In many companies, branding isn't just the designer’s job; it’s a team effort. Marketing, sales, and customer service teams often create or share branded materials, and this content is frequently handed over to a design team late in the process for review.
What’s often overlooked is that every team member contributes to brand identity. For example, a worker in the service industry embodies the brand—they’re expected to represent its values, instill trust, and reinforce confidence. So why treat visual branding differently?
When visual branding is seen solely as a designer’s responsibility, companies miss the opportunity to foster broader alignment across the organization. Just as front-line employees embody brand values in interactions, non-designers in roles like marketing or customer service should maintain that same level of representation in visual and written communication.
Imagine conversing with a professional who represents their company flawlessly, earning your trust. Then, when it’s time to share a proposal or presentation, you see a cluttered, inconsistent, incohesive visual identity—a major setback, and at worst, a reputational risk, especially if compared to a competitor.
So how can we fix this?
First, the earlier you consult with your designer, the better. If that’s not always possible, review previous branding work, find the best example, and build from there. Once your work is finalized, review it with the style guide open, read it aloud, tilt your screen, and check for visual alignment from different angles (it may sound odd, but it helps).
For added support, tools like Doclint make it easier for teams to stay within brand parameters without extensive design knowledge. By automatically identifying inconsistencies in visuals and layout, Doclint can reduce back-and-forth revisions and keep work cohesive from the start. The result? Design teams focus on creative work, and everyone—designer or not—can deliver professional, on-brand content that seamlessly represents the company’s values.
Oct 28, 2024
