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What Are Brand Guidelines?

By Design

What Are Brand Guidelines?

Author: Tom Ellis
Date: 24.10.23
Read time: 2-3 minutes

Alright, let’s get down to brass tacks when it comes to brand guidelines. Now, some folks might think it’s all about preventing someone from slipping a cute cat picture into a business presentation or avoiding the gaffe of using lime-green office mugs when your brand colours are strictly black and white. But trust me, it goes much deeper than that.

Brand guidelines are the North Star of your company’s identity, and they guide everyone – both inside and outside your organization. They’re your toolkit for keeping everything on-brand, maintaining that all-important consistency, and ensuring smooth collaboration with external partners. In essence, they are the sentinels guarding your brand’s integrity.

So, Why Are Brand Guidelines So Damn Important?

Well, every brand is as unique as a fingerprint, and that means the components within your brand guidelines can be as distinctive as your DNA. But there are some crucial elements you can’t afford to overlook:

Brand Core:

Start with the heart and soul of your brand. This section should define why your brand exists, lay out your brand vision, mission, values, unique selling points (USPs), and its compelling story. It’s your brand’s way of introducing itself, making sure that anyone who cracks open those guidelines gets what your brand stands for and what it’s striving to achieve.

Logo (and All Its Flavours):

Your logo in all its glory should take centre stage in the guidelines. Begin with the story behind the logo – why it was chosen, what it symbolises, and any hidden meanings. Display your logo mark, word mark, and any other combos in various sizes and orientations. In this multimedia age, you might want to include details on how your logo moves and sounds, if applicable. Think of Netflix’s iconic “duh-dummm” sound and logo animation – those things are no accident, and they deserve a spot in your guidelines. And take it from me, go digital with those guidelines. They’re way easier to update, offer instant asset downloads, and make team collaboration a walk in the park without any version mix-ups.

Typography:

The type section should cover:
Your brand fonts
Rules for using typography (styles and contexts)
Combinations of fonts that work together harmoniously

Colour Palettes:

Your primary and secondary colours, along with any gradients, should be right there. Provide colour codes like HEX, CMYK, or Pantone for precise colour matching in your marketing materials.

Add a “dos and don’ts” section for colour usage on different backgrounds and guidelines on when to use specific gradients or colours. Make it crystal clear
which brand colours are the stars and which are the supporting players.

Graphics:

This section should embrace all your graphical elements – illustrations, icons, unique graphical elements (like arrows or line separators), and approved graphics representing your brand.

Photography:

Define your unique visual style, especially if it involves specific photography styles. Make sure everyone in your organisation can not only recognise but also replicate the same photographic style that’s in sync with your brand.

Application:

Cover how the branding should be used across various media. Whether it’s video content, printed materials, web design, promotional graphics, or anything else – provide guidelines on using different graphical elements, photography, and infographics to maintain that all-important brand consistency.

Other Brand Bits:

Depending on your business, think about including brand tone of voice, elevator pitch, core messages, taglines, or any other special brand elements.

The Travis Perkins Case Study:

Now, let me give you a taste of the real-world impact of killer brand guidelines. Let’s dive into a case study featuring Travis Perkins, a top-notch builder’s merchant in the UK. Travis Perkins knew that crystal-clear and comprehensive brand guidelines were the name of the game to keep things consistent across their sprawling network of branches and outlets. By embracing robust digital brand guidelines, they made sure every branch had instant access to the latest brand assets and guidelines.

And what happened next? Well, they achieved a unified brand identity across every Travis Perkins location, boosting brand recognition and solidifying customer trust. Whether you walked into a Travis Perkins branch in London or Edinburgh, you were greeted with the same branding elements, reinforcing the company’s reputation for reliability and quality.

In conclusion, brand guidelines are the way forward. They’re easy to update, offer instant asset downloads, provide convenient access to team members and collaborators, and bid farewell to version confusion.

Need help with brand guidelines?

And if you’ve got questions or need a hand crafting your brand guidelines, don’t be shy – reach out to us at studio@madebymass.co.uk We’re here to help you achieve brand consistency and success, just like we did for Travis Perkins.

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© 2023 by Made by Mass Ltd

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© 2023 by Made by Mass Ltd

Deciphering Digital Branding

By Design

Deciphering Digital Branding

Author: Tom Ellis
Date: 24.10.23
Read time: 2-3 minutes

Digital branding is a cornerstone of success. However, it’s crucial to remember that digital branding is more than just a checkbox on your marketing to-do list. We will delve into the essence of digital branding, its importance, and how to get it right.

What Exactly Is Digital Branding?

Digital branding is the art of building and communicating your brand’s identity online. It encompasses a range of digital tools, primarily your website and social media, but also extends to apps, videos, and written content. It merges digital marketing with a cohesive approach to establishing, reinforcing, and expanding your brand’s online presence.

