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Brand Identity Standards
Table of Contents
PROMISES, PROMISES A company’s brand is its most powerful asset. Many brands are so strong that we can recognize them by only an icon or something as basic as a specific color. Your brand is more than a name, logo or tagline (slogan). It’s an expectation your customers have based on a promise you’ve made to them. It is vital that you convey a strong brand identity in today’s ever-changing and competitive marketplace. In every type of communication, marketing message and touchpoint you have with prospects or customers, you need to put out a unified look, tone and manner that identifies you as the preferred provider of the experiences you offer. Proper communication in both written and visual impressions is an invaluable asset in your overall marketing and servicing strategy.
MAKE A PROMISE “We must not promise what we ought not, lest we be called on to perform what we cannot” —Abraham Lincoln Honesty will always be the best policy. Your business is only as good as your word. What you promise is your bond with customers. Like any committed relationship, everything you do must reinforce the vow you make. No business starts off to become known for second-rate service, poor products or questionable quality. In business, reputation equals success—or failure. Both are earned. Establish and maintain a good reputation by consistently meeting and exceeding expectations from beginning to end. It starts by keeping your word.
Without fail, Insert Company Name (required)
What will you do, supply?
By (How will you do it?)
To (Why will you do it?
and satisfy our customers over and over again.
BRAND LOGOS WALK THE WALK This guide is a reference tool to help you communicate your brand with a singular look and “one voice.” Whenever your prospects and customers receive messages about your business, it is vital that you convey a strong, unified impression of the brand in their minds. This manual shows the tone and manner in which you must look and speak consistently as well as the standards for the usage of all of your logos.
BRAND LOGO COLORS Why were the logo colors chosen for your company? If you can’t answer that question, it’s unlikely your customers make the connection either. Creating a personality for your business is no different than creating an image for yourself. Your image influences how your prospects and customers think and feel about your brand. So fashion a persona that fits the personal style of your business, as well as your prospects and customers. Give careful consideration to coordinating colors whenever you design and communicate your brand. Every color has a different feel and a variety of associations. The following are some interpreted meanings of colors and what they can communicate: Red evokes aggressiveness, passion, strength and vitality Pink evokes femininity, innocence, softness and health. Orange evokes fun, cheeriness and warm exuberance. Yellow evokes positivity, sunshine and cowardice. Green evokes tranquility, health and freshness. Blue evokes authority, dignity, security and faithfulness. Purple evokes sophistication, spirituality, costliness, royalty and mystery. Brown evokes utility, earthiness, woodsy-ness and subtle richness. White evokes purity, truthfulness, being contemporary and refined. Gray evokes somberness, authority, practicality and a corporate mentality. Black evokes seriousness, distinctiveness, boldness and being classic.
Take a moment to think about why you chose, or would pick, specific colors to represent your business. The colors you select should be used consistently, whenever possible, to promote recognition of your brand identity.
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BRAND LOGO USAGE EXAMPLES Preferred Color Version Alternate Version Black-and-White Version Acceptable Reverse Version (When published in black-and-white, the logo should be reversed out in white.)
COPY STYLE STANDARDS TALK THE TALK What’s in a name? Depends on how it’s interpreted. When it has a highly-favorable connotation to prospects and customers, it translates into success! A brand by definition is completely distinctive. It’s a carefully choreographed combination of unique qualities that identify your good or service as special from those of other businesses. Lots of restaurants serve a double cheeseburgers; only one offers a Big Mac. Just as important as colors and consistent logo usage, consistency in messaging style is paramount in maintaining a strong brand image and “voice”.
COPY STYLE STANDARDS WRITE YOUR OWN VOWS How could you distinguish your brand promise from something comparable on the market? For example, there’s an instant emotional distinction between buying timeshare vs. Vacation Ownership. How you express what your brand offers instantly defines the experience for prospects and customer. Develop a distinct language that sets a positive tone and excites expectations right away. Take a moment to think about unique naming conventions, nomenclature and terminology that set your brand apart, as well as opportunities to redefine the experience.
Brand Name:
Existing Trademarks
Style and usage distinction: (For example; do you offer rooms, lodging, accommodations, guest quarters, etc.)
Style & Distinction
Existing Product/Offering Names
Products/Offering Redefined
KEEP YOUR WORD You took the leap. You made the commitment. Now, you are the guardian of a brand. It’s your baby. You are completely in charge of how it looks and feels, what it says and how it behaves. It’s okay to be a lot overprotective of it. Especially if you expect it to take care of you someplace down the road. Your brand should be your pride and joy. How carefully you look after it determines how swiftly and steadily it grows. Protect it. Nurture it. Prepare it for success. Provide consistent supervision and create an experience that fulfills (and exceeds) expectations every day. When you do, you’ll also find your brand leaves an indelible mark on your customers too.
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