Section 1: Our brand
Your brand’s personality. It is here where you tap into your brand’s
DNA to explain that special something unique to you - what your
organisation stands for - your values, USP’s, heritage, future
vision, mission, strapline and so on.
Make this section interesting and inspiring, use graphical
shapes to pull out important information, introduce
images, and think about a timeline to illustrate your
story so far. Keep your text to a minimum; remember
you are expecting people to retain important
information so say what you need to say but don’t be
concerned about word counts.
Section 2: Communication
Know your audience. How you communicate is
an essential part of the brand story. You will no
doubt have a wide range of audiences who you are
connected to that are interested in what you do and
say. Therefore, it is important to think about what you
are saying and how you deliver it. This section addresses
key areas to follow when delivering any communication,
either written, verbal or visual. It will help guide you in
language, expression, selection of imagery, method of delivery
– how to focus on and achieve the desired outcome.
A note of caution... From the moment you answer the phone, greet
a visitor or write an email, people are judging your brand. Think about
this and make yours a five star experience – every time.
Section 3: Brand identity
More than just a logo. This section of the guide provides clear and practical
rules for communicating your brand visually, interpreting your brand
strategy and architecture. Applicable to all your internal and external
communications, these rules convey your brand essence through
distinctive and memorable visual identity.
Everyone involved within the organisation needs to
understand and follow these guidelines. They will help
when creating communications material. A brand identity
consists of a series of elements that work together in
a unique, yet consistent way. Learning how to use
these elements takes skill, experience and a thorough
understanding of the reasons and outcomes required.
Section 4: Design examples
Putting it into practice. This section provides visual
examples of the brand in action. Some pages may
show examples of bespoke designs that can be
commissioned; others might be examples of layouts
to follow when preparing an internal communication
such as the “dreaded” PowerPoint presentation.
Templates may also be found here.
By following these brand design guidelines, every piece
of communication and marketing material will help create
and improve your brand image in the eye of whoever you
are communicating with. Using the power of words, images,
colour and experience, will bring your brand’s story to life across
all communication touch points.