Read between the lines…
Brand guidelines should do just that – guide. They should encourage those working with them to think seriously but creatively about the brand. All too often they are implemented rigidly and uniformly, like Health and Safety Guideline. They are not questioned and so do not change. A static brand as laid down in unchanging guidelines is one that fails to keep the pace of change with its dynamic consumers.
MTV gets it right. Their creative executions are always definitely MTV and that each iteration is unique and compelling—they are connected to their fast-changing consumers. Also getting it right is Amnesty. They have really done a lot of work to sharpen up their brand voice. Love or hate Nike, they do produce outstanding campaigns that never look the same but yet are instantly recognisable by their sense of fun.
Set your brand free by engaging honestly and creatively with the guidelines—don’t be afraid to make changes. Be guided not constrained.
Joshua wrote this on 02.07.09 – what do you think?
It's filed in the NixonMcInnes box
