- A brand book answers: who we are for, how we sound, how we look and how to use the logo.
- Eight sections are enough for a startup: promise, positioning, audience and voice, logo, colour, type, imagery and examples.
- Show examples of the brand in use; they teach faster than rules.
- Keep it short and update it; consistency builds recognition[1].
Why a startup needs one
Every new designer, freelancer, agency and hire will make things for your brand. Without a written reference, each one guesses, and the brand slowly drifts. A short brand book prevents that, and it saves you explaining the same choices again and again.
The eight sections
1. Cover and promise
The name, logo and one line on what the brand promises.
2. Positioning
Your positioning sentence, plus the customer, the problem and the alternative you beat. See how to write one.
3. Audience and tone of voice
Who you speak to, three words for how you sound, and do and don't examples. Real sentences teach tone better than adjectives.
4. Logo
Every version (full, small, one colour, icon), clear space, the smallest size it can be used and what never to do with it.
5. Colour
Each colour with its codes for screen and print (hex, RGB, CMYK), its role and its proportion. Note which text and background pairs pass contrast checks[2].
6. Typography
Headline and text typefaces, sizes and weights, and where to get the font files.
7. Imagery
Photography and illustration style with examples, and what to avoid.
8. Examples in use
A slide, a social post, a web header, packaging if you have it. Examples are the most used pages of any brand book.
How long should it be?
For an early startup, 12 to 20 pages is plenty. Short books get read. Add sections as the company grows, such as packaging, retail or motion, rather than writing them before you need them.
Keep it alive
- Store it where everyone can find it, as a shared PDF or page.
- Keep logo files and fonts next to it.
- Update it when you make a decision, and note the date.
Consistency pays because familiarity builds preference: people tend to like what they see repeatedly[1]. The brand book is what makes repetition possible.