About the example: NIMBO is an original fictional brief with curated identity settings. The images are actual Brandfolia exports, not customer work, product photography or evidence of a live AI run. The NIMBO case page records the inputs and design choices.
What belongs in a packaging design brief?
Start with one product and its next real use. A carton seen in a retailer display, a label read on a small bottle and a shipping box opened at home have different jobs. State which job you are commissioning before choosing a finish or requesting several mockups.
A useful brief has two connected parts. The brand section sets the name, hierarchy, color roles and tone. The production section records the actual product, dimensions, structure, copy, print process and approval route. An unanswered production field should name the person who will resolve it; a polished concept image cannot answer it.
| Field | What to record | Who confirms it |
|---|---|---|
| Product and channel | Exact item, variants, sales market and where the package is first encountered. | Product owner |
| Physical fit | Actual product dimensions, weight, components, protection and opening requirements; identify provisional measurements. | Product owner and packaging supplier |
| Brand hierarchy | Name, product descriptor, variant and the order in which they should be read. | Brand owner |
| Copy and identifiers | Approved wording, supporting records, barcode assets and market-specific required information. | Responsible product and compliance reviewers |
| Artwork constraints | Current dieline version, printable areas, bleed, safe areas, color preparation and finishing limits. | Supplier or prepress team |
| Delivery and approval | Quantity per variant, budget, dates, deliverable formats and named proof approver. | Project owner and supplier |
A filled example: NIMBO audio accessories
NIMBO starts with a written audio-accessories brief and an indigo identity. Its sample does not specify an actual device. That makes it useful for showing the boundary between a chosen visual direction and information still needed from a product team.
For this exercise, the proposed job is a retail-carton design discussion. Keep the NIMBO wordmark as the primary identity, use a plain product descriptor supplied by the owner, and reserve space for the actual model and contents. Indigo #25316B is the identity anchor; pale blue #91BCFF supports it. These screen colors do not specify printing inks.
The product dimensions, contents, model identifier, barcode and required copy are pending product-owner input. The structure, material and print preparation are pending supplier input. Do not invent battery life, compatibility or certifications to make the presentation look complete. The downloadable example keeps these open fields visible.
Write a hierarchy before decorating the package
- Write the exact name and product descriptor as plain text.
- Arrange the information into first glance, closer reading and reference details.
- Check the longest variant name and the smallest required information area before extending the system to other variants.
- Mark which text is locked and which text can be rewritten. Have the responsible owner approve the copy before treating it as final.
For example, a collection slogan belongs in promotional space. It should not take the place of the model name or imply a technical specification. If the dieline later changes, repeat the hierarchy check on the new version.
Use the sample to prepare a visual reference
- Save any current studio work, then open the NIMBO sample. Sample editing and export require no account or AI credits.
- Change the name or tagline, then compare the label concept and website artwork. Keep any real product specification out of the profile until it has been confirmed.
- Review the changed applications together. Use Export brand kit for the guide and source files; use Backup & import to save an editable project backup.
- Compare your exported files with the decisions in the worksheet. Editing the source profile and exporting again is the easiest way to change wording in SVGs whose lettering has been outlined.
Creating a new AI proposal from your own brief is a separate workflow requiring an account and paid credits. See current pricing and allowances.
The one-page NIMBO board gives a supplier a compact visual reference. The sample source ZIP preserves the matching identity and artwork. Neither replaces the supplier’s production template.
Review the supplier handoff
Send the brief, approved copy, identity reference and latest supplier template together. Ask the supplier to confirm fit, printable areas, color preparation, proof type and any open cost or manufacturing questions. Record their responses against a version number. Check the proof against the actual product and signed-off copy, rather than against a persuasive mockup alone.
For further context, packaging manufacturer Arkay describes the separate brand and manufacturing inputs in a packaging brief. This is supplier guidance; this article does not adopt its commercial estimates or claim Brandfolia performs engineering or prepress services.
Download the brief and finish the next step
Download the filled NIMBO example and blank packaging brief (editable TXT). The file includes an input register, open decisions and a proof checklist. Use it for clothing, jewelry, beauty, food, electronics or another physical category by supplying that product’s actual requirements.
Use the product branding checklist for the broader launch review, and the logo file-format guide for the artwork handoff. This brief organizes a supplier conversation; it does not grant production approval.