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Great branding can only be built on strategic clarity: knowing why you exist, who you are for, and how you want to show up. That clarity cannot be handed down from the top or left to find it's own way – it has to be built top-down, with intention. Brand sprint workshops create a space where all stakeholders are present, and the big questions get answered in real time. Often for the first time, people hear each other’s perspectives – friction can often be part of the process – debate hard truths, and resolve the differences that would otherwise resurface later. Clarity and team alignment is key, and for that reason it's how we start all our branding work at Otherfolk®.

When you're appointing stakeholders, be clear on exactly why they're there beyond an additional opinion, and what unique view they bring to the table.

Who Needs to Be There?

Your agency/studio, and key decision-makers: founders, senior leadership, marketing leads, and anyone else with a stake in the brand. If someone is missing, decisions made in the sprint risk being undone once they weigh in. That said, it's important to keep the stakeholder group small – like any project, too many voices risk pulling the project apart, and creating more noise than neccesary. So when you're appointing stakeholders, be clear on exactly why they're there beyond an additional opinion, and what unique view they bring to the table. Attendance is non-negotiable for this group – it only works if the people who will see the project through is present to avoid suprises later on. Also: no devices, no distractions.

What Happens in a Brand Sprint Workshop?

The workshop runs through a series of structured exercises over the course of approximately three hours (with breaks). Each exercise exists for a reason:

1. The Five-Year Roadmap: This forces the team to think beyond today’s targets. Where does the brand need to be in two, three, or five years? What needs to be true in order for those targets to be met? Is it the same brand, products, or something different? This exercise sets ambition and ensures the brand is built with the future in mind, not just the present quarter.

2. Why / What / How: Starting with why you exist as a business defines the brand’s reason to exist beyond revenue. What problem are you here to solve for your customers? What impact do you want to have? What do you offer? How is that delivered? Are these clear and differential?

3. Values: Every brand claims to have values. A brand sprint cuts the list down to the three that genuinely guide behaviour. This makes them usable in practice, rather than wallpaper.

4. Audiences: You can't be everything to everyone. This exercise forces prioritisation. Who are the three groups that matter most? Decisions get sharper when you are clear who you are talking to.

5. Personality: Is the brand playful or serious? Modern or classic? Bold or understated? These simple scales spark debate and create agreement on tone and style.

6. Competitive Landscape: By mapping competitors, you see not just who you are up against but also where the gaps are. It is a visual way to decide where your brand should sit, and where it shouldn't.

Each exercise pushes the team to make choices, often tough ones. The point is not to avoid disagreement but to use it productively.

Summary

A brand sprint is three hours of focus that can save three months of drift. It gives you clarity, direction, and alignment, and it does it in a way that energises teams rather than drains them. The outcome is a clear foundation for brand, design, and content that everyone has a hand in shaping. If you're kicking off brand work, there is no better way to start.

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Before you dive in to creating a new brand identity, it’s worth pausing to think about what really needs to be in place for the work to succeed. A rebrand is one of the biggest investments a marketing leader will make, and the pitfalls are rarely in the creative output itself. More often, the problems come afterwards – when organisations aren’t ready to manage what’s been created. Here are some considerations before you begin.

Ownership and governance

Who will steward the brand day to day? Not at a strategic level, but in the detail. Making sure when new icons are introduced, their weights and proportions match; that photo treatments stay consistent; that “almost right” colours don’t creep into decks. Each of those things might feel close enough, but line them up against the brand you paid for and the drift is obvious. And the impact is rarely instant – it’s two years of small shifts that erode value. Brands should always evolve, and guidelines should be exactly that – guidelines – but making sure the integrity of the brand you've created remains in-tact is a full-time team job.

Brands should always evolve, and guidelines should be exactly that – guidelines – but protecting the integrity of the system is a full-time job.

Capacity

As much as you may want to have an identity that rivals your favourite brand, making sure what’s created is realistic for the team you have in place is paramount. If your internal team is small, the identity needs to be simple to manage, with assets and templates that can be applied quickly without heavy oversight. If the approach is too complex, it will quickly break down in practice. Be realistic and clear from the outset about how asset creation and updates will actually be handled, and approach the brand system accordingly.

