How to Write a Branding Brief Agencies Will Love
A one-page structure for a branding brief, with the details agencies need to quote accurately.
A good brief gets you better proposals and a smoother project. It does not need to be long.
The one-page structure
- About the business. What you do, for whom, and your stage.
- Why now. The trigger: a raise, a launch, a pivot.
- Audience. Who you need to win over.
- Competitors. Three to five, with what you like and dislike about each.
- Deliverables. Strategy, identity, website, pitch deck. Say what is in and out.
- Budget. A range is fine. Hiding it wastes everyone's time.
- Timeline. Any fixed dates.
- Decision-makers. Who signs off.
Things that help
- Examples of brands you admire, with reasons.
- What has not worked before.
- Any constraints, such as an existing name or a colour you must keep.
Things to avoid
- Asking for free creative work in a pitch. Good studios decline, and you learn little from speculative logos.
- Design by committee. Appoint one decision-maker.
- Vague adjectives. "Modern and clean" describes almost every brief ever written.
After you send it
Shortlist three agencies and have a call with each. Notice who asks the sharpest questions. Then use our proposal comparison guide and the list of questions to ask.
Looking for an agency? Read the full shortlist on Capital Brand Review.
