Brand Guidelines: It's High Time to Revamp How We Create and Use Them

Brand guidelines are critical to ensure consistent messaging across internal and external communications. Companies should pay attention to the dynamic media, such as video, when creating guidelines. Moreover, they should be easy to understand and accessible for all audiences. Furthermore, brand guidelines should be a living and breathing document, allowing creative freedom and the ability to adapt to different channels.

When creating video content, it should be carefully aligned with all other branded materials. The tone of voice should be consistent, and sets, music, actors, and props should feel true to your brand. Brand guidelines should provide direction on messaging, look and feel, format, and tone, but also leave room for creativity. Finally, if your strategy stretches the guidelines, be sure to reflect it back in the document.

Marketing teams should actively collaborate with other departments to ensure consistent messaging, look, tone, and feel across all communications. Take an active role in the creation of brand guidelines, and the DNA of your brand will show through in everyone’s work.