SESSION 10
09.28.26

Brand: Storytelling
Deciding the brand before you draw it.

Workhorse Collective

NameAbraham GarciaEmailabe@wrkhrs.co

ART 418 · Fall 2026

MeetsMon + WedTodaySession 10 · 09.28.2026
Workhorse wrkhrs.co

Where the Brief Stands.

Page one · the situation
1Overview✓ Your pitch
2Problem✓ Your problem statement
3Goals✓ Your pitch
4Audience✓ Your audience hand-in
5InsightToday, exercise 1
6Competition✓ Your research, plus their character today
Page two · the answer
7Message✓ Your pitch, sharpened
8PositionWednesday
9CharacterToday, exercise 3
10ToneToday, your "nevers"
11ChannelsWednesday
12Action and measure✓ Your pitch
13Principles and mandatoriesToday, exercise 2
14Open questionsEvery question mark
Page three · what gets built
15Requirements✓ Your pitch's features
16Site map and main stepsBefore Wednesday
17ContentBefore Wednesday
18TechnologyBefore Wednesday
19Out of scopeBefore Wednesday
✓You already have it, from a hand-in or your pitchYou write it todayWednesday, or before
CREATIVE BRIEF STUDIO · WED 09.30 · PAGE THREE IS NEW: THE PRODUCT PLAN, FOLDED INTO THE BRIEF Workhorse
Today's argument

The brand can be decided
before anyone draws it.Discovery gave you facts. Definition turns them into decisions, on paper.

What a Brand Is.

1

Not a logo.

2

Not an identity.

3

Not a product.

"A brand is a person's gut feeling about a product, service, or organization."

"It's not what you say it is. It's what they say it is."

MARTY NEUMEIER, THE BRAND GAP. READING FOR WEDNESDAY. Workhorse

Bridging the Gap Between Business Strategy and Design.

Strategic thinkers
Creative thinkers
Analytical
Intuitive
Logical
Emotional
Linear
Spatial
Numerical
Visual
Verbal
Physical
WHEN BOTH SIDES WORK TOGETHER: A CHARISMATIC BRAND, ONE PEOPLE BELIEVE HAS NO SUBSTITUTE. NEUMEIER, THE BRAND GAP. Workhorse

Today: Insight, Direction, Character, Paths.

1

The insight

What is true about your audience that nobody has used yet.
FromDavis, ch. 8
FillsSection 5
2

The direction

The rules the design must follow, and the one idea it is built around.
FromBrown, ch. 3
FillsSection 13 and the one line
3

The character

The role the brand plays in the audience's life.
FromMark and Pearson, ch. 1
FillsSections 9 and 10
4

The paths

Two or three complete ways the brand could go, so the choice is real.
FromBrown, ch. 3
FillsNext week's moodboard
THE TRACKER TOP RIGHT SHOWS WHICH MOVE WE ARE ON Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths

Fact vs. Insight.

A fact
Not an insight yet
An insight
Most of our users are 25 to 34.
A demographic. It describes them without explaining them.
They are the first in their family to do this, and nobody around them can tell them how.
People abandon the sign-up form.
"They need a simpler form." That is a feature.
They are embarrassed by how little they know, and the form makes them say it.
Owners buy the food the vet recommends.
"Vets matter." True, and a competitor already owns it.
Owners treat the dog like a child, and a parent wants the best.
THE TEST: COULD A COMPETITOR BUILD A BRAND ON IT JUST AS WELL? THEN IT IS NOT YOUR INSIGHT YET. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths

Three Strategic Questions.

1

What do they really believe or do?

"What are the real underlying beliefs or behaviors of our target audience and how can we connect with those beliefs and behaviors?"
Purina Pro Plan, 2011Owners saw their dogs as children, so the brand became a support network for new dog parents.
2

Where do we reach them?

"What is the best way to actually reach our target audience?"
Drugfree.org, 2013Teens shared the family computer and were leaving Facebook. The phone was private, so the anti-drug game went mobile and never asked them to share.
3

How does it become real?

"How does this strategy become real and concrete?"
Renaissance Hotels, 2011The brand promise was split into four themes, and every touchpoint was built on them.
JUDY ABEL (METHOD SAVVY, 32 DEGREES NORTH), IN DAVIS, CH. 8. THE QUESTIONS ARE HERS, VERBATIM. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Question 1 of 3

Purina: Finding the Insight.

