{"id":10472,"date":"2025-06-23T05:12:23","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T10:12:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.atom.com\/blog\/?p=10472"},"modified":"2025-07-23T10:43:54","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T15:43:54","slug":"what-is-a-brand-kit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.atom.com\/blog\/what-is-a-brand-kit\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Brand Kit? How Do You Create One for Your Business?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When building a business, you\u2019re trying to find something customers will love. Whether it\u2019s the refreshing flavor of your new smoothie, the streamlined workflow of your CRM or the bubbly personality of your dog-walking business, no business can succeed without delighting its customers.

Another thing customers love? Consistency. The statistics bear it out: One in three businesses reported that consistent messaging across branding led to revenue increases over 20%<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Running a brand can be a messy business, however. You\u2019ve got email marketing, social media posts and ad campaigns to manage. Choose the wrong tone of pink in just one of these channels, and oops: you\u2019ve damaged brand recognition and confused your customers.

So, how do you build consistency in branding<\/a>? With a brand kit. Your brand kit is your grab bag of brand assets, and means that anyone can create materials that look pro and on-brand. It saves you time, keeps things consistent, and helps you look like the polished brand you are.

Ready to learn how to create a brand kit for your business? Stick around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Brand Kit?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A brand kit is a collection of images, templates, and other visual assets that you use to express your brand. It also includes guidelines on how to use and implement these elements consistently. For instance, if you have several logo iterations, a brand kit would define which logo to use against which background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The beauty of a brand kit is that it takes the guesswork out of creating branded materials. Anyone in your company or outside contractors can refer to the kit and create something that fits your brand perfectly. It is essentially a compact brand style guide for your visual assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brand kit components<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Let’s break down what goes into a brand kit. Each component plays a crucial role in making your brand stand out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Color scheme<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Colors are a big deal for your brand. Coca-Cola\u2019s iconic red color is why you can spot a Coca-Cola ad from a mile away. Yet it’s not just about looking good: colors can make your brand memorable, and one study found that color boosts brand recognition by up to 80%<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colors can make people feel things, too<\/a>. Red makes customers excited, and they associate blue with calm. Color is so important to brands that they trademark their specific shades, like the iconic Reese\u2019s orange<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your brand kit should include these precise color specifications. Don’t just say “blue.” Provide exact values like “Hex #0000FF” or “Pantone 300 C”. Include primary colors for your logo and main branding elements, as well as secondary colors for accents and supporting graphics. This ensures consistency across all applications, from digital to print.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Logo<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Your logo is your primary visual asset, and one of the first ways customers connect with your brand. One study showed that round logos tend to make people think a company is more caring<\/a> and warm, while angular logos give off a tough, competitive vibe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just look at Airbnb’s cuddly bubble logo versus the sharp edges of FedEx. And that’s before we even talk about colors! Remember how we said colors affect emotions? Well, add those colors to a logo, and you have a powerful tool for shaping how people see your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your brand kit should include different versions of your logo, for different uses. Most brands have a primary logo, a secondary logo, a submark and a favicon. You may need different colors for different circumstances, too \u2014 full color, black and white, and maybe a simplified version for small spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typography<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Your typography choice can change how people see your message. A study published in the Information Design Journal<\/a> found that fonts affect a reader’s mood, comprehension, and engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, serif fonts (the ones with little feet on the letters) look formal and traditional. Sans-serif? More modern and clean. Just look at how different The New York Times (very serif) feels compared to Apple’s website (all sans-serif, all the time).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For your brand kit, stick to two or three fonts max, and choose one for headlines and another for body text. Most importantly, keep it readable!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography and other imagery<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Your brand kit should include clear rules for the types of visuals you’ll use across all platforms. Specify whether you’ll primarily use photos, illustrations, or a mix. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, Apple’s brand kit emphasizes clean, minimalist product photography. Set standards for image style \u2013 like whether photos should be candid or staged, color or black-and-white. Outline any specific filters or editing techniques to maintain consistency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t forget to include guidelines on image selection. If you use stock photos, provide examples of appropriate choices. Your kit should also cover how images interact with brand elements like logos or text overlays. These rules ensure that your visual identity stays consistent no matter who’s creating content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Design templates<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A good brand kit should include templates for all common needs \u2013 email layouts, social graphics, business cards, and more. Design templates are both a shortcut to arresting visual imagery, and a guarantee they\u2019ll be consistent across channels<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Purpose of a Brand Kit<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A brand kit keeps your branding consistent and sharp. Without a brand kit, you might end up with different versions of your logo floating around or your company name<\/a> written in every font. A brand kit puts everyone on the same page, whether they’re designing a billboard or just sending an email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also makes life easier for your design team. Instead of starting from scratch every time, they’ve got a ready-made toolkit. This speeds things up and cuts down on mistakes. Plus, it frees up your creatives to focus on being creative rather than worrying about using the right shade of blue for the millionth time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, a consistent brand is a memorable brand. When people see the same colors, fonts, and styles over and over, it sticks in their brains. Airbnb\u2019s iconic coral pink<\/a> even has its own name \u2014 Rausch, for the street on which the Airbnb concept was dreamed up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Create a Brand Kit in 7 Steps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Creating a brand kit doesn’t have to be daunting. With these steps, you can build a kit that captures your company’s essence and keeps your messaging consistent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Find your brand identity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your brand identity<\/a> is your company\u2019s unique personality. So what makes you unique? Identify your USP (unique selling proposition), and build your story based on your brand\u2019s mission and values.

