellow, and blue brand colors are cheerful, optimistic, and bold. This guide also does a particularly nice job of illustrating do\u2019s, don\u2019ts, and exceptions.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n See the full Sonic the Hedgehog brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like<\/strong>: Even cartoons need a style guide. Sonic the Hedgehog\u2019s include phrases for each character, which is a fun and novel way to ensure brand consistency.<\/p>\n See the full Burger King brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>Burger King says that everything it does should make the food \u201ceven more craveable\u201d \u2014 including the shape of the font, which is custom-designed to evoke the shapes of food.<\/p>\n See the full Eurovision Song Contest brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n What I like:<\/strong> The font is so customized that no other characters exist other than the ones in the word \u201cEurovision.\u201d That gives the brand an unmatched distinctiveness.<\/p>\n See the full OpenAI brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like:<\/strong> OpenAI has put a lot of thought into the symbolism behind all its color choices. For instance, it uses a lot of black and white in its branding to signify that \u201cOpenAI is an empty vessel that adapts to its content.\u201d<\/p>\n See excerpts from the DC Comics 1982 brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like:<\/strong> What\u2019s not <\/em>to like? Even MCU apologists can appreciate the storytelling that went into DC Comics\u2019 1982 style guide. Superheroes are grouped by color palette, and each character includes a written introduction with catchphrases, mythology, and other details.<\/p>\n See the full Reporters San Fronti\u00e8res brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like:<\/strong> One of RSF\u2019s slogans, \u201cFight for facts,\u201d is simple but powerful, which is reflected in RSF\u2019s three colors: black, white, and a vibrant pinkish-red. The guide specifies how to use accent colors \u2014 red or black should only make up 20% of a design, with white using the other 80%. That reinforces RSF\u2019s spare but muscular branding.<\/p>\n See the full Major League Soccer brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n What I like: <\/strong>Major League Soccer\u2019s style guide has to include color combinations for 20 teams. To ensure brand cohesiveness, MLS has a single logo mark, the crest, with no design variations. It also includes specific guidance on applying color layers to images.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n See the full Czech Railway brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>The Czech Railway\u2019s beautiful color palette is centered around a dark blue and deep orange, and the logo mark evokes railway tracks.<\/p>\n See the full Coronation 2023 brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>This 23-page guide covers one thing and one thing only: The emblem used for the coronation of Great Britain\u2019s King Charles in 2023. As such, it\u2019s a fascinating case study in detail. The guide includes half a dozen examples of how to use the emblem on royal swag, and it\u2019s exceedingly specific in its do\u2019s and don\u2019ts.<\/p>\n See excerpts from the EPA brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s 1977 brand guide is a favorite of graphic designers for good reason. Check out the patterns designated as program identifiers, like \u201ctoxic substances,\u201d \u201cnoise,\u201d and \u201cradiation.\u201d<\/p>\n The EPA\u2019s jewel-toned rainbow of brand colors includes a muddy green called \u201cPesticides Green\u201d and a color called, ahem, \u201cSolid Waste Brown.\u201d The EPA must have been a fun place to work in the 1970s.<\/p>\n See the full Docusign brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>Docusign includes a page of colored pie charts to demonstrate the correct color ratios. Docusign also stands out with a zinger of an accent color \u2014 a bright coral that beautifully contrasts with the purples in the brand palette.<\/p>\n See the full Zagreb Airport brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>Zagreb Airport in Croatia uses a simple triangle as a building block for complex iconography that references Croatian heritage and culture.<\/p>\n See the full Oxford Student Union brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n What I like: <\/strong>The addition of colo(u)r combinations is a nice touch here. I\u2019m one of those people who can take a perfectly lovely color palette and make a muddy mess of it, so this is something I\u2019d love to see in more style guides.<\/p>\n See the full Fiat 2019 brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>The four diagonal lines in Fiat\u2019s logo are mesmerizing. Fiat has incorporated those simple four lines across its branding in playful, creative ways, like changing the length of half the lines, as it\u2019s done on the cover (above).<\/p>\n See excerpts from the Team Canada brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like:<\/strong> Even though only a few excerpts are available from the full 88-page brand guide, I\u2019m including this because it\u2019s simply gorgeous. Canada\u2019s red maple leaf could have been a tired symbol, but the designers reimagined it with complex geometric patterns and bold colors.<\/p>\n See the full Hulu brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like:<\/strong> Hulu does a lot with a relatively limited palette, mixing it up with bold typefaces and whimsical illustrations. I also like this shade of green \u2014 despite being a common color, Hulu has landed on a standout hue.