Branding guidelines: when size doesn’t matter

Back To Work

Branding guidelines: when size doesn’t matter

Industry

Tech

Service

Branding

Client

Various

Think your business is too small to need branding guidelines? Think again.

Don’t take this the wrong way, but whether you are a start-up business or an internationally recognized corporation, no matter the size, you need guidelines.

By knowing and embracing all the elements of your corporate identity, your branding will create a strong, memorable impression that resonates with your audience, and fosters trust and success in the competitive business landscape.

From our perspective, every business, big or small, needs branding guidelines to protect the integrity of the overall brand. Brand guidelines ensure that others, down the road, have the road map to safely apply the brand. Make sure that the heart and soul of your business are articulated in a branding guideline to ensure that your communications position your business cohesively and consistently.

Every. Single. Time.

All roads lead to your logo. Or away from it.

Before we jump into the nitty-gritty of your branding guidelines, let’s briefly cover some terminology so that we’re all on the same page. No need to stress—it’s not a quiz—but understanding these few terms is crucial:

When we talk about corporate branding, we are referring to how a company presents itself to the public. Visual and non-visual elements create a distinct image incorporating design, communications, behaviour, culture and corporate philosophy. Sometimes, logos are referred to as a brand as well. But let’s not go down that rabbit hole just yet.

A visual identity system defines the consistent usage of colours, photography, videography, typography and more. It’s this “look” over time that becomes associated with your business, reinforcing its messages and personality. A visual identity system provides examples of correct and incorrect practices.

And when we say brand guidelines, brand style guides or branding standards, we are talking about a defined set of rules to convey your brand effectively through the use of the visual identity system. Sometimes these guides are wielding and other times, short. Brand guidelines provide comprehensive information about visual elements, including the logo, and essential details related to a company’s voice, tone, and messaging. This is essential for any partner, vendor, or creative agency working with you.

At the heart of every successful brand is a profound understanding of the essence of the business. Your branding guidelines are like an insurance policy for the future of your brand, all neatly packaged up, from us to you.

Typeface

Typography plays a subtle yet significant role that emphasizes your brand’s personality, whether elegant and bold or playful and informal.

With more than 300,000 typefaces worldwide, choosing the right one is imperative for readability, emotional impact, audience perception, consistency, context, and accessibility. Typography ensures how you communicate is presented legibly, aligns with your brand, and resonates with your audience effectively.

Be typographically picky.

Colour Palette

Colour evokes emotion and creates a psychological connection. The colours associated with your brand can make all the difference in the world. We aren’t over-analysing this, studies have shown that colour is the key to connecting with your audience and can increase brand awareness by 80%.

Red makes you hungry; blue will calm you; and yellow creates anxiety. Each brand needs a carefully curated range of colours to engage effectively with its audience.

Use the science to influence.

Photography

A picture is worth a thousand words. Photography is a powerful visual tool that can grab attention, evoke emotions, spotlight a product, and speak to your brand without uttering one syllable.

The right picture will cut across cultures and languages, build credibility, and be memorable. And when graphic elements and gradations are added, you can define a look that helps to differentiate your business in the marketplace with a consistent visual language.

Speak, without speaking.

Iconography

The smallest of symbols and icons need to be carefully curated into your corporate identity to ensure your branding, values, as well as and products and services are all talking the same language.

Icons can immediately convey a myriad of commands in the tiniest of spaces, leaving your collateral clean and with a lot of space to breathe.

Emphasize but don’t clutter.

Tone of voice

Your brand has a language, style, and attitude that connects a personality with your customers, partners, and employees. Key messaging and brand values will seamlessly be incorporated into marketing copy and content.

For instance, a tech company’s voice will reflect innovation and expertise while a bank may employ a tone to convey trust, security, and professionalism.

Find your voice. It’s critical.

If you aren’t going to invest in protecting your brand, then who will?

You’ve got a business to run, so leave the corporate identity stuff to us. Initiate’s reputation in the branding sphere is unparalleled. We’ve got this, and our clients agree.