Logo, colours, fonts: what a brand kit should actually include

A brand kit is not decoration. It is the set of files and rules that let anyone — a printer, a developer, a marketplace listing team — represent you correctly without asking you first. If you cannot hand it to a stranger and get consistent output, it is incomplete.

The logo, in formats that actually work

You need a vector file, normally SVG or AI. Vector can scale to a building wrap without blurring. You also want PNG exports with transparent backgrounds at a few sizes for everyday use, and ideally a PDF for printers. If all you have is a JPEG, you have a picture of a logo, not a logo — JPEG cannot hold transparency and degrades every time it is resized.

Logo variations

One lockup is never enough in practice. You want the full horizontal version, a stacked version for narrow spaces, and an icon-only mark for app icons, favicons and social avatars. You also need a version that works on dark backgrounds. Without these, someone will eventually stretch or crop the main logo and it will look wrong.

Colours, written as codes

“Our green” is not a specification. You need HEX for screens, RGB for digital design, and CMYK for print. Without CMYK your printed materials will not match your website, and the difference is usually obvious enough that customers notice. Include your primary colours, any secondary ones, and a neutral or two.

Fonts, and the right to use them

Name the exact fonts including weights. Just as important, be clear about licensing: a font licensed for print may not be licensed for embedding on a website, and desktop licences often do not cover web use. Where budget matters, well-chosen open-licence fonts avoid the problem entirely.

Basic usage rules

A short document is enough for most businesses: minimum size, clear space around the logo, what not to do (stretch it, recolour it, add effects), and a couple of correct examples. Two pages that people read beats a forty-page manual nobody opens.

How to check what you were given

Open the folder and ask three questions. Is there a vector file? Are the colour codes written down including CMYK? Are the fonts named with their licence noted? If any answer is no, go back and ask — these are standard deliverables, not extras.