Brandbook and logo guidelines: what to include
Technical logo parameters: without numbers, the document is useless
The most common mistake is that a brandbook describes the logo in words instead of numbers. 'The logo should be clearly readable' is not a parameter, it's a wish. A working guideline fixes specifics for each point:
- Color in three encodings at once: Pantone for print with special ink, CMYK for regular offset printing, RGB and HEX for screens. Coca-Cola's signature red is Pantone 484, and the company has not changed it for decades precisely because color consistency is critical for brand recognition on any medium.
- Minimum size separately for numbers and for printing. For example, Spotify requires no less than 70 px on the web and 20 mm in printed materials — below this threshold, the icon stops being readable and loses details.
- Proportions and modular grid for logo construction — so that when scaling, nobody 'by eye' stretches the mark along one axis.
- Permitted and prohibited backgrounds — on which colors the logo maintains contrast, and on which it requires an alternative version (inversion, monochrome).
Protective field: how to calculate, not just "leave a margin"
A protective field (or zone of alienation) is the minimum distance from a logo to any other elements: text, illustrations, or the edge of a layout. The problem is that many brandbooks specify this distance in absolute millimeters, which only works for one specific logo size. If the logo is doubled in size, the margin of 10 mm visually "compresses" and ceases to protect the composition.
The correct approach is to define the protective field in relative units tied to the logo itself. The universal metric is the width of one letter of the logo or the height of its key element. For Spotify, the protective zone equals half the height of the icon: it scales together with the logo and works equally correctly on any medium. This calculation should be documented in the guideline as an explicit formula with illustration, not as a textual description.
Case: why Spotify's guideline works, but that of most companies does not
Let us take the Spotify document specifically as an example of proper engineering, not design styling. Their guideline contains no vague formulations like 'the logo should dominate the composition.' Instead, there is a table with precise figures for each usage scenario: mobile app, outdoor advertising, partner materials. For each scenario, the minimum size, protective field in logo units, and acceptable layout options are specified.
The key difference of such a document is the examples of 'correct / incorrect' placed next to each rule. This is not illustrative decoration but a working tool: a designer instantly sees that the logo cannot be placed on a photo with low contrast, that a shadow or gradient cannot be added, and that letter spacing cannot be changed. Practice shows: the presence of a visual do/don't block reduces contractor errors significantly more than any textual rule description — this is confirmed by brandbooks of Google and Apple, which build guidelines using the same logic.
Top mistakes when using the logo
Most identity violations occur not from malice, but from the lack of clear instructions. Here is a list of what is most commonly encountered when working with print shops and contractors:
- Using one color profile instead of all three — the print shop prints in CMYK according to the color taken from the screen RGB layout, and gets a completely different shade.
- Stretching the logo non-proportionally — along one axis, so it 'fits' into a banner of a given size.
- Overlaying the logo on a colorful background without a backdrop or an alternative monochrome version.
- Adding custom effects — shadows, outlines, gradients, 3D — that were not present in the original file.
- Using the logo below the minimum size, which causes small details of the mark to merge into a blob.
- Manually reassembling the logo from text and shapes instead of using the original vector file.
Each of these errors is addressed by a single point in the guideline with a visual example — but only if that point actually exists in the guideline, not just implied 'by default'.
Legal provisions: a guideline without liability is simply a recommendation
Most brandbooks remain silent on this issue, and it is a systemic problem. A guideline is an internal document, but once franchisees, partners, or contractors are brought on board for outsourcing, it becomes part of contractual relationships. Without a legal component, nobody is obligated to follow the rules — they are asked to comply, not required to.
The document should include:
- A direct prohibition on changing the proportions, color, and composition of the logo without written consent from the brand owner.
- Terms of use by third parties — franchisees, distributors, media — including a list of permitted and prohibited scenarios.
- A notice that the logo and identity elements are a registered trademark (with a reference to the registration number, if applicable).
- Terms of liability for violations — from requiring the correction of materials to terminating the partnership agreement.
Large franchises always include such a section precisely because uncoordinated use of the logo in advertising by a local partner damages the reputation of the entire brand, not just the specific outlet.
Adaptation for media: screen, print, souvenirs
The same logo physically cannot work equally well on the web, a business card, and a pen — and the guideline must clearly acknowledge this rather than pretend that a universal file will solve everything.
| Media | File format | Color model | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web and applications | SVG, PNG (with transparent background) | RGB / HEX | Minimum 2-3 size for retina screens, separate favicon version |
| Print (brochures, business cards) | EPS, AI, PDF (vector) | CMYK, Pantone if necessary | Raster version is not suitable — quality is lost when scaling |
| Outdoor advertising | EPS, AI (high-resolution vector) | CMYK / Pantone for special inks | Checking minimum size at large viewing distances |
| Souvenir products | Vector + simplified monochrome version | Pantone or a single color | Engraving and tampography often require a solid-color variant without gradients |
Volume and structure of the document: how not to turn the guideline into a brick
There is a temptation to include everything in the brandbook — from brand philosophy to instructions for cutting video for social networks. This is the error of the reverse sign: a document that is too thin is useless due to lack of data, but a document of 100+ pages also does not work, because a designer spends hours searching for the needed item instead of creating a layout. The optimal volume of a practical guideline for a logo and basic elements of identity is 20-50 pages, divided into clear blocks: construction rules, color, safe area, typography, examples on media, prohibitions.
A separate point is versioning. A brand changes: colors are updated, new media formats appear (social network stories, AR filters), company legal details change. The guideline should indicate the version number and the date of the last update on the title page — this prevents the situation where a contractor works with an outdated version of the document downloaded three years ago from the mailbox of a former employee.
