You've invested in brand strategy. You've developed positioning, messaging, visual identity. Everything looks great.
Then reality sets in.
The sales team creates a deck with the wrong logo. Marketing uses colors that aren't in the palette. A new hire writes website copy in a completely different tone. The engineering team picks a random font for the product UI. Your investor update uses a logo someone pulled from Google Images — stretched and pixelated.
Six months later, your brand is fragmented. The consistency you worked to create has dissolved into chaos. Every touchpoint feels slightly different. Customers sense something is off, even if they can't articulate what.
This is what happens without brand guidelines.
Brand guidelines are the documentation that ensures everyone — internal teams, external partners, agencies, freelancers — executes the brand consistently. They're the bridge between brand strategy and brand execution.
Marty Neumeier captures the core challenge:
"The central problem of brand-building is getting a complex organization to execute a simple idea."— Marty Neumeier, The Brand Gap
Even a small startup is complex enough to fragment brand consistency. Guidelines are how you maintain coherence as the company scales.
This guide covers:
Let's build documentation that actually gets used.
A complete brand guideline document covers both strategic foundation and tactical execution.
Brand Overview
This section ensures anyone using the guidelines understands why the brand exists and who it's for. Tactical rules make more sense when grounded in strategy.
Brand Personality
Logo
Color Palette
Typography
Imagery
Supporting Elements
Messaging
Tone of Voice
Writing Guidelines
Digital
Environmental
Asset Library
Contacts
Not every startup needs the same level of documentation. Match guidelines depth to your stage and needs.
What you need:
At this stage, you're moving fast with a small team. Comprehensive guidelines are overkill. Focus on essentials:
Format: Google Drive folder + Notion page is sufficient.
Time investment: 2-4 hours to organize.
Goal: Ensure founders and early employees have what they need. Prevent obvious inconsistencies. Don't over-engineer.
What you need:
Team is growing. Marketing is ramping. External partners (agencies, freelancers) are involved. You need real documentation:
Format: Notion workspace or simple Frontify setup.
Time investment: 1-2 weeks to create comprehensive guidelines.
Goal: Enable new team members and external partners to execute brand correctly without hand-holding.
What you need:
You're scaling. Multiple teams, multiple markets, multiple touchpoints. Brand consistency requires serious infrastructure:
Format: Dedicated brand management platform (Frontify, Zeroheight) or custom brand portal.
Time investment: Ongoing — guidelines become living documentation with dedicated ownership.
Goal: Maintain brand consistency at scale across global teams, partners, and agencies.
The traditional format. A designed document, usually 20-100 pages.
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Mature brands with stable guidelines, external distribution where format control matters, print-centric applications.
Lightweight documentation in collaborative tools.
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Early-stage startups, internal-only guidelines, fast-moving brands that iterate frequently.
Purpose-built tools: Frontify, Zeroheight, Bynder, Brandfolder.
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Series B+ companies, organizations with multiple brand users, companies with complex asset libraries.
Custom-built website for brand documentation.
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Large companies with resources, brands where guidelines are public/external-facing.
Brand documentation within design tools (Figma libraries, Sketch libraries).
Pros:
Cons:
Best for: Design teams specifically. Should complement, not replace, broader guidelines.
Guidelines that don't get used are worthless. Structure for usability, not comprehensiveness.
Progressive disclosure: Lead with essentials, provide depth for those who need it. Not everyone needs to read everything. Quick-start sections for common tasks, detailed sections for edge cases.
Show, don't tell: Examples communicate faster than rules. For every guideline, show correct usage. Show incorrect usage. Visual demonstration beats verbal explanation.
Make it scannable: Use clear headers, visual hierarchy, and table of contents. People skim for what they need. Help them find it fast.
Provide context: Explain why, not just what. Rules without rationale feel arbitrary. When people understand the reasoning, they make better judgment calls in unlisted situations.
Include don'ts: What not to do is as important as what to do. Common mistakes, incorrect usage examples, and anti-patterns prevent problems before they happen.
Enable action: End sections with what to do next. Where to get assets. Who to contact with questions. How to request exceptions.
1. Quick Start (1-2 pages)
For people who need basics fast:
2. Brand Overview (2-5 pages)
For understanding context:
3. Logo (5-10 pages)
Complete logo guidance:
4. Color (3-5 pages)
Color system:
5. Typography (3-5 pages)
Type system:
6. Imagery (3-5 pages)
Visual content guidance:
7. Voice and Tone (5-10 pages)
Verbal identity:
8. Applications (varies)
Specific touchpoint guidance:
9. Resources
Everything needed:
Clear table of contents: Every page should be accessible from clear navigation.
