Red Flags To Look For In Your Brand Guidelines
I know, I know... You hire a brand designer. Their work looks great. Their Instagram has tons of followers. Everything’s cute. But... do they actually know what they’re doing?
During my nine years of working as a brand designer for big agencies, small studios, and my own business, I’ve seen it all. I’ve encountered poorly crafted manuals, missing color codes (!!!!!), and no image style guidelines. Honestly, nothing surprises me anymore. So today, I decided to gather the most common mistakes I’ve seen again and again just for you.
Lack of Color Codes: Yes, PANTONE codes are great. But... where are the HEX codes? PANTONE is for printing. If you’re building a website, PANTONE won’t help. You need digital codes.
I've seen websites with completely different color shades just because there was no HEX code to follow. Is it the web designer’s fault? Nope. If the brand manual is poorly crafted, they can’t follow any real guidelines. Wanna hear worse? I've seen manuals with no color codes at all. Don’t even get me started... that’s the ultimate horror movie 😱
Useless Guidelines: A multi-million dollar digital art startup had a brand manual with two beautiful fonts that weren’t even used in their app. When I asked why, they said, “It doesn’t work for an app.” Valid answer. You might love a fancy serif font, but if it doesn’t fit your product, it’s useless. Think about usability, not just aesthetics.
Inconsistent Fonts / Missing Resources: You shouldn’t have to Google font names. If your designer isn’t providing a link or a resource to buy or download the fonts, they’re missing the mark. A font name alone isn’t enough.
I’ve seen brand owners using random fonts just because no one explained how to get the right ones. That’s not your fault; it’s poor delivery 🤷♀️
Color, Fonts... and Crickets: Yes, sometimes you book a simple branding package, and that’s okay! But even the most minimal brand guide should include:
When to use each color (and how much).
Font pairing rules.
Some real-life examples or mockups.
Without that, it’s just a color chart and some font names, not a strategy.
A well-crafted brand manual is essential for maintaining consistency across all platforms. It serves as a guide for everyone involved in your branding efforts. From designers to marketers, everyone needs to be on the same page.
A strong brand manual should cover several key elements:
Logo Usage: Guidelines on how to use your logo correctly.
Color Palette: Detailed color codes for both print and digital.
Typography: Fonts, sizes, and usage rules.
Imagery Style: Guidelines on the types of images that align with your brand.
Voice and Tone: How your brand communicates with its audience.
If you’re about to book your brand designer, I’m cheering you on. But make sure they know what they’re doing. Branding is an investment, and you deserve to make the most of it.
Remember, a well-structured brand manual can save you time and money in the long run. It ensures that everyone involved understands your brand's vision and can execute it effectively.
So, before you finalize your designer, ask them about their process. Make sure they provide a comprehensive brand manual. This will help you avoid common pitfalls and set your brand up for success.
