Every brand is supposed to do this — but do they?
“Let’s just spend an hour on this so we can get back to the real work.”
I’ve read through a lot of brand guidelines over the years and many of them follow a similar template. A section toward the beginning of the document usually includes the brand attributes, where the company will outline 4–6 keywords that define the core traits of the brand. These attributes are great to list because they are the descriptors that embody the essence of the brand and guide how it will express itself through messaging and visuals.
But often the same ‘ole words will appear across brand guidelines, no matter the industry. I’ve been guilty of this crime too, especially in my earlier days of learning how to extract words from company stakeholders that would become foundational building blocks in the brand strategy.
Overused and overworked
Brand attributes and other parts of the strategy and core identity like brand archetype, brand voice, brand story, etc. are the essential elements that shape the narrative around the brand before any visual components are created. These components are even established before changing the name of an organization.
Without deeper introspection, iteration, and creativity, these attributes end up being the same boring descriptors that…