Your brand identity should be built to appeal to your target audience, and it should be communicated through your brand tone. Are you going to be cheeky and irreverent, like a Ryanair tweet? Or cool, luxurious and innovative like the latest Apple offering?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask about your brand, who do you want to be<\/a> when you grow up, and how do you want customers to feel? Don’t forget to state your mission and values. A 2018 Cone\/Porter Novelli study<\/a> showed that 78% of Americans believe companies must do more than make money; they must also impact society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your brand kit will be the set of visual assets that communicate your identity<\/a> to your audience. Before you can start the conversation, you have to know who you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Research your audience<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When creating your brand kit, knowing your audience is key. Identify your target demographics and look at factors like income, education, job roles, and hobbies. You can use tools like Google Analytics to find out who is interacting with your brand online. A detailed audience profile allows for a more precise and effective brand kit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, explore their preferences. What brands do they love? What values matter to them? What visual styles appeal to them? You might need surveys or focus groups for this. If your audience values sustainability, for instance, you could reflect that in your brand kit with earth tones and recycled textures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Build logos in all formats<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your logo is the face of your brand<\/a> and a crucial part of your brand kit. It’s often the first thing people notice about your company. So start with your primary logo design \u2013 a high-quality, versatile image that works in different sizes and contexts. Then, create variations for various uses. You might need a simplified version for small spaces or a black-and-white version for certain print materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Include all these logo variations in your brand kit, with clear guidelines on when to use each. This ensures your logo always looks its best and represents your brand consistently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4<\/strong>. Choose your typeface<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your preferred font can help highlight the personality you wish to convey. That means nailing your typography can be crucial in conveying your brand to your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start with a primary font that matches your brand’s character. Perhaps sans-serif for a modern feel or serif for a traditional look. Whichever font you choose, make sure it is readable. A 2016 study revealed that people read faster and more accurately from the sans serif typeface<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In your brand kit, set clear font pairing guidelines. Specify how to use your fonts together, such as primary for headlines and secondary for body text. This ensures consistency, which is essential for brand recognition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Define your image style<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your image style can speak volumes about your brand before a word is read. We\u2019re a visual species, and over half of the brain\u2019s processing power is devoted to imagery so it\u2019s no surprise that 56.2% of marketers consider visuals the most important content form<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For photography, set clear guidelines that align with your brand’s personality. A tech startup might use crisp, high-contrast images, while an organic skincare line could prefer soft, natural lighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding illustrations and icons, choose a style that complements your brand aesthetic. Airbnb, for instance, uses simple, line-drawn icons throughout its platform. Whether you go for flat design, isometric, or hand-drawn styles, stick to it. So, invest time in perfecting your image style as it impacts brand perception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Determine color palette<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your brand’s color palette<\/a> needs to suit your personality and make the right impression. Start with a primary color for your logo and main materials. Then, select secondary colors that complement it and add depth to your brand’s look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your brand colors should complement each other, but it goes deeper than visual aesthetics. Each hue plays a role. For example, blue signifies trust and stability, making it a popular choice in industries such as finance and logistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you’ve nailed down your palette, set rules for color usage in your brand kit. Maybe use your primary color for headlines and CTAs and secondary colors for backgrounds. Mailchimp\u2019s brand guidelines<\/a> outline their brand color and a wide range of further functional, background and accent colors that can be paired together for any situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Share internally<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once your brand kit is ready, it’s time to share it. Make sure every team member has access to your brand kit, and knows when and how to use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For external distribution, you’ve got options. Some companies keep their brand kits private, while others make them public as a marketing move. Spotify, for example, has a public brand site that’s become a benchmark in the industry. If you decide to go public, consider creating a dedicated webpage or a downloadable PDF. Make it easy for partners, media, and fans to access and use your brand assets correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Best Places to Build a Brand Kit<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to building your brand kit, you’ve got great options. Let’s look at three popular platforms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n