Branding guide templates

Branding guide templates

What is the purpose of a brand guideline?

Brand guide examples by sector of activity:

  • Governments, administrations and official organisations
  • Large companies
  • SMEs
  • Non-profit organisations
  • Educational establishments
  • Special events

In today's business world, a design guide is an essential resource. Companies make them available on their websites to share the essence of the brand with their audience.

So the internet is full of online brand guidelines examples; of different quality, model and sector of activity, giving us an excellent opportunity to explore, analyse and learn from these examples.

What is the purpose of a brand guideline?

A brand guideline is an essential tool for any company or organisation. It is a set of guidelines and standards that define how the brand should be presented and represented visually in all its aspects. This includes elements such as the design of the logo, the choice of colours, the typography used and other related visual elements.

One of the key functions is to ensure that all brand communications are visually consistent. This means that no matter who is working on a design or marketing project, everyone follows the same rules and guidelines set out in the charter. This consistency ensures that the brand is presented and perceived in a professional and credible manner when interacting with the public.

It is also an effective way of saving time and resources. By providing clear, pre-defined guidelines, misunderstandings and arbitrary decisions in the design and presentation of the brand are avoided. This is particularly useful when working with internal and external designers, as everyone then has a clear set of rules to follow.

Brand guide examples by sector of activity

Brand guideline for governments, administrations or official organisations

The branding standards used by governments, administrations and official organisations have specific characteristics and requirements that distinguish them from those used by private companies. Here are some of these characteristics:

Legality and regulation

The brand guidelines of government bodies are often based on laws and regulations specific to each country.

These regulations set out clear guidelines on how the entity's visual identity should be presented. In many cases, these regulations are mandatory and must be strictly adhered to.

Use of official symbols

There are clear guidelines on the use of official government symbols, such as the coat of arms, the flag or the government logo.

It is essential that these elements are used correctly and respectfully, in accordance with legal requirements.

Visual consistency

Visual consistency is essential to the visual identity of public authorities.

This means that clear design rules must be established to ensure a uniform appearance in all official communications and documents. It can also mean guidelines on the tone and style of communication to convey the same message.

Accessibility and transparency

As public administrations must serve the public interest, it is common for the brand guideline to be publicly and freely accessible online.

This promotes transparency and enables citizens and businesses to know the guidelines governing the entity's identity.

Cultural and national identity

In some cases, the brand guideline may address the issue of the representation of cultural or national identity.

In particular, this involves thinking about how to incorporate cultural or historical elements into the design.

Security and protection

As these institutions can be the target of counterfeiting or scams, their brand guideline can contain specific security measures to protect the integrity of visual elements, such as stamps or watermarks.

To illustrate the practical application of these guidelines, you can consult the brand guideline of UK government:

Brand style guide template: His Majesty’s Government

Brand guideline for large companies

The graphic charter is particularly important for large companies because they may have several franchises, sites or offices; the guide therefore ensures the consistency of the visual identity between the multiple establishments of the same brand. The specific characteristics are as follows:

Scalability

The brand guideline must be adaptable to a large organisation with multiple divisions, branches or franchises.

This means that the brand guideline must be clear and flexible to allow local customisation, while maintaining the overall consistency of the brand.

Cultural adaptation

For companies with an international presence, the brand guideline must take account of cultural and linguistic differences.

The aim is to provide guidelines on how to adapt the brand to meet local particularities without compromising the global identity.

Internal training

To ensure that all employees adhere to the brand guideline, it can include in-house training or references to training programmes.

Legal and regulatory compliance

Depending on the company's sector of activity and location, the brand guideline may need to comply with specific regulations. For example, there may be legal requirements to include disclaimers in marketing materials.

Spotify's graphic charter is an excellent example. It details the guidelines and applications, as well as possible attributions:

Brand guideline example: Spotify

Brand guideline for SMEs

While this is common practice for large and well-known companies, SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) are still discovering the value of creating a brand guide, which they adapt to their scale in order to strengthen their market presence and build a solid, consistent brand image.

Simplicity

SMEs brand guidelines are generally simpler and more concise than those of large companies.

They focus on the essentials: the logo, colours and typography, to ensure consistent implementation of the brand without overwhelming employees.

Flexibility

As SMEs tend to have smaller budgets and fewer staff dedicated to marketing, the guide needs to be flexible and easy to follow.

This allows the company to adapt the guidelines to different situations and communication channels.

An accessible digital presence

For many SMEs, online presence is paramount, which is why the graphic charter should address the issue of consistency between websites and social network profiles.

It should provide guidelines on how to use visual elements online and maintain a consistent user experience.

Saving resources

Budgets are often limited, so the brand guideline should help maximise the use of existing resources.

This can include using print-ready templates and accessible design tools to ensure consistency without having to hire expensive designers.

Local customisation

Companies typically operate in specific localities or cater to specific local markets, so they need to plan ways to adapt to regional needs and preferences.

This may involve adapting the language, colours or even the logo as required.

Alignment with corporate strategy

Small businesses often use marketing elements with a strong memorable impact, such as promotional gifts.

The brand guideline therefore addresses how their image should appear on personalised pens, promotional bags, etc.

