The brief: what to tell your logo designer

Good briefs produce better logos

The information you provide shapes what your designer creates. Here's what to include and what to skip.

What to include

1. Your business basics
  • What you do (simply explained)
  • Who you serve
  • What makes you different
    • 2. Your positioning
  • Where you sit in the market (premium, budget, specialist)
  • Who your competitors are
  • How you want to be perceived
    • 3. Practical requirements
  • Primary applications (where will this logo live mostly?)
  • Any constraints (colours to avoid, existing elements to incorporate)
  • Timeline and budget
    • 4. Decision-making process
  • Who will approve the final design?
  • How many stakeholders are involved?

    • What to skip

    Design direction

    Don't tell designers how to solve the problem. Describe the problem.

    Logo examples you like

    This leads to derivative work. Describe feelings, not visuals.

    Extensive brand history

    Relevant highlights only. Your designer doesn't need your life story.

    Committee-created briefs

    Briefs designed by consensus are often contradictory. One clear voice is better.

    Warning signs in your own brief

    If your brief includes phrases like:

  • "We want to appeal to everyone"
  • "Something classic but modern but timeless but fresh"
  • "Like [famous brand] but unique"

You need to think harder before briefing.

The one-page test

If your brief is longer than one page, you've probably included too much. Clarity beats comprehensiveness.

After the brief

Good designers will ask questions. This is good—it means they're thinking. Answer promptly and clearly.

What you'll get back

Expect initial concepts, usually 2-5 directions. Evaluate them against your brief, not against each other.