Yes, you should be a hard-ass with your brand.

Organizations that are serious about their brands will spend the time and money to create something that is compelling and thoughtful. And after months of development, they will launch it into the world and immediately begin to fight off its degradation. Not from hackers, or vandals, or any other breed of ne’er-do-well. Not even from rivals. It’s their own troops that are the worst offenders when it comes to bastardizing the brand.

“No, you can’t put that neon-orange starburst on the brand materials.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s not in the brand guidelines.”

“But it really makes it ‘pop’. Don’t you think?”

“No.”

“But the brand guidelines don’t say that I can’t put a neon-orange starburst on everything.”

Ugh.

Never overestimate the brand sensibilities of those down the line. And for Pete’s sake, don’t give them the latitude to interpret the brand.

I saw this happen at a local location of a national restaurant brand. The store manager decided to paint messages on the windows in neon paint. He successfully succeeded in making a very well-done brand (that charged a premium price) look like a competitor to Crazy Eddie’s Deli & Discount Appliances Warehouse*. Actually, Crazy…