This is step 7 of the creative brief process. It assumes a filled creative brief exists. If there’s no brief, there’s nothing to review against, and that’s the first thing to fix.
Against the brief
- The asset does the job the brief’s objective names.
- It carries the one message the brief specified, not a nearby one.
- The proof point the brief required is visible or audible, not implied.
- It speaks to the customer profile the brief named, from the library.
- Every mandatory element in the brief is present.
- Nothing on the brief’s “must not appear” list is present.
Brand
- Colors are from the palette in visual identity, at the values recorded there.
- Type is set in the brand typefaces, at a size on the type scale.
- Text over image meets the contrast pairings in visual identity. Check the worst spot, not the average.
- The logo is a correct variant for its background, per logo usage.
- Clear space around the logo is respected, and the logo is above minimum size at the smallest placement it will appear in.
- Nothing on the misuse list has been done to the logo, including a retyped wordmark.
- Imagery matches the direction in visual identity, including what that section says to avoid.
Copy on the asset
- Voice matches the relevant section of brand voice and tone.
- Every claim appears in the approved claims table in messaging.
- Any number, comparison, or superlative has cleared legal review.
- The call to action states the action, not a mood.
Specs and formats
- Every deliverable the brief listed has been supplied, not just the hero format.
- Dimensions, aspect ratios, and file sizes meet the platform spec: Meta, Google, LinkedIn, TikTok, email, or the shared image and video specs.
- Safe zones are respected. Check the crop that will actually run, not the master.
- Video has captions, and works with sound off.
- Images have alt text written.
Before approval
- Source files are named to file naming conventions.
- Files are saved where the asset directory says they go, not attached to a message.
- Rights and licensing are recorded in brand assets, including any expiry on stock, music, or a customer’s likeness.
- The finished assets are linked from the brief in the creative brief library.
Giving feedback
- Each revision request cites the brief line it comes from.
- Requests are batched into one round, not sent as they occur to people.
- Anything that isn’t in the brief but genuinely matters gets added to the brief first, so the change is visible rather than remembered.
Related resources
- Creative brief The document this reviews against.
- Creative brief process Where this checklist sits.
- Brief creative The full path for commissioning work.
- Brand approval process Formal sign-off after this pass.
- Creative best practices What tends to make the review go well.