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This is not really a translation question - more of a designer vocabulary.

How do you call the set of visuals, logos, designs, colors, fonts... that make a whole design project? In French we would call it "Charte Graphique", and I've seen some translate it to "Graphic Charter" but I think this is just a google translate translation.

Is there a word to describe this?

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  • can you show a picture of what you mean?
    – 0x6C38
    Apr 21, 2013 at 13:45
  • 2
    You can't really screenshot it. It's more like a zip folder with photoshop files, mockups, logos, css...
    – nute
    Apr 21, 2013 at 14:44

4 Answers 4

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I have not seen what would be considered an "official" term for this, but I would use either "design standards" or "design guidelines"*.

I often use this sort of thing when working with larger companies. If you're dealing with a brand, it has a few other names. Off the top of my head, "corporate identity", "brand identity", "branding guidelines", and "graphic identity" are a few that are common.

Some examples:


* While searching for examples of "design guidelines", it appears this is used more for architectural purposes, so perhaps that isn't the best choice.

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  • 2
    "Branding guidelines" is the term I most often use since it covers everything associated with the brand and not merely the identity.
    – Scott
    Apr 21, 2013 at 14:55
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I'm probably a bit late here, but I'm a french graphic designer with a long experience of work abroad, so in case somebody would be looking for an answer to the same question, the thing we call "charte graphique" in french is the "brand style guide" in most design agencies.

The visual identity (identité visuelle) is the design of a company's visual assets. We create these visual elements to make a company identifiable amongst its competitors. The visual identity is part of the brand identity, while the "brand style guide" (charte graphique) is the set of rules that define how to use the visual identity. I hope this helps you understand the nuances between the terms.

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I usually use Visual Identity, which in french is Identité visuelle, another word for Charte graphique.

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If you want to specifically refer to the tangible resources - the actual bundle of logo files, brand guideline documents, images, etc etc, you could say "brand assets".

Most of the other answers also cover the intangible conceptual side of a brand style and image, not just specifically the nuts and bolts, eps files, colour codes and written guidelines.

Here's a real life example: http://mailchimp.com/about/brand-assets/ MailChimp's "Brand Assets" section of their web site, which includes all the practical stuff listed in the question alongside guidelines on how to use it.

You can say "brand resources" if you find the word "assets" too painfully jargony.


People sometimes also talk about 'brand tangibles' (as opposed to 'brand intangibles' like market position and the vaguer end of tone of voice) but things start to get fluffy and philosophical there, and it starts getting mixed up with things like the product, service, etc.

Sometimes people talk about brand packages, brand bundles, visual identity kits etc etc as well - but usually only when someone is marketing themselves as a cheap, cheerful, easy provider of such things.

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