These five branding exercises are for startups that need a clear brief before identity work. They are narrower than a full brand strategy. The goal is to make the first hard choices visible.
The five exercises
| Exercise | Output |
|---|
| Audience split | Buyer, user, influencer, non-customer |
| Category sentence | A plain one-line description of what the product is |
| Promise and proof | The core claim and the evidence behind it |
| Competitor contrast | What the startup refuses to look or sound like |
| Voice sample | A short paragraph in the tone the brand should use |
Audience split
- Output
- Buyer, user, influencer, non-customer
Category sentence
- Output
- A plain one-line description of what the product is
Promise and proof
- Output
- The core claim and the evidence behind it
Competitor contrast
- Output
- What the startup refuses to look or sound like
Voice sample
- Output
- A short paragraph in the tone the brand should use
How to use the output
Turn the output into a one-page brief: audience, category, promise, proof, tone, visual cues, and open questions. If the brief is not clear, do not start visual identity yet.
Related reading
For the fuller exercise set, read branding exercises for startups. For startup branding, see 14 simple branding tips for startups.