Brand Guidelines Are So Much More Than Just a Logo, Font, and Colour Palette
Let’s set the record straight: brand guidelines are not just a pretty PDF with your logo, a few fonts, and a list of colours.
Sure, those things matter, but they’re just the tip of the brand iceberg. If that’s all your guidelines cover, you're missing critical elements that actually make your brand usable, strategic, and consistent.
Here’s what should be inside your brand guidelines, based on what we create for our clients at My Wolf Design.
1. Your Brand Strategy (Not Just the Vibe)
Before we design anything, we define your brand strategy. This includes:
Your archetype(s): These shape how your brand feels and behaves. Are you The Hero? The Creator? The Sage? This helps set the tone across visuals and copy.
Your values: These are your non-negotiables. What you stand for and what you’ll never compromise on.
Your core message: A one-liner that captures your brand’s promise or purpose.
Your personality: This includes tone, language, and how you want people to feel after interacting with your brand.
Why this matters: Your visuals should be rooted in strategy—not just what’s trendy. This foundation keeps everything consistent and intentional.
2. Voice & Tone Guidelines
Fonts are great—but what about the way you speak?
We include clear tone-of-voice direction, like:
What type of language to use (bold? elegant? cheeky?)
Sentence case vs. all caps (yep, that matters)
When to use more formal vs. casual copy
What not to say or sound like
This keeps your emails, Instagram captions, and website copy sounding like the same person (even if you’re not the one writing it all).
3. Visual Identity—With Rules That Make Sense
Yes, we’ll give you your:
Logos (primary, secondary, icon)
Fonts
Colour palette with HEX and CMYK codes
But here’s what we include that most people skip:
Logo usage rules (where, when, and how to use each version)
Contrast and accessibility notes (no more using light beige text on white backgrounds, please)
Colour use ratio (like: 80% primary, 20% secondary)
Minimum font sizes and formatting rules for different use cases
It’s not about being strict—it’s about making your brand look polished everywhere.
4. Real-World How-To’s
Your brand guidelines shouldn’t just sit on your desktop collecting digital dust.
We make them useful by including:
Where to use each file type (PNG vs. SVG vs. EPS—yes, they all have a purpose)
Print vendor suggestions (for luxe business cards, signage, etc.)
Font license links + instructions
Best practices for using your brand online and IRL
If someone new joins your team or you outsource something to a contractor, your brand guidelines should be able to guide them without you needing to explain a thing.
So, what should your brand guidelines actually include?
✅ Brand strategy
✅ Core message + values
✅ Archetype + personality
✅ Voice and tone guidance
✅ Logo variations + usage rules
✅ Font licensing and formatting
✅ Colour palette with use ratios
✅ Real-world how-to’s for file types, vendors, and printing
If your current “brand guidelines” don’t go this deep, it’s probably time to level up.