Fact
Owners buy what the vet recommends, and a competitor had a deal with the vets.
Guess
Who is a dog in its owner's life? A best friend, a wacky cousin, a child?
Check
Purina's focus group videos, across the region.
Insight
The dog is like a child, and a parent wants the best for a child.
So Pro Plan borrowed from Gerber and Pampers and became a "network of support" for new dog parents.
From the reading
"I started writing down my initial thoughts based on my experience or knowledge of dog owners. However, I didn't stop there."
"People who fell into our target audience demographics across all the various Latin American countries were referring to their dogs as their children."
Judy Abel, in Davis, ch. 8, "Finding the Right Insight."
WITHOUT THE INSIGHT, THE ADS SAY "VET RECOMMENDED." THE COMPETITOR ALREADY OWNED THAT. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Question 3 of 3

Renaissance Hotels: Making the Promise Real.

"No matter where or why you travel, there's always something wonderfully new to be found."
WhereDestination
WhyOccasion
SomethingDifferentiation
To be foundDiscovery and exploration
EVERY TOUCHPOINT, KEY CARDS TO CONCIERGE, WAS BUILT ON THE FOUR. "RENAISSANCE BECAME THE SECRET OUR AUDIENCE WAS TEMPTED TO SHARE." Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Exercise 1 · 8 minutes · on paper

Find your insight.

1. Fact. Go back through your discovery notes. Write down three specific things your audience does or says.
2. Guess. Circle the one you would not have predicted. Write your guess at why they do it.
3. Check. Write the evidence and where it came from. None yet? Write the question that would find it, with a question mark.
4. Insight. One sentence about the person, not the product.
You leave withOne sentence for brief section 5.
PurinaFact: owners buy what the vet recommends. Insight: the dog is like a child, and a parent wants the best for a child.
Drugfree.orgFact: teens were leaving Facebook. Insight: they shared the family computer, and the phone was the one private place they had.
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths

Three Kinds of Decision.

P

Principles

"Principles define what the design should or shouldn't do. These statements are grounded in research."
TodayRules you can test every design against.
C

A concept

"Concepts establish an overall approach for the product, expressed as a central theme or idea."
TodayThe one idea the brand is built around.
M

Models

"Models describe the product in an abstract way, showing the underlying architecture, structure, flow, or approach."
Page threeYour site map and main steps.
DAN BROWN (EIGHTSHAPES), PRACTICAL DESIGN DISCOVERY, CH. 3. THE DEFINITIONS ARE HIS, VERBATIM. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths

Good Principles vs. Weak Ones.

Could be anyone's
Only this product's
Do more with less (Microsoft)
Time matters, so build for people on the go (Windows)
Design for the customer and instill confidence (Intuit)
More than boxes on a screen (Google Calendar)
Easy to use
Always display the user's context within the system, so they know where they are and what they're working on.
From the reading
"'Easy to use' isn't a meaningful principle, because it could apply to anything."
"Done right, principles should make you squirm a little."
Dan Brown, ch. 3. The last principle is his own, from a risk-management product whose users kept losing their place.
BROWN: "THE DEATH KNELL OF ANY PRINCIPLE IS ARBITRARINESS." IF IT CAME FROM TASTE, NOT RESEARCH, IT GETS IGNORED. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths

From Discovery to Principle.

"We learned that users often lose their place in the system. The implication is that the UI should prioritize clarifying context."

We learned

A finding from your discovery. Your audience, your interviews, your research.

The implication

What the design has to do because of it. Brown calls this answering "So what?"

Keep a table

Brown keeps three columns: the project's questions, the answers research found, and the implications.

THE SENTENCE IS DAN BROWN'S, CH. 3. THIS IS HOW DISCOVERY BECOMES DEFINITION. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths

The Concept.

Kodak called its slide tray "the Wheel." The Mad Men pitch called it the Carousel.

How it feels: a childhood ride, going around and coming back to where you were happy.

How it works: the tray spins, and the slides come back around.

It does not have to be a metaphor. One of Brown's teams used "Power with flexibility": the app should make you feel you can do anything.