Agency alignment

Beyond the work, is your chosen agency or studio people you can have the right conversations with? Branding involves decisions that are rarely black and white, and so clarity often comes from pushing through difficult discussions. The right fit isn’t about portfolio alone – it’s about whether you trust them to be in the room with you for those conversations.

Scope of Assets

Finally, be clear on scope. A rebrand is never just a website refresh. It reaches into email signatures, white papers, editorial grids, social templates, presentations, signage, even the way fonts are distributed internally. Each of those touchpoints has implications for time and resources. If you don’t map the full scope upfront, you risk discovering gaps mid-rollout when momentum has already slowed. Think about this upfront, and save yourself the headache later on.

Final thoughts

A rebrand lives or dies in how it is carried forward. The creative process produces the system, but it’s ownership, governance, team capacity, agency fit, and a clear view of scope that decide whether it stays intact in the years that follow. Put those things in place, and the work you invested in has the best chance of holding together and delivering value long after launch.

The Benefits Ladder

Other than making your business a tonne of money of course, your product exists for a reason –to help your customers solve a problem, to help their job to be done. As the saying goes, people don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill –they want a quarter-inch hole. If you're listing features instead of benefits, and talking more about how great your underlying technology is than the problem it solves, you're fundamentally missing the reason they're considering your product in the first place. This is where the benefits ladder comes in.

1. Features

Say “An AI dashboard with automated reports.”

What your product has or does. This is as basic as you can get. If you’re explaining your product at this level, you’re making the customer do the work of figuring out why it matters. Features are raw facts and they belong in technical specs, not as the headline of your website.

2. Functional benefits

Say “Cut reporting time by 10 hours a week.”

The practical outcome those features deliver. This is where website copy starts to work harder. Functional benefits make it clear what problem you solve right now, in a way that is measurable and concrete. They tell the customer not just what the feature is, but why the feature exists in the first place.

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Emotional benefits explain why the outcome matters, connecting the practical gain to human needs such as confidence, control, or peace of mind.

3. Emotional benefits

Say “Stay in control with zero last-minute panic.”

How the customer feels once an outcome of the feature is achieved. Functional benefits on their own can feel just that – functional – a time saved or a cost reduced. Emotional benefits translate it into lived experience. They explain why the outcome matters, connecting the practical gain to human needs such as confidence, control, or peace of mind. This is where website copy starts to resonate more, and where decisions are actually made.

4. Aspirational benefits

Say “Free your team to focus on strategy and innovation.”

The bigger goal that outcome unlocks. This is the top rung. Aspirational benefits tie your product to a customer’s wider ambitions. They are powerful if they feel earned, but dangerous if over-claimed. Do not open with them, build up to them.

In short: features describe, benefits persuade. Strong website copy helps climbs the ladder quickly, moving past features to functional and emotional payoffs and, when credible, points to the aspirational goals your customer cares about.

Benefits x Brevity

It's tempting to explain everything about a product on every single page of a site; leave nothing ambiguous, write "for SEO". But when copy is dense, you risk losing the customer in the weeds before you've had a chance to show them the real value. Brevity forces clarity. And when there's 5 tabs open comparing solutions, clarity wins every time. Choose the most important benefits, articulate them in a sentence or two each, and trust that the detail can live elsewhere. Website pages, whether it is your homepage, a product overview, or a solutions page, are still top of funnel. They are first impressions and decision filters. Product demos, blogs, explainers, and whitepapers are where customers go when they want more depth. Make those easy to find too, and trust they'll look for the deeper detail when they're ready.

In Summary

The benefits ladder works because it shifts the focus from what a product is to why it matters. Features alone force the customer to do the translation. Functional and emotional benefits make the value instantly clear, and aspirational benefits show the bigger picture when they are credible.

Brevity is what makes this climb possible. By stripping out noise, you move the reader up the ladder quickly and land the message where it matters most. Search gets you found, brevity and clarity gets you chosen. Long-form content should exist, just not in the places where prospects are making their initial decisions.

