Branding Guidelines

Logo usage 

Colours 

Fonts used and size

Photography/image style

Branding guidelines are a set of rules for a consistent good brand to follow when representing themselves.  This makes them recognised to everyone and maintains their own identity.  Without these a brand may become unrecognisable and not fit for representation.  These will include a logo and where it is placed on a page,  chosen colour(s),  typeface,  spacing, size and general layout.  Each individual letter will need to follow the branding guideline rules like horizontal & vertical spacing between letters.  Chosen colours for a logo are important because it's one of visuals that makes the brand speak for itself.  Example, Google blue,  red,  yellow and green.  Colours for other brands also will reflect what their company is and what they do.  The brand Kew Royal Botanic Gardens is a visitors garden in London and they explore the science of plants and growth.  Their Logo is green to represent nature,  environment,  purity and so on.  Recognised fonts for a brand is the main aspect of a branding guideline.  It represents the brand for what it is and has to reflect their company in their own way.  Once a typeface has been chosen,  it usually stays the same so the identity is kept and people will remember you for who you are.  The typeface needs to flow well with any surrounded text and colour.  The chosen font after this usually cant be re-designed in terms of colour,  altered slogan,  stretched or distorted.  The only time when a font may be changed from the Logo itself is the text below it but they need to work together well to sell you're brand.  If the logo is placed over an image or photograph, hardly or no colour thats used in the Logo can be used in the image as this may result in the Logo being illegible.  Most Logos over an image or photograph are white.  Also the Logo needs to contrast well with the image behind it and visually be recognised for what is their about.

Example below of Kew

Google