How to Brief an Agency for a Branding Project Properly

In this article, we would like to share our experiences and give our Clients some pointers on what to keep in mind when briefing a branding agency.

First, a few words about the differences between the work of branding agencies and advertising agencies.

• Expects a change of name, logo for various reasons, e.g. received information from the market that the image of his brand is no longer keeping up with the company’s position or receives signals that customers are “turning away” from the brand

• Expects a change in the visual style of the brand, e.g. in order to better adapt to the expectations of target groups (this is, among others, the most common reason for brand lifting, rapid changes in consumer preferences and the need to adapt)

• Expects a strategic change, e.g. rejuvenation of the brand’s customers, but is unable to determine the scope of changes in marketing – it is usually necessary to find a strategic solution through market analysis and then carry out the brand lifting process, i.e. adapting to the perception of younger customers

• Expects a quick increase in sales or simply support in current marketing processes – the goal of the action should be defined measurably, e.g. increase in sales of dietary supplement product packages from 82,000 last year to 100,000 this year

Sometimes Clients cannot correctly identify their needs – in such a case we encourage you to contact us. We can always spend an hour and discuss your problem or challenge with you. We will help diagnose the need – if this is a task for a branding agency, we invite you to us if we will indicate trustworthy entities for an advertising agency.

Step 1. Think about the problem or task

• Every manager managing a company knows the problems of his company best. Therefore, start with your own, intuitive assessment.
Write down your conclusions – this will really be a task for the agency.

• Sometimes a company works great but the problem is a high concentration of customers (e.g. 1 or several recipients) which affects the security of the company; sometimes a brand achieves great sales results but ages, i.e. does not acquire customers among young customers and in a few years will lose its position. The problems may be different, so your observation is crucial.

• Describe your needs in detail – think about whether you need strategic, creative or executive support. Examples of strategic questions and descriptions of needs below.

1. Do I need a cool, expert look at my company? Will I need support from strategy to implementation?
2. I have a strategy described – I know who I am selling to, I know how I position my products, I know exactly the preferences of my customers, I have a sales plan and a vision of my brand – I need the company to “dress” it in graphics, I need a creative idea and order.
3. I need a new graphic sign – mine is many years old and I feel the need for change.
4. I have a functioning marketing department – but I feel the need to improve the quality of its operation. I would like to organize the visual style of the brand and train my team to work better.
5. I would like to enter new markets – I wonder if I should do it under a new brand or introduce my “old” brand?
6. I have a very extensive product portfolio – many hundreds or thousands of SKUs. It is very difficult to manage it, I am constantly introducing new products but I feel there is a lack of order. I am getting signals from the market that wholesalers do not fully understand what product lines we have.
7. We need to change the name and visual identification – there have been changes in ownership and a change is necessary..

Step 2. Organize a workshop in your company with your sales and marketing departments.

• Assess together how the market perceives your brand – whether the name, logo, packaging style and visual style correspond to your strategic assumptions, whether they constitute a competitive advantage and make you stand out from the competition. Describe the conclusions.

• Talk about your customers – who they are, what level of wealth they represent, where they live, what their profile is, what the factors that influence their purchasing decisions look like, what the effectiveness of marketing activities looks like. If you can, conduct market research to learn as much as possible from the market.

• Discuss the product portfolio – whether it is too extensive, which products sell best, how you position them in terms of price vs. competitors (do a store check), whether you have problems with logistics, how you assess your packaging – do they distinguish the product on the shelf. Of course, for the b2b or services industry, the scope of strategic questions will be no different, but in principle it is about assessing the portfolio of services/products.

From step 2, it is worth engaging a strategic agency (if the branding agency has strategic competences – some branding agencies start their work with a strategic brief, i.e. they enter at the creative stage).

Step 3. What should be included in a brief for a branding agency?

Brief description of the company/brand: Describe key information about your brand – what you do, how long you have been operating, what you sell, what is your sales level (in the last 3 years), who are your clients, in which markets do you sell. If you have several sub-brands, describe them briefly.

Provide the address of your website and social media (the agency should analyze your brand before meeting with you)

Provide a list of key competitors: list 3-5 closest competitors and provide the addresses of their websites (the agency should review them before meeting).

Reasons for changes: Describe why you are contacting a branding agency, what need you see. Has the market situation changed? Do you need an Impulse for further development?

Task description: Describe in short words what you want to achieve as a result of the work of the branding agency. What specific tasks is the agency to perform and what will make you consider the project implemented with the agency to be successful, e.g.:

• Task 1. I expect to develop a new graphic symbol for my brand and its visual style
• Task 2. I expect to redesign the packaging
• Task 3. I expect to develop the entire visual identification of my brand (sales materials, website, etc.)
• Task 4. I expect support in presenting the new brand on the market

Important: A branding agency should suggest how the work process should look like in a given case, step by step, along with deadlines. Therefore, focus on describing the task as best as possible – leave the rest to them.

Timing: Describe your assumptions regarding the project. How much time do you plan to make a decision, when do you want to start working on the branding process, when do you want to show changes on the market. Example:

Branding agency selection process – 1 month (May 15 to June 15)
Signing the contract – from June 16 to June 23
Start of agency work – from June 24
Introduction of the brand to the market – January 10 of the following year (industry fair).

Important: A good branding process is deeply rooted in strategy and concerns matters that can affect the situation of the entire company. There is no need to rush. The minimum time of work is 3 months. Usually, branding processes with the implementation of a new website and communication in a new style take about 9-12 months.

1. Check the portfolio – everyone would like the company that works with them to have experience in their industry. However, what counts above all is the ability to adapt to the specifics of a given client – design is important, but not always only design sells. Check and read the agency’s portfolio and case study. Take your time – after all, you are choosing an advisor in one of the key matters for the company.
2. Verify experience and strategic knowledge – meet at an initiation meeting with several selected entities. Ask for several examples of projects similar to yours. Check references and ratings of other clients of the agency.
3. Assess the work culture and speed – see if they respond quickly, if they have developed processes and what the offer looks like. If they need 2 weeks to prepare the offer, the question is whether they will fit into your time requirements.
4. And finally, feel the flow – talk to the people you will be working with. Assess whether you feel that you are in good hands. Pay attention to what is important to them – your financial results or just the design.