Style Guide
I understand the importance of consistent, professional, and recognizable branding in both internal and external communications.
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For my position as Communications Intern with Michigan State University's Center for Gender in Global Context (GenCen), I decided to take on the additional task of writing, designing, and presenting a Style Guide for the department. My goal was to ensure that every member of GenCen was communicating in a way consistent with its brand and mission, which would help to build credibility and relationships with various audiences. Upon completion, I felt that my communications team was more coherent and organized, and our internal and external communications were more consistent and accessible for all audiences.
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The purpose of this Style Guide was to define the team's communications style and purpose, outline our visual and content strategies, and prevent miscommunication and inconsistencies. To learn more and view this project, scroll down. You can also see a full deliverable presentation, which I presented separately to GenCen's entire staff and to my Publication Management class, at the following link:
Preliminary Research Document:
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Research
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The first step in this project was to conduct research on GenCen's communication channels and audiences. I collaborated with our other Communications Intern to compile a table, seen left, that included each mode of communication we currently used, its primary and secondary audiences, its purpose, and the voice appropriate for that channel.
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From this step, I learned that we had a variety of different audiences, including undergraduate and graduate students, affiliated MSU faculty members, alumni, and other community members. For most communication channels, a professional and concise tone was appropriate.
Style Guide:​
Design
Using the design program Canva, I created a document with strong visual branding, seen right. I chose to use an image of GenCen's signature string art, a staple of our visual communications, as the cover photo and the border of all pages following. I also used only GenCen's brand fonts and colors throughout the Style Guide, making it consistent with other internal documents. I used clear headings and titles to organize each section, making it easier for readers to quickly find information. Finally, I used a professional, compassionate, and reliable tone in the document, which is consistent with GenCen's other communications and was appropriate for the specific situation.
Content
After outlining the document, I decided to include the
following main sections, which can be seen in the full
document to the right:
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GenCen Communications Strategy: Here, I outlined the
department's communications purpose and style, as well as the importance of following a style guide.
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Audience Overview: Here, I described the unique audiences for each of GenCen's communications channels. Readers can learn about the purpose and style of the channels to better understand the content appropriate for each. Channels include GenCen's biweekly Mailchimp newsletter, website, static/print media, and social media channels Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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Content Guidelines: Here, I provided information to help readers implement professional written content that is consistent with GenCen's mission and values. I included sections on writing style (including special cases), tone and voice, statements, accessibility (including alt text), and inclusive language.
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Visual Guidelines: Here, I focused on helping readers ensure that all internal and external communications are strongly branded and recognizable to audiences. Sections include fonts and colors, visual content, and logos.