![\"Free](\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/53\/76520ae5-1a3b-4055-9e8e-95e150b90965.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhether you\u2019re building a brand from scratch or giving a visual refresh to a client, there\u2019s so much to steal from how the pros do it.<\/p>\n
So, I rolled up my sleeves and put together 25 of my favorites. All very different brands with the same genius move: clear, intentional identity.<\/p>\n
Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Brand guidelines, also known as a brand style guide, govern the composition, design, and general look-and-feel of a company\u2019s branding. Brand guidelines can dictate the content of a logo, blog, website, advertisement, and similar marketing collateral.<\/p>\n Picture the most recognizable brands you can think of.<\/p>\n Chances are, you\u2019ve learned to recognize them due to one of the following reasons:<\/p>\n But before you sit down to create your branding guidelines, I\u2019d recommend taking a step back and defining your brand\u2019s mission statement and buyer personas. These strategic elements will help you dive into the tactical components of your brand style guide later.<\/p>\n Your brand guidelines\u2019 <\/strong>mission statement<\/a><\/strong> ensures that all your content is working toward the same goal and connecting with your audience. It can also guide your blog and paid content, ad copy, visual media, and slogan.<\/p>\n For instance, here\u2019s how we at HubSpot define our mission:<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cGrow Better,\u201d<\/em> as simple as that, but so loud. It makes me insanely proud to put my experience on the HubSpot blog so you can learn from that and be part of the company\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n Your brand guidelines and buyer persona<\/a><\/strong> guide your blog content, ad copy, and visual media, which can attract valuable leads and customers to your business. I suggest creating one quickly with our free persona tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n I particularly like the buyer persona template. It outlines key objections, questions, and the scenario where they\u2019d seek help. It\u2019s not just a sales leader at a fast-growing tech company. It\u2019s a real person taken through the customer\u2019s journey, with all the doubts that come with making a purchasing decision.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n A brand style guide encompasses much more than just a logo (although that\u2019s important, too). It visually encompasses everything your brand is about, down to your business\u2019s purpose.<\/p>\n Here are some key elements that I believe make or break a brand style guide, with links to in-depth articles if you need more guidance or info:<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n For each example below, I\u2019ll highlight the specific elements worth borrowing, along with what I generally liked about a brand guide.<\/p>\n See the full <\/strong>Mailchimp brand guide.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>How the guide actually sounds<\/em> like Mailchimp. It\u2019s not corporate or robotic \u2014 it\u2019s friendly, a little quirky, and easy to follow. Even small details like the lowercase \u201cc\u201d in Mailchimp come with a backstory<\/a>.<\/p>\n My closer look:<\/strong> Mailchimp\u2019s brand guidelines walk you through the basics \u2014 logo, color, type. The rule is: Always pair the winking Freddie icon with the Mailchimp wordmark, give it space to breathe, and never mess with the files.<\/p>\n Cavendish Yellow is the hero color, Peppercorn is used for contrast, and there\u2019s a separate logo version for dark backgrounds.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n See the full <\/strong>Slack brand guide<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>It defines how the Slack brand can appear in co-branded situations, how to use illustrations and photography, and what\u2019s allowed in video content (super helpful for partners and collabs).<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n My closer look:<\/strong> Slack\u2019s brand guidelines include rules for logo usage, spacing, color variations, and clear examples of misuse.<\/p>\n There are also different lockups (horizontal, stacked), acceptable background colors, and accessibility-safe versions. It specifies typography choices (Hellix and system alternatives) and provides exact hex and RGB values for core and secondary colors.<\/p>\n Beyond visuals, there\u2019s a legal section with strict rules on using the Slack name, product UI, and screenshots, plus trademark and naming guidelines.<\/p>\n See the full <\/strong>FedEx brand guide.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019ve always admired how FedEx keeps their branding so clean and consistent \u2014 and this quick reference guide shows exactly how they do it. The iconic wordmark in purple and orange + variations in color depending on the service.<\/p>\n For example, FedEx Ground uses green, FedEx Freight uses red, and so on, but the structure and spacing of the logo always stay the same.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n My closer look: <\/strong>It\u2019s super practical. Even though it\u2019s a short guide, it manages to cover everything from digital use to huge formats like truck decals and building signage. It\u2019s proof that you don\u2019t need a massive manual to keep a brand looking sharp at every touchpoint.<\/p>\n There are also clear-space rules, typography, and examples of what not<\/em> to do with the logo.<\/p>\n See the full <\/strong>McLaren Formula 1 brand guide<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n I\u2019m a huge fan of Ayrton Senna, a legendary Formula 1 racing driver, who drove McLaren and Williams, so I couldn\u2019t resist sharing McLaren\u2019s guide that dives into brand assets: their signature Papaya color (with Pantone, CMYK, RGB specs), the Speedmark logo and wordmark, and the shorthand icon.<\/p>\n My closer look: <\/strong>It spells out when to use primary vs. secondary logos, color combinations across various media (print, wrap, digital), and clear-space rules. It also addresses secondary series like Formula\u202fE and includes usage in motion graphics, social media, and co-branding scenarios (with pre-approved examples for livery and merchandise).