What's in a corporate identity package?
At minimum: the complete logo file set (all formats, all variants, all colour versions), a brand guidelines document, a colour system with print and digital specifications, a typography system with licences, and core application templates (business card, letterhead, email signature). A complete package also includes social media templates, presentation deck, and application examples showing how the identity behaves across real contexts.
What's the difference between a logo package and a corporate identity package?
A logo package gives you the logo files. A corporate identity package gives you the complete system for using those files — how the logo relates to typography, colour, photography, and graphic elements; the rules for consistent application; and the templates that make that consistency achievable without involving a designer every time.
How many files should a logo package contain?
A complete logo file set for a combination mark (symbol plus wordmark) typically contains 12–20 files minimum: multiple lockup variants, each in full colour, reversed (white), and single-colour black, across vector (AI, EPS, SVG) and raster (PNG, high-res JPEG) formats. Fewer than 10 files suggests the handoff is incomplete.
A company received their new logo files from a designer. One AI file and one PNG.
Six months later, their print supplier couldn't use the AI file correctly, their web developer needed an SVG, their embroidery vendor needed a simplified version, and their presentation templates still used the old logo because nobody knew which file to use.
The logo design was good. The handoff was inadequate.
A corporate identity package isn't the logo — it's everything required to use the logo correctly, consistently, and across every context where the brand appears.
The Logo File Set
This is the foundation. A complete logo file set covers every combination of:
Logo variants:
- Primary lockup (combination mark — symbol plus wordmark together)
- Stacked lockup (symbol above wordmark, for square-format contexts)
- Horizontal lockup (symbol beside wordmark, for wide-format contexts)
- Symbol only (for small contexts: app icon, embroidery, favicon)
- Wordmark only (for document headers and contexts where the symbol would compete)
Colour versions, per variant:
- Full colour (on light background)
- Reversed/white (on dark background)
- Single-colour black
- Single-colour Pantone (if a spot colour is specified)
File formats:
- Vector: AI (Adobe Illustrator source), EPS, SVG
- Raster: PNG (transparent background), high-resolution JPEG
A full combination mark logo system following this structure produces 15–25 files. If your handoff contains fewer than 10, ask for the complete set.
For a full explanation of which file goes where, see what files should a designer deliver.
The Brand Guidelines Document
The guidelines document is the rulebook. It tells anyone creating brand materials — designers, marketers, team members, external vendors — how to use every element of the identity correctly.
A complete brand guidelines document covers:
Brand foundation
- Brand positioning statement (who the brand is for and what it stands for)
- Core values and how they inform visual decisions
- Brand personality and tone of voice
Logo system
- How to use each logo variant correctly
- Minimum size requirements (the smallest size the logo can appear and remain legible)
- Clear space rules (the minimum margin around the logo)
- What not to do (common misuses, shown explicitly)
- Approved and prohibited colour backgrounds
Colour system
- Primary and secondary colour palettes
- Pantone (PMS) numbers for each colour — used for print production, embroidery, signage
- CMYK breakdowns for print
- RGB and HEX codes for digital
- Colour proportions — which colours are dominant, which are accent
Typography system
- Primary and secondary typefaces
- Font licences and where to obtain them
- Type hierarchy specification (heading 1, heading 2, body, caption — sizes and weights)
- Type colour and contrast specifications
- Web font fallbacks
Photography and imagery
- Art direction: what kinds of images are on-brand
- What to avoid
- Examples of approved imagery
Brand voice and tone
- How the brand writes: formal or conversational, active or passive, personal or institutional
- Examples of on-brand and off-brand copy
Application examples
- How the identity looks applied to real materials: a business card, a letterhead, a presentation slide, a social media post
- These examples are critical — they show how all the elements work together, which the individual rules can't
See the brand guidelines guide for a deeper breakdown of what goes into each section.
Core Application Templates
Rules without tools create inconsistency. The templates are what make the guidelines usable in practice.
