CMO · Template · Intermediate · Saves 100+ hours
Brand Guidelines Template (Complete)
A comprehensive brand guidelines template that you can customize for your company. Includes both the visual template and written content structure. Not a 10-page PDF - a real operating document.
What's included
- Section 1: Brand Foundation
- Mission, vision, values
- Brand story and narrative
- Positioning and messaging
- Section 2: Logo System
- Primary logo and variants
- Clear space and sizing
- Logo misuse examples
- File formats and usage
- Section 3: Color System
- Primary and secondary palettes
- Color accessibility guidelines
- Application examples
- Digital and print specifications
- Section 4: Typography
- Primary and secondary typefaces
- Type scale and hierarchy
- Application guidelines
- Font pairing rules
- Section 5: Imagery
- Photography style guide
- Illustration guidelines
- Icon system
- Image treatment rules
- Section 6: Voice & Tone
- Voice characteristics
- Writing guidelines
- Do's and don'ts
- Examples by channel
- Section 7: Applications
- Business cards, letterhead
- Presentations
- Social media
- Digital advertising
- Website components
- Section 8: Governance
- Approval processes
- Brand contacts
- Update procedures
Best used when
- Building brand guidelines from scratch
- Updating outdated guidelines
- Hiring designers or agencies
- Scaling to multiple markets/products
- Establishing brand governance
Why this is Gold
Most brand guidelines are either too thin to be useful or too complex to be followed. This template hits the sweet spot - comprehensive enough to answer real questions, structured enough to be navigable, with enough examples that people actually understand what's expected.
The template
SECTION 1: BRAND FOUNDATION
Our Mission
Our Vision
Our Values
| Value | What It Means | How We Live It |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | ||
| 2. | ||
| 3. | ||
| 4. | ||
| 5. |
Our Brand Story
Our Positioning Statement
SECTION 2: LOGO SYSTEM
Primary Logo
[Insert primary logo here]
Usage Guidelines:
- Minimum size: ___px / ___inches
- Clear space: Equal to [X] height on all sides
- Primary background: _______________
- File formats available: SVG, PNG, EPS, PDF
Logo Variations
| Variation | Use Case | File Name |
|---|---|---|
| Full color | Default usage | logo-full-color |
| Reversed | Dark backgrounds | logo-reversed |
| Black | Single-color printing | logo-black |
| White | Dark backgrounds | logo-white |
| Icon only | Favicons, avatars | logo-icon |
Logo Don'ts
- Don't stretch or distort
- Don't change colors
- Don't add effects (shadows, gradients)
- Don't place on busy backgrounds
- Don't rotate
- Don't use old versions
- Don't recreate or redraw
SECTION 3: COLOR SYSTEM
Primary Colors
| Color Name | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | # | R: G: B: | C: M: Y: K: | |
| Secondary | # |
Secondary Colors
| Color Name | HEX | RGB | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| # | |||
| # | |||
| # |
Neutral Colors
| Color Name | HEX | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Dark | # | Headlines, body text |
| Medium | # | Secondary text |
| Light | # | Backgrounds |
| White | #FFFFFF | Backgrounds |
Color Usage Ratios
- Primary: ___% of design
- Secondary: ___% of design
- Neutrals: ___% of design
- Accent: ___% of design
Accessibility
All color combinations must meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards:
- Normal text: 4.5:1 contrast ratio minimum
- Large text: 3:1 contrast ratio minimum
SECTION 4: TYPOGRAPHY
Primary Typeface
[Font Name]
| Weight | Use Case | CSS |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | Headlines | font-weight: 700 |
| Medium | Subheads | font-weight: 500 |
| Regular | Body copy | font-weight: 400 |
Fallback Stack: [Font], -apple-system, Arial, sans-serif
Secondary Typeface (if applicable)
[Font Name]
| Weight | Use Case |
|---|---|
Type Scale
| Element | Size | Line Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| H1 | px | ||
| H2 | px | ||
| H3 | px | ||
| H4 | px | ||
| Body | px | ||
| Small | px | ||
| Caption | px |
Typography Don'ts
- Don't use unapproved fonts
- Don't set body copy smaller than ___px
- Don't use all caps for more than 3 words
- Don't stretch or compress type
SECTION 5: IMAGERY
Photography Style
We use images that are:
We avoid images that are:
Photography Guidelines
| Aspect | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Subject matter | |
| Lighting | |
| Color treatment | |
| Composition | |
| People |
Illustration Style (if applicable)
- Style: _______________
- Line weight: _______________
- Color palette: _______________
Iconography
- Style: [Outlined / Filled / Duo-tone]
- Stroke width: ___px
- Corner radius: ___px
- Primary icon color: _______________
SECTION 6: VOICE & TONE
Our Voice Is:
Our Voice Is NOT:
Writing Guidelines
| Rule | Our Standard |
|---|---|
| Contractions | Yes / No |
| Sentence length | Short / Medium / Long |
| Oxford comma | Yes / No |
| Exclamation points | Never / Sparingly / Often |
Tone by Channel
| Channel | Tone Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Website | |
| Social | |
| Sales | |
| Support |
SECTION 7: APPLICATIONS
Business Cards
[Insert template/specifications]
Specifications:
- Size: 3.5" x 2" (standard)
- Paper: _______________
- Finish: _______________
Email Signatures
[Name]
[Title]
[Company Name]
[Email] | [Phone]
[Website]
Presentation Template
[Insert template link/preview]
- Title slide layout
- Content slide layouts (3-5 variations)
- Chart/data slide layouts
- Closing slide layout
Social Media Profiles
| Platform | Profile Image | Cover Image | Bio |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Icon, XXxXX px] | [XXXXxXXX px] | ||
| Twitter/X | [Icon, XXxXX px] | [XXXXxXXX px] | |
| [Icon, XXxXX px] | N/A |
SECTION 8: GOVERNANCE
Brand Owner
- Name: _______________
- Email: _______________
- Role: _______________
Approval Process
| Asset Type | Approver | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing materials | ||
| Sales collateral | ||
| Product UI | ||
| External comms |
Asset Locations
- Brand guidelines: _______________
- Logo files: _______________
- Templates: _______________
- Photography: _______________
Update Process
- Review frequency: Quarterly / Annually
- Feedback channel: _______________
- Version control: _______________
Contact for Questions
For brand questions or asset requests, contact: _______________
Frequently asked questions
What is the Brand Guidelines Template (Complete)?
A comprehensive brand guidelines template that you can customize for your company. Includes both the visual template and written content structure. Not a 10-page PDF - a real operating document.
Who is the Brand Guidelines Template (Complete) for?
It is built for CMOs and their teams working on Brand & Positioning. The AI coach adapts it to your company, stage, and goals.
What's included in the Brand Guidelines Template (Complete)?
8 working sections: SECTION 1: BRAND FOUNDATION; SECTION 2: LOGO SYSTEM; SECTION 3: COLOR SYSTEM; SECTION 4: TYPOGRAPHY; SECTION 5: IMAGERY; SECTION 6: VOICE & TONE; SECTION 7: APPLICATIONS; SECTION 8: GOVERNANCE.
How long does the Brand Guidelines Template (Complete) take to use?
It saves roughly 100+ hours versus building from scratch. Our AI coach can tailor the template to your situation in minutes, then hand you a step-by-step plan.
Is the Brand Guidelines Template (Complete) free?
Yes. You can read the full template and start getting coached through it for free. Sign in to save your tailored version and track your next steps.
How does the AI coach help with the Brand Guidelines Template (Complete)?
The coach teaches you the framework, asks a few questions about your business, tailors the template to you, and gives you measurable next steps to execute.