Design, branding and packaging
Do this first
You want a clear brand and design assets people can use properly.
Treat the product as the brand
- Fix the product experience first. The ranking is opinion and heavily disputed. Read the lesson
Check how crowded your market is
- Crowded markets need proof and guarantees. Claims alone stop standing out. Read the lesson
Repeat the same message to the same people
- Repeat placements to the same audience. The suggested 8 exposures are only a rule of thumb. Read the lesson
Write a proper logo handover
- Include spacing, dark-background and tiny versions, minimum sizes and misuse examples. Assign one brand protector. Read the lesson
Strip the AI tells from your design
- Cut repetitive labels, unnecessary subtext and cursor glows. Use references to direct the design. Read the lesson
Curate the entry and use model shots
- Curate smaller catalogues and try model shots. The supporting statistics are unsourced. Read the lesson
Make labels and packaging claims honest
- State the comparison behind claims like 30% less sugar. Keep labels plain. Read the lesson
Run the glance test on covers and thumbnails
- Use 2 to 4 words and one focal point. Cut words that narrow the audience. Read the lesson
Questions you might have
What should a logo handover include?
- Spacing, dark-background and tiny versions, minimum sizes and misuse examples. Assign a brand protector. Full answer
Do I need brand guidelines early?
- Start with a usage sheet. You'll need it when others make assets. Full answer
How do I make my site not look AI-made?
- Cut repetitive labels, subtext and cursor glows. Use design references. Full answer
What makes a good thumbnail or cover?
- Use 2 to 4 words, one focal point and a curiosity verb. Test versions. Full answer
Can I claim '30% less sugar' on packaging?
- Name the comparison product with an asterisk. Full answer
Is branding or the product first?
- Fix taste, quality, packaging and unboxing before refreshing the logo. Full answer
Read next
Watch these reels
@barnardco: Clients break their own logos in three ways (ignoring safe space,
- Logo handover mistakes and fixes. Watch
@mixesintheattic: Ranks nine brand ingredients for building a new brand in 2026, most
- A disputed brand ranking. Watch
@itsdesignertom: Hiring managers read three Claude-default tells in design portfolios
- Common AI design tells. Watch
@shovel.studio: Small catalogs (under 50 products) win with less choice (Yeezy
- Layouts by catalogue size. Watch
@allstarsteven: A product-discovery reel about the Japanese colour-combination book
- A book of colour combinations. Watch
@omar.creo: A live YouTube packaging teardown
- Titles and thumbnails reviewed. Watch
Avoid these
Skipping brand guidelines because you are small
- Write guidelines once others start making brand assets. Why
Trusting the Yeezy and Skims statistics
- The figures are unsourced. Removing express checkout needs testing. Why
Heavy 3D motion on product pages
- Heavy motion hurts speed, SEO and accessibility. Why
Using another creator's reel or copyrighted songs
- Other people's reels and songs carry copyright risk. Why
Treating '8 exposures' as law
- It's a rule of thumb. Impulse purchases contradict it. Why
The reels
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