The branding brief is an internal document that outlines the unique tone and voice of a company's brand through descriptive language and structure. It helps ensure messaging across platforms remains consistent. The template provided describes a company's team composition, culture, mindset, focus, and positioning. Two examples are given, one for a technology service company focused on leisure industries using language like "work hard, play hard", and one for an academic research consultancy using a more professional and experienced tone.
The branding brief is an internal document that outlines the unique tone and voice of a company's brand through descriptive language and structure. It helps ensure messaging across platforms remains consistent. The template provided describes a company's team composition, culture, mindset, focus, and positioning. Two examples are given, one for a technology service company focused on leisure industries using language like "work hard, play hard", and one for an academic research consultancy using a more professional and experienced tone.
The branding brief is an internal document that outlines the unique tone and voice of a company's brand through descriptive language and structure. It helps ensure messaging across platforms remains consistent. The template provided describes a company's team composition, culture, mindset, focus, and positioning. Two examples are given, one for a technology service company focused on leisure industries using language like "work hard, play hard", and one for an academic research consultancy using a more professional and experienced tone.
The branding brief is an internal document that outlines the unique tone and voice of a company's brand through descriptive language and structure. It helps ensure messaging across platforms remains consistent. The template provided describes a company's team composition, culture, mindset, focus, and positioning. Two examples are given, one for a technology service company focused on leisure industries using language like "work hard, play hard", and one for an academic research consultancy using a more professional and experienced tone.
The Branding Brief sets the voice of your brand, outlining a specific tone to be used in your messaging (something that should be unique and instantly recognizable). It is a “tonal” document - one that relies on verbiage and structure to convey the essence of the brand without having to explicitly describe values, missions, or business functions.
For example, if you are a company that is highly focused on the entertainment industry with customers in the 21-25 age range, the language you use would reflect that. Things like “hot, party, exciting, nightlife” would probably be used in your brief to identify your company.
Conversely, if you are an academic company focusing on 40-55 year old CEOs, your language will be much different in order to convey a more professional, researched, and experienced tone.
The Branding Brief is a purely internal document for employees to reference either in the employee handbook, on a common server, or within a specific department. It helps to ensure that your messaging throughout various platforms and media will be consistent, even if content has different authors.
Below is a template to help you get started, as well as two examples for reference.
Template:
The (Company Name) team is (use descriptive adjectives to talk about the team’s composition). This blend creates a culture that is (describe the unique culture, setting up the tone for the entire document), and enables the company to (describe the core function of the business).
(Company Name) lives by a (type of mindset) mindset: (describe how company embodies those characteristics). The company strives to (why the company exists), enabling (big outcome).
It is that lifestyle that most aptly describes the company culture – (Company Name) has interest in (name of industry category), and because of that, (what kind of culture that leads to).
The team is focused on (main focus of the business), but also on (secondary focus of business). Its (adjective) atmosphere (what the atmosphere helps it to do).
(Company Name) is (positioning) – (adjective) products (tell what those products do). Branding Brief Examples powered by FoundersuiteTM www.foundersuite.com
Example 1: Technology Service Company
The Acme team is a unique blend of proven entrepreneurial success and young blood, creating a culture that is at once focused and idealistic. This balance enables the company to curate innovative solutions while having the tools to make these solutions a reality.
Acme lives by an entrepreneurial mindset: work and play are coexisting factors. In fact, many Acme functions are play – from servicing high-profile events to throwing parties in the name of some of the biggest consumer-facing brands, Acme is always in the epicenter of the action. For Acme, “work” is all about bringing solutions to leisure spots that people love the most, helping to create the most memorable experience possible.
It is that “work hard, play hard” lifestyle that most aptly describes the company culture – Acme has interest in essentially every leisure industry, and because of that, doesn’t take itself too seriously. Acme is fun, laid back, and real – no gimmicks and no corporate stuffiness.
When it comes to business, though, the team is focused not only on what will help the company grow, but also on what products and services will best serve the customers. Its free-flowing, collaborative atmosphere yields concrete results; its horizontal structure means that because everyone is responsible for their own area of the businesses, there is more conversation than competition.
Acme is on the edge – innovative products created for exciting industries means there’s never a dull moment, and the company does everything it can to portray that flavor to the world.
Example 2: Academic Research Consultancy
The Acme team is comprised of experts in their field. While building new skills and gaining essential, in-depth knowledge of technical processes can be intimidating for many customers, the Acme team has created an approachably academic product tone through years of dedicated research.
Acme strives to take client organizations’ productivity to new levels through improving the value of individual workers within the specific organization. In the long run, this will contribute to the overall functioning of the economy, helping the US to realize growth potential it is currently leaving untapped.
These goals are not taken lightly. However, Acme realizes that its best chance for success lies in creating a product and process that people feel comfortable engaging with. Because of this, the company fills a role akin to a highly respected teacher or mentor…a professional that could also be considered a friend.
Acme’s knowledge grounded in concrete data allows it to consistently elicit results from any type or size of organization. Its academic nature keeps it on the forefront of tomorrow’s technology, constantly building and adapting the product to meet the needs of even the most forward-thinking organizations.
Acme values the practices of learning, adapting, and growing…the exact actions that it promotes in the companies it serves…and strives to execute on all three on a consistent basis.
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