Brand identity documentation: a cross‐national examination of identity standards manuals

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the key features of an identity standards manual and assess the differences in the rules used for applying the brand to both low‐ and high‐context cultures, companies selling consumer goods and those selling services, and multinational and local companies. Design/methodology/approach The methodology is based on the analysis of 341 identity standards manuals and on the analysis of three key features found in the manuals: contents, normative tone, and development. Findings The results divide the contents of the manual into two blocks: core and peripheral; and show that there are differences between the manuals of high‐ and low‐context cultures, companies selling consumer goods and those selling services, and multinational and local companies. Research limitations/implications Type I errors could have been introduced and the conclusions must be regarded as tentative. Practical implications The findings show that applying the brand at an international level requires a strategy of adaptation which takes into account the particular nature of each culture. Originality/value This paper contributes to the debate on standardization/adaptation of the signs of visual identity (name, logo, and color) in global marketing, by studying the rules used in applying the brand and discussion of the documents which contain them.