The Building Blocks Of A Strong Brand

I usually talk about the marketing and comms side of branding – what you say, how you show up, the messages that connect with your audience. But today, I’m crossing to the dark side – and talking design (because I guess visuals matter as much as your voice 😉). Specifically: logo suites and style guides.

Because if your brand is still limping along with a single JPEG logo from 2012, this one’s for you. Let’s break it down…

What’s in a logo suite (aka the essential files every business should have):
• Full colour logo (duh, but I’m being thorough here!)
• Mono logo (black on white)
• Transparent PNG (for digital use like websites, email sigs)
• CMYK logo file (for print use like signage, flyers, uniforms)
• SVG or EPS file (so your logo never goes fuzzy no matter the size)
• Facebook profile pic (bc cut off logos on socials = not cool)

What’s in a style guide (aka how to keep your branding consistent):
• Your brand colour palette – with Pantone, RGB, CMYK and HEX codes
• Typography – primary fonts (for headings), secondary fonts (for body copy), and how/when to use them

Note: holy dooley do people go cuh-razy with style guides. If you have a big/complicated brand, then unfortunately you probs do need something more in-depth but if you are like most businesses – then this is what you’ll find you actually use.

So why does this matter? Because your brand is your identity. It builds recognition, sets expectations + (whether you like it or not) helps people decide if they trust you. Design doesn’t need to be fancy – but it does need to be consistent.

And if you don’t have this stuff? Ask your designer. Or ask us.
We love a good tidy-up. Especially when it makes your brand look like it’s got its act together.

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