1. Keep it focused

You don’t need a hundred voices. Five well-chosen customers will surface most of what you need. Beyond that, feedback becomes repetitive and muddy. And if you are presenting a dozen options, you haven’t made the hard calls. Research is not a shortcut to clarity. Customers should only ever be asked to react to one or two clear, fully-formed directions - not to choose between half-baked ideas or endless variations.

2. Test complete ideas

Colours, fonts and trends should be guided by market understanding. Your job - and your agency’s - is to see where competitors cluster and then carve out space to stand apart. Customers cannot do that work for you. Research should test complete, strategic directions, not fragments of branding or a pile of colour options.

3. Trust your gut

When research starts to look like a popularity contest, you are heading for generic work. Use it to sharpen, never to hand over decision-making. Ten near-identical concepts being run past customers is not testing, it is abdication. Put forward one or two directions shaped by strategy, and only test if there is a real risk of strong push-back.

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Customers can tell you if you’ve missed the mark, but they cannot define your strategy. They may also push you toward what feels familiar, and homogeny is the last thing a brand needs.

4. customers aren’t Your strategists

Strategy sets the direction: who you are, why you exist, what you stand for. Customers can tell you if you’ve missed the mark, but they cannot define your strategy. They may also push you toward what feels familiar, and homogeny is the last thing a brand needs. What you want from customer feedback is strong qualitative push-back, not consensus.

5. Test to de-risk, or don’t test at all

Customer research has value when there is genuine risk. A sense-check can tell you how a bold move lands, but only if you are clear on what you are testing. Removing a distinctive asset? Taking a 180 degree turn? Worried that one colour choice could jar in the market? These are moments to test.

What you should avoid is testing as a default step, or putting twenty colour options in front of people and asking them to pick. That is not research. It is a vote, and it tells you nothing about sentiment toward your brand direction. Testing should focus on one or two complete ideas - and only if there is a real chance of strong push-back.

6. De-risk when it’s ready

Testing a brand is not the same as testing a product. A website or an app has a clear job: either the path works or it doesn’t. That is why early testing makes sense in digital. Brand is different. You cannot measure it with the same binary clarity. Testing half-baked ideas only gives you emotional reactions to unfinished aesthetics - and risks killing a strong direction before it has matured. Have conviction. Develop the brand to a point where it can be tested properly, and only then bring in customers if there is genuine risk.

7. Favour qualitative over quantitative

Tickbox surveys that tell you which option people favour rarely help. What matters is why. Branding is emotional. Even when people think they’re being rational, their feelings are leading the decision. Insight comes from patterns in qualitative feedback: “this feels trustworthy,” “this feels confusing,” “this is the worst thing I’ve ever seen". That is the material you can work with. “I like this one best” is not.

And again - keep it focused. Test one or two complete directions, not vague fragments or a mass of styles, and use qualitative feedback to understand how it lands.

The balance that matters

Branding should always be led by the why, what and who of your business. Market research is always needed - it gives you the foundation by showing you where you sit against competitors, how stakeholders see you, and how customers already talk about you in the wild. Customer testing is different. It is optional, and should only be used when strategy is set and when there is real risk involved.

If your brand strategy is clear and you are not making a risky move, customer testing adds very little. What matters is conviction and clarity, supported by a strong strategy and grounded in market research. Customer testing should never replace that work - it is there only to sharpen and de-risk. The strongest brands know when to test, when to listen, and when to trust the strategy that led them there.

What happens when products evolve? Perhaps you’ve launched a new model, updated the colour range, or refined the design. Recreating the same shot from a previous campaign – or scaling up for additional content – requires organising yet another photoshoot. What about products that aren’t yet fully manufactured or those too complex to capture effectively? Perhaps internal mechanisms need visualising. This is where the limitations of traditional photography become apparent, and where 3D rendering steps in as a solution. So, what are the main considerations?