<\/p>\n See the full Brasil Governo Federal brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>Brasil Governo Federal\u2019s bold style and brash colors are eye-catching, to say the least. The style guide includes information on how to use the logo in video, which in my experience is a brand question that often goes unanswered.<\/p>\n See the full IBM brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>IBM\u2019s brand guide is an incredible interactive experience with videos and custom typeface previews. It\u2019s also among the most comprehensive of this entire list, since it includes support for non-Latin scripts like Arabic and fonts that support alternate glyphs and even ligatures. There\u2019s even an entire section dedicated to data visualization.<\/p>\n See the full American Airlines brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>American Airlines\u2019 style guide has a ton of examples, including specifics like what part of the airplane can be shown in a photo. Considering how many different types of ads the airline runs, it\u2019s useful to have so many specific details to help avoid human error and inconsistencies.<\/p>\n See the full British Rail corporate identity manual.<\/a><\/p>\n\n What I like: <\/strong>British Rail\u2019s corporate identity manual collects several decades of brand changes \u2014 it\u2019s worth a look just to trace the subtle differences over time.<\/p>\n See the full Elizabeth Line brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>TfL, London\u2019s transport authority, created a brand guide for its newest addition, the Elizabeth line. It even includes a section on \u201cdesign idiom flexibility,\u201d which provides guidance on how much Elizabeth line branding to use on a scale of \u201clocalness\u201d to \u201cElizabeth line-ness.\u201d<\/p>\n See the full Medium brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like:<\/strong> Medium\u2018s simple brand style guide emphasizes usage of its logo, wordmark, and symbol. Medium\u2019s logo is the brand’s primary graphic element and was created to feel \u201cconfident, premium, timeless, and modern.\u201d<\/p>\n See the full Walmart brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like:<\/strong> The guide includes the brand\u2018s logo, photography, typography, illustrations, iconography, voice, editorial style, and more. Walmart\u2019s color palette is so integral to its brand identity that its primary color is called \u201cWalmart Blue.\u201d<\/p>\n See the full Asana brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like:<\/strong> Asana\u2018s simple style guide highlights its logo and color palette. It also explains how to properly use the brand\u2019s assets.<\/p>\n See the full Spotify brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>Spotify\u2018s color palette includes three color codes, while the rest of the company\u2019s branding guidelines focus on logo variation and album artwork. The style guide even allows you to download an icon version of its logo, making it easier to represent the company without manually recreating it.<\/p>\n See the full Starbucks brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n What I like:<\/strong> Starbucks’ interactive brand style guide includes details about how to use its core elements such as the iconic Siren logo and green color palette. Plus, the guide features a visual spectrum of how their creative assets can be used across different channels.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n See the full Paris 2024 brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n What I like:<\/strong> Paris 2024’s brand identity pays homage to the 1924 Olympic Games through Art Deco-inspired design. Best of all, designers applied eco-branding methods to reduce the amount of ink and paper needed for physical materials as well as limit the power and data consumption on digital elements.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n This brand guide also reinvents all 62 pictograms from the Olympic and Paralympic Games as \u201ccoat of arms that serve as rallying cries for sports fans.\u201d Each pictogram is designed on an axis of symmetry that reinforces the coats of arms iconography. Go straight to the pictogram guidelines<\/a> to take a look. The ones below represent surfing, swimming, table tennis, and taekwondo.<\/p>\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n See the full Urban Outfitters brand guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
\n The Elements of a Brand Style Guide<\/a>
\n Style Guide Examples<\/a>
\n Branding Guidelines Tips<\/a>
\n Build a Memorable Style Guide of Your Own<\/a> <\/p>\n
\n The same brand colors are reflected across every asset.
\n The language sounds familiar.
\n It\u2018s all very organized, and while not rigid, it\u2019s cohesive. <\/p>\nBrand Guidelines Mission Statement<\/h3>\n
Brand Guidelines Buyer Persona<\/h3>\n
The Elements of a Brand Style Guide<\/h2>\n
1. City of Chicago<\/h3>\n
2. Olympic Games<\/h3>\n
3. Amnesty International UK<\/h3>\n
4. Sonic the Hedgehog<\/h3>\n
5. Burger King<\/h3>\n
6. Eurovision Song Contest<\/h3>\n
7. OpenAI<\/h3>\n
8. DC Comics 1982<\/h3>\n
9. Reporters San Fronti\u00e8res<\/h3>\n
10. Major League Soccer<\/h3>\n
11. Czech Railway<\/h3>\n
12. Coronation 2023<\/h3>\n
13. EPA (1977)<\/h3>\n
14. Docusign<\/h3>\n
15. Zagreb Airport<\/h3>\n
16. Oxford Student Union<\/h3>\n
17. Fiat 2019<\/h3>\n
18. Team Canada<\/h3>\n
19. Hulu<\/h3>\n
20. Brasil Governo Federal<\/h3>\n
21. IBM<\/h3>\n
22. American Airlines<\/h3>\n
23. British Rail<\/h3>\n
24. Elizabeth Line, Transport for London<\/h3>\n
25. Medium<\/h3>\n
26. Walmart<\/h3>\n
27. Asana<\/h3>\n
28. Spotify<\/h3>\n
29. Starbucks<\/h3>\n
30. Paris 2024<\/h3>\n
31. Urban Outfitters<\/h3>\n