How to organise brand files so people use the right version

Understand the decision

Inventory existing logos, fonts, templates and photographs. Identify duplicates and distinguish historical work from current approvals. Use stable descriptive names and put the owner and version information in a simple register. Check permissions so the people producing material can access exports without accidentally overwriting source files. Archive retired assets in a clearly separate location.

A practical approach

Review the identity in the smallest and most difficult places it must work: a mobile header, a label, a plain document and a real printed sample. Judge recognition and usability alongside appearance. Keep source files, export settings and asset ownership together so the next person can produce consistent work. An impressive presentation does not demonstrate that a system survives low-quality printing, long product names or a narrow screen.

• Separate sources, exports and archives.
• Record asset owners and approvals.
• Use a single current distribution location.
• Test access with a typical team member.

Illustrative example

A multi-location retailer could provide one approved logo folder, location-specific templates and a photography register. Staff would use a shared link rather than selecting from several attachments named final. An archive preserves previous versions without allowing them to compete with current production assets.

A mistake to avoid

A folder called final is not a versioning policy. Explain how updates are approved and how downstream users learn that something has changed.

What to review

Track requests for missing files, obsolete asset usage and accidental overwrites; these reveal where the distribution process needs improvement.

Turn the guide into a working brief

Prepare a compact usage sheet with approved files, minimum sizes, typography, colour roles and examples of acceptable variation. Ask the person who publishes everyday material to recreate one item using only that sheet. The mistakes they encounter are useful gaps in the system. Correct those gaps before a large rollout. Use genuine commissioned photography with permission where available; label illustrative imagery and record its source rather than presenting it as evidence of your people or premises.

Common questions