Make a brand brief you’ll actually use.

A brand brief should help you make a decision, not fill a presentation. Start with one page and use it to choose what belongs in your next piece of work.

1. Pick one situation, not everyone

Write: “This is for someone who needs ___ when ___.” A specific moment is more useful than a broad demographic. A café serving commuters and a café serving people who want to read for two hours may sell the same coffee, but they have different jobs.

2. Name the promise you can keep

Complete: “We help them ___ by ___.” The second blank needs something observable. Fast replies, a small curated range, or clear setup instructions are promises you can design around. “The best experience” is not specific enough.

3. Make a proof list

List three things a visitor can actually see or check. Use a product specification, a documented process, or an example of finished work. If there is no evidence yet, label it a goal rather than presenting it as a fact.

4. Choose a productive constraint

Give the project one limitation: two type sizes, one photography style, or a single action per page. A constraint reduces the number of decisions you need to make. It should support the promise, not just make the work look consistent.

Your one-page template

Put it to work

Take a recent homepage, email, or social post. Underline every line that supports the brief. For the rest, decide whether to cut it, rewrite it, or change the brief. A useful brief can change as you learn; write the revision date and what prompted the change.

Created with AI assistance and editorial direction for this journal. These are suggested exercises, not research findings or guaranteed results. How we publish · Suggest a correction