# Brand Consistency Standards

## Overview

Guidelines for maintaining consistent brand voice, visual identity, and messaging across all marketing channels.

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## Brand Voice Guidelines

### Voice Characteristics

Define your brand voice using 3-5 adjectives:

**Examples**:
- **Professional**: Formal, authoritative, expert
- **Conversational**: Friendly, approachable, casual
- **Authoritative**: Confident, knowledgeable, trustworthy
- **Playful**: Fun, energetic, creative
- **Empathetic**: Understanding, supportive, caring

### Tone Variations by Context

| Context | Tone | Example |
|---------|------|---------|
| Blog Post | Educational, helpful | "Here's how to..." |
| Social Media | Casual, engaging | "We're excited to share..." |
| Email | Personal, direct | "You asked, we listened..." |
| Sales Copy | Persuasive, urgent | "Don't miss out on..." |
| Support | Empathetic, patient | "We understand your concern..." |

### Voice Consistency Checklist

- [ ] Use consistent pronouns (we/you vs. I/they)
- [ ] Maintain consistent formality level
- [ ] Apply consistent humor/seriousness balance
- [ ] Use consistent industry terminology
- [ ] Align with brand personality traits

---

## Color Theory and Palette Management

### Color Palette Structure

**Primary Colors** (1-2 colors):
- Main brand color
- Used in logos, CTAs, headers

**Secondary Colors** (2-4 colors):
- Supporting colors
- Used for accents, highlights, backgrounds

**Neutral Colors** (2-3 colors):
- Grays, whites, blacks
- Used for text, backgrounds, borders

### Color Specifications

For each color, define:
- **Hex**: `#FF5733`
- **RGB**: `rgb(255, 87, 51)`
- **CMYK**: `cmyk(0, 66, 80, 0)` (for print)
- **Pantone**: `PMS 1788 C` (for print)

### Accessibility Requirements

- **Text Contrast**: Minimum 4.5:1 ratio for normal text (WCAG AA)
- **Large Text Contrast**: Minimum 3:1 ratio for 18pt+ text
- **Interactive Elements**: Minimum 3:1 contrast for buttons, links

**Tools**: WebAIM Contrast Checker, Coolors.co

---

## Logo Development and Usage Rules

### Logo Variants

**Required Variants**:
1. **Primary Logo**: Full-color, horizontal
2. **Secondary Logo**: Full-color, stacked
3. **Monochrome Logo**: Single-color (black/white)
4. **Favicon**: 16x16px, 32x32px, 64x64px

### Logo Usage Guidelines

**DO**:
- Use official logo files (vector formats: SVG, EPS, AI)
- Maintain minimum clear space (equal to logo height)
- Use approved color variations only
- Scale proportionally

**DON'T**:
- Stretch, skew, or rotate the logo
- Change logo colors
- Add effects (shadows, gradients, outlines)
- Place logo on busy backgrounds

### Minimum Sizes

- **Print**: 0.5 inches wide
- **Digital**: 120px wide
- **Favicon**: 32x32px minimum

---

## Typography and Font Stacks

### Font Hierarchy

**Primary Font** (Headings):
- Font family: `"Montserrat", sans-serif`
- Weights: 600 (Semi-Bold), 700 (Bold)
- Use for: H1, H2, H3, CTAs

**Secondary Font** (Body):
- Font family: `"Open Sans", sans-serif`
- Weights: 400 (Regular), 600 (Semi-Bold)
- Use for: Paragraphs, lists, captions

**Monospace Font** (Code):
- Font family: `"Fira Code", monospace`
- Use for: Code snippets, technical content

### Font Stack Best Practices

```css
/* Primary Font Stack */
font-family: "Montserrat", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif;

/* Secondary Font Stack */
font-family: "Open Sans", "Segoe UI", Roboto, sans-serif;

/* Monospace Font Stack */
font-family: "Fira Code", "Courier New", monospace;
```

### Typography Scale

- **H1**: 2.5rem (40px)
- **H2**: 2rem (32px)
- **H3**: 1.5rem (24px)
- **H4**: 1.25rem (20px)
- **Body**: 1rem (16px)
- **Small**: 0.875rem (14px)

---

## Visual Identity Consistency

### Image Style Guidelines

- **Photography**: Bright, natural lighting; authentic, candid shots
- **Illustrations**: Flat design, consistent color palette
- **Icons**: Line-based, 2px stroke weight, rounded corners
- **Graphics**: Minimal, clean, data-driven

### Design Principles

1. **Simplicity**: Avoid clutter, use white space
2. **Consistency**: Repeat visual patterns
3. **Hierarchy**: Guide eye with size, color, placement
4. **Alignment**: Use grid systems (12-column)
5. **Contrast**: Create visual interest with color, size, weight

---

## Tone and Style Guides

### Writing Style

- **Sentence Length**: 15-20 words average
- **Paragraph Length**: 3-5 sentences
- **Active Voice**: Preferred over passive
- **Contractions**: Use for conversational tone
- **Jargon**: Avoid unless targeting technical audience

### Formatting Standards

- **Headings**: Title case for H1, sentence case for H2-H6
- **Lists**: Use bullets for unordered, numbers for sequential
- **Links**: Descriptive anchor text (not "click here")
- **Emphasis**: Bold for importance, italics for emphasis
- **Dates**: Month DD, YYYY (e.g., January 31, 2026)

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## Brand Consistency Checklist

Before publishing any content:

- [ ] Voice matches brand personality
- [ ] Colors match brand palette
- [ ] Logo usage follows guidelines
- [ ] Typography uses approved fonts
- [ ] Images align with visual style
- [ ] Tone appropriate for channel
- [ ] Formatting follows standards
- [ ] Accessibility requirements met

---

## Resources

- **Color Tools**: Adobe Color, Coolors.co, Paletton
- **Typography**: Google Fonts, Adobe Fonts, Font Squirrel
- **Accessibility**: WebAIM, WAVE, axe DevTools
- **Design**: Figma, Adobe XD, Canva