From the reading
"By establishing a central concept, a team (whether in advertising or web design) has a singular source of inspiration, a template for considering ideas. And while principles can serve as guideposts, only a concept can establish a vision."
Dan Brown, ch. 3, "Concepts and Big Ideas."
PURINA'S CONCEPT: A NETWORK OF SUPPORT FOR NEW DOG PARENTS. CHECK YOUR PITCH TITLE; YOURS MAY ALREADY BE THERE. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Exercise 2 · 8 minutes · on paper

Set your direction.

1. Two principles: "We learned ___. The implication is that the design should ___."
2. Could either one apply to any product? Rewrite it until it could not.
3. One concept: a phrase that says how your product feels, how it works, or both.
You leave withTwo principles for brief section 13, and one concept for the brief's one line.
Principle"We learned that users often lose their place in the system. The implication is that the UI should prioritize clarifying context." Dan Brown, ch. 3.
ConceptPurina: a network of support for new dog parents. Kodak: the Carousel. One of Brown's teams: "Power with flexibility."
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths

What a Direction Looks Like.

Purina Pro Plan, written as a direction
Insight
Owners treat the dog like a child, and a parent wants the best for a child.
Principle
We learned owners call their dogs their children. The implication is that the brand should talk to them as new parents, not as people buying pet food.
Principle
We learned a competitor already owns the vet's recommendation. The implication is that the brand should earn trust by staying with owners over time, not by one endorsement.
Concept
A network of support for new dog parents.
Rules out
"Vet recommended" ads. A bag of kibble as the hero shot. Talking about the food before the dog.
INSIGHT AND CONCEPT ARE ABEL'S (DAVIS, CH. 8). THE PRINCIPLES AND "RULES OUT" ARE OURS, WRITTEN IN BROWN'S FORM. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths

Archetypes: One Character, for Years.

The strongest brands play one character, the same one, for years.

Nike is always the Hero. Harley-Davidson is always the Outlaw. These characters are archetypes: figures people recognize from stories everywhere, without being taught.

Drift costs you. Levi's went Explorer to Outlaw to Hero, back to Explorer, then Regular Guy/Gal, then Jester. Its market share fell with each change.

From the reading
"Businesses found that they had only two broad strategic routes to go: reduce their prices or imbue their products with meaning."
"The meaning of a brand is its most precious and irreplaceable asset."
Margaret Mark and Carol Pearson, The Hero and the Outlaw, ch. 1. Mark came up at Young & Rubicam; Pearson spent 30 years building the framework from Jung.
MARK AND PEARSON, CH. 1, "MEANING AS A BRAND ASSET." THE LEVI'S HISTORY IS THEIRS. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths

Twelve Characters.

Stability and control
helps people feel safe
CreatorCraft something new · Williams-SonomaNow: LEGO, Adobe
CaregiverCare for others · AT&T (Ma Bell) · PurinaNow: Dove, Johnson & Johnson
RulerExert control · American ExpressNow: Rolex, Mercedes-Benz
Belonging and enjoyment
helps people find love, community
JesterHave a good time · Miller LiteNow: Old Spice, GEICO
Regular Guy/GalBe OK just as they are · Wendy'sNow: IKEA, Target
LoverFind and give love · HallmarkNow: Chanel, Victoria's Secret
Risk and mastery
helps people achieve
HeroAct courageously · NikeNow: Nike, Gatorade
OutlawBreak the rules · Harley-DavidsonNow: Harley-Davidson, Liquid Death
MagicianAffect transformation · CalgonNow: Disney, Apple
Independence and fulfillment
helps people find happiness
InnocentRetain or renew faith · IvoryNow: Coca-Cola, Aveeno
ExplorerMaintain independence · Levi'sNow: Patagonia, Jeep
SageUnderstand their world · Oprah's Book ClubNow: Google, TED
Choose from your insight, not from what sounds good. The dog owners are parents, so the brand that supports them is a Caregiver. Groups across from each other pull apart (safety against risk, belonging against independence), so one brand cannot play both.
MARK AND PEARSON, CH. 1, FIGURES 1.1 AND 1.4: THE NAMES, WHAT EACH HELPS PEOPLE DO, AND THEIR 2001 BRAND EXAMPLES. "NOW" BRANDS ARE OURS. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths

Four Things People Want.

