103 Brand Guideline Examples to Inspire Your Designs

Are you looking to take your brand to the next level? Tired of the same old design?

Building a style guide to showcase your logos, typography, icons and brand materials will ensure that you stand out and catalogue your greatest assets.

For some inspiration, we’ve pooled together the top 100 brand guides and style guides that will give you insights into the wide world of branding and marketing.

 

Great style guides should have a good balance between its graphic and content. This style guide by Google is a perfect example of this as it captures an array of material icons, design guidelines, colour palettes and resizing options. The clever multi coloured use of tones and graphics really sets it aside from competitors as it channels their rainbow design logo. Take a look at the Google brand guidelines via their website here.

This simple Nike tick is recognizable anywhere you go with their logo being a fashion label for many. The business has kept the lion’s share of the athletic shoe market through intelligent branding and brilliant marketing strategies. Nike’s brand guidelines speak the common language of sport where you can visit their visual centre to check out their vibrant brand assets. Take a look at the Nike style guide here!

Chances are you already know the happiest place on planet Earth - Disney. With a huge film and production studio, gigantic theme parks, and stores all over the world, the brand depicts the magic of fun and entertainment. Their online style guide provides you with a comprehensive marketing guideline of all you need to know about Disney’s print and online materials across their Walt Disney World Resort, Cruise Line and Disney Park. Check out the magic through the Disney brand guide PDF here.

Ever wondered how Twitter features its brand and online assets across their online platform? Search no longer because Twitter’s designed a guide to help you use all of their brand assets including their content, logos and trademarks. The best part? There’s no need to worry about negotiating legal agreements for using these at any time! Check out their brand guide and download the PDF for the same here.

Airbnb’s style guide is super slick and well organised, designed for the user’s convenience. The site features a customisation tool for colour, facilities including destination/number of guests, arrival/departure along with a personalised dashboard and profile. Browse and help buttons are also thoughtfully provided for the user’s needs. Overall, this is a compact and efficient site. Check out all the fun via dribble here.

Your style guide should channel your brand's vision and mirror the principles and overall look of your business. Included in Coca-Cola’s style guide is an insight into their logo specifications, colour,  positioning, their signature bottle graphics, typography and spacing. There’s an impressively detailed “do’s and don'ts” list for its brand assets and marketing materials for both online and print. The colour and calibration displayed in each packaging type really sets the Coca-Cola style guide apart from its competitors. The popular logo is even available for display on vehicles! Check out the Coca-Cola brand guidelines on issuu here.

This is a very colourful style guide that is easy to use and understand for all to read. There are colour wheels and examples of how colour should be used in various situations. On top of that, there are enough images to explain logo and brand concepts clearly. The guide is easy to follow and understand. Join in on the fun and download the Dyson style guide PDF here.

 

The Amazon style guide provides clear guidelines on how to apply colour size and spacing of the brand logo and icons with notes on presentation styles. There is a helpful overview with guidelines on the brand usage in CTA (call to action), which encourages potential customers to click on promotional offers. Download the Amazon brand guidelines PDF here.

What better way to grab your audience's attention than to use vibrant colour palettes and unique designs? Heineken’s  style guide maintains their distinct brand image with it’s signature green coloured brand logo featured throughout all of its content. There are plenty of images with reference to their brand colours and logo placement, making this both stylish and visually appealing ! Take a look at teh Heineken brand guide via scribd here.

With styling and colour just like their magazines, this guide is beautifully presented. It has plenty of charts and grids for your convenience and understanding. There’s a lot of information, but it reads well and isn't boring. The guide covers everything you need to know about National Geographic’s marketing and branding materials. Take a look via gretelny here.

These Golden Arches are easily recognizable by consumers worldwide. The McDonald’s style guide manual gives an exclusive look into how they maintain their consistency in visual messages and apply proper usage of their logo. Check out the basics of McDonalds' colour, logos and prices and recognise how they’re practically applied to stores! Take a look via issue here.

Jamie Oliver’s style guide has done a brilliant job of branding while also focusing on marketing and packaging material. Their style guide depicts all sorts of materials that you would find in cook books, helping to turn a simple homemaker into a world-class chef! Check out their style guide on issu here.

