# Brand Guidelines

## Brand Voice & Tone

**Core Brand Personality**: [To be customized by your company]

### Writing Voice Principles

Your brand voice should be consistent across all channels. Use this framework to maintain consistency:

**Example Brand Voice** (modify for your company):
- **Approachable**: Friendly and helpful, not corporate or robotic
- **Clear**: Explain complex ideas in simple terms; no unnecessary jargon
- **Action-oriented**: Focus on what customers can DO, not what you can do
- **Authentic**: Show real customer stories, behind-the-scenes moments
- **Confident without arrogance**: Speak from expertise, not superiority

### Tone Adjustments by Context

**Tone When**: Happy/Celebratory
- Used for: New features, customer wins, company milestones
- Example: "We're thrilled to announce..."

**Tone When**: Helpful/Educational
- Used for: How-to content, tips, guides
- Example: "Here's what we learned..."

**Tone When**: Empathetic/Understanding
- Used for: Addressing customer problems, crisis communication
- Example: "We understand how frustrating this can be..."

**Tone When**: Professional/Formal
- Used for: Legal communications, official announcements
- Example: "In accordance with our policy..."

**Tone When**: Casual/Conversational
- Used for: Social media, internal communications, blog posts
- Example: "Here's the thing about..."

### Writing Guidelines

**DO:**
- Use "you" and "we" (creates connection)
- Use contractions (you're, we've, it's) - sounds more human
- Use active voice (we help you) vs. passive (you are helped)
- Use short sentences (12-15 words average)
- Use specific examples and numbers
- Break up text with white space and headers
- Ask questions to engage reader
- Show real customer examples

**DON'T:**
- Use jargon without explanation
- Use "we believe" or "we think" (show, don't tell)
- Use unnecessary complex words
- Use ALL CAPS (except for emphasis occasionally)
- Use more than 3 exclamation marks per email
- Say "best in class" or other superlatives without proof
- Use industry buzzwords that customers don't use

### Terminology (Use Consistently)

**Always use these terms:**
- [Term 1]: Used consistently across all marketing
- [Term 2]: Never say [Alternative term 1]
- [Term 3]: Never say [Alternative term 2]
- [Audience title]: Not [Alternative]
- [Feature name]: Not [Generic alternative]

**Examples for any company:**
- Always: "customers" (not "clients", "users", "accounts")
- Always: "dashboard" (not "control panel", "platform", "interface")
- Always: "API" (not "integration", "connector", "bridge")
- Always: "team" (not "group", "unit", "division")

---

## Visual Branding

### Color Palette

**Primary Colors** (main brand colors):
- Primary: [Color] - Hex: [#000000] - Usage: Headlines, CTAs, main elements
- Accent 1: [Color] - Hex: [#000000] - Usage: Secondary elements, highlights
- Accent 2: [Color] - Hex: [#000000] - Usage: Supporting elements

**Neutral Colors** (backgrounds, text):
- Text: [Color] - Hex: [#000000] - For body copy
- Light background: [Color] - Hex: [#000000]
- Medium background: [Color] - Hex: [#000000]
- Dark background: [Color] - Hex: [#000000]

**Status Colors** (error, success, warning):
- Success: [Color] - Hex: [#000000]
- Warning: [Color] - Hex: [#000000]
- Error: [Color] - Hex: [#000000]
- Info: [Color] - Hex: [#000000]

### Typography

**Fonts**:
- Headlines: [Font name] (if licensed, include license details)
- Body text: [Font name]
- Code/Technical: [Font name]

**Usage**:
- H1 (Headlines): [Font name], [Size] px, Bold
- H2 (Subheadings): [Font name], [Size] px, Bold
- H3 (Tertiary): [Font name], [Size] px, Semi-bold
- Body: [Font name], [Size] px, Regular
- Small text: [Font name], [Size] px, Regular

**Line spacing**: 1.5x for body text, 1.2x for headings

### Logo Usage

**Primary Logo**: [Description - when to use]
**Secondary Logo**: [Description - when to use]
**Icon Mark**: [Description - when to use - often used for favicons, social avatars]

**Logo Spacing**: Maintain clear space around logo (minimum: 1/4 of logo width)
**Minimum Size**: [Logo should not be smaller than X pixels]
**Backgrounds**: Logo should have [X% contrast with background]

**DON'Ts**:
- Never stretch or distort logo
- Never change colors without approval
- Never add effects (drop shadow, 3D, etc.)
- Never rotate logo
- Never use old/outdated logo versions

