by Curt R. Jensen, Logoworks by HP
It’s summer blockbuster season, and for months the movie industry has been saturating the world with their “brands.” We know their logos. We can recognize each of their posters at a glance. And when we finally purchase our tickets and sit down in the theater, we are ready to fully engage with their “product.” When the movie finally starts, we are frequently confused as to whether or not we are actually in the right theater.
Take, for example, the Disney/Pixar film Monsters, Inc. I know, from their advertisements, it is going to be a computer animated film. And I have grown fond of their logo, with the simple treatment of the eye in the letter M.
But, to my confusion, the movie starts out in a retro hand drawn style. And, what’s even more baffling is that their title does not even resemble their well-established “brand.” Had I been living under a rock, and this was my first contact with the film, I would assume that I was watching a Tim Burton inspired cartoon from either Nickelodeon or the Cartoon Network.
Unlike Disney and Pixar, your small business cannot rely on your name alone to keep your customers in their seats. Ask yourself: “Is my business sending a consistent message across all communications?” “Does the branding on my marketing materials match my final product?” “Would a visitor to my website be able to recognize an invoice or letter from my company in the mail, or would it get thrown out with their junk mail?”
Here are four easy steps to help you establish your brand guidelines.
1. Art Direct Your Logo:
Art directing your logo simply means deciding how you want your logo to look in a variety of different situations. Be sure to include examples to illustrate each situation.
You may want to include:
• Full color version
• Grayscale version
• 1 color version in black
• 1 color version in white
You should also consider including:
• How your logo would look in a horizontal, vertical or square format.
• If your icon and/or company name can be used independently from the rest of your logo.
• If the colors of your logo be changed.
• How NOT to use your logo.
Here is a nice example from Lifetime Products. I like all of the examples they have provided to showcase how their logo should and should not be used.
Lifetime brand guidelines
2 – Compose Your Color Palette:
What colors do you want people to associate with your business? These colors could be drawn directly from your logo or could simple be used as an accent. The more specific you are, the better.
Be sure to include the following for each color:
• Pantone Number (used for print and promotional products)
• CMYK values (used for print)
• RGB values (used for web applications)
You should also consider including:
• When and where each of these colors should be used.
• What color you would like used for your text.
Here is an example from the Weather Channel. I like how they have named all of their colors: their primary color is “The Weather Channel Blue,” and their secondary colors are “Weather Blue 1-4” and “Weather Yellow 1-4.” I also like how they call out that their secondary color palette allows them to tailor their message to specific seasons.
The Weather Channel brand guidelines
3 – Edit Your Fonts:
Believe it or not, but even the fonts you use are an extension of your brand. Narrow yourself down to only 1 or 2 fonts. If the fonts you select are not common to all Microsoft and Apple platforms, it is a good idea to have these fonts on hand so you can share them with your employees and designers.
You may want to call out which fonts to use for:
• Titles
• Headlines
• Subheads
• Body copy
You also may want to include:
• When to use bold or italics.
• A secondary set of “web safe” fonts for online applications.
Here is an example from the state of Utah. They do a great job at explaining how to use their fonts. I particularly like that since they do not use a standard set of fonts, they have included where their fonts can be purchased.
Utah brand guidelines
4 – Script Your Message:
You may be frequently asked to provide a description for your company. By establishing these descriptions now, not only will you save your company time in the long run, but is also gives you control over what is said about your company to make sure it is consistent across all mediums.
You may want to include:
• Tagline
• Short Descriptions:
• 25 characters including spaces
• 50 characters including spaces
• 100 characters including spaces
• Longer Descriptions:
• 10 words
• 25 words
• 50 words
You may also want to include:
• Examples of how to properly write your company name and/or url.
• If your company name can be abbreviated.
• When and where to use trademark, copy right, and registered trademark symbols.
• Who to contact for additional copy requests.
Here is an example from eBay. I like how they illustrate what words you should use when referring to their site: “Say, ‘Find just about anything at eBay’ or ‘… on eBay.’ Don’t say, ‘Buy stuff in or from eBay.’”
eBay brand guidelines
Consistency is key to creating brand recognition and establishing trust with your customers. By establishing guidelines for your brand and distributing it to everyone that has direct contact with your customers or is responsible for designing your creative, you will build a stronger value for your brand and stand out against your competition.
Disclaimer: Monsters, Inc. belongs to Disney and Pixar. No copyright infringement is intended.
About the Author:
Curt Jensen is the strategic marketing designer for Logoworks, Logomaker, and Marketsplash by HP, and helped create the brand guidelines for each of these companies. He was the art director for the cult classic film, Napoleon Dynamite, and his designs have been featured in GDUSA magazine, The Secret Lives of Logos, The Business of Design, and the upcoming LogoLounge 6. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University.
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