The IKEA style guide provides an insight into the origin, growth and way of operation of the company. Beginning with the basics, it provides explicit instructions that leaves no room for doubt, on the precise design of the company logo, business card and envelope. There is a noteworthy section on promotional items like postcards coupons and banners. Depiction of aisle signs guiding towards each department and restroom signs are all done with the intention of the viewer’s convenience. Last but not the least, there is a note on storage and packaging items too. All in all, this is a storehouse of information. Take a look at the Ikea brand guide via issuu.

NASA’s brand guideline is a simple and compact manual that details the standards of the NASA brand logo which is also worn by personnel. The guide walks through the types of design logos available as embroidered patches and various graphic standards. It specifies the nuances in the colour, spacing and background details of the brand logo on various garments like blazers, suits and on hats. The logo for emergency personnel gets a special mention. There are also guidelines provided on the brand logo used in vehicles, publications and signboards. Check out their guide via their website here.

This Spotify guide is edgy and fun! With an entertaining slide show, you will be blown away by the layout. Visually attractive using its vibrant greens, it is also informative. It does take time to navigate the guide, but it covers what you need to know. There are plenty of charts and grids to detail the look and feel. Join in on the fun and take a look at their brand guidelines via issue here.

Millions of users log onto Facebook every day, and chances are you’re one of them. If you're looking to build a brand guideline then Facebook's brand guides may just give you some inspiration. Find Facebook assets, logos, products names and images on their online brand guide and learn how to use them. The guide sheds some light on the best, most effective way to integrate the Facebook brand and posts into any broadcast. Get inspired and take at the Facebook style guide look here.

This guide is both easy to use and read! Interactive, fun, and very stylish, it is everything you would expect from Microsoft. It uses a range of grids and charts and is easy to understand. There are plenty of pictures and images to make the brand personality clear for readers. Take a look at the Microsoft brand guide via their online website here.

Adobe’s Corporate Brand Guidelines gives you everything you need to know about their brand and marketing communications.  Their style guide features everything from their logo, visual identity and branded merchandise to corporate templates, legal guidelines and editorial voices.Their red tag logo is featured and represents the business throughout the guide in visual form. Download the style guide PDF here.

Are you after a style guide that is visually appealing and attention grabbing? The Netflix style guide is exceptionally eye catching in its content as well as mode of presentation. The details referring to the particulars of the elements and conditions of usage of the logotype and secondary art are clearly mentioned throughout the guide. On the final page, important rules which need to be adhered to and additional resources are also provided. Check the Netflix brand guide here.

Effective branding doesn’t need to be overly complex. Clarity shouldn’t be sacrificed in an effort to stand out. YouTube’s branding guidelines do an amazing job of walking you through all you need to know about spacing, size, typography and the “do’s and don’ts” of using their logo. This straight-forward guide also supplies the user with hyperlinks for color specifications and downloading logos - there’s no room for error! Check out the guide here.

Snapchat’s style guide shows exactly why it so easily grabs the attention of its potential users. A snazzy logo, a bright color palette and a formal yet inviting typography are essential elements of Snapchat’s branding. Snapchat’s style guide clearly lays out each of these branding elements and how you can and cannot use them. This is a crisp and useful guide for a quick understanding of Snapchat’s principles. Download the Snapchat brand guidelines PDF here.

What better way to design a brand guideline than to incorporate both creativity and detail ? Skype’s brand guidelines cover everything from their well known blue and white logo and type faces to their strap lines. The guide even details how to use their speech bubbles in print and online material! Check out how Skype leverages their brand assets across, print laptop, tablet, or smartphone online media via their brand guidelines PDF here.

Are you looking for bits, pieces, guides and gizmos? Then LinkedIn’s Brand Resources will give you all you need! Choose to grab just the brand elements you require or better yet, download the whole LinkedIn package in one single .zip file! The guide features an impressive array of their well known blue and white logo designs, colour palettes and swatches. Check out the LinkedIn brand guide via their website here.

