Right now, as you read this, someone is out there blindly creating content for your brand. As they recklessly hammer away on the keyboard or use the incorrect font on a designed pamphlet, one thing is clear: nothing is going to be consistent without a brand guide. A brand guide is a brand’s best friend and should be the bible for your content creators. Luckily, brand guidelines don’t require a divine intervention or 1,500 years to write. All you need is time, coffee, and a dedicated group of writers and designers to organize and document all of the key elements that make up your brand. With that said, it’s not easy, a lot of critical decisions will be made, but after the smoke settles, your brand will be far more focused and united than it’s ever been before. So, without further ado, here’s why every company should get crackin’ on a brand guide.
It Sets The Rules and Standards of Your brand
Without certain rules set in place, your brand’s core identity is subject to change. Its look and feel, its voice and tone, even its purpose and vision, are all at risk. As of now, your brand relies heavily on a collective impression; a general vibe of the way things should be. As you can imagine, this will eventually weaken the integrity of your brand since its core identity varies from person to person. Having a brand guide also helps avoid confusion. No one will ever wonder what the proper amount of clear space around the logo is since it’ll clearly be stated in the brand guide.
Consistency, Consistency, Consistency
Along with a few growing pains, your company might go through a bit of an identity crisis as it begins to expand. Before you know it, various departments will start haphazardly representing your brand without any sense of direction. “What’s our tagline again?” one might ask. “Do we use oxford commas?” another might shriek. Don’t panic. Just refill your coffee and get down to business. Brand guidelines help your company represent itself in a clear and uniform manner. By making your brand visuals and communications consistent, you’ll be able to increase brand recognition, which will eventually lead to brand loyalty. Let’s face it, there’s a lot of competition out there, and it’s already hard enough to get noticed. After all, who’s going to remember your brand when all three of your billboards around town look completely different? Do yourself a favor, do your company a favor and make a brand guide.
It Greatly Aids The Creative Process
Imagine you’re a freelance writer sitting down for the first time to write content for an unfamiliar brand. Even after researching its market and target audience, you may find it difficult to begin. In fact, whatever you do end up writing would be a shot in the dark, and the results, no matter how eloquently written, would just be glorified guesswork. Without brand guidelines to, well, guide you, you’re like Jon Snow with a keyboard, you know nothing. And the weight of uncertainty is only lifted when you have the proper guidelines to reference. Having access to essential brand information such as voice, tone, and graphic elements will be invaluable for your company and the marketing agencies or freelancers that represent you. No matter your branding needs, have faith that Versa Creative, a Houston-based advertising agency, can develop comprehensive brand guides and unparalleled strategies to help execute your company’s vision. To learn more, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google Plus, and Linkedin. At Versa Creative, we strive to dream boldly and make an impact through powerful brands. See our work for yourself on our new website!