One pull
Pulls against
Belonging and enjoyment. To be liked, to belong to a group.
versus
Independence and fulfillment. To be an individual and go your own way.
Stability and control. Security, routine, the tried and true.
versus
Risk and mastery. Ambition, accomplishment, leaving a mark.
"Both of these desires are deep and profound human urges, yet they pull us in opposite directions." Every character serves one of the four. A brand that tries to serve both ends of a pull confuses people.
MARK AND PEARSON, CH. 1, "A SYSTEM THAT INTEGRATES MOTIVATIONAL AND ARCHETYPAL THEORY," FIGURES 1.2 AND 1.3 Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
What people want · 1 of 4

Stability and control.

"Most people have a deep need for security and stability. Such desires are fulfilled by routine, comfort, and staying with the tried and true."
In life. We buy insurance, stay in a job for the pension plan, or religiously take our vitamins.
Helps people. Feel safe.
Fears. Financial ruin, chaos.
Pulls against. Risk and mastery.
Characters. Creator, Caregiver and Ruler.
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Stability and control

The Creator.

"If it can be imagined, it can be created."
Helps people
craft something new
Desire
create something of enduring value
Goal
give form to a vision
Fear
having a mediocre vision or execution
Strategy
develop artistic control and skill
Trap
perfectionism, miscreation
Gift
creativity and imagination
Brands that play it now
LEGOAdobe

In the book (2001): Williams-Sonoma

MARK AND PEARSON, THE HERO AND THE OUTLAW, CH. 14. THE PROFILE IS THEIRS; THE CURRENT BRANDS ARE OURS. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Stability and control

The Caregiver.

"Love your neighbor as yourself."
Helps people
care for others
Desire
protect people from harm
Goal
to help others
Fear
selfishness, ingratitude
Strategy
do things for others
Trap
martyrdom of self, entrapment of others
Gift
compassion, generosity
Brands that play it now
DoveJohnson & Johnson

In the book (2001): AT&T (Ma Bell)

MARK AND PEARSON, THE HERO AND THE OUTLAW, CH. 13. THE PROFILE IS THEIRS; THE CURRENT BRANDS ARE OURS. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Stability and control

The Ruler.

"Power isn't everything. It's the only thing."
Helps people
exert control
Desire
control
Goal
create a prosperous, successful family, company, or community
Fear
chaos, being overthrown
Strategy
exert leadership
Trap
being bossy, authoritarian
Gift
responsibility, leadership
Brands that play it now
RolexMercedes-Benz

In the book (2001): American Express

MARK AND PEARSON, THE HERO AND THE OUTLAW, CH. 15. THE PROFILE IS THEIRS; THE CURRENT BRANDS ARE OURS. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
What people want · 2 of 4

Belonging and enjoyment.

"Most of us want very much to be liked and to belong to a group. The desire to belong makes us want to please others and conform, at least to some degree."
Helps people. Find love and community.
Fears. Exile, abandonment.
Pulls against. Independence and fulfillment.
Characters. Jester, Regular Guy/Gal and Lover.
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Belonging and enjoyment

The Jester.

"If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution."
Helps people
have a good time
Desire
to live in the moment with full enjoyment
Goal
to have a great time and lighten up the world
Fear
boredom or being boring
Strategy
play, make jokes, be funny
Trap
frittering away one's life
Gift
joy
Brands that play it now
Old SpiceGEICO

In the book (2001): Miller Lite

MARK AND PEARSON, THE HERO AND THE OUTLAW, CH. 12. THE PROFILE IS THEIRS; THE CURRENT BRANDS ARE OURS. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Belonging and enjoyment

The Regular Guy/Gal.

"All men and women are created equal."
Helps people
be OK just as they are
Desire
connection with others
Goal
to belong, fit in
Fears
standing out, seeming to put on airs, and being exiled or rejected as a result
Strategy
develop ordinary solid virtues, the common touch, blend in
Trap
give up self to blend in, in exchange for only a superficial connection
Gift
realism, empathy, lack of pretense
Brands that play it now
IKEATarget

In the book (2001): Wendy's

MARK AND PEARSON, THE HERO AND THE OUTLAW, CH. 10. THE PROFILE IS THEIRS; THE CURRENT BRANDS ARE OURS. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Belonging and enjoyment

The Lover.

