Did you know that 71% of consumers enjoy co-branded campaigns? Yet, 65% fail due to poor planning. Co-branding is a striking approach to reaching a broad audience and promoting your brand. But without proper co-branding guidelines, it’s a big no.
It’s inane that most brands neglect co-branding guidelines in their main brand guideline document. Lacking a co-branding guideline means you are on edge about losing your brand identity while marketing new products with other brands. In any case, you must shield your brand identity and maintain a cohesive look while teaming up with different brands.
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For this reason, you need to understand what you should add to your co-branding guidelines. And catch an idea from well-known brands on how they present their co-branding guidelines. So, let’s get on the road.
What are the Co-branding guidelines?
Co-branding guidelines are a document that defines the standard for using logos and other elements when collaborating with one or more brands. These rules will help build a cohesive look while marketing with other brands without sacrificing brand image and identity.
4 elements to include in your co-branding guideline
When your brand sets clear rules for how its visual elements, including the logo, are used with your partner brand, you avoid mishandling your brand image.
In case of equal partnerships, make a brand lock-up. In this way, your brand team will receive the brand hierarchy on how to proceed in marketing while collaborating.
Here are the significant aspects you must add to your co-branding to promote cohesion and sustain your brand identity. By doing so, you will attract a new audience.
1. Logo Usage
- Placement & Hierarchy: Make it clear how your logo is positioned in cases of more than one partner, such as a corporate logo, one brand lead, and two equal brand partner logos. Provide all scenarios for using your logo in different marketing materials.
- Size & Spacing: To ensure your logo has good readability, define the maximum and minimum size for digital and print media, clear space requirements with the partner logo.
- Versions: Define acceptable alternate versions with different backgrounds and logo colors.
Give a visual example of what not to do with your logo. This could include altering logo color, typeface, and proportions in different contexts.
Let’s take Netflix’s branding guideline example for the logo here. Netflix clearly mentioned that partner should place their logo first and emphasize the contrast ratio of the background for higher readability.
If their partner is using a wordmark, they should use the Netflix wordmark, and when a partner is using their symbol, they should place the Netflix symbol as well.
To give room to its logo, Netflix set the rule of clear space near the N symbol at the width of one leg of the N and around the wordmark at the width of the T.
The color of the design elements between the logo marks is flexible according to the partners’ context, though their default color is red.
Netflix listed a few examples of different room divider separators that highlight the flexibility.
2. Colors
Showcase your primary and secondary colors that match your brand aesthetics. For example, if you’re dominating a partnership, you use your color as dominant and your partner’s color as an accent.
- Give contrast standards for text and backgrounds to provide accessibility.
- Determine your neutral colors (white and gray) to balance bold palettes when used together.
For instance, Apple has a primary color palette of gray, silver, and white, and it rules that partners can use accent colors. In their partnership with Hermès, the Apple brand’s color gray and Hermès’ accent colors orange, blue, and other tones create a vibrant look that complements the watch design.
3. Typography
Next, set the rules of your brand typeface for partners to communicate and maintain your visual hierarchy. For example, if your primary typeface is Helvetica Bold, show examples of this typeface in different weights. For other situations, provide an alternate font list when the primary one is unavailable.
When pairing a font with a partner, define how your typeface interacts with them. If you have a sans-serif typeface, you can use its heading or body text and use the partner on the other side. Additionally, make a rule of not using your typeface situation; it could be the font pairing you want to avoid.
4. Voice and Tone
After that, document your brand tone and voice with examples to apply across all communication channels in specific circumstances while marketing the product with a partner, and add up how you can adapt. And keep in mind that voice and tone are not the same things. If you want to understand their difference and know them thoroughly, then you can read this article, Brand Voice vs. Tone: A Comprehensive Comparison
Make sure to explain your brand attributes clearly, as well as dos and don’ts, and maintain your brand image consistently. Additionally, include vocabulary, grammar, formatting, and style that align with your brand and must be adhered to when collaborating.
Add Dos & Don’ts for your partner to guide your writing style when they are developing a message.
Your Messaging and Tone in co-branding must reflect the shared values that resonate with the audience while avoiding confusion. So, you must use a unified tone that connects with both partner personalities while preserving your distinct brand voice.
For instance, the Uber brand voice is straightforward and bold, while Spotify is playful yet direct, and they collaborate to provide a personalized music experience for Uber riders. Togetherer; they come with an empowering, personalized, convenient tone of voice that complements both.
Successful co-branding examples.
Co-branding that thrives always preserves both brands’ identities while marketing a new, innovative product. Let’s look at the co-branding that follows their guidelines.
Puma and Ferrari co-branding
Puma and Ferrari’s collaboration has successfully grabbed their audience’s attention while maintaining their legacy.
This co-branding gains a prestige look by blending Ferrari red with Puma’s innovative design. Whether it’s their footwear or apparel, co-branded products spark off Ferrari’s legendary racing heritage.
The logo, color, and tone of voice truly capture what both brands stand for.
Apple and NIKE Co-branding
The brand partnership between Apple and Nike has resulted in the perfect product for athletes.
Apple Watch Nike gained popularity and captured the attention of tech-enthusiasts and athletes who love to track their physical activity.
The Nike+Running app allows users to track their runs and share them with friends.
So far, they have collaborated with multiple innovative products while holding both brand identity and values.
Wrap Up
Co-branding guidelines that you create must deliver a unified message and visuals to make your campaign memorable. Developing a co-branding guideline before collaborating cuts the risk of diluting the brand identity. In fact, it amplifies your customer and shines your identity along with partners.
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