More Experimentation, More Content

While both photography and 3D need careful planning, pre-defined art direction, arrangement of lighting, scenery, and camera angles, photography – especially for more elaborate set-ups – can be complex and time-consuming. With 3D rendering, these constraints disappear. Want to experiment with bold, dramatic lighting, test out multiple camera angles, or a completely different scene altogether? It’s all possible, and in a fraction of the time and effort; you can even revisit days, weeks, months later to create new ideas.

3D also isn't one-and-done. A single 3D model can create far more than just one visual, and can be a starting point for all sorts of content: product breakdowns that highlight internal features, animations for social media, and 3D or AR experiences for eCommerce, for example. With 3D, the value of investment can be spread across multiple channels, maximising the creative, as well as the budget.

Embrace Existing CAD Models

Since most manufacturers already use CAD models for product development and manufacturing, these files are a great jumping-off point for 3D rendering. By adding materials, fine-tuning the details, and incorporating lighting and scenery, you can easily turn CAD models into high-quality, photorealistic images. This way, you don't have to start modelling products from the ground up, saving a huge amount of time and budget. Products also don't always remain unchanged – features are refined, colours are updated, and new details added. With traditional photography, making these updates can mean pricey reshoots, along with all the logistics, studio time, and re-editing that go along with it. But with 3D, designers can adjust and polish details, update materials, or even completely reimagine the product without having to start all over again.

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Whether it’s a cutaway view of a mechanical gadget or a product that's still in the concept phase, 3D rendering allows us to visualise and promote ideas that photography typically can't capture

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‍Capture more

3D design can deliver visuals so precise that they rival – and often outshine – traditional photography. Every surface texture, reflection, and minute detail can be shaped without the potential imperfections that can plague a traditional photoshoot, such as scratches or fingerprints. That said, renders often look best and most realistic when they include subtle imperfections – with 3D, and those kind of details can be included and experimented with in the materials, without editing or affecting the models themselves.

And, when it comes to complex details some products can be tricky to photograph purely due to how they're manufactured, or their development stage. Whether it’s a cutaway view of a mechanical gadget or a product that's still in the concept phase, 3D rendering allows product companies to highlight details, internal structures, or design concepts with macro photography, in ways traditional photography typically can't capture. 

The Bottom Line

In our – admittedly biased – opinion, 3D is a no-brainer for businesses looking to create stunning, adaptable, and cost-effective visuals. With the ability to create anything from simple outdoor scenes to beautifully elaborate studio stills and animation; to experiment, adjust, revisit and adapt for multiple channels; it offers a flexibility that benefits both the creative process and budget. And given manufacturing companies can take advantage of the CAD models many of them already have, there's very few risks – and a mass of benefits – in considering 3D as an alternative to traditional photography.

One of the most important questions we ask when designing a brand is "who will be managing the brand once you have it"? It's not a case of having some fonts and colours and cracking on with it. Brands need conscious and deliberate management. But we’ve likely all been there – when you’ve been working with the same brand for a while, things can start to feel… samey (especially if you're a designer). It’s tempting to want to introduce new approaches. However, branding is a long game, and familiarity breeds recognition – not contempt! Introducing new visuals here and there may seem like small changes, but without proper consideration, over time they can amount to a slow erosion.

Know yourself, and make a promise

The way a person looks, talks and moves, as well as where they're found, all contribute to how recognisable they are. The more familiar you are with someone – especially if the location is expected too – the less work they need to do to gain your trust next time. And over time, who that person is becomes pre-emptively understood by the room. People who have a real sense of self are the people who stand out. Branding is no different. This isn't about never changing, or doing the same things over and over again, but about how you choose to use familiarity, expectation, and persistence as currencies over long periods of time. Branding is a promise.

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When was the last time you really stopped and audited everything from the past few weeks, months, or year – where you were, and where you are now?

Keep an eye on the past

Marketing departments are often in a constant forward motion. As they should be. But when was the last time you really stopped and audited everything from the past few weeks, months, or year – where you were, and where you are now? Software like Miro or Figma are great places to start for visual consistency. Get as much work as you can up there – jpeg, PDFs videos. Is it consistent? Be brutal.

For most brands, it's likely there's far more meandering than you'd expect.

