Brand Guidelines (2026): What to Include, a Sample Contents Page and Bilingual Rules for the UAE
Brand guidelines tell everyone who touches your brand, from staff and printers to agencies and web developers, how to use it correctly. This guide covers what a complete brand guideline document includes, a sample contents page, and the Arabic-English rules UAE brands usually need.
What brand guidelines include
- Brand foundation: purpose, positioning, audience and personality, in a page or two.
- Logo: primary logo, secondary and icon versions, clear space, minimum size, placement, and incorrect uses.
- Colour: primary and secondary palettes with values for print and screen, and how much of each to use.
- Typography: typefaces for headings and body text in each language, sizes and fallbacks.
- Imagery and graphic elements: photography style, illustration, icons and patterns.
- Tone of voice: how the brand writes, with do and don’t examples.
- Applications: business cards, letterhead, email signature, presentations, social media, signage and vehicles as relevant.
- Files and contacts: where to find logo files and templates, and who approves brand use.
Bilingual Arabic-English rules UAE brands need
- Logo lock-ups: approved arrangements of the Arabic and English names, side by side or stacked, and which one leads.
- Arabic typography: an Arabic typeface that pairs visually with the English one, with its own sizes and line spacing.
- Layout direction: how layouts mirror for right-to-left Arabic and where they do not.
- Naming and transliteration: one approved Arabic name and one English spelling, used consistently.
- Numerals: whether Arabic text uses Arabic-Indic or Western numerals.
For bilingual business documents, see our guide to bilingual Arabic-English company profiles.
Sample contents page (illustrative)
An illustrative contents page for a fictional Dubai café brand. Use it to check that your own guidelines cover each area.
- Our brand: purpose, promise and personality
- Logo: primary, stacked, icon, Arabic-English lock-ups
- Clear space, minimum sizes and incorrect use
- Colour palette and usage ratios
- Typography: English and Arabic
- Photography and illustration style
- Tone of voice in English and Arabic
- Menu, packaging and in-store signage
- Social media templates
- Stationery: business cards, letterhead, email signature
- Logo files, templates and brand contact
Signs your brand guidelines are not working
- Staff stretch, recolour or redraw the logo.
- Every presentation and proposal looks different.
- The Arabic version of the brand looks like an afterthought.
- Nobody can find the latest logo files.
- The company name itself was never checked; try our business name generator and UAE trade name checker.
- The guidelines describe the logo but not how to use it on real items.
Consistent templates help: see our corporate templates for presentations, letterheads and documents built on your guidelines.
Brand guidelines: common questions
What is the difference between a brand guideline and a brand book?
The terms are often used for the same document. Some companies use “brand book” for the story and values, and “guidelines” for the rules on logo, colour and type.
How many pages should brand guidelines be?
A small business may need 10 to 20 pages; a larger organisation with many applications may need far more. Cover what your team actually produces.
Do I need brand guidelines if I only have a logo?
Yes, at least a short version with logo use, colours and fonts. Without it, the logo is soon used inconsistently.
Should UAE brand guidelines be bilingual?
If your brand appears in Arabic anywhere, such as signage, packaging or government documents, the guidelines should set the Arabic rules too.
Can Labeeb design our logo and brand guidelines?
Yes. Labeeb designs logos and brand identity systems with bilingual Arabic-English guidelines. We agree the scope and price with you before any work starts.
Launching or refreshing your brand?
Tell us about your business, where the brand will appear and whether you need Arabic. We will tell you how we can help, before any commitment.