The first conversation with a brand consultancy goes further when both sides start from the same information. You do not need a finished brief - that is part of our work - but a few things make a difference.
This article is a practical guide to preparing a branding brief, whether you are creating a new brand, repositioning an existing one or looking for advice for your in-house team.
Why the brief matters
A brief is not a formality. It sets expectations, avoids misunderstandings and helps the consultancy propose the right scope from the start. A clear brief usually leads to a more accurate proposal and fewer surprises along the way.
1. Your business goals
Why now? A new market, a new service, a merger, a brand that no longer reflects the company. The reason behind the project shapes everything that follows.
Useful questions: What should be different in two or three years? What role do you expect the brand to play in getting there?
2. Who you want to reach
Describe your customers as they are today and the ones you want to win. If they are changing, say so: it is often the main reason a brand needs to change.
Include the people who influence the decision, not only those who buy: partners, prescribers, distributors or internal stakeholders.
3. What you already have
Gather your current materials: website, presentations, brochures, packaging, social media, any existing guidelines. Seeing the brand as customers see it is the starting point of a Brand Diagnosis.
If you have research, customer feedback or sales data, share it too. It saves time and often reveals where the brand is strong.
4. What must not change
Some things may be fixed: a name, a colour customers know, a legal constraint, a parent company's guidelines. Knowing them early avoids wasted work.
5. Practical constraints
- Timing - any launch, event or deadline the brand needs to be ready for.
- Decision-makers - who approves the work and how decisions are taken internally.
- Markets and languages the brand has to work in.
- Budget range - even an approximate figure helps propose the right scope.
- Execution - whether your team will implement in-house, in which case brand advisory may fit better than an end-to-end project.
6. What success looks like
How will you know the project worked? Clearer sales conversations, a team aligned around one message, a brand ready for a new market. Agreeing on this early helps everyone focus on what matters.
What you do not need yet
You do not need to know what the new brand should look like. You do not need a list of logo ideas or a colour preference. That is what the process is for, and early visual preferences can narrow the options before the strategy is clear.
A simple brief template
- Company and context (a short paragraph).
- Why now: the trigger for the project.
- Goals for the next two to three years.
- Current and target audiences.
- Current materials and any research.
- Fixed elements and constraints.
- Timing, decision-makers, markets and budget range.
- What success looks like.
Key takeaways
- Explain why now and what should change.
- Describe your audiences, current and future.
- Share what you have and what cannot change.
- Leave the visual answers to the process.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need a written brief before the first call?
No. A first call is often the best way to shape the brief together. The points above simply help you get more out of it.
Should we share our budget?
An approximate range helps propose a realistic scope. Without it, proposals are harder to compare.
How long does a first conversation take?
Thirty minutes is usually enough to understand the situation and suggest where your brand should start.
Book a call when you are ready.
Related: Our method · Brand Diagnosis · Brand advisory