Search functionality: For digital guidelines, search is essential. People look for specific things.
Cross-references: Link related sections. Logo section links to color section when discussing logo colors.
Index or glossary: For comprehensive guidelines, include searchable index of terms.
Static guidelines decay. Brands evolve. New applications emerge. Teams change. Guidelines must be living documents that grow with the brand.
Assign ownership: Someone must own the guidelines. Clear responsibility for:
Define update process: How do changes happen?
Version control: Track what changed when:
Guidelines should be reviewed/updated when:
Create ways for users to surface issues:
Feedback reveals gaps, confusion, and evolving needs.
Guidelines alone aren't enough. Supplement with:
Brand onboarding: Walk new hires through guidelines. Explain the why, not just the what.
Team-specific training: Marketing team needs different depth than engineering. Tailor training to roles.
Refreshers: When guidelines update significantly, communicate changes actively. Don't assume people will notice.
Office hours: Periodic time for anyone to ask brand questions. Surfaces issues, builds relationships.
Use this template as a starting point. Customize for your brand.
Version: 1.0Last Updated: [Date]Contact: [brand@company.com]
Need something fast? Start here.
Logo files: [Link to folder]Primary color: [#HEXCODE]Font: [Font name] — [Download/license link]Questions? Contact [name] at [email]
[2-3 sentences describing the company — what you do, for whom, why it matters]
[Description of target audience — who they are, what they need, what they care about]
For [target customer]Who [need or opportunity],[Brand] is a [category]That [key benefit].Unlike [alternatives],[Brand] [key differentiation].
We are:
[Image of primary logo]
Our primary logo should be used in most applications. It consists of [description — wordmark, symbol, combination].
Download: [Link to logo files]
[Images of variations: horizontal, stacked, symbol only, wordmark only]
VariationUse WhenPrimary (horizontal)Default for most applicationsStackedWhen horizontal space is limitedSymbol onlyWhen brand recognition is established (app icon, favicon)Wordmark onlyWhen a lighter presence is appropriate
[Image showing clear space around logo]
Maintain minimum clear space equal to [X] around the logo. No other elements should intrude on this space.
[Image showing minimum sizes]
Below these sizes, legibility suffers.
[Images of logo in different color configurations]
BackgroundLogo VersionWhite/light backgroundsFull color or [primary color]Dark backgroundsWhite (reversed)Colored backgroundsWhite or single-color, ensuring contrast
[Grid of incorrect usage examples with X marks]
Do not:
Available formats:
Download: [Link to organized folder with all files]
[Color swatches]
[Primary Color Name]
[Secondary Primary Color Name] (if applicable)
[Color swatches]
[Color Name]
[Repeat for each secondary color]
For UI and communication states:
Success: #XXXXXXError: #XXXXXXWarning: #XXXXXXInfo: #XXXXXX
[Grayscale palette]
[Color names with hex values]
[Font Name]
[Alphabet specimen image]
[Font Name] is our primary typeface for all communications. It expresses [personality attributes] through its [design characteristics].
Weights available: Light, Regular, Medium, Semibold, BoldStyles: Roman, Italic
Download/Access: [Link — Google Fonts, Adobe Fonts, or licensed file]
[Font Name] (if applicable)
[Alphabet specimen image]
Used for [specific contexts — code blocks, accents, etc.].
Element Font Weight Size Line
[Example photos showing approved style]
Subjects: [What we photograph — people, products, environments, abstract]
Composition:
Lighting:
Color treatment:
People:
[Examples of photos NOT to use]
[Sample icons in approved style]
Style: [Line/filled, stroke weight, corner radius]Size: Icons on [8px] gridColor: [Single color/multi-color], using brand palette
Icon library: [Link to library — Figma, custom, licensed set]
[Sample illustrations]
Style: [Description — flat, dimensional, abstract, etc.]Color: Brand palette onlyCharacters: [If people, describe style and diversity]
When to use: [Specific contexts — explanatory content, empty states, marketing]
Creating new illustrations: Contact [person/team]
Our voice is:
[Attribute 1]: We [description of how this manifests in communication].
[Attribute 2]: We [description].
[Attribute 3]: We [description].
Our voice remains consistent. Our tone adapts to context.
ContextToneMarketing/websiteConfident, engagingProduct UIClear, helpfulSupport/helpWarm, patientError messagesCalm, solution-focusedLegal/complianceProfessional, precise
Do:
Don't:
Before (generic corporate):"Our innovative solution leverages cutting-edge technology to deliver best-in-class results."
After (our voice):"We help you get better results. Here's how."
