Your website is built by one company, the vans are wrapped by another, the workwear comes from a third and the brochures from a local printer. Each of them does a decent job. Put the results side by side, though, and your brand blue comes in four shades and the logo has somehow gained a drop shadow on the van. Brand consistency across suppliers doesn’t happen by accident.
This isn’t usually anyone’s fault. Each supplier is working from whatever files they were sent, on different materials, with different equipment. Without a clear brief and a bit of checking, variation is the default.
Here’s how to keep brand consistency under control without becoming a full-time brand police officer.
Why colours and logos drift
Understanding the causes makes it easier to prevent them.
- Different materials. The same colour looks different on coated paper, uncoated paper, vinyl, fabric and a screen. Some variation is physics, not carelessness.
- Different colour systems. Screens use RGB, most print uses CMYK, some printing and signage uses Pantone spot colours or specific vinyl ranges. If a supplier only gets one, they’ll convert it themselves.
- Poor source files. A low-resolution logo copied from a website gets redrawn, traced or stretched, and small changes creep in.
- Well-meaning “improvements.” A supplier adds an outline, changes a font they don’t have, or tweaks the layout to fit.
Build a supplier pack
Every supplier who produces anything with your brand on should get the same short pack. Keep it in one shared folder and send the link, not individual attachments.
- Logo files in vector and raster formats, clearly named
- Colour references for every system: HEX, RGB, CMYK, Pantone and, where relevant, vinyl or thread references agreed with previous suppliers
- Font names and licensed files where appropriate, or instructions to request them
- A one or two page summary of the key rules: clear space, minimum size, backgrounds, what not to do
- Photos of approved finished items, such as a van, a sign or a shirt, as reference
- Who to contact with questions and who signs off proofs
Every supplier should work from the same files and the same colour references. If one of them has to guess, the brand will drift.
What to ask your supplier
Before you commit to a job, a few questions will tell you whether a supplier takes brand accuracy seriously.
- What file formats do you need? A good supplier will ask for vectors and specify the format. If they say “anything will do,” be wary.
- How will you match our colours on this material? Listen for mention of Pantone references, vinyl ranges, thread charts or colour-managed printing.
- Can I see a proof, and what kind? A digital PDF proof checks layout and spelling. A physical proof or sample checks colour. For big runs, ask for both.
- What will you change to make it work? Embroidery, for instance, may need fine detail simplified. That’s fine, as long as they tell you and show you.
- Will you keep our artwork on file? And will they use the latest version next time, or the one from three years ago?
Check proofs properly
Proof sign-off is the last chance to catch problems cheaply. Build a simple routine:
- Check against the guidelines, not memory. Compare colour references and logo versions side by side.
- Look at colour in good daylight, and compare physical proofs against a previous approved item, not a screen.
- Check spelling, phone numbers, web addresses and any legal wording separately. Read them out loud.
- Look at the item at the size and distance people will see it. Van graphics need checking from across a car park, not at arm’s length.
- Name one person responsible for final sign-off, so things don’t slip through while everyone assumes someone else checked.
Accept sensible variation
Perfect matching across every material isn’t realistic. A Pantone colour printed on uncoated paper will look a little different from the same colour on a glossy brochure, and both will differ from a screen. The goal is for everything to read as clearly the same brand, not to be scientifically identical. Keep physical approved samples as your benchmark and judge new work against those.
Making brand consistency someone’s job
In a busy small business, brand consistency tends to be nobody’s responsibility until something goes wrong. Having one named contact for supplier briefs and proof approvals solves most of it. If you don’t have that capacity in-house, our ongoing brand management service can act as that contact, preparing artwork for suppliers and checking proofs, and our print design team produces print-ready files that give your suppliers the best possible start.