"I only have eyes for you."
Helps people
find and give love
Desire
attain intimacy and experience sensual pleasure
Goal
being in a relationship with the people, the work, the experiences, the surroundings they love
Fear
being alone, a wallflower, unwanted, un-loved
Strategy
become more and more attractive, physically, emotionally, and in every other way
Trap
doing anything and everything to attract and please others, losing identity
Gifts
passion, gratitude, appreciation, commitment
Brands that play it now
ChanelVictoria's Secret

In the book (2001): Hallmark

MARK AND PEARSON, THE HERO AND THE OUTLAW, CH. 11. THE PROFILE IS THEIRS; THE CURRENT BRANDS ARE OURS. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
What people want · 3 of 4

Risk and mastery.

"However much people want safety, most also are energized by their ambition and the desire to exert mastery. If we want the exhilaration of accomplishment, we must take risks."
In life. We take a controversial stand, start a business, or try other new and risky ventures.
Helps people. Achieve.
Fears. Powerlessness.
Pulls against. Stability and control.
Characters. Hero, Outlaw and Magician.
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Risk and mastery

The Hero.

"Where there's a will, there's a way."
Helps people
act courageously
Desire
prove one's worth through courageous and difficult action
Goal
exert mastery in a way that improves the world
Fear
weakness, vulnerability, "wimping out"
Strategy
become as strong, competent, and powerful as you are capable of being
Trap
arrogance, developing a need for there always to be an enemy
Gifts
competence and courage
Brands that play it now
NikeGatorade

In the book (2001): Nike

MARK AND PEARSON, THE HERO AND THE OUTLAW, CH. 7. THE PROFILE IS THEIRS; THE CURRENT BRANDS ARE OURS. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Risk and mastery

The Outlaw.

"Rules are meant to be broken."
Helps people
break the rules
Desire
revenge or revolution
Goal
to destroy what is not working (for the Outlaw or the society)
Fear
being powerless, trivialized, inconsequential
Strategy
disrupt, destroy, or shock
Trap
to go over to the dark side, criminality
Gift
outrageousness, radical freedom
Brands that play it now
Harley-DavidsonLiquid Death

In the book (2001): Harley-Davidson

MARK AND PEARSON, THE HERO AND THE OUTLAW, CH. 8. THE PROFILE IS THEIRS; THE CURRENT BRANDS ARE OURS. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Risk and mastery

The Magician.

"It can happen!"
Helps people
affect transformation
Desire
knowledge of the fundamental laws of how the world or universe works
Goal
make dreams come true
Fear
unanticipated negative consequences
Strategy
develop vision and live it
Trap
becoming manipulative
Gift
finding win-win outcomes
Brands that play it now
DisneyApple

In the book (2001): Calgon

MARK AND PEARSON, THE HERO AND THE OUTLAW, CH. 9. THE PROFILE IS THEIRS; THE CURRENT BRANDS ARE OURS. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
What people want · 4 of 4

Independence and fulfillment.

"We also want to be individuals and go our own way. The desire to individuate causes us to spend time alone and make decisions or act in ways that those close to us may not understand."
Helps people. Find happiness.
Fears. Entrapment, emptiness.
Pulls against. Belonging and enjoyment.
Characters. Innocent, Explorer and Sage.
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Independence and fulfillment

The Innocent.

"Free to be you and me."
Helps people
retain or renew faith
Desire
to experience paradise
Goal
to be happy
Fear
doing something wrong or bad that will provoke punishment
Strategy
do things right
Gift
faith and optimism
Brands that play it now
Coca-ColaAveeno

In the book (2001): Ivory

MARK AND PEARSON, THE HERO AND THE OUTLAW, CH. 4. THE PROFILE IS THEIRS; THE CURRENT BRANDS ARE OURS. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Independence and fulfillment

The Explorer.

"Don't fence me in."
Helps people
maintain independence
Desire
the freedom to find out who you are through exploring the world
Goal
to experience a better, more authentic, more fulfilling life
Fear
getting trapped, conforming, inner emptiness, nonbeing
Strategy
journey, seek out and experience new things, escape from entrapment and boredom
Trap
aimless wandering, becoming a misfit
Gift
autonomy, ambition, ability to be true to one's own soul
Brands that play it now
PatagoniaJeep

In the book (2001): Levi's

MARK AND PEARSON, THE HERO AND THE OUTLAW, CH. 5. THE PROFILE IS THEIRS; THE CURRENT BRANDS ARE OURS. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Independence and fulfillment

The Sage.