If you’re after an engaging and vibrant brand centre then Walmart’s new styling guide does just that. Check out their quick links to logos, templates and their own Style Guidelines manual ! The guidelines walk through their core identity, colour palette, typography, imagery and voice. To see how it’s all applied in action check out their style guide here.

Pinterest’s Style Guide is an organised manual that is methodical in operation. The user is systematically guided on joining, getting started and utilising several tools that are made available on the page. Tips are given on marketing  making use of different marketing developer partners. Information on the company trademark and copyright, blog and business utilities are conveniently provided  at the bottom of the page. Also provided there are help centres and instructions on the terms of privacy. Pinterest’s Style Guide proves to be very handy to the prospective pinners. Check it out here.

There’s no doubting that we’re visual beings. Ever wonder how Instagram packs such a powerful visual punch? Just look at their style guide. With a video that gives a brief introduction to the company's mission, and the multi-coloured camera image as their logo, Instagram does a fantastic job of conveying their strict branding rules, in an easy-to-digest manner. Be inspired and check it out via their website here.

The Starbucks style guide presents a comprehensive and candid illustration of their brand logo. The manual itself is well presented and gives succinct guidelines on their inline block based grid lines and float based grid lines. For some inspiration, take a look at the Starbuck brand guide via their online website here.

Uber is swiftly pushing the taxi industry off the road, allowing riders to experience transport at its finest. However, Uber is more than just that. The service has developed an influential brand that is well recognized all over the world. With innovative new technological ideas, its brand guide depicts all that Uber is - a stylish, new and vibrant growing business. Join the ride and check out their new look here.

There aren’t many people you know that don’t recognise Freddie the Chimp, MailChimp’s very own mascot! Mailchimp is setting itself apart from other social media and communication guides through its innovative and recognisable brand.  Their guide includes their stylish logo and their very own typeface – Helvetica Neue. Their quirky icons can provide inspiration for anyone looking to start their own style guide. Check it out via their website here.

A youth-oriented non-governmental organization needs to have a youthful and vibrant appeal in its styling style. The YMCA achieves this through its bold and colorful logo and an extensive color palette that shows the organization’s diversity. The YMCA style guide highlights acceptable uses and versions of its distinctive logos, typography and colors. It also discusses the kind of images and illustrations that can go with the YMCA brand. Learn more by downloading their official style guide PDF here.

The pictures in this guide really make an impact! The visual aids make it  simple to get the information you need in just a few seconds. Using medium primary colours in dark, white, and a bright green to create the Medium brand, the logo really pops and is appealing to the viewer. The use of weighted font keeps everything interesting and visually fresh. Check it all out via behance here.

Whoever said you have to compromise? This IBM style guide captures the perfect balance between colour and content! Easy to navigate and fun, with strikingly beautiful animations to boot, IBM ensures an informative and entertaining experience for all readers. Covering everything from their logo to grammar, this guide shares everything you need to know about building your own style guide. A perfect example of creativity and genius colliding - their interactive table of contents will allow you to find all the information you need in no time. Check it out via their website here.

Visually stimulating, the style guide of Pepsi is very straight forward. The focus of the brand identity is the red, white, and blue logo. The colours are vibrant and custom to the brand while the trademark font is fun and all lower case without exception. The guide covers a lot of the do's and don'ts of advertising the brand. For the go-to-guide download Pepsi’s style guide PDF here.

Sometimes simple is just better. This powerful WhatsApp branding guide doesn’t need tricks or gimmicks to impress you. The use of colour is what really makes this style guide pop. This no-nonsense guide pays homage to the vibrant green colours that we have all come to know and love. There are colour guides for easy viewing, and its minimalistic layout makes it a pleasure to read through! Well put together and reader friendly, this guide hits all the points, quick and easy. Be sure to check it out via their website here.

As one of the most sophisticated smartphone operating systems on the market, Android does a fantastic job of branding themselves as a prominent leader in the industry. Their style guide features material designs for Android devices with themes, lists and cards, animations and drawables. The guide also details their material design specifications that are available for Android 5.0. For some inspiration check out the guide via their website here.

