What’s included in a brand identity package (and what’s worth paying for)

Ask five studios what’s in a brand identity package and you’ll get five different answers. Some send a logo and a color swatch. Others send a 90-page book nobody opens. Neither helps you run a business.

A good identity package gives you everything you need to show up the same way everywhere, without calling your designer every time you make a flyer. Here’s what that looks like.

The core: what every package should include

1. A short strategy. One page is enough: who you’re for, what makes you different and three or four words that describe your personality. Every design decision after this gets checked against it.
2. A logo suite, not a logo. You need a primary logo, a stacked or compact version, a standalone mark for small spaces like social avatars and favicons, and one-color versions for light and dark backgrounds.
3. A color palette. Primary and supporting colors with HEX, RGB and CMYK values, plus a note on how much of each to use. Proportion matters as much as the colors themselves.
4. Typography. One or two typefaces, how they work together for headings and body text, and a note on licensing so you know you’re allowed to use them on your website.
5. Brand guidelines. A document, or better yet a web page, that shows how it all fits together, with clear dos and don’ts. Short enough that people actually read it.
6. Organized files. Vector files (SVG, PDF or EPS) for print and signage, PNGs for everyday use, all named so anyone on your team can find the right one.

If a package is missing any of these six, ask why.

The extras that often earn their keep

Not every brand needs everything. These are the add-ons we see pay for themselves most often:

• A pattern or illustration system. It makes your brand recognizable even when the logo isn’t on screen. Our own brush X and grinning monkey stickers do more work than our logo some days.
• Social media templates. Ready-made layouts for posts and stories keep your feed consistent when you’re posting in a hurry.
• An animated logo. Two or three seconds of motion for video intros, presentations and your website. More on this in a few weeks.
• Tone of voice. A page on how your brand writes, with examples. It’s the most underrated part of an identity.
• Photography direction. What your images should look and feel like, so stock photos and shoots stay on brand.
• Business cards and stationery. Less essential than they used to be, but still worth it if you meet clients face to face.

Red flags to watch for

• “Branding” that’s really just a logo. A logo on its own can’t carry a brand.
• No vector files. Without them, your logo will look blurry on a sign or a van.
• Unlimited revisions. It sounds generous, but it usually means there’s no process and no strategy to steer decisions.
• Unclear ownership. You should own the final files and the rights to use them, in writing.

Questions to ask before you sign

• What’s included, file by file?
• Is strategy part of the project, or am I expected to bring it?
• How many concepts will I see, and how many rounds of changes are included?
• Who owns the final artwork?
• What happens after launch if I need a new version or a quick tweak?

The short version

A brand identity package is the toolkit that lets you look like yourself everywhere. Pay for the core six, then add the extras you’ll actually use. Not sure whether you need a whole new identity or a tune-up of the one you have? We’ll cover exactly that in two weeks.

Thinking about a new identity? Tell us what you’re working on and we’ll tell you which pieces you actually need.