The ten parts of a brand guide, and how to write each
The ten parts most brand guides have, from positioning and logo to voice and using AI. Each page says what the part needs, with published examples and wording.
Most brand guides cover these ten parts. Each page says what the part needs and quotes how published guides write it, with a note on each quote. Each page also gives wording to copy.
- 01Positioning and messagingWho the brand is for and what it says about itself.2 excerpts
- 02LogoVersions, clear space, minimum size and misuse.8 excerpts
- 03ColorExact values for screen and print, and how much of each color to use.8 excerpts
- 04TypographyFonts, weights and sizes, and where to get the files.7 excerpts
- 05Photography and imageryWhat to show and what to avoid.5 excerpts
- 06Icons and illustrationStyle rules and the source files.3 excerpts
- 07Voice and toneHow the brand sounds, and how that changes by situation.8 excerpts
- 08Words and styleSpelling, product names, and words to use and avoid.8 excerpts
- 09Layout and templatesGrids, spacing and the templates to start from.2 excerpts
- 10Using AIWhich tools to use, what AI can make, and who checks the work.8 excerpts
Which parts to write first
Start with the parts that people ask about most. For most teams, these are the logo, color, typography, and voice, because they are in almost every piece of work. Words and style comes next, when more than a few people write for the brand. Using AI is short, but write it early, because people already use AI tools.
What every part needs
In every part, the same six things make the rules easy to follow. They are an exact value, a right and a wrong example, where the rule applies, the reason, the real file, and a date.