To build brand recognition you must be consistent with what you are doing. Don’t look at a style guide as limitations. A style guide or rules will set the tone. It is the building block for creativity. Any good designer will tell you that limits actually force you to be more creative. Your goal is to create a visual voice for customers to recognize & connect with you. Keep that voice the same so they recognize it. The number one way for them to make that association is by repeating it with everything you do. Here are some key tips to planning.
- Put Your Logo on Everything If you don’t have a logo have one professionally designed. This is the first step in visually creating your companies “Visual Voice”
- Include your Slogan If you have it then use it.
- Be consistent with Color When you think McDonalds, you think Red & Yellow because they use it everywhere. Consistency in color use is a key ingredient to making yourself instantly recognizable.
- Don’t use every font that you have Two at the most are good and they should look good with your logo. No more than three font sizes per project. A decorative font can be used when need but sparingly.
- Repeat use of the same design elements Shapes, lines all of these need to be consistent through out your materials.