A standard corporate identity package includes:
Business card
- Front and back design in the correct dimensions (85mm × 55mm standard, 3.5" × 2" US)
- Print-ready file (usually PDF with bleed, crop marks, and embedded fonts)
- Working file for editing team member information
Letterhead
- A4 and US Letter versions
- Print-ready and editable formats
- Continuation page (second page without the heavy header)
Email signature
- HTML version (for email clients that render HTML)
- Image version (for email clients that don't)
- Instructions for different email platforms (Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail behave differently)
Microsoft Office / Google Workspace templates
- Word document template with correct fonts, margins, and footer
- PowerPoint / Google Slides presentation template with master slides for all key layouts
- These are often the highest-use deliverables in the entire package — they determine how the brand looks in every internal and client-facing document
Social media profile images
- Correct logo versions, properly sized for LinkedIn (400×400px), Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook
- Cover image templates in correct dimensions
Premium Package Additions
Depending on the scope of the engagement, a full corporate identity package may also include:
Brand manifesto or story document A one-to-two page document articulating the brand's purpose, values, and what it stands for. Used for onboarding new team members, for investor presentations, and for establishing a shared language about the brand internally.
Brand launch communication Templates and guidance for communicating the new brand to existing clients, partners, and team members — what to say, when, and through which channels.
Vendor briefing documents Ready-to-send specification sheets for print suppliers, embroidery vendors, signage companies, and web developers — containing exactly the information each vendor needs to reproduce the brand correctly.
Extended collateral templates Depending on the business: proposal template, case study document template, invoice template, brochure layout. These are typically additional scope items rather than standard inclusions.
Brand asset portal For larger organisations, a web-based brand portal (using tools like Frontify, Bynder, or a custom setup) where all assets are hosted, searchable, and accessible to every team member. Replaces the shared folder system that produces version control problems.
What to Check When You Receive a Corporate Identity Package
When a design studio delivers your package, run through this checklist before signing off:
Logo files
- Are all variants present (primary, stacked, horizontal, symbol only, wordmark only)?
- Is each variant available in full colour, reversed, and single-colour black?
- Are vector files included (AI or EPS, plus SVG)?
- Are PNG files provided with transparent backgrounds?
- Are the files named clearly and organised in a logical folder structure?
Colour specifications
- Are Pantone (PMS) numbers provided for all brand colours?
- Are CMYK, RGB, and HEX codes all specified?
- Are the colour files tested against the production output? (A colour that looks right on screen may need adjustment for print)
Typography
- Are the typeface names and font weights clearly specified?
- Are the licence files or purchase links provided?
- Are web font options specified?
Guidelines document
- Is it in a format that can be shared with vendors (PDF)?
- Does it include do/don't examples?
- Does it include application examples showing the full system in use?
Templates
- Do the templates use embedded or linked fonts? (Embedded is safer for sharing)
- Is the email signature tested across major email clients?
- Do the Office templates open correctly on both Mac and Windows?
If anything on this list is missing, request it before signing off. A complete handoff prevents the recurring problems that happen months later when vendors and team members are trying to use incomplete assets.
How Long Should a Corporate Identity Package Take?
The production of a complete corporate identity package — assuming the visual identity design is already approved — typically takes two to three weeks. The guidelines document is the most time-consuming element; the file production and template creation run in parallel.
A package delivered in three days for a complex identity is almost certainly incomplete. A package that takes six weeks is either unusually complex or poorly managed.
For the full timeline of a brand project from start to package delivery, see the brand overhaul project timeline guide.
Need a Complete Corporate Identity Package?
We deliver full brand identity systems with complete file sets, thorough guidelines, and the templates your team will actually use — not just a logo in a folder.
It depends on the studio's policy and what was agreed in the contract. Many studios include source files as standard. Some charge an additional handoff fee. Clarify before signing — getting source files matters if you ever need to work with a different designer in future.
In a single, shared, access-controlled location with a clear folder structure. Not in multiple people's Downloads folders. The folder structure should follow the file set: by variant, then by colour version, then by format. Version control matters — when the identity is updated, old files should be archived rather than deleted, clearly labelled as superseded.
Depends on the vendor and context. Print supplier: EPS or PDF. Web developer: SVG. Embroidery vendor: simplified black EPS or PDF. Social media: PNG. Never send a JPEG or a PNG with a white background when transparency is needed. The guidelines document should include a section on which file to use for which context.
Run through the checklist in this guide. If you're missing variants, missing colour specifications, or have never had a guidelines document, your package is incomplete. This matters most when working with external vendors who will use your brand assets without direct oversight.
The package should be updated at each significant evolution point — new product line, visual refresh, positioning update. Maintain version numbers on the guidelines document and notify everyone who uses brand assets when a new version is issued. Outdated assets circulating alongside current assets create the kind of inconsistency that erodes brand trust over time.