Technical logo parameters: without numbers, the document is useless
The most common mistake is that a brandbook describes the logo in words instead of numbers. 'The logo should be clearly readable' is not a parameter, it's a wish. A working guideline fixes specifics for each point:
- Color in three encodings at once: Pantone for print with special ink, CMYK for regular offset printing, RGB and HEX for screens. Coca-Cola's signature red is Pantone 484, and the company has not changed it for decades precisely because color consistency is critical for brand recognition on any medium.
- Minimum size separately for numbers and for printing. For example, Spotify requires no less than 70 px on the web and 20 mm in printed materials — below this threshold, the icon stops being readable and loses details.
- Proportions and modular grid for logo construction — so that when scaling, nobody 'by eye' stretches the mark along one axis.
- Permitted and prohibited backgrounds — on which colors the logo maintains contrast, and on which it requires an alternative version (inversion, monochrome).
Protective field: how to calculate, not just "leave a margin"
A protective field (or zone of alienation) is the minimum distance from a logo to any other elements: text, illustrations, or the edge of a layout. The problem is that many brandbooks specify this distance in absolute millimeters, which only works for one specific logo size. If the logo is doubled in size, the margin of 10 mm visually "compresses" and ceases to protect the composition.
The correct approach is to define the protective field in relative units tied to the logo itself. The universal metric is the width of one letter of the logo or the height of its key element. For Spotify, the protective zone equals half the height of the icon: it scales together with the logo and works equally correctly on any medium. This calculation should be documented in the guideline as an explicit formula with illustration, not as a textual description.
Case: why Spotify's guideline works, but that of most companies does not
Let us take the Spotify document specifically as an example of proper engineering, not design styling. Their guideline contains no vague formulations like 'the logo should dominate the composition.' Instead, there is a table with precise figures for each usage scenario: mobile app, outdoor advertising, partner materials. For each scenario, the minimum size, protective field in logo units, and acceptable layout options are specified.
The key difference of such a document is the examples of 'correct / incorrect' placed next to each rule. This is not illustrative decoration but a working tool: a designer instantly sees that the logo cannot be placed on a photo with low contrast, that a shadow or gradient cannot be added, and that letter spacing cannot be changed. Practice shows: the presence of a visual do/don't block reduces contractor errors significantly more than any textual rule description — this is confirmed by brandbooks of Google and Apple, which build guidelines using the same logic.
Top mistakes when using the logo
Most identity violations occur not from malice, but from the lack of clear instructions. Here is a list of what is most commonly encountered when working with print shops and contractors:
- Using one color profile instead of all three — the print shop prints in CMYK according to the color taken from the screen RGB layout, and gets a completely different shade.
- Stretching the logo non-proportionally — along one axis, so it 'fits' into a banner of a given size.
- Overlaying the logo on a colorful background without a backdrop or an alternative monochrome version.
- Adding custom effects — shadows, outlines, gradients, 3D — that were not present in the original file.
- Using the logo below the minimum size, which causes small details of the mark to merge into a blob.
- Manually reassembling the logo from text and shapes instead of using the original vector file.
Each of these errors is addressed by a single point in the guideline with a visual example — but only if that point actually exists in the guideline, not just implied 'by default'.
Legal provisions: a guideline without liability is simply a recommendation
Most brandbooks remain silent on this issue, and it is a systemic problem. A guideline is an internal document, but once franchisees, partners, or contractors are brought on board for outsourcing, it becomes part of contractual relationships. Without a legal component, nobody is obligated to follow the rules — they are asked to comply, not required to.
The document should include:
- A direct prohibition on changing the proportions, color, and composition of the logo without written consent from the brand owner.
- Terms of use by third parties — franchisees, distributors, media — including a list of permitted and prohibited scenarios.
- A notice that the logo and identity elements are a registered trademark (with a reference to the registration number, if applicable).
- Terms of liability for violations — from requiring the correction of materials to terminating the partnership agreement.
Large franchises always include such a section precisely because uncoordinated use of the logo in advertising by a local partner damages the reputation of the entire brand, not just the specific outlet.
Adaptation for media: screen, print, souvenirs
The same logo physically cannot work equally well on the web, a business card, and a pen — and the guideline must clearly acknowledge this rather than pretend that a universal file will solve everything.
| Media | File format | Color model | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web and applications | SVG, PNG (with transparent background) | RGB / HEX | Minimum 2-3 size for retina screens, separate favicon version |
| Print (brochures, business cards) | EPS, AI, PDF (vector) | CMYK, Pantone if necessary | Raster version is not suitable — quality is lost when scaling |
| Outdoor advertising | EPS, AI (high-resolution vector) | CMYK / Pantone for special inks | Checking minimum size at large viewing distances |
| Souvenir products | Vector + simplified monochrome version | Pantone or a single color | Engraving and tampography often require a solid-color variant without gradients |
Volume and structure of the document: how not to turn the guideline into a brick
There is a temptation to include everything in the brandbook — from brand philosophy to instructions for cutting video for social networks. This is the error of the reverse sign: a document that is too thin is useless due to lack of data, but a document of 100+ pages also does not work, because a designer spends hours searching for the needed item instead of creating a layout. The optimal volume of a practical guideline for a logo and basic elements of identity is 20-50 pages, divided into clear blocks: construction rules, color, safe area, typography, examples on media, prohibitions.
A separate point is versioning. A brand changes: colors are updated, new media formats appear (social network stories, AR filters), company legal details change. The guideline should indicate the version number and the date of the last update on the title page — this prevents the situation where a contractor works with an outdated version of the document downloaded three years ago from the mailbox of a former employee.
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