What to send a label designer before you start

Why a brief saves money

Most of what makes a label project slow or expensive happens after the design has started: the name changes, the legal copy arrives late, the bottle turns out to be a different size, or a third person with opinions joins in at the second round. A good brief catches all of that before anyone draws anything. It's also the fastest way to get an accurate quote. More on what drives the price in how much beverage label design costs.

1. The product

What it is, in plain words. Include the category and base (a tequila soda, a gin, a ginger syrup), the alcohol content if any, the sizes and formats (750 mL bottle, 12 oz can, 8 oz syrup bottle), and how many flavors or versions you're launching. The base matters more than people expect, because it decides which label rules apply.

2. Who it's for and where it's sold

Describe the person buying it, and where they'll see it first: a liquor store shelf, a back bar, a grocery cooler, a beach bar, or a website. A bottle that sells on a back bar and one that sells in a cooler need different things from the label.

3. The shelf you're entering

Send photos of the products you'll sit next to. Walk into the store where you want to be sold and take pictures of that exact shelf. That shows your designer what the label has to stand out from, which is more useful than any description.

4. Brands you admire, and why

List three to five brands whose packaging you like, from any category, and one line on why. Then list any you want to look nothing like. "I like how quiet this is" or "this feels too expensive for us" tells a designer more than "modern but timeless."

5. The name, checked

Make sure the name is settled, and check that nobody else is using it, before design starts. Changing a name after the label is designed means starting over. You can run a first check with the USPTO's trademark search, but talk to a trademark attorney before you commit. A designer can't clear a name for you.

6. The final copy

Everything that has to be on the label, in final form: the product name and type, the alcohol content, the amount in the bottle, the ingredients and allergens for food products, the name and address, any warnings, and any story or tagline you want. Required text is the part that changes layouts the most, so it should be finished, not drafted. See the guides to spirits labels and syrup labels for what counts as required.

7. The bottle and the printer

The exact bottle or can, ideally a physical sample, and the label size. If you've chosen a printer, ask them for their template, often called a dieline, which shows the label's shape, size, and the area that's safe to print in. If you haven't chosen one, say so, and your designer can help.

8. Budget and deadline

Give a real number and a real date, including when the product needs to be on shelves, not just when you'd like the design. Printing takes time too. A designer who knows your budget can tell you what's possible within it, instead of guessing.

9. Who decides

Name one person who gives feedback and makes the final call. Feedback from five people, delivered separately, is the most common reason label projects run long. Partners can weigh in, but through one voice.

The template

Paste this into an email, fill it in, and send it to any designer you're considering.

Common mistakes

• Starting design before the name is checked.
• Sending legal copy after the layout is done.
• Describing a look in words like "clean" or "premium" with no examples.
• Forgetting to mention the bottle or can, or the printer.
• Feedback from several people at once, with no one deciding.

Questions