When I build or update a brand sheet, there's one thing I always include that most people miss: "The line we never cross." It's a simple phrase or sentence that sets a hard boundary for the brand's voice, values, or personality... something that keeps content aligned, especially when things get messy, fast, or outsourced. We spend so much time defining fonts, colors, tone of voice, and logo spacing (which matter, yes), but what actually keeps a brand consistent when it's showing up in 17 formats across 6 platforms and 3 team members? Clarity on what not to do. It's the behavioral line in the sand. The tone you'll never take. The promise you won't make, even if it converts. It might sound like: "We never use guilt or shame as motivation." "We don't chase trends just to be relevant." "We never treat our audience like they need fixing." "We don't do fake urgency or manipulative scarcity." "We never assume people know less than us—we explain without condescending." Why does this matter so much? Because a brand is about trust. And trust is built in the moments when no one's watching—when a social media assistant writes a caption, when a freelancer runs your email campaign, when a designer tries something "off brand" because they saw a competitor do it. That one sentence keeps the soul of the brand intact. It acts as a gut check. And in fast-paced marketing environments where you're handing off work to team members, contractors, AI tools, or even your own future self, having a clear, "this is who we are, and this is what we don't do" saves hours of revisions and keeps your reputation clean. So yes, include your hex codes, typography, and voice traits. But also include your line. That one boundary will do more to protect your brand than most people realize.
Brand & Narrative Designer for AI Infrastructure | Making brands visible to AI & humans | Author of “Brand is a Verb”
Answered 8 months ago
When building or updating a Brand Sheet, I look beyond the usual assets like logos, fonts, and tone of voice. One key section I always include is something I call 'Emotional Anchors.' These define the specific emotions we want the audience to experience at different touchpoints: first contact, purchase, onboarding, and long-term engagement. It becomes a compass for messaging, visuals, and even timing. For example, if 'relief' is an anchor at the purchase stage, the CTA design, copy, and even post-purchase emails are built to reinforce that feeling. Another unique addition is a 'Brand Filters' checklist, a series of quick yes/no questions aligned with brand values. Before publishing or designing anything, the team runs content through this filter. It's a simple way to maintain consistency without micromanaging creativity. Lastly, I always include a 'What We Are Not' section. It's a short list of traits, tones, or visuals that look appealing but don't belong to the brand. This helps eliminate well-intended but off-brand choices early in the creative process. These additions aren't just about aesthetics. They reduce friction between teams, accelerate approvals, and result in brand expressions that actually connect.
I focus on the transition points where brand perception breaks down—when someone moves from seeing an ad to using the product, or from visiting the site to reading an email. Most brand sheets cover colors, logos, and tone, but they rarely address consistency across experiences. I include real-world use cases that show how the brand should sound in action: text in error messages, push notifications, refund pages, and support chats. These small moments carry more weight than splashy taglines. One thing I add that most teams miss is a section called "What We're Not." It outlines specific traits we avoid in voice and design. Not sarcastic. Not wordy. Not corporate. Teams often interpret brand tone differently. Setting those boundaries prevents drift. I've seen startups burn ad dollars with content that looks on-brand but feels wrong. Clarity up front avoids rework later. The guide is only useful if it's used. So I strip it down to one page that lives inside our project management tool. No PDFs. No hidden folders. People grab it when they're writing a subject line or approving a landing page. If it's not accessible in real-time, it's not part of the culture. Brand work needs to meet people where they are.
When creating a brand guide, I focus on making it genuinely usable. It needs to go beyond design theory and actually support how a brand shows up day-to-day. So yes, it includes the essentials like logos, colours, type, spacing rules, but it also anticipates how people will interact with the brand in the real world. One element I always include is a "brand in-use" section. This might show the logo on packaging, an Instagram post, or signage. It helps clients see how everything works together visually and reinforces consistency. I also add a clear "how-to" for social media. This has recommended templates, tone guidance, and an example grid layout. It gives clients a visual reference for what an on-brand feed can look like and makes content planning easier. I also include a "what not to do" section. Not to restrict creativity, but to prevent those little slip-ups that slowly erode a brand's impact, like using off-brand fonts or distorting the logo.
When I put together the brand guide for Flippin' Awesome Adventures, I focused on making sure it felt like us—fun, professional, and full of energy, like you're already out on the water with dolphins before you even book the tour. The usual stuff is in there: logo variations, color palette (sunshine yellow, Gulf water blue, and that soft sand beige), font choices that are easy to read but still playful, and tone of voice notes. But one thing I included that most guides skip? A section called "Onboard Moments." It's a collection of real phrases I say on the boat, guest reactions, and those little 'aha' educational nuggets that guests love. It helps everyone involved in marketing, social, or partnerships tap into our actual vibe, not just a polished version of it. I also keep a "Vibe Check" photo grid in the guide, a handful of images that represent our ideal energy. Smiling families, close-up shell finds, shark tagging action, and crystal-clear water shots. It's a quick way to make sure any content or messaging fits the feeling we're aiming for. The goal is to make sure anyone creating for the brand, even a new hire or a freelance designer can jump in and instantly get what we're all about.
I like to clearly distinguish between "brand policing" and "brand enabling". A lot of people are creating content for your brand. And with AI, that's only going to become a bigger issue. What you really need to do is nail the brand voice and make sure everyone can recognize it without your logo or branding on an asset. That usually means going past vague or generic adjectives like "friendly" or "joyful" and giving tangible examples of how the brand speaks or reacts in different situations. I also believe you need to be really clear on the difference between voice and tone. While your voice should be consistent, your tone can change depending on the platform you're on. Wendy's is a great example of this. On social, the brand is known for its "unhinged" and snarky tone. We can all recognize a Wendy's tweet immediately. But if you head to the Wendy's website, the tone changes. As you move closer to the product, tone should change slightly to prioritize 1) the product and 2) clarity. There's still room to express your brand's voice, but there should be a clear shift in tone. Starbucks is another example of this. Its brand guidelines show that it has two brand voices: 1) Expressive - shows the brand's personality and gives a fresh twist on product truths 2) Functional - prioritizes clarity, wayfinding, and the product itself It may seem counter-intuitive, but paying special attention to this difference and leaving flexibility to play around with tone is the key to developing a memorable and consistent voice. After all, we typically don't speak to our CEO in the same tone as our best friends, but it's still our voice. And those who know us will always recognize it.