5 WAYS BRAND GUIDELINES ARE A GPS FOR DESIGN SUCCESS

I’ve always had a bad sense of direction. The phrase, “can’t find your way out of a paper bag,” has often been muttered in my presence after getting hopelessly lost. But that was before GPS was everywhere — in your car, your smartphone, even your watch. Now, even someone “directionally challenged” like me can simply follow the turn-by-turn directions to get to where I want to go without a second thought.

That’s why I like working with brand guidelines. Just as a GPS helps me reach my destination without getting lost, brand guidelines provide me with a roadmap to successfully navigate the design process. By following these rules, I know that my designs will consistently align with my client’s brand identity, ensuring that all brand materials maintain a unified look and feel. Plus, they help reduce the learning curve, enabling me to produce on-brand work from day one.

Here are 5 ways brand guidelines are a GPS for design success:

1. They are good with directions.

Just like a GPS provides clear directions to your destination, brand guidelines provide designers and teams with clear directions on how to use brand elements like colors, fonts, and logos to achieve a consistent visual identity across all platforms and touchpoints.

2. They keep you on course.

You rely on a GPS to stay on the correct course. Brand guidelines keep everyone focused on the same path, ensuring that all design aligns with the brand’s overall strategy and goals. This helps avoid creating inconsistent or off-brand materials that could cause confusion and ultimately dilute the brand’s message and impact.

3. They help avoid detours.

A GPS helps keep you from getting lost or taking wrong turns. By following brand guidelines, designers can avoid inconsistencies and misinterpretations during the design process, preventing the brand from losing its way.

4. They save time and money.

With a GPS, you can get to your destination faster and more efficiently. By providing a clear framework, brand guidelines reduce the need for extensive revisions and ensure that designs will be on-brand from the start, saving time and money.

5. They offer options.

Sometimes you want the fastest route; sometimes you want to avoid tolls. A GPS provides you with options on how to get to your desired destination. And while brand guidelines provide structure, they also allow some flexibility and creativity within their defined constraints, allowing the introduction of new concepts and ideas while still maintaining brand integrity. 

Brand guidelines help get your brand to where it needs to be. 

If you want to ensure your next design project is on-brand, hire a designer with experience navigating the design process within established brand guidelines. And if you need mission-driven, engaging print and digital design that inspires action and delivers results—let’s connect!

Infinite Blue Creative provides creative design services to busy education, nonprofit, and small business marketing communication professionals.