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March 31 — Brand kits and style guides

Week 11 · Tuesday

Key takeaways

• A brand kit is the toolbox (assets like logos, colors, fonts). A style guide is the instruction manual (rules for using those assets).
• Cohesive branding creates an identifiable identity, builds trust, and increases efficiency by eliminating guesswork.
• The process is a retrofit: audit existing work, document assets, define rules based on what works, then design the guide document.

Topics covered

Campaign cohesion

• Goal: create a visual identity so strong that content is recognizable without a logo
• Examples: Apple (minimalist, product-focused), Nike (moody action photography), Patagonia (earthy outdoor imagery), McDonald’s (red/yellow, food-focused)
• Consistency builds trust and signals professionalism

Brand kit components

• Logos: primary, secondary/alternative, icon/wordmark versions
• Color palette: primary (2-5 core), secondary (accents), tertiary (special projects) — all with exact hex codes
• Typography: font names, sizes, and weights for H1, H2, H3, body, captions
• Imagery: library of approved photos or illustrations

Style guide components

• Logo usage: placement, minimum size, clear space, do’s and don’ts
• Color application: which colors go where and when
• Typography rules: kerning, line height, style per text level
• Voice and tone: voice is the consistent personality, tone flexes by context
• Grammar rules: Oxford comma, dashes, emoji policy
• Visual style: guidelines for imagery, icons, illustrations
• Contextual mockups: assets shown in real-world applications

Assignment process

1. Audit all existing project content
2. Document all assets (hex codes, fonts, logos)
3. Define rules — justify what works, edit what doesn’t
4. Design the final slide deck (Canva recommended)

Recording

Watch on Fathom