Good public brand guidelines examples include the NASA Graphics Standards Manual, Uber, Mailchimp, Spotify, Atlassian, Starbucks, Mozilla, Netflix and GitLab. They share clear logo rules, exact color codes, named fonts, a defined voice and real examples in use.
The best way to understand brand guidelines is to look at real ones. These nine public brand guidelines and brand style guide examples show different approaches, from a classic printed manual to living websites. Each one teaches something you can use in your own guide, even if you are a small business.
1. NASA Graphics Standards Manual (1975)
Designed by Danne & Blackburn for NASA's "worm" logotype, this manual is a classic of the genre and was reissued as a book in 2015. It shows how strict, detailed rules for logo placement, spacing and color keep an identity consistent across vehicles, signs, documents and uniforms.
What to borrow: show the logo on every real application, not just on a white page.
2. Uber brand system
Uber's 2018 rebrand describes its brand as a system of nine elements: logo, composition, typography, iconography, color, motion, photography, illustration and tone of voice. It also introduced a custom typeface, Uber Move, and uses a "safety blue" sparingly for moments of support and assurance.
What to borrow: give colors a job. A color reserved for one purpose, like safety, makes it meaningful.
3. Mailchimp Content Style Guide
Mailchimp published its writing guidelines as a public website and made it available under a Creative Commons license, so other teams can adapt it. It defines a voice that stays the same and a tone that changes with the situation, and covers everything from grammar to writing for accessibility.
What to borrow: separate voice (who you are) from tone (how you adjust to the moment).
4. Spotify design guidelines for developers
Spotify publishes design guidelines for apps that integrate with its platform. They focus on practical rules for partners: how to show the logo, attribute content and link back to Spotify.
What to borrow: write a short version for outside partners, separate from your internal guide.
5. Atlassian Design System
Atlassian publishes its design system as a public website that covers brand foundations like color, typography and voice together with ready-made interface components.
What to borrow: if you have a website or app, connect brand rules to the actual components people build with.
6. Starbucks Creative Expression
Starbucks publishes its brand expression guide as a public website. It covers the Siren logo, a family of greens built around Starbucks Green, a small set of typefaces, illustration and photography, and it shows the brand in real campaigns.
What to borrow: show where the brand can be expressive (packaging, merch) and where it should stay functional (menus, signage).
7. Mozilla brand
Mozilla shares its brand identity, logo files and usage rules publicly, including guidance for the Firefox product family.
What to borrow: if you have several products, explain how the parent brand and product brands relate.
8. Netflix brand assets
Netflix publishes rules for partners on how to use its logo, the N symbol and its signature red, including clear space and what not to do.
What to borrow: a short "do and do not" page prevents most partner mistakes.
9. GitLab Pajamas design system
GitLab runs its design system, Pajamas, as a public website that combines brand foundations with interface components and writing guidelines.
What to borrow: keep the guide public and versioned, so everyone always uses the latest rules.
What these examples have in common
| Pattern | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Clear logo rules with misuse examples | Prevents the most common mistakes |
| Exact color codes | Keeps colors identical across print and screen |
| Named typefaces with fallbacks | Stops random fonts appearing in documents |
| A defined voice | Makes writing sound like one company |
| Real applications | Answers questions faster than rules alone |
| Easy access | A guide nobody can find does not get used |
You do not need a NASA-sized manual. Pick the two or three ideas above that solve your biggest consistency problem and start there.
Make your own
Use our free brand guidelines template to build your guide section by section.
Related guides
We design brand identities with guidelines your team and partners can follow.
FAQ
What are good examples of brand guidelines?
The NASA Graphics Standards Manual, Uber, Mailchimp, Spotify, Atlassian, Starbucks, Mozilla, Netflix and GitLab all publish useful public brand guidelines or design systems.
Are brand guidelines public?
Some companies publish them, especially for partners and developers. Many keep the full version internal and publish only a short version.
Can I copy another company's brand guidelines?
Copy the structure, not the content. Mailchimp's content style guide is licensed for adaptation with credit, but logos, fonts and colors belong to each brand.
Do small businesses need brand guidelines?
Yes, a short version helps as soon as more than one person makes designs or writes for the brand.
Founder of SkyDesigner. Fiverr Pro Vetted designer, selling on Fiverr since 2014 with 24,500+ reviews.
