Creating a Brand Style Guide
Corporate Identity
Brand style guides are indispensable and foundational resources for developing consistency in brand messaging — from establishing fonts and colors to the overall mission and tone of a company. They also provide a client with everything from the initial direction at the beginning stages of brand development, to clear and concise rules for the brand to be used moving forward by whomever is responsible to maintaining the look and feel.
Style Tile
The Style Tile is a brief, one page overview of the brand elements, usually the identity, color palette, typography and supporting visuals. They are most commonly used for web design, but are also excellent for providing clients with a snapshot of the designer’s chosen visual brand direction. More specific than an idea board, but less precise than a mock up, the Style Tile sets the stage for decisions to come and provides the client with both the WHY and the HOW before the design of tangible products (identity systems, websites, publications, advertisements, etc.) begins.
Typical Style Tile Content
Logo + Variations
Color Palette
Typography — Heading, Subhead, Body Copy
Recommended that the example use company copy: mission statement, philosophy, about/history, etc.
Supporting Visuals — Textures, Patterns, Icons, Photography
Style Guide
Think of the Style Guide is created after the Style Tile direction is approved, and incorporates much more information, examples, and clear, concise rules for current and future brand usage, advertising, marketing, website content design/updates, publications, signage, social media, environmental designs, collateral, etc.
Typical Style Guide Content
Company Mission/History
Brand Philosophy
Logo + Variations (Logotype/Logo Mark)— One Color, Multiple Color, Clear space, Approved/Unapproved Usage, Scale/Sizing, Secondary Marks, Tagline
Color Palette
Photography
Icons
Illustrations
Typography — Heading, Subhead, Body Copy
Supporting Visuals
Stationery
Collateral Materials
Environmental/Interiors
Website/Screen-based Media/Motion Graphics
Products
Resources
What is a Style Tile?
Creating a Tone of Voice for Your Company
How to Produce Your First Brand Style Guide
How to Write a Style Guide for Your Brand
Standards Manuals
Examples of iconic brand manuals.
The Ultimate Toolkit for Social and PR Branding
ISSUU Brand Style Guides
Examples
Medium
I Love NY
Skype
Ollo
Facebook
Barre & Soul
Herban Kitchen
Love to Ride
University of the Arts Helsinki
Alienware
Scrimshaw Coffee
NASA
Elle & Co.
Ikea
Ooh La Creme
Inner City Arts
Firebrand Talent
Acano
Yelp (Proposal)
Linexor
