If there is one thing that I have learned in the 30+ years that I have been in the brand-building industry, it is that most companies do not have an understanding of how important a brand style guide or corporate identity manual is, and why it is super essential when you are trying to build your company’s brand. I would like to go as far as to say that a Brand Style Guide is the best gift you can give your brand in 2026.
What is a Brand Style Guide?
Essentially, a brand style guide or corporate identity manual, as some might call it, is a document that contains all the various elements that your brand consists of. In its most basic form, you would include elements such as the logo, its dimensions, company colours, and company fonts.
The difference between a Brand Style Guide and Corporate Identity Manual
A Brand Style Guide (sometimes called a brand guidelines document) is more specific to the practical application of the brand’s visual and verbal elements. It provides detailed rules about how to use the logo, color definitions, typography, imagery, and messaging. The style guide ensures consistency in how the brand appears and sounds across marketing materials, digital platforms, and communications, often with “dos and don’ts” for design and tone.
A Corporate Identity Manual is broader and focuses on the company as a whole. It includes not only the visual elements like logo, color palette, and fonts, but also communicates the company’s mission, values, culture, tone of voice, behavior, and how the company presents itself to the public and stakeholders. It reflects who the company is at a corporate level and guides consistent presentation and communication both internally and externally.
The practicalities of a Brand Style Guide
Over the 30+ years of being in the brand-building industry, I have been involved in the development and compilation of corporate identity manuals of companies such as Tsogo Sun and all its various divisions, as well as smaller entities such as Laerskool Orion and Merchant Business Class Hotel. The reality is that a Merchant Business Class Hotel does not need the detail and extent that a Tsogo Sun requires in their Corporate Identity Manual, but knowing that you should use a Horatio font as opposed to a Times Roman or Calibri font for your headings makes all the world of difference in extending your brand message into the world.
Yes, I know you might think that this sounds seriously pedanditc, but imagine a world where everyone keeps on following their own creative senses. Your brand will be pulling in every possible cardinal direction available on a compass. And guess where that will take your brand?
The Age Old Secretaries Curse
I started in the brand-building industry in 1993 at Ideadata. The ultimate presentation development and design company in Johannesburg at the time. Windows has just come out. Harvard Graphics was still a thing before PowerPoint saw the light of day! One of the first things that I learned in my training was the issue of secretaries, who realised that they could design their own stuff. Their own fancy fonts in their email signatures, their own colours in presentations. They felt empowered and on top of their own creative dream.
Everyone in their own direction.
The sad reality is that whether you actually possess a creative bone in your body or not, you should not display it at work. The age-old secretary’s curse is still omnipresent today, 30+ years later, and should be managed. No matter how small or large your company is.
Should Creativity not be Encouraged?
If you follow my addVentures Academy blogs, you would know that I am the first person to advocate that creativity should be encouraged. Pretty much on every level of our businesses, except in accounting. But there is a time and place for everything. We cannot allow each individual in the company to run in their own direction. It defeats the object of brand building. Think of the Babble of Confusion that it will create if you allow everyone to exert their creativity.
True, it is possible to come across a team member with a really creative idea that fits within your marketing plans, but then it should be discussed and documented. If there is a very good reason why you should be changing from an #3E4095 Hex Blue to a #314152 Hex Navy Blue, I do suggest you document it and keep on using your new blue going forward. But there should be a very good reason for it. You cannot allow any Tom Dick & Harry to keep on using different shades of blue, just because they like it.
What should be inside your Brand Style Guide?
As mentioned above, the sky is the limit in detail that you can add to your corporate identity manual or even your brand style guide. At the very least, you should have the following listed:
Brand Story: A summary of your brand’s core values and unique positioning that captures the essence of the brand.
Logo Guidelines: Include all logo variations, rules for proper use, sizing, clear space, and examples of incorrect usage to maintain visual integrity. This also includes what to do when using a dark background or whether or not your logo may be used on a coloured background.
Color Palette: Define primary and secondary colors with specific color codes (HEX, RGB, CMYK, Pantone), and guidelines on how colors can be combined or should not be combined.
Typography: Specify font styles, sizes, weights, and guidelines on how and when to use each font for headings, body text, and other communications.
Imagery and Iconography: Instructions on the style of photography, illustrations, icons, and other visual elements that reflect the brand’s personality. This could possibly change based on certain themes that are brought out from one year to another, but should still fit in consistently.
Brand Voice and Tone: Guidance on the language style, tone, and voice to be used in written communication, including grammar rules, messaging style, and emotional appeal. This could also include whether you are allowed to use US English as opposed to UK English.
Corporate Clothing, Gifts, Banners & Flags: Your Brand Style Guide should ideally list what type of clothing, gifts, as well as banners & flags to use in order to fit in with your brand style. In case you did not know it, there are a zillion different styles to choose from. Choosing the right style to fit in with your brand is highly important for effective brand building.
Every item you spend your valuable budget on should add to the brand story you deliver to the world. In case you did not know this, addShine, together with addVentures Communication are expert in this field!
Usage Examples: Visual and written examples showing how to apply the brand elements consistently across marketing materials, websites, social media, and other channels.
Additional Elements: May include templates, social media guidelines, tagline usage, and any special instructions unique to the brand.
Your Logo for Branding Requirements
If there is one constant when having to brand clothing & gifts for new clients, it is the lack of quality of logos on hand. Very few of our new clients have vector logos available. In most cases, we are given low-DPI bitmap images. And when you are dealing with a serious deadline, this becomes a nightmare and lots of last-minute costs to sort out the artwork.
Not sure what the difference is between a vector and a bitmap logo or artwork? Click here to read a more detailed explanation. In short, you need a vector logo if you want a quality print or embroidery. After all, you are paying a lot of money for the items that you are branding, so why spoil it with low-quality artwork? And yes, addVentures Communication can assist you, but ideally, this should be done once and then stored in your brand library for everyone in your company to have access to.
The Moral of the Brand Style Story
Yes, I understand that having a Brand Style Guide is not that crucial for you right at the moment. Especially at the end of the year, when it is one mad rush to get everything done before the awesome Summer Holidays. If you cannot find the time now, book the compilation of your Brand Style Guide as a priority for the first thing in the new year.
If you are serious about building your brand story to the maximum, this is one exercise that you should diarise. Give the girls at addShine a call asap. We would be delighted to point you in the right direction.
