How the style guide becomes a brand saver
Everyone wants a strong brand. But only those who manage to remain recognizable can secure their corporate identity in communication. A brand experience is created at every contact point: from business cards, presentations or invoice forms to showrooms, in meeting rooms or during interaction on websites.
However, the concerted interaction of the corporate design elements quickly becomes difficult when many different employees and external staff work with them. Too many exceptions and requirements of third parties across all media mean that the CD elements seem to have to be adapted again and again and thus gradually break away from the original brand identity. In the end, the company does not recognize itself.
The solution is to document all brand elements and brand values. For this purpose, all corporate design specifications are clearly and concisely summarized in a design manual. The description of the corporate image is prepared in such a way that both the company's own employees and external service providers are supported in the creation of communication media – and all apllications can be reproduced at any time in accordance with the CI. Comprehensible thematic explanations provide easily applicable specifications and assistance even for future applications.
In addition, well-designed user guidance creates synergy effects in the understanding of the corporate design. Targeted work, efficiency and stable workflows are established and secured – and this for pragmatic, uniform brand appearances as well as agile and fluid brand experience worlds. This makes the style guide an indispensable tool in brand management.
Option 1: The use of simple PDFs for brand documentation
Brand documentation can be created in an uncomplicated and quickly producible PDF format. This simple file format can be viewed by all relevant partners and printed out on request. By creating a PDF style guide you successfully secure the desired brand image of your company – and this with as little effort as possible.
Option 2: Provision of the CD documentation in the form of an online style guide, the ”Brand Space“
The distribution of information about brands and possible updatings of brand assets (logo families, templates, etc.) often requires a high administrative effort – especially if changes in the corporate identity or corporate design occur again and again.
In this case, brand management is much easier and more comfortable by setting up an online style guide. The online medium enables quick corrections or additions per se. This ensures that all specifications are always up to date and that all brand applications are consistent and coherent.
With an online style guide, you can ensure that all important brand partners always have access to all relevant and, above all, always udated data.The content structure can be specifically adapted to the individual brand needs. This guarantees that the most important guidelines and principles are not overlooked, but immediately perceived and internalized. The goal is always to provide quick and memorable answers to the most frequently asked questions.
An optional rights management enables selective access to selected areas within the style guide. You can always decide which stakeholders or groups can access which assets and information. With a connected data management system, important brand assets (logo families, colour palettes, templates, etc.) can also be embedded directly in the style guide and made available for download. This accelerates internal logistical processes enormously and enables optimal quality management.
With an online style guide individually configurable solutions are possible at any time. Depending on requirements, content can be supplemented, optimized or individualized again and again. Also, an expansion to a company-specific, function- and information-rich brand portal is also always possible. This means, any brand management needs can be covered – i.e. the provision of extensive download libraries, the display of best practice galleries or the distribution of code snippets for the UX/UI sector.
Since relevant information and downloads can be made available easily and uncomplicatedly to all relevant users, workflows are particularly accelerated and brand communication simplified. The digital style guide "Brand Space“ can become the company's central point of contact for all questions relating to corporate design and the brand and enables future-oriented, digital and collaborative work.
Option 2: Provision of the CD documentation in the form of an online style guide, the ”Brand Space“
The distribution of information about brands and possible updatings of brand assets (logo families, templates, etc.) often requires a high administrative effort – especially if changes in the corporate identity or corporate design occur again and again.
In this case, brand management is much easier and more comfortable by setting up an online style guide. The online medium enables quick corrections or additions per se. This ensures that all specifications are always up to date and that all brand applications are consistent and coherent.
With an online style guide, you can ensure that all important brand partners always have access to all relevant and, above all, always udated data.The content structure can be specifically adapted to the individual brand needs. This guarantees that the most important guidelines and principles are not overlooked, but immediately perceived and internalized. The goal is always to provide quick and memorable answers to the most frequently asked questions.
An optional rights management enables selective access to selected areas within the style guide. You can always decide which stakeholders or groups can access which assets and information. With a connected data management system, important brand assets (logo families, colour palettes, templates, etc.) can also be embedded directly in the style guide and made available for download. This accelerates internal logistical processes enormously and enables optimal quality management.
We also offer the new setup of an online style guide with the multifunctional and preconfigured CMS "Plexframe" – developed by us. The insertion of updates, versioning, information about changes or explanations to specific applications is particularly comfortable, clear and simple as it is based on the WYSIWYG principle. Through this, a brand and its corporate communications can be successfully managed and administered even without a great deal of prior technical knowledge.
