Question

Topic: Branding

Brand Style Guide

Posted by Anonymous on 1/10/2008 at 10:41 PM ET 125 Points
Have been given the task of creating a brand style guide.

Firstly, I have to decide whether to produce it inhouse or get our outsourced graphic design company to put it together.

I'm competent with all the design packages and would feel comfortable collating it but a little confused as to the level of detail that may be required.

We are a fast growing health/physiotherapy franchise and the core purpose of this style guide is to provide our franchisees with clear guidelines as to the appropriate use of the brand/logos etc.

Would love to hear some experiences in putting a style guide together and the level of detail and rigidity you factored in.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by ilan on 1/10/2008 at 10:55 PM Member
    Few short lines here aren't going to do justice to you.
    As I did similar projects for similar organizations, and worked on some of the world's most famous franchise organizations, I can tell you that doing it in house is not going to work.
    You need to work with a team of professionals who understand many different components of the real estate aspect, interior and exterior design , lighting, fabrics, etc.
    All that said, you also have to define exactly what it is that you are going to tell your franchisees. What kind of organization they are going to become part of.
    So, instead of starting to give a full lecture here, I would propose to you that you can contact me outside the forum and I'll give you some parameters to work with.
  • Posted on 1/10/2008 at 11:39 PM Author
    We already have extensive fit out guides for both interior and exterior design for our locations, exterior signage etc. This is a non issue. Similarly all staff are uniformed in our corporate style attire. We are a highly professional and mid to top end of the market group. So all the key startup/new franchisee systems are top notch.

    This style guide will only seek to focus on the graphical representation of our logo and other branding. This will be referred to when franchisees are engaging in local area marketing and need guidelines as to the PROPER use of our logos etc on locally produced collateral and community involvement.

    When I refer to level of detail, some style guides obviously outline the amount of whitespace around the logo, minimum size conditions, page placement restrictions etc. this is moreso what I'm referring to.
  • Posted on 1/11/2008 at 8:11 AM Accepted
    In the brand style guides I have prepared, yes, I included the amount of white space, the dimensions of the logo, colors, type of backgrounds it can be used on, placement on the page, etc. This included its use in electronic communication such as an email signature (when people get hold of a logo jpg it can be used in all sort of manners if not restricted) as well as all print media. I provided the approved RGB and CMYK colors to ensure that over time the colors were not degraded to become what it was not intended to be (with the different graphic programs available navy blue can, over time become royal blue because people will try and match the logo to another graphic image).

    Included in the style guide was the type and size of font to be used in letters and emails, acceptable margins, paper, etc., because it all represents the image of the company.

    Without the specificity the logo is ripe for all types of distortion which then misrepresents the corporate image.

    Hope that helps.
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