Brand brief template

One page a designer can use: who, job, offer, proof, constraints, channels, success, and a single approver. Not a moodboard dump.

Fill before the kickoff. If a cell is blank, the kickoff will invent it under time pressure. That is how you get three logos.

One approver. A committee can comment. Only one name ships.

flowchart TD
    W["Who"] --> J["Job"]
    J --> O["Offer"]
    O --> P["Proof"]
    P --> A["Approver"]

Who and the job

  • Who it is for (one primary, not five personas)
  • Job they hire you to do (in their words)
  • Who it is not for

Offer and proof

  • The offer in one sentence
  • How it works (the mechanism, not an adjective)
  • Proof you may show (named, permissioned, or first-party only)
  • Claims you will not make

Constraints

  • Must keep (name, color, legal line, existing site)
  • Must kill
  • Channels in order: site, proposal, signage, social, packaging
  • Time window and what “done” looks like for v1

Governance

  • Single approver (name and role)
  • Who may comment, who may not veto
  • Success in 90 days (usable, not “more awareness”)

Related guides