<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>It sets voice-and-tone principles \u2014 confident but not arrogant, approachable yet professional. There is the brand architecture that outlines the relationships among McLaren Racing, its automotive divisions, and sub-teams like Formula E or IndyCar.<\/p>\n See the full <\/strong>Varonis brand guide<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>How clear and practical it is. Beyond showing how to \u201cuse the brand,\u201d it also includes examples of incorrect usage to help protect brand integrity.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n My closer look: <\/strong>A quick-start guide with logo rules, primary\/secondary colors (like Electric Blue and Cyber Green), font choices, and clear direction on usage across print, web, and dark themes.<\/p>\n It also covers tone of voice \u2014 professional, clear, never fear-based \u2014 and includes specific guidance for compliant messaging under GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA. Extended sections show preferred layouts for ads, blogs, presentations, and co-branded content.<\/p>\n See the full <\/strong>Boomi brand guide<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>It\u2019s a full internal and external brand system. The range of assets is impressive, and everything is organized by section and easily downloadable.<\/p>\n My closer look:<\/strong> Boomi\u2019s brand guidelines cover everything from brand evolution and company mission (\u201cImpact & Outcome,\u201d \u201cFuture Forward\u201d) to the full visual identity system \u2014 including logos, colors, gradients, and typography.<\/p>\n What I find important is that verbal identity rules around tone, grammar, and messaging. They also have detailed guidance for platform branding, the Boomiverse community, and employee assets like email signatures, business cards, and PowerPoint templates.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n See the full <\/strong>HERE Technologies brand guide<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n It clicked with me right off the bat because it so resembles HubSpot\u2019s brand style guide while being completely different at the same time.<\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>It\u2019s not just rules \u2014 it\u2019s purpose-driven. Every visual choice ties back to strategy, making the brand feel cohesive in every context. The clarity around co-branding is another plus. It\u2019s easy to see how partners can integrate without compromising the core identity.<\/p>\n My closer look: <\/strong>HERE\u2019s brand guide starts with the big picture \u2014 why the brand exists and what it stands for. It calls itself an \u201cadaptive brand within a stable framework,\u201d built around the mission: \u201cTogether, we move the world forward.\u201d <\/em>Core values like Progressive, Humble, Dynamic, and Inclusive guide both the visual and verbal identity.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Then, the guide takes you into how those values show up in real assets. It covers everything from logo lockups and color palettes to iconography, 2D\/3D illustrations, motion, and even sound \u2014 across digital maps, print, apps, and vehicles.<\/p>\n See the full <\/strong>Techstars brand guide<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>It balances inspiration with specifics. You get a sense of Techstars\u2019 energy and vision, and also practical direction \u2014 logo files, usage examples, writing style. It bridges storytelling with sharp brand mechanics.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n My closer look: <\/strong>The guide highlights Techstars\u2019 core traits \u2014 entrepreneurial, bold, and community-driven \u2014 and gives clear direction on tone and messaging to keep content consistent across platforms.<\/p>\n It also covers visual identity, including logo spacing, colors, and usage rules. The underscore in the logo nods to developer culture, and there\u2019s solid guidance on co-branding, especially for accelerator partners, events, and swag.<\/p>\n See the full <\/strong>Sovos brand guide<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>There\u2019s a strong emphasis on inclusive marketing, with specific visual and language standards to reflect the company\u2019s DEI values.<\/p>\n My closer look:<\/strong> Sovos\u2019 brand guide starts with a solid foundation: their mission, messaging, and voice. It includes messaging pillars, a positioning statement, and a boilerplate for external communications.<\/p>\n From there, the guide moves into writing and style. It follows the Associated Press Stylebook with concrete examples.<\/p>\n The visual identity section includes everything I\u2019d expect: logo usage (with spacing, color variations, and misuse examples), brand fonts (Montserrat and Inter), a detailed color palette, and photography style.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n See the full <\/strong>VyStar brand guide<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n What I like:<\/strong> The brand architecture rules, showing how to apply the brand system across different services and departments, along with templates and resources to support internal teams.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n My closer look:<\/strong> VyStar\u2019s brand guide dives into the story behind the name, tracing \u201cVy\u201d back to its origins as Jax Navy Federal Credit Union, and \u201cStar\u201d as a symbol of guidance. Their compass-inspired symbol connects directly to their naval legacy, tying history and direction into one visual identity.<\/p>\n The guide outlines the visual system in detail: logo versions (primary, sub-brands, tagline lockups), spacing rules, and a set of dos and don\u2019ts to protect logo integrity. It includes full color specifications, a font system, iconography styles, and guidance on how to use photography that reflects the brand\u2019s values.<\/p>\n See the full <\/strong>UPPAbaby brand guide<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>It\u2019s one of the most complete brand systems I\u2019ve seen. The guide supports every team (design, CX, social, sales) with real examples and workflows. Also, there\u2019s a full Brandfolder section explaining how to access, download, resize, and crop assets correctly \u2014 operationally friendly resources for internal teams, partners, and retailers alike.