One of the world leader’s in electronics, Sony has expanded their brand over the last few decades. What makes Sony so successful in branding is that they keep the logo simple and the identity of their products impressively advanced. To take a look at their stylish Brand Identity guidelines via issuu, check it out here.

Are you after a well structured style guide? Ben & Jerry’s style guide is easy to navigate and offers a confusion-free table of contents so that the user isn't searching for what they need. Based on a 12 column grid framework and with the classic chunky letter font that is identified with the Ben & Jerry's brand, the guide is conducive with the brand site. The imagery is to be reduced using an optimization tool found in basic Photoshop applications. Download their style guide PDF here.

If you’re looking for a guide that’s detailed, visual and vibrant then check out Vodafone’s Visual Identity and Digital Guidelines. The guide covers the “all you need to know '' about visual identity in the digital world, typography, signatures, calls to actions, badges, rich media and so much more! This telecom giant also gives readers an idea of how to leverage their social media with their brand assets including profiles, display pictures and backgrounds. Have a look around via issuu here.

Yet another example of a skillfully presented and simple branding manual - Kickstarter’s style guide offers a comprehensive look at their brand direction summed up in just three golden rules. Short and sweet. All key brand assets are masterfully (and subtly) presented under a big, tempting “search projects” button. Go on, explore the possibilities via their website here.  

It’s a good idea to design a style guide that's easy to read and navigate. Volkswagen’s branding guidelines capture their style specifications in a simple and structured format. The guide features Volkswagen’s signature logo with a wide variety of colour selections and marketing materials. There are plenty of examples and grids included that depict the brand's key features and assets. For some insights, download the Volkswagen style guide PDF here.

Looking for inspiration? Pixar’s style guide is harder to navigate but is stunning, featuring the beautiful artwork of Pixar artists. They use the lamp icon in their logo, which is kept simple with black font on a white background. They focus on the creativity of their artists to design the site, with vibrant colour patterns. They use a navigation bar that is complex and looks like a reel of film. Get inspired and check it out here.

Don’t be afraid to use bold colours throughout your guide and ensure consistency across each section.This style guide of Commonwealth Bank uses plenty of pictures in the trademark black, white and yellow to demonstrate their branding style. There is an easy to follow font, logo placement and typeface that is consistent across each page. The guide also breaks down the correct placement and use of logo, images, and typeface. Check out the style guide PDF here.

This beautifully designed guide offers clear and easy to use chapters covering a range of topics. The Lexus style guide uses several diagrams to explain their popular logo and brand signatures. There are rich and luxurious colour palettes included that are harmoniously balanced. Get inspired and check it out here.

The FIFA World Cup style guide sure makes an impact! Following the introductory brief on the purpose of the manual, and public guidelines, the various official marks like the emblem, slogan element, logo, trophy etc. are beautifully presented with notes on correct usage. The manual on concluding note cautions against usage of the official marks for private advertisements and offers the supply of the digital files detain the graphic guidelines of the official marks on request for reproduction. Check it out here.

What better way to present your style guide than to connect with your audience and provide brand transparency? This style guide focuses on preserving Dell's corporate personality through the use of their distinct colours and brand assets. Their traditional blue and white logos have been used as standalone brand identifiers, a sure way to gain recognition. The guide also uses an appealing modern and approachable typeface. To know more, download their brand guidelines PDF  here!

The LG style guide is an informative and inspirational manual to users,  pointing out the essentiality of protecting and maintaining brand identity. It throws light into various aspects of brand platforming  and on distinctive communication styles. The guide provides eloquent illustrations on good and bad logos, the nuances in colour format and positioning. Also enlisted are the different styles of photography that are used, different colour bars and their applications along with a note on the don’ts. The viewer also gets an idea of the different advertisements used with the recommended guidelines for each. Specific instructions related to the usage of logos in different sites and media are helpfully provided. Download LG’s style guide PDF here.

Ebay’s style guide offers detailed illustrations on their logos, with specifications on the configuration/ colour/size and spacing. Notes on third party usage, rights of the user on the logo with special mention on the don’ts are provided. The manual concludes with the legal guidelines necessary to keep the company and the brand safe. Check it out via their website here.