Author Posted on Categories 2018, Branding + Packaging
You probably have heard the term “Style Guide” in your lifetime.
Wait… you haven’t? It’s fine, no sweat! A Style Guide is not Facebook, it’s not Twitter, it’s not Snapchat, it’s not LinkedIn, so it’s okay if you haven’t heard about it. But, believe it or not, it does have everything to do with Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and LinkedIn!
How so?
A Style Guide is basically a catalog that’s all about a company’s brand image. Every company has a unique set of colors they use to represent their brand. It is a passageway to assist the company to stand out in the crowded marketplace we all live in today. A successful brand image should have the ability to build a connection with their target customers through the products or services it sells.
Every company has an unique set of colors they use to represent their brand.
Imagine there are 5 different types of plain white sneakers in front of you without any brand names. What is your immediate reaction to them?
Now, how about 5 different types of colored sneakers from various brands? What are your initial feelings?
In the world we live today, there are tremendous amounts of stimuli that provoke our senses – sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. Each and every one of these senses connects to our brain (Well, duh!), translating into feelings. Feelings are great for our health, as they indicate to us what makes us happy, sad, and angry.
The purpose of a Style Guide is to promote a recognizable image a brand wishes to be perceived in the marketplace. Different types of companies focus on their brand image differently. A product-based company that designs, produces and sells goods in the marketplace often focuses heavily on its brand image, while a service-based company may focus more on the value provided to their customers.
20 to 30 years ago, it may have been fine not to have a full-blown brand image. However, things have evolved over time. A cohesive looking brand image is as important as delivering a great product and/or service.
The purpose of a Style Guide is to promote a recognizable image a brand wish to be perceived in the marketplace.
So when do you need a Style Guide?
Right off the bat when one starts to develop a company!
A Style Guide usually contains a few important things:
1// Company Mission and Value Proposition
2// Logo + Iconography
3// Slogan
4// Company Colors
Look at a Style Guide as a CV/Resume. A 30-year-old company brand style guide should not be compared to a start-up company brand style guide. Why? Because they have different amounts of brand presence in the marketplace! However, the 30-year-old company would definitely have more content in the Style Guide than a younger company – a heavier catalog that holds a longer timeline.
Treat Style Guide as a CV/Resume.
Where would the Style Guide come into play?
With the importance of online presence in today’s world, it’s expected that a company be easily found online. If you want to start a business, you need a well-thought-out brand image. Not having a well-thought-out brand image is like living without a backbone – you don’t want to end up with a floppy business!
Note that you don’t need a 100-page Style Guide when you are just starting your business; you just need a basic 10-page Style Guide that tells the company story.
Ready to make something awesome?
// Stephanie Ip
Stephanie is a Creative Director and Consultant, providing creative strategy development support to small and large scale businesses in the industries of Fashion and Soft Goods. She specializes in Design and Development. Learn more about her here.
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