What makes a great brief for a brand identity?
People who work in creative agencies will be familiar with the term ‘reverse brief’. It should mean to repeat back to your client what they’ve told you so you can check your understanding. But, often, when clients use this term, they mean: I don’t have time to write a brief so can you do it for me?
A good brand agency will know the questions to ask to get a real sense of your brand’s personality and values. But there’s a lot of value in first sitting down and thinking about what you want to communicate to your customers, employees and investors.
No one knows your company (and your aspirations for it) like you do and there’s nothing like hearing it straight from the horse’s mouth.
So, don’t feel intimidated (especially if you think you’re not a ‘creative person’) and use these questions to write your brief, whether you’re creating your first brand from scratch yourself or briefing an agency.
What’s your story? What are your aspirations for your company? How did you get to where you are today? What challenges have you overcome?
Who is your audience? What do you want to say to them? What do you want them to think, feel and do when they interact with your brand? What do you want them to tell others about you?
What industry are you in? We naturally tend to associate certain colours with certain industries. For example, blue is often very corporate, while black can be very tech. Whites with red, green or blue — in fact, whites, in general — can have a medical feel. Obviously, earthy tones like browns and greens convey sustainability, while soft tones like peach and yellow suggest wellness.
Who are your competitors? Do you want to look similar to them? Or do you want to be different? Which of your competitors do you admire and why?
Are there any brands you particularly look up to? And if so, why?
And then there are the less obvious questions that can really bring a brief to life, such as:
If your brand were a chair, what kind would it be? The answers can help get to a place of: “OK, this brand wants to be known as elegant and expensive. Or they want to be really cool and modern and future forward.”
If your brand were a person, who would it be? Mother Teresa? Sheryl Sandberg? Someone else? The answer to this question can give a really good sense of the personality and values behind a brand.
Is your brand introverted or extroverted? Loud or quiet? Where on that scale would it be? What if it were colour? Or a texture? Or a flower? The answers to these questions give a lot of visual cues — for example, about how loud or calm the colours should be.
