How to write the perfect design brief: Logo | Hatchly
In the working world, as is the case in life, first impressions matter. You want to get off on the right foot regardless of the relationship you’re trying to build, and that’s especially true if you’re asking someone for assistance. Case in point: a logo design brief.
The identity of any given company or business can be defined by a logo. That may sound extreme, but it’s true. The modern age is full of big brands changing things up in order to stick with the times, and in addition to that, more and more people are shooting for something that will help them stand out amongst their competitors.
Within the graphic design landscape, there are endless guys and girls who can carve out the perfect logo to suit the identity you want to encapsulate. However, there is a method behind the madness, which is what we’re here to explain.
What are the five key parts of a design brief?
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and world-class logos don’t appear out of thin air. There’s a real structure behind putting together something like this, and at the start line, the first whistle is blown by you - the client.
In our view, there are five key components behind the perfect logo design brief. It allows your team of professionals to get a real grasp of what exactly it is you’re looking to achieve, and instead of having a collection of vague ideas, there’s a competent layout of how you can get from point A to point B.
With that in mind, let’s delve a little bit deeper into what those five pillars are and why they’re so crucial.
1. Business information
It’s important to understand what exactly the business in question is all about. If you’re pitching yourself to a graphic design company within an industry that knows a thing or two about style, you want to make an immediate impact. What product or service do you offer, and what’s the direction?
The name alone is obviously the perfect place to start, and from there, you can really begin to peel back the curtain. Is there a slogan, what kind of tone does the company have, and what tends to be your overall mission statement?
2. Why the change?
With a logo design brief, honesty is the best policy. It’s all well and good to give off ‘sunshine and rainbows’ vibes, but in reality, there’s a reason for the request in the first place. Either this is an entirely new venture that is being started from scratch, or your company has sought out a new logo in the hope of mixing things up.
Off the back of that, it’s always important to give some information on what the future holds. What problem do you hope to solve with this new logo, and what kind of message do you want to send? Logo changes can be like Marmite, which is why the devil is in the details.
3. Pitch the logo style
You’ve got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette, as the saying goes. While the end product and template come down to the designer, it’s always nice to get a feel for what it is that’s being produced. What colour scheme do you want? Are there any relevant sizes/formats? Is it going to be big and bold or a bit more simplistic?
In the corporate world, the latest trend seems to be that less is more. It really does come down to personal preference when deciding what it is you want, and it has to come from the heart. Don’t worry about being too specific - let your imagination run wild.
4. Target audience
A children’s entertainment company isn’t going to utilise the same techniques as an international bank. That much is kind of obvious, but it’s worth repeating that honing in on what your target audience/market is can be critical. You don’t want to give off the wrong message and don’t want to come across as cheap.
Whether it be related to age, a particular hobby or a job role, this is an area that cannot be overlooked. Sometimes this is the sort of factor that can change with time, and it’s important to remember that because we all need to keep the long-term mission statement in mind. If it’s evergreen, it should be nice and clean.
5. Provide a timeframe
Rushing out a new logo in the blink of an eye is certainly one approach. It would allow you to get your message, whatever it may be, out there to the public in a much quicker timeframe. More often than not, though, companies want to take their time, analyse the first few drafts, and get a feel for what it is they really desire.
When putting forward your logo design brief, make sure to liaise with your partners on how long you want to be spent on this project. Set a date on which you want to take a first look, and from there, lay out the yellow brick road as you aim for a final deadline.
Need graphic design help? Contact Hatchly!
While we here at Hatchly don’t work within the logo sub-genre, there’s a whole host of other graphic design needs that we can help you with. With our platform, we can really push your business to a whole new level - and we can do it together.
Our team is full of dedicated, passionate designers, all of whom are there to help you at the click of a button. From affordable pricing to a seamless workflow, we’ve got you covered.
If you want to learn more, feel free to get in touch!