To illustrate the practical application of these guidelines, take a look at the brand guideline of the jewellery design company Wolf Circus:

Brand guidelines template free: Wolf Circus Jewelry

Brand guideline for non-profit organisations

Unlike for-profit companies, whose main aim is to generate profits, NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations) or other non-profit organisations have a different mission. The visual identity of a non-governmental organisation is more than just an attractive logo or a pretty colour scheme. It is the visual and communicative manifestation of its commitment to a cause, its transparency, its responsibility and its link with the public.

Mission and values

The charter should begin with a strong statement of the organisation's mission and values.

This establishes the basis of the brand identity and communicates the fundamental principles of the organisation.

History and logo

It is important to include a section explaining the history of the organisation and how its logo has evolved over time.

This helps to contextualise the brand's identity and show its progress over the years.

Communicating the cause

As organisations often work for social, environmental or humanitarian causes, the brand guide should address how to effectively communicate the cause the organisation is defending.

This may include guidelines on language, images and the presentation of statistics or data relating to the cause.

Transparency and accountability

NGOs are often evaluated on the basis of their transparency and performance.

For this reason, the importance of open and accurate communication with donors, partners and beneficiaries should be emphasised.

Collaborations and partnerships

In relation to the previous point, NGOs often work in collaboration with other organisations or government bodies.

Guidelines on how to present these collaborations in a coherent and transparent way should therefore be included.

Successful projects

Highlighting flagship projects that demonstrate the organisation's positive impact can be a powerful part of the pitch. These stories humanise the cause and can inspire donors and volunteers.

However, personalised items that inspire or support the cause, such as drawstring bags or bandanas, are also often used and, like everything else, should be specified in the guide.

Use of limited resources

By their very nature, companies generally operate with limited resources.

It is therefore advisable to focus on how to achieve a strong visual identity with a small budget.

To illustrate the practical application of these guidelines, you can consult the brand guideline of the NGO Unicef:

Sample brand guidelines: Unicef

Brand guideline for educational establishments

Unlike traditional businesses, educational establishments are responsible for shaping the minds and futures of new generations. That's why their visual identity must be a faithful and convincing reflection of their vision of education.

Mission and values

School brand guidelines usually begin with a clear statement of the school's mission and values.

This lays the foundations for the school's identity and commitment to education and ethical principles.

Colours and logos

The colours and logos in the charter should reflect the identity of the schools.

In general, the colours are chosen to convey positive values and the logo is developed to represent the educational philosophy.

Representation of the student

As educational establishments are in direct contact with students, it is important to include guidelines on how to represent students in communication.

This could include photographs of students in educational and cultural situations.

Typography

The choice of typography is crucial in communicating the seriousness and professionalism of the institution.

Specific fonts should be defined for use in printed and digital documents.

Communication

Both externally and internally, an inclusive tone and language should be adopted.

The design guide should include guidelines for writing press releases and educational content.

But it should also indicate how to address parents, guardians and the wider community.

Teaching materials

If you are creating educational materials, such as textbooks, online resources or applications, you should provide guidelines to ensure consistency of design and content.

Similarly, if you are using school-derived products such as USB memory sticks, customised calendars or personalised notebooks, you should detail the personalisation elements used.

Uniforms and equipment

If you require uniforms or have specific dress guidelines for students and staff, these should be included in any textbooks, digital resources or other teaching materials you create.

Advertising and marketing

Educational institutions' advertising and social media strategies may differ from those of traditional businesses.

The design guide should address how to promote educational programmes and attract potential students.

To illustrate the practical application of these guidelines, you can consult the brand guideline of the music school The Purcell School:

Sample brand guidelines : The Purcell School

Brand guideline for special events

The design guideline for special events is particular in that it is renewed for each edition, potentially each year, to adapt to the new theme proposed. Here are a few characteristics and guidelines to bear in mind:

Flexibility and adaptability

Unlike traditional corporate brand guidelines, special event charters must reflect the specific theme, objective and audience of each edition.

Clear thematic guidelines

Design guidelines should include clear guidelines on how to incorporate the main theme or message.

This can include colours, images, logos and other visual elements linked to the event, such as personalised lanyards or personalised T-shirts.

Social media and hashtags

When it comes to your presence on social networks, you should include rules for using hashtags, profile photos and messages to maintain consistency online.

Calendar and programming

If the event takes place over several dates or venues, the brand guideline should provide advice on how to adapt the visual identity to each case without losing overall consistency.

Sponsor management

If the event involves sponsors or partners, it is necessary to indicate how to present their logos or names on the promotional material without compromising the visual identity of the event.

Multimedia integration

Special events often make use of various media, such as video projections, music and lighting effects.

The guide should provide guidelines on how to integrate these multimedia elements harmoniously.

To illustrate the practical application of these guidelines, you can consult the brand guideline for Cheltenham city festivals:

Sample brand guide: Cheltenham Festivals

The brand book examples we have explored show just how varied and vital this field is. Whether it's for governments, large corporations or small businesses, it's clear that a well-defined visual identity is the key to effective communication.

As we have seen, these are not static documents, but dynamic guides that evolve over time to adapt to changing business needs and market demands. A brand guideline is a kind of map, guiding both the company and its audience towards a clear and mutual understanding of what the brand represents. In a world where first impressions are essential, a charter becomes an indispensable ally in establishing meaningful and lasting links with the public.