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Free Template

Brand Guidelines Template

The same framework we use for 500+ brands. Eight sections covering everything from logo usage to merchandise applications. Customizable, professional, and ready to share with your team.

8
Core Sections
40+
Specification Fields
100%
Customizable
Free
No Strings Attached

Why Brand Guidelines Aren't Optional

Inconsistent branding costs more than you think. Here's the data.

0%
Revenue increase from consistency
0%
Of brands lack formal guidelines
0-7x
Impressions needed for recognition
0%
Expect consistent cross-channel

What's Inside the Template

Eight comprehensive sections that cover every aspect of your brand identity. Click each to see what's included.

SECTION 1 OF 8

Logo Usage

Primary logo, icon mark, wordmark, and lockup variations. Clear space rules, minimum sizes, and approved placements.

Included in this section:

Primary logo with full clear space requirements
Horizontal and stacked logo variations
Icon mark for small applications (favicons, social avatars)
Minimum size specifications for print and digital
Approved and prohibited logo modifications

Brand Do's and Don'ts

Your guidelines should make it crystal clear what's approved and what's off-limits. Here's a preview of the format.

Do

Use approved logo files from the brand asset library
Maintain minimum clear space around the logo
Use brand colors from the approved palette
Follow the type hierarchy for all materials

Don't

Stretch, rotate, or distort the logo
Use unapproved color combinations
Place the logo on busy backgrounds without contrast
Use fonts outside the approved type system

How Color Specs Should Look

Your brand guidelines should include every color format your vendors need. Here's the standard we set.

Primary Yellow

HEX#FFCE03
RGB255, 206, 3
CMYK0, 19, 99, 0
PantonePMS 116 C

Dark Black

HEX#1A1A1A
RGB26, 26, 26
CMYK0, 0, 0, 90
PantonePMS Black 6 C

Warm Gray

HEX#6B6B6B
RGB107, 107, 107
CMYK0, 0, 0, 58
PantonePMS Cool Gray 9 C

Clean White

HEX#FFFFFF
RGB255, 255, 255
CMYK0, 0, 0, 0
PantoneN/A

Example color specification cards from the template. Your actual brand colors will replace these.

Typography Hierarchy Preview

Your template includes a complete type system. Here's how it structures content hierarchy.

H1
Display Headline
48-64px - Bold - Used for hero sections and page titles
H2
Section Heading
36-48px - Bold - Used for major section breaks
H3
Subsection Title
24-30px - Semibold - Used for card titles and subsections
Body
Body text is the workhorse of your brand. It should be readable, clean, and consistent across all materials - from websites to merchandise tags.
16-18px - Regular - 1.6 line height - Used for paragraphs and descriptions
Small
Captions, labels, and fine print. Keep it legible even at small sizes.
12-14px - Regular/Medium - Used for metadata and supporting text

Who Needs Brand Guidelines?

Short answer: everyone with a brand. Here's who benefits most.

Growing Companies

As your team grows, brand consistency becomes harder to maintain. Guidelines ensure everyone - from marketing to sales to vendors - speaks the same visual language.

Most common at 10-50 employees

Merchandise Programs

Working with multiple vendors? Brand guidelines prevent the 'telephone game' effect where your logo gets slightly wrong on every new product.

Saves 2-3 revision rounds per order

Rebranding Teams

Launching a new brand identity? Guidelines are the single source of truth that ensures your rebrand rolls out consistently across every touchpoint.

Critical for first 90 days post-launch

Pro Tips for Brand Guidelines

Keep it under 20 pages

Nobody reads a 50-page brand bible. Focus on what matters most.

Include visual examples

Show, don't tell. Real mockups beat written descriptions every time.

Share it with every vendor

Your printer, embroiderer, and designer should all have a copy.

Update it annually

Brands evolve. Your guidelines should too. Schedule a yearly review.

Make it accessible

Store it somewhere everyone can find it. A shared drive, not someone's inbox.

Start with the essentials

Logo, colors, fonts. You can always add sections later as needs arise.

Ready to Build Your Brand Bible?

Get the same template framework we've used with 500+ brands. Fully customizable, professionally structured, and ready to share with your team in minutes.

Free download. No account required. Includes editable files.

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