Quick answer: a small team needs a short brand guide that defines the color palette, the font rules, and the logo use, written so the editor can apply them. A long document that no one reads adds little.

The color section

  • Name the main color, an accent, and the neutrals with their values.
  • State which color carries headings and which carries body text.
  • Give the rule for text over brand backgrounds, supported by an auto-contrast check.
  • Keep the palette small enough to apply consistently.

The font section

  1. One typeface for headings and one for body, with the weights named.
  2. The size and line-height rules for the main formats.
  3. A note on scripts that need explicit font support, such as CJK.
  4. A rule against mixing in unrelated typefaces.

The logo section

  • The approved logo and the dark and light versions.
  • The clear space and the minimum size.
  • The backgrounds the logo may sit on.
  • The misuse cases, such as stretching or recoloring.

The honest limits

A guide only works if the tool applies it. A document in a folder does not keep assets consistent, and the brand still needs a clear message and accurate facts.

Neatico stores the colors, fonts, and logo in the brand kit and applies them to the generated assets. The Frontify alternatives hub compares the tools.

The bottom line

Write a short guide covering colors, fonts, and logo use, then make the editor apply those rules. Keep the palette and font set tight, and treat the guide as a working specification rather than a presentation piece.

Guidelines a team will actually use

Useful guidelines are short and specific: the exact color values, the fonts and where each is used, and the rules for logo placement and contrast. A brand kit turns these into fixed tokens the layout engine applies automatically, so the guidance is enforced rather than sitting in a document. Include the contrast treatment for text on images and a clear rule for when to use each color, then keep the rest flexible.

Turning the guide into fixed tokens

Once the color values and font rules are defined, store them as brand tokens that the layout engine applies automatically, so the guidance is enforced on every generated asset rather than left to memory. Add a clear rule for contrast and logo placement, and note when each font is used. Keep the document short enough that a new person can read it in one sitting; a long guide that nobody opens does less than a small set of rules that are actually applied.