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n My closer look: <\/strong>UPPAbaby\u2019s brand guide starts with the brand\u2019s origin story, values, and mission, grounding everything in authenticity and a clear sense of purpose: to make parenthood easier, more stylish, and better supported.<\/p>\n The brand architecture lays out their messaging platform (\u201cParenthood, Understood\u201d<\/em>) and key pillars like family wellness, smart design, and child development.<\/p>\n I just love that thoughtful gesture towards their clients, even in the brand style guide.<\/p>\n The visual section covers all the basics: different logo versions, where and how to use them, and what to avoid. It also explains how to use brand colors and which fonts to stick with, like Agenda Light, Novecento Sans Wide, and Gelica.<\/p>\n See the full <\/strong>Dropbox brand guide<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n What I like: <\/strong>It\u2019s not a typical PDF. It\u2019s a playground. That kind of hands-on clarity is rare and makes the guidelines stick. You walk away understanding not just what<\/em> to do, but how<\/em> and why<\/em> it matters.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n My closer look:<\/strong> Dropbox\u2019s brand guide is an interactive site that shows you how the brand works in real time. It walks through core elements like iconography, illustration style, logos, voice, and messaging, all anchored by four clear brand principles: humanity, clarity, action, and delight.<\/p>\n Everything is hands-on. You can test font weight and width using their custom Sharp Grotesk type, explore how icons scale across UI sizes, and watch animations that show the motion guidelines in action. The guide makes it easy to see how each design choice supports simplicity, usability, and a consistent Dropbox experience.<\/p>\n See the full <\/strong>Tyson Foods brand guide<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n What I like:<\/strong> It gives crystal-clear guidance on when to use \u201cTyson Foods\u201d vs \u201cTyson Foods Inc.\u201d and really drives home the importance of getting the company name right. It also does a great job explaining how to co-brand with retail sub-brands.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n My closer look: <\/strong>The Tyson Foods brand guide starts with a quick look at Tyson\u2019s roots and purpose. Then it gets right into the core branding elements, especially the logo system. The guide explains how to use the main full-color logo and when to switch to one-color versions (red, black, or white).<\/p>\n It lays out clear spacing rules (using the height of the \u201cn\u201d in Tyson as a buffer) and minimum sizing.<\/p>\n The do\u2019s and don\u2019ts are super clear: don\u2019t skew the logo, separate the emblem and wordmark, use unauthorized colors, or lock the logo up with department names or other text.<\/p>\n\n
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What are brand guidelines?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Brand Guidelines: Mission Statement<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"hubspot\u2019s](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-1-20250717-4546154.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nBrand Guidelines: Buyer Persona<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"brand](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-2-20250717-4274256.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nThe Elements of a Brand Style Guide<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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25 Best Brand Style Guide Examples<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Mailchimp<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"mailchimp](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-3-20250717-3696901.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n2. Slack<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"slack](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-4-20250717-8034456.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n3. FedEx<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"fedex](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-5-20250717-3574462.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n4. McLaren Formula\u202f1<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"mclaren](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-6-20250717-5965869.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n5. Varonis<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"varonis](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-7-20250717-6563916.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n6. Boomi<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"boomi](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-8-20250717-9189571.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n7. HERE Technologies<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"here](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-9-20250717-3782072.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n8. Techstars<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"techstars](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-10-20250717-5726070.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n9. Sovos<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"sovos](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-11-20250717-5579436.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n10. VyStar<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"vystar](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-12-20250717-7312579.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n11. UPPAbaby<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"uppababy](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-13-20250717-7480706.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n12. Dropbox<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"dropbox](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-14-20250717-6456341.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n13. Tyson Foods<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"tyson](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-15-20250717-1022828.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n14.<\/strong> Cloud Elements<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"cloud](\"https:\/\/klornazevuto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/brand-style-guide-examples-16-20250717-3532254.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n