Having a logo design created without a brief is like baking without a recipe; you might end up with a total flop.
Logo design is an essential part of a company's branding strategy, as it is the visual representation of the company's values, mission, and goals. Without a logo, a company can be seen as faceless, leaving a customer struggling to remember it
What is a brief?
A brief is a written document that outlines the client’s vision for the logo design. It should include the brand’s values and mission, goals, target audience, and overall strategy. It should also provide the designer with an understanding of the company’s objectives, the message they want to communicate, and the overall desired look and feel. Without this information, the designer is unable to provide a logo that effectively communicates the company’s message and goals.
The design process should start with research and exploration, gathering information and inspiration that can help create a vision for the logo. Without a brief, the designer is unable to fully appreciate the vision of the client and the context of the logo. This can lead to designs that are not on-brand, or that do not effectively communicate the company’s message or goals.
An example list from Designinc shows this list of preferred info a client should be providing to the creative:
The market & the competition
The profile of the ideal recipient/buyer/customer
What makes them different? MSPs, USPs
Expectations -what are they really trying to achieve with this project?
The profile – how would they like others to perceive them?
The project message/theme
Are there any corporate guidelines?
Examples of similar things they like
Examples of things they have done before
Budgets & deadline
Technical Spec
For a similar amount of info, you can also check out the online brief sheet I have made on my page at www.CustomBranding.pro ! You can fill it out as a checklist for you, or commission branding design from me.
A brief helps the designer understand the client's goals
A brief can help provide the designer with an understanding of the client’s style preferences. Without this knowledge, the designer may create a logo that isn’t to the client’s liking. This can lead to wasted time and resources as the designer has to go back to the drawing board and create a new design from scratch.
In addition, a brief can help the designer to develop a logo that stands out from the competition. By understanding the client’s objectives and target audience, the designer can create a design that is unique and memorable. Without this information, the designer is unable to create a logo that is distinctive and stands out from other businesses in the same industry.
You would not drive to a new destination without a map, would you?
Designing a logo without a brief is like trying to find an address without a map; you might get there in the end but would have most likely wasted a lot of time and fuel. Without the brief, the designer may struggle to fully appreciate the company’s vision and create a design that is on-brand and communicates the company’s message and goals. A brief can provide the designer with the necessary information and insight to create a logo that is unique, memorable, and stands out from the competition.
I have had some clients ask me to just "clean up a presentation" or to advise them on a refreshing project of their brand. Without a brief, preferably a written one, I have never started any such project. Have a look at this fillable form that I created. It acts as my brief when I start a project.
The takeaway? Designing something beautiful is easy. Designing something powerful requires a bit more. And a detailed brief. Commissioning design without a brief is a costly and time-consuming hobby!
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The naked brand designer
Who am I? My name is Nina Ignatius. Welcome to my bare-it-all blog about branding and design.
I am delighted to be able to share my 30+ years of brand design expertise (and some unreal experiences from around the world too) with you.
I have worked with small, big, new, old, traditional and modern clients, all wanting to refresh an old brand or create a new one. My experience allows me to work with a wide array of clients to provide specific solutions to their branding needs.
I offer you more than 30 years of insights from my international career from prestigious design firms in France, Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia and Scotland, as well as my native Finland.
My proudest professional moment was being selected to Forbes "40 women over Forty" for my innovative and disruptive design.
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Nina A. Ignatius
Disclaimer: as English is not my first or second language, I always use Grammarly and other AI tools to help write cohesive texts!
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