How to Write an Effective Design Brief for a Logo Contest?

Love that you’re putting real thought into your brief — honestly, most clients don’t, or they let AI write it for them, which makes it way harder for us to get the design right. So you're already ahead!

I’ll keep this super simple — here’s what your brief must include:

• Company name + any tagline you want in the logo

• What you do + where you're based

• Target audience — this is more important than most people realize. You don’t need to go into crazy detail, but give us a sense of who your core customers are. For example:

  “Our main audience is young adults, 70% female, mostly aged 25–40, interested in wellness and sustainability.”
  That helps us design something that speaks directly to the people you're trying to reach

Right below the brief, you’ll find style sliders — use them! They really help communicate the look and feel you're going for (modern, classic, bold, minimal, etc.).

Also, tell us what you absolutely dislike — fonts, colors, symbols, anything. That’s super important and helps avoid wasted concepts.

One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen is when clients upload a logo and say “I love this!” — that usually leads to copycat designs. Instead, describe why you like it or what elements you like (e.g., “We like nature-inspired elements like leaves or trees”). That gives creative freedom while still guiding direction.
 

A few quick pro tips:

• Make the contest blind — you’ll get way more original ideas.

• Rate and leave feedback — even short comments help us improve fast.

• Eliminate weak designs — it helps you manage the contest and signals designers what not to submit.

Hope this was helpful
Basil J

Here's a brief based on those guidelines
 

Company Name:
Verdana Living

Tagline (optional):
Naturally Better Living

About:
We’re a sustainable home goods brand based in Austin, TX — offering eco-friendly items like bamboo bedding, reusable kitchenware, and natural cleaning products.

Target Audience:
Adults 25–45, mostly women (~65%), eco-conscious and design-savvy. They value sustainability, simplicity, and quality — similar audience to Grove or Public Goods.

Style Direction:
Clean, modern, and minimalist with a natural feel. We like earthy tones (greens, neutrals) and rounded or sleek fonts — nothing too corporate or playful.

Avoid:

• Script fonts

• Literal icons (no big leaves)

• Anything overly techy or generic

Visual Inspiration:
We like logos that subtly include nature elements (like circles, lines, or soft textures) without being obvious. Think Everlane or Grove Collaborative.

Logo Use:
Website, packaging, social, and print — must scale well and work in black & white.