Brand Guidelines in practice

However, brand guidelines need to strike a careful balance. Too many rules can make a brand feel formulaic and restrictive over time, with some guidelines becoming impractical to apply. Too few rules, and consistency quickly unravels, leaving non-designers overwhelmed by choice and unsure of what truly feels “on brand.”

Our approach at a dozen eggs is to build a brand guideline document that focuses both on the overarching brand elements but also on the detail.

The detail

Logo usage

Often, a brand requires multiple logo configurations to suit different contexts, one optimised for mobile use on a website, another for signage, and several variations in between. The logo also needs to work across different backgrounds and, in some cases, be available as a monochromatic version. The guidelines set out clear rules around background colours, sizing, and how the logo can be used flexibly. However, we often avoid including overly obvious restrictions, such as “do not stretch the logo” or “do not change its primary colour to red”, because we trust our clients to steer clear of those mistakes.

Typography

Typography is another area where brand guidelines benefit from a thoughtful level of detail. They should clearly define which fonts are used for headings and which are used for body text. However, we rarely fix exact font sizes or colours, as these will naturally need to adapt when the context changes, for example, from a printed A4 sheet to a digital format. Instead, we provide a typographic scale that shows how different text styles relate to one another, allowing for flexibility while maintaining consistency. Clients are often working with software that offers a limited font selection, so suitable fallback fonts are provided for those situations.

Colour

One of the most practical sections of any brand guideline document is the colour palette. Colour codes (HEX, RGB, and CMYK) are often the most frequently referenced, ensuring colours are applied consistently and helping the guidelines remain a living, working document. Secondary colour palettes tend to be more nuanced; rather than using every colour equally, guidelines may suggest percentage use or context-specific applications.

There may also be an extended palette for data visualisations and graphs, where the order of colours and accessibility considerations — such as colour blindness — are essential to maintain clarity and readability.

Overarching

Another section of a brand guideline document focuses on the overarching feel of the brand. Rather than setting strict rules, it captures the brand’s tone and atmosphere, showing how this can be expressed through design. This part of the guidelines often includes example applications, illustrating how different brand elements work together and the balance needed to create a consistent, recognisable look and feel.

Photography style

The photography section of brand guidelines is often one that evolves over time. Start-ups, in particular, may lack the budget, team, or space to produce professional photography initially. While hiring a photographer usually results in the most authentic images, stock photos are often necessary in the early stages, and guidelines are needed to ensure the right selection. Choosing images that feel natural—avoiding overly staged or culturally mismatched visuals—requires careful consideration. The guidelines may also cover treatments, such as using different styles or edits for stock photography versus original, more authentic images.

Illustration style

It’s important to note that defining an illustration style is often treated as a separate project (and cost) rather than simply being added to brand guidelines. However, showing how illustrations and icons can be used within the brand is still essential. Guidelines should illustrate the balance between imagery and text, as well as provide examples of appropriate placement to ensure consistent application. Without clear guidance, using different or generic illustrations (often clip art) can quickly dilute the brand’s tone, so a robust set of rules helps maintain cohesion.

Without clear brand guidelines, even the strongest identities can unravel. Colours drift, logos get misused, and tone of voice shifts depending on who’s writing. Before long, what should feel like a single brand experience becomes fragmented.

We’ve seen this in businesses where enthusiastic staff create materials on the fly. A poster might use the wrong shade of green; a PowerPoint might feature a non-brand font; a website update might replace approachable language with jargon. Individually, these seem like small compromises, but together, they erode trust and coherence.

By contrast, when guidelines are in place, they prevent this drift. They make it easy for anyone — whether an in-house team member, a volunteer, or an external designer — to pick up the tools and create something recognisably on brand.