When it comes to creating a memorable brand identity, consistency reigns supreme.
Take a look at some of today’s most recognizable global businesses and how quickly you can name them in a matter of seconds — and you’ll realize how important building consistency is.
From McDonald’s gleaming golden arches to the legendary half-eaten piece of fruit that symbolized the ever-popular Apple, the slightest hint of such logos can instantaneously produce a feeling within the consumer that inspire action… and it’s all because of the brand.
So, what exactly is a brand and why revamp it? The basic definition of a brand is any name, term, design, symbol, or other feature that distinguishes one seller’s goods or services from those of other sellers. It’s about what sets McDonald’s apart from the thousands of other fast-food restaurants. It’s what drives customers to the nearest Apple store to buy their next smartphone.
What exactly are brand guidelines?
Your brand’s guidelines are the holy grail. In a nutshell, they are a set of tools and rules for applying your branding elements. From text spacing to which brand colors to use and when, these guidelines assist everyone, from designers to writers to outside agencies, in understanding how to use brand elements to create various marketing materials.
Brand guidelines and style guides are essential components of your marketing, whether you are a large, well-established organization or a young and inexperienced startup just starting out. Continue reading to learn why brand guidelines are so important.
Your visual communications should be consistent.
Brand guidelines are necessary to ensure that your brand’s identity is consistent across marketing materials and channels, in terms of both graphics and language used. Your brand identity influences the perceptions of your target audience, from the email signature a potential customer sees to the business card you exchange at a networking conference.
Ensuring the consistency of your brand identity through rules and instructions communicates to others that your company takes pride in the details, making it instantly recognizable and reliable. According to Forbes, presenting a brand consistently across all platforms can increase revenue by up to 23 percent. So it really pays to use brand guidelines to ensure your branding is consistent at all times.
Establish your brand’s rules and standards.
Guidelines give you control over how others use your brand, ensuring that the visual appearance is always of the highest quality and accurately reflects your brand. Brand guidelines should explain to users how various brand elements should be used to ensure consistency.
Brand guidelines become even more important as businesses and teams grow and more stakeholders become involved in processes and projects. Even when employees and marketing personnel come and go, the document’s rules ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to communicating the brand identity. Similarly, when working with outside agencies and suppliers, it is critical to have a set of ground rules.
Make your brand memorable.
This is perhaps the most obvious reason why companies should invest time in developing and maintaining brand guidelines. Because guidelines aim to ensure consistency, brands will become more recognizable over time. While brand recognition does not happen overnight, staying consistent with your brand will allow it to be more recognizable and easily distinguishable within your industry and target audience. Take Google as an example: its consistent use of brand colors has helped it become one of the world’s most recognizable brands today.
Make a good first impression
Your brand identity is the special recipe that allows you to shine and stand out from the crowd, just as your individual personality traits and character quirks make you so uniquely you. And, let’s be honest, with the digital era making it easier than ever to start a business, this crowd is busier than ever.
Are you in need of any help in developing guidelines to help get your brand on the right track? Reach us at Zest Creative, one of the best creative agencies in Pune.
