21 Brand Style Guide Examples for Visual Inspiration Developing a consistent brand starts with creating a brand style guide. These branding rule books help graphic designers, marketers, web developers, community managers, and even product packaging departments all stay on the same page, and present a unified vision of the brand to the public. The best brands stick in our brains because their presence is defined by the repetition of the same logo, fonts, colors, and images. Once we see them enough, they become instantly recognizable, bringing us a clear sense of reliability and security. All of this is possible when each member of your team adheres to a cohesive brand style guide. In this article, we'll go over what brand guidelines are, the elements of a style guide, and some amazing examples of them in action to use as inspiration for your next branding project or website redesign. Picture the most recognizable brands you can think of. Chances are, you've learned to recognize them because of the consistency across the messaging — written or visual — these brands broadcast. The same brand colors are reflected across them. The language sounds familiar. It's all very organized and, while not rigid, it's cohesive. Even if you work at a small company, you can also create a brand style guide that takes your company’s visual identity to the next level. But before you sit down to create your branding guidelines, it’s essential to take a step back and define your...

Brand Colors — Everything You Need to Know Brand colors shape how people perceive your business. Up to 80% of snap judgments about products are solely based on color alone. That's right, 80%! Think about McDonald's for a moment. What pops into your mind? The yellow arches, right? McDonald's has done a fantastic job of using its colors to establish a memorable brand identity that stays with you long after you've finished your burger and fries. So why settle for a forgettable brand image that blends in with the crowd? Let's sprinkle some color into our article and discover the powerful connection between colors and branding. What are brand colors? Why Brand Colors Matter The Brand Color Formula How to Choose Brand Colors Color Psychology Tips Brand Color Best Practices Inspiration From 10 Brands That Get it Right Why Brand Colors Matter 1. Colors establish brand identity and recognition. Today’s market is overwhelmed. So, how can you find your top spot there? Using consistent brand colors is a great way to establish brand recognition and identity. For example, let’s look at Coca-Cola. The company has been using its signature red and white colors since 1886. Red represents excitement, passion, and energy, while white represents purity and simplicity. These colors have become synonymous with the brand and are instantly recognizable by people worldwide. Image source 2. Brand colors evoke emotions and associations. Let's admit it. We're all guilty of making purchases based on emotions. And since...

14 of the Most (& Least) Successful Brand Extensions to Inspire Your Own Hailee Steinfeld is mainly known for her acting chops, but her singing abilities bolster her esteem as a performer and stretch her brand to more audiences and fans. And just like her venture into music, companies often extend their brand to develop new products in industries where they don’t have any market share. These initiatives are called brand extensions, and they allow companies to leverage their brand awareness and equity to create more revenue streams. In this article, you’ll learn more about what a brand extension is and see examples of extension ideas that could inspire you. Skip to: What a Brand Extension Is Brand Extension Types Brand Health Measures Brand Extension Examples What is a brand extension? Brand extension is a marketing strategy that involves a company using its well-established brand name or image to introduce a new product or product categories to its customer base. This strategy works best when the new product category is related to its parent category and is something consumers and customers want. Many companies use brand extensions because it allows them to leverage their parent brand’s brand awareness and authority to reach new demographics and open up new sales channels. One company that does brand extensions well is Apple. Although Apple started as a technology company that makes only computers (Macs), it soon extended its product line to include music players...

21 Brand Style Guide Examples for Visual Inspiration Developing a consistent brand starts with creating a brand style guide. These branding rule books help graphic designers, marketers, web developers, community managers, and even product packaging departments all stay on the same page, and present a unified vision of the brand to the public. The best brands stick in our brains because their presence is defined by the repetition of the same logo, fonts, colors, and images. Once we see them enough, they become instantly recognizable, bringing us a clear sense of reliability and security. All of this is possible when each member of your team adheres to a cohesive brand style guide. In this article, we'll go over what brand guidelines are, the elements of a style guide, and some amazing examples of them in action to use as inspiration for your next branding project or website redesign. Picture the most recognizable brands you can think of. Chances are, you've learned to recognize them because of the consistency across the messaging — written or visual — these brands broadcast. The same brand colors are reflected across them. The language sounds familiar. It's all very organized and, while not rigid, it's cohesive. Here are a few types of guidelines you'd find in a brand style guide and which parts of a brand they can influence. Download our free resource on how to create your own style guide with brand guidelines templates to follow. Creating a consistent style...

Why Your Brand Needs A Strong Visual Identity Take a second to think about one of your favorite brands. A logo, storefront, color, or memorable ad campaign will likely pop into your mind. That's because a brand's visual identity is a powerful tool for telling a company's story, building customer affinity, and increasing revenue. If done effectively, visual identity can communicate a particular feeling or message without words. But a poorly-designed identity can confuse customers with lackluster messaging and disjointed graphics. So it's no surprise that consistent brands are 3.5x more likely to have strong brand visibility than inconsistent brands. Visual identity plays an essential role in branding, so it's important to understand what makes up an identity and how to create one. We'll cover all of that and share examples of successful brands that have developed a strong visual identity. What is a visual identity? A visual identity is the visible representation of a brand, from the logo and colors to the website and design of physical stores. It encompasses everything you can see in connection to a company. Visual identity can be made up of many elements: Graphics Animations, icons, buttons Typography Logo Color palette Imagery Store design Packaging Uniforms Flyers Brochures Billboards Digital and print ads Developing a strong visual identity comes with a number of benefits. It helps create an emotional connection with customers, which leads 57% of...

