What is a Brand Style Guide and Why Do You Need One?
A brand style guide (also called brand guidelines or a brand book) is a document that defines how your brand looks across all visual touchpoints — logo usage, colors, fonts, imagery, and tone of voice. For custom printing projects, a style guide is essential: it ensures that every sign, label, sticker, and printed product you order looks consistent and professional, regardless of who produces it or when.
Without a style guide, you risk ordering products with slightly different shades of your brand color, inconsistent logo sizing, or mismatched fonts — small differences that collectively undermine your brand's credibility.
What to Include in Your Brand Style Guide
1. Logo Specifications
Your logo section should cover:
- Primary logo: The main version used in most applications
- Secondary logos: Horizontal, stacked, or icon-only versions for different contexts
- Clear space rules: Minimum space around the logo that must remain free of other elements
- Minimum size: The smallest size at which the logo remains legible (e.g., 20mm wide for print)
- Incorrect usage examples: Show what NOT to do — stretching, recoloring, adding effects
- File formats provided: AI, EPS, PDF (vector), PNG with transparent background (raster)
2. Color Palette
For custom printing, color specifications are critical. Provide values in all relevant color systems:
- Pantone (PMS): The industry standard for color matching across print suppliers
- CMYK: For standard offset and digital printing
- RGB: For screen and UV printing
- HEX: For web and digital use
Include primary brand colors, secondary/accent colors, and neutral colors. Specify which colors are approved for backgrounds vs. text vs. accents.
3. Typography
- Primary typeface (for headlines and logos)
- Secondary typeface (for body text and captions)
- Font weights approved for use (e.g., Bold for headlines, Regular for body)
- Minimum font sizes for print (typically 8pt minimum for readability)
- Line spacing and letter spacing guidelines
4. Imagery and Photography Style
- Photography style (clean studio shots vs. lifestyle imagery vs. flat lay)
- Approved image filters or color grading
- What to avoid (busy backgrounds, competitor products, off-brand aesthetics)
5. Print-Specific Guidelines
For brands that order custom printed products regularly, add a print section covering:
- Approved substrates and materials (e.g., "always use clear acrylic for window signs")
- Finish preferences (gloss vs. matte vs. spot UV)
- Bleed and safe zone requirements for your standard sign sizes
- Approved suppliers and file submission requirements
How to Share Your Style Guide with Print Suppliers
When placing a custom print order, share your style guide alongside your artwork file. Specifically call out:
- The exact Pantone or CMYK values for your brand colors
- Which logo version to use and at what minimum size
- Any finish or material preferences
- Whether a digital proof is required before production (always recommended)
A good print supplier will reference your style guide during the pre-press check and flag any deviations before printing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a professional designer to create a brand style guide?
Not necessarily. Tools like Canva, Adobe Express, and Notion offer brand style guide templates that non-designers can use effectively. However, for the logo and color specification sections, working with a designer ensures your files are in the correct formats for print production.
What is the most important thing to include for custom printing?
Your color values in CMYK and Pantone. Color is the most common source of inconsistency between print runs and suppliers. If you can only standardize one thing, standardize your colors.
How often should I update my brand style guide?
Review your style guide whenever you update your logo, colors, or typography. For most brands, a major review every 2–3 years is sufficient. Minor updates (adding new approved colors or templates) can be made as needed.
Can I send my brand style guide to artetribe when ordering?
Yes — and we encourage it. When you share your brand guidelines with our pre-press team, we can ensure your printed products match your brand standards precisely. Include your style guide as a PDF attachment with your order inquiry.
What if I don't have a brand style guide yet?
Start simple: document your logo files, your exact color values (even just HEX codes), and your primary font. That is enough to ensure consistency for most custom printing projects. You can build a more comprehensive guide over time.
Need Help with Your First Custom Print Order?
Our pre-press team reviews every file before production and will flag any brand consistency issues we notice. Contact us with your artwork and brand guidelines to get started.