Brand Guides: Top 20
Because we’re all tired of searching “best brand guides” on Google.
I created this post selfishly after lamenting the deluge of Google searches that accompanies brand research. ‘Brand examples’, ‘Brand guidelines’, ‘Voice and tone’ ‘How to write a persona’…The. List. Goes. On.
From my experience, there’s no consistent way to approach a brand, which can make for an intense challenge if you’re ready to rebrand or start from scratch. Depending on the organization, the emphasis of the guide will lean heavily on visual communication (the norm) or verbal communication (the exception).
Below, I’ve compiled a list of brand guides to save you from the fate of Misery via Google Search. I’ll continue to add, and please respond with your go-to examples. (No really, I mean it.)
Visual + Verbal Guides:
Charity Water — A classic favorite. Look out for tone, and the writing tips at the end.
Skype — One of the most playful books I’ve found, and the illustrations are on point.
Acano —From words, to photography, to icons, to collateral — it’s the whole shebang.
University of Saskatchewan — One of the best university examples I’ve seen. The “Who” section covers all from internal audiences to external stakeholders.
Verbal Guides:
NikeFuel — Core product messaging with punch.
MailChimp — Packed with detail and flavor. A personal favorite, and one of the guides defining the industry (still), if I may be so bold.
BuzzFeed — Everything from a Buzzfeed-specific word list, to leading the conversation on sensitive topics.
A List Apart — Fit for a publishing house, this one doesn’t disappoint. Another classic favorite of mine.
18F — A buncha grammar nerds from the U.S. government compiled a guide that’s slam-full of examples.
University of Denver — The presentation is simple and journalistic, but the content speaks for itself.
Visual Guides:
Uber — An impressive new layer of color and pattern for a global brand.
Medium — Short, sweet, and of course, formatted in a Medium post.
National Park of Greenland —A Behance project that could lift this national park above the rest.
University of the Arts Helsinki — Few guidelines, and much exploration.
Below, take a peek at how some companies play out their culture in an employee handbook.
Team Culture Guides:
Memória Visual — Quirky and compelling.
Ritz Carlton — “Gold standards” anchoring the Ladies & Gents of Ritz Carlton.
Bakken & Bæck Handbook — The guiding principles are so simple it hurts.
Zaarly — A rulebook that cleverly claims, “We do not have rules for work.”
Big Spaceship — Among other advice, “Pretend like you’re talking to your mom.”
More Resources:
A collection of brand books on Issue.
A nicely-organized list of brand guides on http://www.findguidelin.es/.
A curation of culture books by NOBL.
Again, respond with your go-to examples, and we’ll keep this list growing.
