American Heart Association Branding Guide

My first career was with the American Heart Associaion. I worked for a period of time at the national office in Dallas. That is where I first learned about graphic standards.

I came accross the American Heart Association Branding Guide and it is excellent.

Printers and vendors love it because with a branding guide they have exactly what they need at their finger tips. They also know exactly what is expected of them in a language they understand.

Staff like it because it provides templates for stationary, business cards, fax cover sheets are available in template form.

Branding

There are many opportunities to display your brand. On stationary, business cards, envelopes, brochures, web site, shopping carts, point of purchase and trade show displays, print advertising, signs, posters product labels, brochures and dozens of other specialty items like key chains, calendars etc.

On screen within a web site, shopping cart, video production, television commercial, etc.
In audio production as in radio commercial or pod cast.

Branding is something a business does constantly and in a consistent manner in order to be recognized to achieve the recognition of potential customers.

Steps in Creating Brand Recognition

• Create crisp memorable graphics as a part of your businesses visual identity.
• Incorporate that visual identity into a “Style Guide” that tells printers and vendors and your own staff how the logo can and cannot appear in print and on the screen.
• Train key staff in the reasons and use of the style guide.
  
• Supply vendors with access to the style guide at the time that a quote has been requested.
  
• Compare proofs against the style guide.
  
• Inspect the finished product against the proofs/style guide.