Why Every Company Needs a Book of Graphic Standards
The book of graphic standards, (or brand book) may not be known to a wider audience, especially to smaller companies that do not have a lot of advertising material and did not need such a service. However, in this article we will look at why it is good for every company, regardless of size, for which visual identity (branding) is important, to have its own book of standards and how to take advantage of all the benefits that such a service and a product offers.
What is the graphic standards book (or brand book)?
The book of graphic standards is a document (in digital or print edition) that contains a company’s branding guidelines. It includes information on how to use the company’s logo, colors, and other design elements. A well-designed graphic standards book helps ensure that a company’s visual identity is used consistently across all its communication channels, creating a professional and unique look.
Why is book of standards a good idea?
There are numerous advantages of creating a book of standards. One of which is a consistent brand look.
In today’s digitized world, we know that visual content plays an increasingly important role, and that the number of communication channels is getting bigger by the day. It is therefore important that a company has an high-quality and recognizable design accross every social network, product or advertisement.
Using the book of standards, clear guidelines are set on how the brand should look, what kind of impression it should create and what message it sends. It helps create a consistent visual language across all products, services and communications of a company. This creates a very professional image of the company. In addition, it helps to avoid costly mistakes that can easily be made when creating graphic content.
Benefits of the graphic standards book:
- Ensures that the company’s visual identity is used consistently across all communication channels
- Protects the company’s visual identity by setting clear guidelines for its use
- It is an important reference tool for the marketing and design teams
- Ensures that the team uses the latest version of the company’s logo (or other design elements)
- Familiarizes team with company brand guidelines
- It helps create a professional, unique company look
- It shows that the company is committed to maintaining a strong visual identity
- It helps save time and money by minimizing design errors
- It helps build and maintain a strong relationship with customers by ensuring they always know the company is and what it stands for
BOOK THAT IS CREATED FOR ITS USERS
When creating a graphic standards book, you should keep its audience in mind. In other words, it should be designed for the people who will use it, such as employees, contractors or partners. It should also be easy to understand and use. The book should be clearly written and organized in a way that makes it easy for the user to find the information they need.
Finally, companies must regularly review and update their graphic standards book. As the branding of the company evolves, the book should be updated with it so that the book is at all times up to date with the latest changes.
CONSISTENT DESIGN THROUGH MEDIA
Let’s take for example a post on social networks. Social networks are often run by a team of people. If each part of the team created posts according to their preferences, we would end up with a very inconsistent and confused design. With a book of standards and guidelines in it, each part of the team knows how to create a design that fits the visual standard and brand identity of the company.
When customers see a company represented in different media, they should be able to recognize it easily. This helps build brand awareness and builds trust with existing and future clients. If a company’s branding is not consistent, it can be confusing for customers and make the company appear unprofessional.
PROTECTION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE COMPANY’S VISUAL IDENTITY
The book of standards helps protect a company’s visual identity by setting clear guidelines for its use. This ensures that the logo and other visual elements are used correctly and according to the strict guidelines set out in the book. As such, it is a valuable reference tool for the marketing and design teams. Especially if team members change over time. In this way, each team member will always know the design rules and guidelines to follow and the design will not deviate from the standard.
It is inevitable that companies will change certain elements of their visual identity over time. However, since all logos, fonts and images will be stored in one place, replacing or modifying them will be much easier. If, for example, a company decides to change its logo, it will automatically change in the book with the new usage guidelines set. In this way, the whole team immediately receives information about the new logo (or some other design element). This is especially important for companies that have large teams of people or a large amount of advertising materials and products. In this way, communication and design errors are reduced to a minimum and the change is immediately applicable.
Standardized marketing materials
Books of graphic standards enable the creation of standardized marketing materials for companies. This helps make the process of creating ads, brochures, and other marketing materials as simple as possible, thereby allowing the fast production of large amounts of high-quality content. A standardized approach to marketing materials also helps create materials that are easier to understand and relate better to potential customers. This allows the company to be presented in a recognizable format and makes it easier for customers to connect with the brand.
CONCLUSION
Having a graphic standards book is not necessary for every company, but it is certainly desirable. Creating a graphic standards book can be a time-consuming process, but it is well worth the investment. By taking the time to create detailed guidelines, companies can save time and money in the long run.
If you need more information about creating a book of standards, feel free to contact us via email or contact form.
You can find more articles on the topic of graphic design on our blog.
Thank you for reading!