Digital Branding vs. Traditional Advertising

In the past, traditional advertising relied on various channels like print, TV, and radio to establish brand awareness. However, the digital era has transformed the branding landscape. Digital branding has levelled the playing field, enabling startups and smaller businesses to compete effectively on a global scale. Unlike traditional advertising, digital branding fosters engagement and meaningful interactions with your audience.

Why Is Digital Branding So Important?

Digital branding is indispensable because it provides an overarching narrative that guides your digital marketing efforts. It ensures consistency in conveying your brand’s message, making it easier for your target audience to understand and engage with.

Creating a Successful Digital Brand

A robust digital brand is characterised by consistency, compelling visuals, exceptional design, captivating content, and a well-thought-out positioning strategy. It should resonate with your audience and maintain a consistent tone and voice across all digital channels.

Your website serves as the foundation of your digital brand. It should be well-designed, user-friendly, and act as your primary online storefront. Additionally, consider the unique characteristics of the digital realm. Memes, GIFs, concise content, and engaging videos gain traction online. Your digital branding should align with the medium’s dynamics.

The Benefits of a Strong Digital Brand

A robust digital presence fosters customer involvement, nurturing relationships and opening channels of communication with your audience. It allows you to target specific customer groups through their preferred platforms, spreading the word swiftly and potentially going viral. Furthermore, it shapes your future marketing strategies by identifying what works effectively across your digital channels.

Getting Started with Your Digital Brand Strategy

Before diving into digital branding, define your brand – its goals, values, and what sets it apart from the competition. Consider how you can communicate these values across your digital channels, and choose the platforms that align with your objectives. Ensure consistency in customer engagement and the content you produce.

If you’re serious about digital branding, collaborating with a digital branding agency like Mass can be a game-changer. We understand what works and how to deliver it effectively.

Ready to Forge Your Digital Brand?

To craft a powerful digital brand, you need more than a checklist. You need a strategic approach rooted in expertise. At Mass, we specialise in strategy, branding, design, and advertising. Let us help you create a compelling digital brand that resonates with your audience and drives your business forward.

For guidance on building your digital brand, contact our team at studio@madebymass.co.uk and unlock your brand’s digital potential.

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© 2023 by Made by Mass Ltd

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Branding beyond a logo

By Design

Branding beyond a logo

Author: Tom Ellis
Date: 24.10.23
Read time: 2-3 minutes

Let’s embark on a journey into the heart of branding and uncover its transformative power for your business.

Let’s embark on a journey into the heart of branding and uncover its transformative power for your business.

Branding Establishes Name Recognition

Branding functions as your trusty toolkit, working harmoniously to amplify your company’s name recognition. It’s all about the meticulous selection of colours, fonts, designs, and logos that leave a lasting imprint of your business in people’s memories. When customers have had positive experiences with your offerings, branding helps them vividly recall those moments.

Branding Builds Trust

A resilient, unwavering brand forms the bedrock of trust with your customers. It instils the confidence that they are dealing with a consistent, reliable brand capable of delivering the expected goods and services. Over time, the consistent exposure to your brand’s visual cues etches them into your customers’ minds, ready to resurface when they seek products akin to yours.

Branding Builds and Sustains Customer Loyalty

Going beyond just delivering top-notch products and services, branding plays a pivotal role in nurturing customer loyalty. Rooted in your business philosophy, branding creates multiple touchpoints for customers to connect with. When your brand mirrors the values your customers hold dear, you can gradually cultivate genuine loyalty. This not only builds a loyal customer base but also amplifies your business through word-of-mouth and heightened engagement in digital marketing efforts.

A Strong Brand Unites and Inspires Employees

For most individuals, a job is more than just a means of earning a living. Those who invest the most effort, stay loyal, and develop a true passion for their work often feel a deep attachment to the company and its values.

Branding plays an indispensable role in forging this connection, nurturing a strong company culture, and instilling a sense of belonging among employees. Moreover, it helps attract applicants who resonate with your company’s values, ensuring alignment with your mission. A united company, guided by robust, consistent branding, is better equipped to achieve its objectives.

Strong Branding Enhances Perceived Value

In simpler terms, a brand infuses tangible value into your products and services. Consider premium branding, which revolves around conveying a sense of quality. People are willing to invest more in a box of Twining’s tea than a supermarket’s own brand because Twining’s brand embodies a distinct set of values.

Mass Masters Branding

At Mass, we’re experts in assisting you in crafting, refining, and strengthening your unique brand to unlock tangible benefits for your business.

Mass Masters Branding

At Mass, we’re experts in assisting you in crafting, refining, and strengthening your unique brand to unlock tangible benefits for your business.

Feel free to reach out to us today at studio@madebymass.co.uk to explore how we can empower your business with enhanced value through branding.

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© 2023 by Made by Mass Ltd

Privacy policy

© 2023 by Made by Mass Ltd