Before (too technical):"Configure the API endpoint to enable data synchronization across your infrastructure."
After (our voice):"Connect your tools so your data stays in sync. Here's the setup guide."
[Screenshots or mockups]
[Profile image and cover specifications]
Profile image: Logo symbol, [X]px, centered on [color] backgroundCover images: [Dimensions] per platform
[Example posts showing approved style]
[Screenshot of template]
Template: [Link to Google Slides/PowerPoint template]
[Name]
[Title]
[Company Name]
[email] | [phone]
[website]
Signature generator: [Link if applicable]
[Image of business card design]
Specifications:
Order: Contact [person] or use [link]
AssetLinkLogo files (all formats)[Link]Color palette (ASE, CLR)[Link]Font files / licensing[Link]Icon library[Link]Presentation template[Link]Social media templates[Link]Email signature[Link]
Brand questions: [email]Design requests: [email/form]Asset requests: [email]
For new brand applications or exceptions:
VersionDateChanges1.0[Date]Initial guidelines release
Learn from companies that do guidelines well:
Spotify Design — Extensive design system covering principles, components, and accessibility. Shows how a large organization maintains consistency.
IBM Design Language — Enterprise-scale guidelines with deep coverage of philosophy, elements, and applications.
Atlassian Design System — Product-focused design system with brand foundations and component library integrated.
Uber Brand — Clean, visual-first guidelines with strong emphasis on showing vs. telling.
Mailchimp Content Style Guide — The gold standard for voice and tone documentation. Comprehensive, practical, and personality-rich.
Shopify Polaris — Combines design system with content guidelines. Strong integration of verbal and visual.
Linear Brand — Clean, focused guidelines appropriate for a growth-stage startup.
Notion Brand — Simple asset page that covers essentials efficiently.
Guidelines buried in a folder somewhere get ignored. People use what they can find.
Fix: Make guidelines discoverable. Link from onboarding docs. Pin in Slack. Include in team wiki. Make access frictionless.
Overly complex documentation intimidates users. If it takes an hour to find the logo, people will grab whatever's handy.
Fix: Progressive disclosure. Quick-start section for common needs. Depth for those who need it. Clear navigation.
Beautiful documentation of logo rules is useless without actual logo files to download.
Fix: Every guideline should link directly to the asset it describes. Make downloading effortless.
Guidelines that don't match current brand create confusion. People don't know what's actually correct.
Fix: Living documentation with clear ownership. Scheduled reviews. Version control. Update when brand evolves.
Without clear ownership, guidelines drift into irrelevance. No one updates them. No one answers questions. No one enforces standards.
Fix: Assign brand guardian. Define update process. Create feedback channels. Review regularly.
"Don't do X" without explanation feels arbitrary. People ignore arbitrary rules.
Fix: Explain why. Context helps people make good decisions in situations the guidelines don't cover.
Seed-stage startups don't need 100-page guidelines. They need a folder with logo files and a one-page summary.
Fix: Match guidelines depth to stage. Start minimal, expand as needed. Don't create documentation debt.
Before publishing guidelines, verify:
☐ Brand overview provides strategic context☐ Logo section covers all variations and rules☐ Color palette includes all values and formats☐ Typography section specifies fonts and hierarchy☐ Imagery direction is clear with examples☐ Voice and tone are documented with examples☐ Key applications are covered☐ Asset downloads are accessible
☐ Quick-start section for common needs exists☐ Navigation is clear and scannable☐ Search functionality works (for digital)☐ Examples demonstrate rules visually☐ Don'ts are shown, not just do's☐ Contact information is prominent
☐ Ownership is assigned☐ Update process is defined☐ Version control is in place☐ Feedback mechanism exists☐ Review schedule is set
☐ Guidelines are discoverable to all who need them☐ Access permissions are appropriate☐ Training/onboarding includes guidelines overview☐ External partners have appropriate access
Brand guidelines are the bridge between strategy and execution. They ensure everyone — today's team and tomorrow's hires, internal employees and external partners — executes your brand correctly.
Good guidelines are:
Invest in documentation proportional to your stage. Start simple, expand as you scale. But don't skip it — even basic guidelines prevent the brand fragmentation that costs far more to fix later.
Your brand will be executed thousands of times by dozens of people. Guidelines are how you ensure they all feel like the same brand.
If you're developing brand guidelines — or finding that lack of documentation is causing consistency problems — we can help.
Metabrand creates brand guidelines for tech startups, from lightweight documentation for early-stage companies to comprehensive systems for scaling organizations. We build guidelines that actually get used.
Or continue with the guide:
Part of the Startup Branding Guide by Metabrand.
