The perfect creative brief
The brief before the boom; Helping a startup skyrocket into the market (no soft launches in sight).
The Business
A fast-growing startup. Small in size, big in passion. They’d built momentum through word of mouth, but had no real brand structure. A half-decided name, a list of favourite colours… and a whole lot of ideas floating around.
The Challenge
They had no face. She wouldn’t mind me saying that. Tired of endless AI-generated logos, stuck in colour fatigue, and completely over fonts. She needed help. Fast. They were ready to talk to clients, but wasting precious hours down Canva rabbit holes.
They didn’t need more options, they needed direction.
Our Approach
Fast. Focused. Fun.
We had 30 minutes on Teams and a job to do: get to the heart of this brand and fast.
So, we ditched the long-form strategy doc and ran a rapid-fire vibe check instead.
“What does your Pinterest homepage look like?”
“Do you have a vibe in mind?”
“Show me something you love, even from another industry.”
And then boom! The inspiration hit. Beer labels. Totally unrelated to their business, but full of attitude and colour. The perfect visual metaphor for what they were trying to say.
Visuals helped her say what she couldn’t find the words for. And that’s half the battle.
From Vibe to Vision.
After the call, we got to work. Every word in our brief had to earn its place. Because a great creative outcome doesn’t come from lucky guesses, it comes from clarity and storytelling.
Target demographics
Tone of voice
Mandatories (e.g. “no cheesy puns” is gold)
No-go’s
Descriptive metaphors ("the coolest kid on the street with a Dr Pepper")
The result? A creative brief that wasn’t just strategic, it was a love letter to her business.
The Result
The result? Good looking sht. A full brand platform with vibe, personality and tools to bring it to life. Sure, it cost more than the $100 logo she found on Instagram. But now she has logos that speak to each other, colour palettes that sing, templates, and real-life examples for how to use them. It's hers. 100%. Her voice, in colours, shapes and stories.
Why It Matters
Brand matters. Check yourself. Do you have one?
This isn’t just about logos. It’s about connection. It’s about how your business makes people feel.
So ask yourself, do people recognise your brand, or just remember your invoice?
If I had to pick one thing that makes a creative brief sing, it’s the words. The weird ones. The poetic ones. The ones that say, “I want to be the coolest kid on the street with a Dr Pepper and a cowboy hat.”
If you’re tired of playing brand dress-up and ready to feel like your business actually looks like you, coffee’s on us. Let’s chat.