This is about stopping and slowing down. Next time you're reviewing work, get as much previous assets in front of you for review as possible. Put them on something like Miro for minimal effort. So when new ideas are being introduced, they're judged in the context of a brand that's already out there. Does it feel like a natural extension, or a completely separate expression? Do elements of it already exist in earlier work, that are now being reinvented or undermined, instead of reused? If this sounds pedantic – that's because it should be. Lean into what you have, or lean into change. But be deliberate.

The long of it

In the end, codifying your brand isn’t just about sticking to a set of rules. It’s about ensuring your identity remains consistent and recognisable, and isn't incrementally shifting without real intention. By playing the long game, resisting the urge to change too quickly, and sticking to your brand’s core values, you're ultimately helping build long-lasting trust with its audience. And with all this said – if you're still struggling to build on what you have, it may be worth considering if a larger brand exercise is needed.

Why do you engage with one brand over another? Most probably because you trust that brand, and trust is something that’s cultivated very carefully through a number of things. The most subtle of which is its brand voice. Creating your brand’s voice is all about aligning yourself with your audience: literally speaking directly to them. The way tabloids speak to their readers is very different to the way the broadsheets write, for example. Similarly, McDonald’s are always “Lovin’ it” – they’d never be “Loving it”, while the way messages are verbally presented to children in advertising is miles away from those pitched at Saga holiday clients. Here are a few things to think about when creating your brand voice.

Who are you?

You can’t possibly know who you’re talking to if you don’t know your own product. Take time to think about who you are, what you do, who you’re aiming at and why you’re different to your competitors. If you don’t know what it is that makes you special, then you won’t be able to communicate that to your audience in their language, and they in turn won’t trust you. It’s impossible to build rapport with your clients if they are in any doubt over who you are, and who you think you are.

If you don’t know what it is that makes you special, then you won’t be able to communicate that to your audience in their language

Consistently ask yourself, “Is this something they’d say? Is this something they’d like? Is this something they’d read/use?”

Who are your audience?

Likewise, if you don’t know who will be buying or using your product, it’s tricky to pitch yourself properly. It helps to build a picture of your audience in your mind – either someone you know if that fits, or you can create a fictional person yourself. Make more than one person if your product is more universal. What is their name? Age? What do they look like? What things do they like? What do they do in their spare time? Where do they shop? What other (rival) brands do they use (and why?) Write this all down if it helps to make this person as colourful and real in your mind as possible. Always have them in mind when you’re thinking about your brand, and consistently ask yourself, “Is this something they’d say? Is this something they’d like? Is this something they’d read/use?”

Moodboards

If it helps, make moodboards for the things that your character likes. Rip pages out of magazines, or use Pinterest for visual clues that will help spark ideas. Have this moodboard where you and your team can see it, so your audience are always at the forefront of what you do – you’ll engage with them more successfully, which will have them coming back for more.

Who are your competitors?

Investigate your rivals. Read what words they use, and dissect how and why they speak to their users in the way they do. Be objective – what do they do well? What do they need to work on? Why is this? Can you do better? How? Who is their ‘character’? Would they like or use this product? Would they like yours? How are you different? How are you the same? Is that a good thing?

What keywords and phrases do you use?

Create a dictionary of keywords and phrases your character uses. This not only helps to keep you on-message with them, but it’s also good to keep handy for if (and when) writer’s block strikes. Keep a list of words not to use too. It really helps build a picture of your character, and keeps you consistent in your brand message. It’s also the most direct way of building rapport with your audience – using their language disarms them and suggests familiarity from the off. How can they not engage with you if they’re already so disarmed?

How are these words presented?

Think about how you’ll present your words. Shorter, punchier sentences are better used to inject energy into a piece. Using capital letters and exclamation marks is more suitable for young people. Think about your word count – keep it low for children, for example.

If all else fails…

If you know exactly what your point is, but are stuck for how best to present it, the best thing to do is imagine you’re at a coffee shop with your friend, and you’re explaining whatever it is to them. Write it down in its simplest forms, in layman terms, as if you’re explaining it to someone you know. Then go back and tweak the words, add bits of explanation or backstory here and there according to how your character communicates, and build from there.