### Image Style

**Photography Style**: [Describe your brand's visual aesthetic]
- Real photos (not stock photos of random people)
- Authentic customer/team moments
- Professional quality but not overly staged
- Diverse representation in people photos

**Illustration Style**: [Describe illustration approach if applicable]
- Minimalist vs. detailed
- Color palette consistency
- Use cases (icons, decorative elements, educational)

**Graphic Style**: [Describe approach to charts, graphs, data visualization]
- Color palette used
- Font consistency
- Icon style
- Data visualization best practices

### Layout & Spacing

**Grid System**: [Describe grid - e.g., 12-column grid]
**Padding/Margins**: [Describe standard spacing units]
**White Space**: [General philosophy about empty space]

---

## Campaign Creative Guidelines

### Email Template

**Email Header**:
- Use brand colors strategically
- Include company logo (left or center aligned)
- Header height: [X] pixels

**Email Body**:
- Use brand fonts for headers
- Use neutral text color (not pure black: [color])
- Use ample white space between sections
- Image-to-text ratio: [%] text, [%] images

**CTA Button**:
- Use primary brand color
- Text: "Button Text" (use brand voice)
- Padding: [X] px
- Font size: [X] px
- Border radius: [X] px

**Email Footer**:
- Use light background color
- Include company address for CAN-SPAM compliance
- Include unsubscribe link
- Include social media icons linked to brand accounts
- Small text size: [X] px

### Landing Page

**Header Section**:
- Hero image or video that shows [description]
- Headline using [Font name], [Size] px, [Color]
- Subheading supporting main message
- Primary CTA button

**Content Sections**:
- Use alternating background colors for visual break
- Max width: [X] pixels
- Padding: [X] pixels
- Imagery every [X] sections to break up text

**Form Fields**:
- Label color: [Color]
- Input border: [Color], [Size] px
- Focus state: [Color]
- Placeholder text: [Color]
- Error state: Error color with explanation text

### Social Media Posts

**Image Specifications**:
- LinkedIn post: [dimensions]
- Twitter image: [dimensions]
- Facebook image: [dimensions]
- Instagram post: [dimensions]
- Instagram story: [dimensions]

**Design Standards**:
- Use brand colors consistently
- Include brand logo on images (if not violating platform rules)
- Use brand typography
- Maintain minimum text size [X] px for readability on small screens

**Video Requirements**:
- Aspect ratio: [16:9, 1:1, 9:16]
- Include captions/subtitles
- Use brand colors in intro/outro (if applicable)
- Include brand watermark (optional but recommended)

---

## Brand Style Examples

### Example 1: Product/Feature Announcement

**Headline Formula**: "[Product] does [outcome] - no [common obstacle] required"
**Image**: Product screenshot or customer using it
**Copy**: Lead with benefit, show how it works, include CTA
**Visual**: Use primary color for highlights

### Example 2: Customer Success Story

**Headline Formula**: "How [Customer] achieved [specific result]"
**Image**: Customer photo or company logo
**Copy**: Challenge → Solution → Results (with metrics)
**Visual**: Use customer's photo if available

### Example 3: Educational Content

**Headline Formula**: "[Number] Ways to [Achieve outcome]" or "How to [Do something]"
**Image**: Icon or diagram showing topic
**Copy**: Scannable with headers and bullet points
**Visual**: Use accent color for headers

---

## Website & Digital Standards

### Navigation Structure
- Primary navigation items: [List items - max 5-7]
- Footer navigation: [List items]
- Mobile menu: Hamburger icon on screens under [X] px width

### Typography on Web
- Headlines: [Font], sizes [X] to [X] px
- Body text: [X] px, line height [X]px
- Links: [Color], underlined, [hover state]

### Accessibility Standards
- All images must have alt text
- Color contrast ratio must be [WCAG level - AA or AAA]
- Forms must have associated labels
- Focus indicators must be visible
- Page must be navigable by keyboard only

### Search Engine Optimization
- Title tags: [X] to [X] characters
- Meta descriptions: [X] to [X] characters
- H1 per page: Only one H1 with target keyword
- URL structure: lowercase, hyphens not underscores, no dates

---

## What to Do When You're Not Sure

1. **Check recent marketing**: Look at last 3 campaigns to match style
2. **Ask the team**: Who owns branding standards?
3. **When in doubt**: Choose clarity and authenticity over cleverness
4. **Test with customers**: Show 2-3 options if unsure

---

## Brand Guidelines Updates

**Last Updated**: [Date]
**Version**: [1.0]
**Owner**: [Team responsible]
**Review Frequency**: Quarterly

Contact [Email] if you have questions about brand standards.
