A note before we begin…
The Creative Brief is now On-Brand / Off-Brand.
The first edition of The Creative Brief was published in 1999 as a printed newsletter. Back then, it showcased client work alongside my thoughts on branding, design, and the trends shaping our industry. It eventually evolved from print to email as technology made it easier (and less expensive) to produce.
While I stopped publishing it during my years back in-house, it felt natural to pick up where I left off when I returned to running my own business.
Over the past few years, my work has evolved, too.
The conversations I’m having with business owners and leaders are rarely just about visual identity, design, or marketing tactics. More often, they’re about decisions.
- Should we pursue this opportunity?
- Is our positioning still right?
- Should we launch this new service?
- Why isn’t our marketing working?
- What should we stop doing?
- What should we do next?
Eventually, almost every conversation reaches the same point.
I ask a simple question: “Is this on-brand or off-brand for your business?”
As I looked back over recent editions, I realized something.
The publication had already evolved. The name simply hadn’t caught up.
So, beginning with this edition, The Creative Brief becomes On-Brand / Off-Brand.
The purpose hasn’t changed. I’ll continue sharing insights and ideas about how branding, marketing, positioning, and leadership influence business growth. The difference is that every issue will now be viewed through the lens that’s become central to my advisory work.
Every issue is designed to help you answer one question: Is this on-brand or off-brand for your business?
Thanks for reading. I’m glad you’re here for the next chapter.
What I’m noticing…
Client conversations often start with the same thought, “I think we need to do more marketing.”
What’s interesting is that we almost never end up talking about marketing. We talk about growth and brand strategy.
It’s one of those terms that’s become so closely associated with marketing that we’ve almost forgotten what it’s actually for.
Most people hear “brand strategy” and think about logos, colors, messaging, websites, or advertising. Those things certainly matter, but they’re the visible result of something much more important.
A good brand strategy isn’t really a marketing tool.
It’s a decision-making tool.
The longer I work with founders and business owners, the more convinced I become that this is where the real value lies. We rarely spend our first meetings talking about marketing campaigns. Instead, we’re discussing a new service, a pricing decision, an acquisition, a hiring challenge, or an unexpected opportunity.
None of those are marketing questions.
Yet every one of them is a brand decision.
Does this move us toward the business we’re trying to become?
Does it strengthen the reputation we want to build?
Or does it take us somewhere else?
Here’s the thing…
Perhaps that’s the real purpose of brand strategy.
Not to help us create better marketing.
To help us make better decisions.
The strongest brands aren’t built campaign by campaign. They’re built decision by decision.
Every business has opportunities. The challenge isn’t deciding between good and bad ideas. It’s deciding which opportunities move your business closer to the reputation you want to build and which ones pull you away.
If you want to go deeper, I’ve written more about this here:
→ https://www.brenits.com/most-
Thanks for reading,