"The truth will set you free."
Helps people
understand their world
Desire
the discovery of truth
Goal
to use intelligence and analysis to understand the world
Fear
being duped, misled; ignorance
Strategy
seek out information and knowledge; become self-reflective and understand thinking processes
Trap
can study issues forever and never act
Gift
wisdom, intelligence
Brands that play it now
GoogleTED

In the book (2001): Oprah's Book Club

MARK AND PEARSON, THE HERO AND THE OUTLAW, CH. 6. THE PROFILE IS THEIRS; THE CURRENT BRANDS ARE OURS. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths

Who Plays Them Now.

Stability and control
CreatorLEGOAdobe
CaregiverDoveJohnson & Johnson
RulerRolexMercedes-Benz
Belonging and enjoyment
JesterOld SpiceGEICO
Regular Guy/GalIKEATarget
LoverChanelVictoria's Secret
Risk and mastery
HeroNikeGatorade
OutlawHarley-DavidsonLiquid Death
MagicianDisneyApple
Independence and fulfillment
InnocentCoca-ColaAveeno
ExplorerPatagoniaJeep
SageGoogleTED
OUR PICKS, NOT MARK AND PEARSON'S. ALL TWELVE, DEFINED: MEANINGLAYER.COM/COURSE/BUSINESS-OF-DESIGN/HANDOUT/ARCHETYPES Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths

What It Would Never Do.

Character
It would
It would never
Caregiver
Reassure, explain, remember you
Make you feel stupid. Rush you.
Jester
Joke, surprise, poke at the category
Lecture. Take itself seriously.
Sage
Cite, compare, show its work
Hype. Say "revolutionary."
Outlaw
Break a rule the audience hates
Ask permission. Sound like a bank.
EXPECT A LOT OF HEROES AND SAGES IN THIS ROOM. THE "NEVERS" SHOW WHICH ONES ARE REAL. Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths

Two or Three Paths.

A path is the same insight, taken a different way.

Each one has its own concept, its own character and its own "nevers," and each one has to fit the brief. A weak option added to make the favorite look good is not a path.

Why on paper first: three written paths take an hour. Three drawn identities take three weeks. Decide which one is worth drawing.

From the reading
"Presenting just one approach asks stakeholders to say yes or no, and they'll invariably say 'no.' By presenting options, you encourage stakeholders to talk about which approach they believe comes closer to the project's goals."
Dan Brown, ch. 3, "Focus on a Solution."
NEXT WEEK'S MOODBOARD TESTS EACH PATH WITH PICTURES Workhorse
1 Insight2 Direction3 Character4 Paths
Exercise 3 · 12 minutes · on paper, then in pairs

Write two paths for your brand.

1. Your insight from Exercise 1 at the top.
2. For each path: a concept, a character from the twelve, and three things it would never do.
3. Name your closest competitor's character. If a path matches it, change the path.
4. Trade with a neighbor. From the "nevers" alone, they guess each character.
You leave withTwo paths on one page. Your character and "nevers" fill brief sections 9 and 10.

What's in the Brief Now.

Page one · the situation
1Overview✓ Your pitch
2Problem✓ Your problem statement
3Goals✓ Your pitch
4Audience✓ Your audience hand-in
5InsightToday, exercise 1
6Competition✓ Your research, plus their character today
Page two · the answer
7Message✓ Your pitch, sharpened
8PositionWednesday
9CharacterToday, exercise 3
10ToneToday, your "nevers"
11ChannelsWednesday
12Action and measure✓ Your pitch
13Principles and mandatoriesToday, exercise 2
14Open questionsEvery question mark
Page three · what gets built
15Requirements✓ Your pitch's features
16Site map and main stepsBefore Wednesday
17ContentBefore Wednesday
18TechnologyBefore Wednesday
19Out of scopeBefore Wednesday
✓You already have it, from a hand-in or your pitchYou write it todayWednesday, or before
CREATIVE BRIEF STUDIO · WED 09.30 · BRING WHAT YOU WROTE TODAY · BEFORE WEDNESDAY: DRAFT PAGE THREE, READ DAVIS CH. 7 AND NEUMEIER, THE BRAND GAP Workhorse
Close

Decide it on paper.
Then draw it."There is no one right answer, just your right answer and why you think it's right." Douglas Davis, ch. 8.