What Is Brand Perception? How to Measure It and 4 Examples If you take a second to think about your shopping habits, you'll probably realize that a majority of the products you buy are influenced by brand perception. You're not the only one — 77% of B2C consumers make purchasing decisions based solely on the brand name. Brand perception, or the thoughts and feelings associated with a company, impacts why people wear a certain brand of clothing or pick one pasta sauce over another at the grocery store. Once consumers adopt an attitude about a brand, it's tough to change. That's why brands work hard to create positive associations in people's minds, rather than negative or neutral perceptions. When you know how people perceive your brand, it's easier to shape its reputation, help consumers understand what sets it apart, and develop brand equity. You do this by measuring brand perception and tracking customer sentiment over time. But before diving into the metrics, it's important to understand what creates brand perception and how it informs company and consumer decision-making. What is brand perception? Brand perception is the sum of a consumer's feelings, experiences, and thoughts about a product or service. It's what people believe a brand represents, rather than what a brand says it represents. Although brand perception is a mental association, it plays an essential role in creating emotional connections with consumers. People consider their attitude toward brands when choosing between competing products. They read reviews, chat with customer...

What Are Brand Assets? 6 Examples to Inspire You All companies that want to attract customers and stand out against competitors need strong brand assets. These elements help build an identity, maintain consistency, and create trust. Considering that trust is the second most important factor in buying from a new brand, it's essential for companies to design brand assets that highlight their values, strengths, offerings, and identities. Brand assets let you create customer touchpoints that are immediately recognizable. Think of Amazon packaging, the Pixar lamp, or Apple's minimalist design. But branding assets aren't simply logos and slogans. They're the combination of several elements that come together to create a unique, distinguishable identity. If well-designed, brand assets can build brand awareness, increase marketing ROI, create customer loyalty, and give you a competitive edge in the market. Any company can develop distinct assets that draw in customers and increase sales conversations. To start, let's walk through the basics of brand assets before jumping into examples that show you how to leverage these essential branding elements. What are Brand Assets? Brand assets are recognizable elements that embody a company's identity. From logos and typography to taglines, brand assets make it easy to identify a business, help it stand out from competitors, and cue customer associations. Brand assets can include the following elements: Brand name Logo Color palette Packaging Slogans or taglines Songs or sounds Brand guidelines Mascots Typography Design elements Voice...

How to Develop Brand Architecture Just like every building needs a foundation, every business needs brand architecture. It's the structure that allows you to organize your offerings, develop a brand identity, and gain brand equity. The right brand architecture provides clarity around your products or services and influences how your brands and sub-brands relate to one another. Without this framework, there's no connection between your brand's offerings, messaging, and identity. This inconsistency can confuse consumers and dilute the overall value of the brand. (Think of it like walking through a building where every room has vastly different interior design). To ensure your brand architecture fits your business, this post will share the various brand architecture models, highlight real-life examples, and provide steps to choose the best structure for your company. What is brand architecture? Brand architecture is the organizational framework a company uses to structure its brands, sub-brands, and products or services. The framework helps define both the breadth and the depth of a brand, which makes it easier to develop marketing campaigns, identify growth opportunities, and ensure consumers understand the offerings. Image Source Companies use brand architecture to inform internal efforts. It acts as the foundation for the brand identity, style guide, and brand story, but it also helps increase efficiency by highlighting opportunities for cross-promotion, brand awareness, and mergers and acquisitions. Brand architecture isn't always obvious to consumers, who use it as a way to categorize the company and understand how it meets their needs. For example,...

What Are Brand Identity Elements? Branding is tough. It requires you to truly understand the message you want your business to convey to the world, and to understand your customers and what you want them to take away from your business. One of the key parts of branding is establishing brand elements, and, in this post, we’ll discuss what they are, and give examples that you can use for inspiration. Brand elements are essential because they help you develop a brand identity. Your brand identity dictates your business’ cohesive look, from how you communicate with customers, to editing style for your social media posts, the font you use in your YouTube video end screens — really everything. As they’re critical to business success, it’s essential to have brand elements for your business, and we’ll discuss each type below. Types of Brand Identity Elements 1. Brand Name A brand name is the words you use to identify your company and what you offer to the public, distinguishing you from your competitors. Coming up with a brand name may seem easy, but it can have huge connotations. For example, if you need to cover a scrape on your arm, you may say, “I need a Band-Aid.” The word Band-Aid is actually the name of a brand, while the actual product is an adhesive bandage. Yet, the general public usually says Band-Aid, using the name as a proper noun. Image Source 2. Logo Your business’ logo is vital to your branding as it...

The Ultimate Guide to Successfully Rebranding in 2020 When you're first starting a business, branding is likely the last thing on your mind. After all, it's hard to sit down and flip through fonts when you're still trying to figure out who your customers are (and where to find them). Plus, even if you made creating a brand identity a priority, in the beginning, a change in business plans might have made your initial branding strategy obsolete. Whether your branding design efforts started (and ended) with a logo jotted down on a napkin, or you whiteboarded your way through the complete branding process -- from brand values to logo variations -- somewhere along the way things stopped working. However you got here, you're not happy. Fortunately, rebranding is not uncommon -- many major brands, ranging from Dunkin' Donuts to Uber, have successfully rebranded in the past. If you're considering a rebrand, keep reading to learn how to rebrand a company, plus examples of other brands who've successfully rebranded their website, name, logo, or entire company mission, and purpose. Okay, now that we know what rebranding is, let's make sure you have the right reasons to rebrand. The Right (and Wrong) Reasons to Rebrand Rebrands are complicated and carry big risks. Even big brands aren't immune -- just look at Uber. After redesigning its logo, 44% of people were unsure of what Uber's logo represented.  Ultimately, knowing the risks of rebranding can help you determine whether or not you're...