When it comes to corporate consistency there are straightforward rules and brand development also has some 'best practices' worth reminding yourself of...
Whether you're an agency or hiring and external brand and design company to do rebrand your company or simply create a corporate document there should be a thing called Brand Guidelines in place.
These keep your company messages, values and actual brand at the heart of any and every project completed - keep your brand consistent and you keep your audience on board. Simple.
Only it's not actually very simple. There are so many messages out there telling you how to do something and how not to do another thing, which is why we're going to make it easier for you...
Here is a previous article we wrote on the journalistic rules for writing articles and advertisement material.
This post is going to be about those niggles that help keep a brand on track with an audience's perception - they must recognise you as the same company with the same ethos, so all of your marketing and messaging has to follow Brand Guidelines.
7 Consistencies You Can't Let Slide...
1. Font
If you use a font for your logo that transcribes into other elements of your brand keep to it - a font can really add to the impact and recognition your brand has to its audience.
2. Colours
Similarly, your logo and brand design is based on a particular colour wheel so continue to use these, rather than appearing to go completely off brand. A brand is only that when it is recognisable and consistent. You can include variations of your brand's colours but still remain familiar.
3. Messaging
How do you promote your products, services and offering? What is the value proposition that you assert? Ensure that your messaging is in line with the tone and voice that your brand adopts and ensure that it always stays the same (although it will obviously vary for platform).
4. Tone and Voice
What would your brand sound like if it had a voice? Change the voice to suit your marketing channel, i.e. from social media platforms to email marketing. However, be in keeping with the reasonable expectations your brand gives.
5. Positioning
Consider your brand's take on issues in the industry and how you voice your opinion - or not - on such issues.
6. Design Elements
Keep the same design elements on your printed and digital content. Whether your brand embraces white space or has a particular mascot which accompanies content, you should follow it through across your marketing materials.
7. The Experience
Overall, you must put the most focus on the experience that your customer has. Yes the visual elements and design should be consistent, but if your customer's experience doesn't transcend across all of your channels, something is going majorly wrong.
Be instantly recognisable and consistent, in more ways than just font choice and messaging style!
Remember...
Brand Guidelines are not formed overnight and they should be distributed across all levels of your team. More often than not the first, or a regular touch point, your client has with your company is the receptionist on the front desk. Does he / she know the Brand Guidelines for your company, let alone the importance of them?
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