A useful brand library contains current assets, traceable sources, named owners, and the decisions a producer needs to use each file. Track the file version and intended use separately: a current image is not automatically ready for every campaign. Start with the worked asset inventory and blank CSV.
Use a small, predictable structure.
brand-reference/ 00-start-here/ brief, owners, current-version index 01-identity/ logos, colors, type guidance 02-products/ current images, screens, product facts 03-voice/ wording and pronunciation references 04-claims/ approved statements and sources 05-examples/ approved work and annotated references 90-superseded/ historical files, clearly marked
Keep the current-version index short. It should tell a new producer what to open first, which files are authoritative, and whom to ask when sources conflict. The folder names above are an example, not a required software system.
Track what a file means.
| Manifest field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Asset ID and filename | Connect the reference to the brief and export. |
| Version or capture date | Identify whether a product screen or package is current. |
| Approved use | Explain the intended markets, placements, and constraints. |
| Owner | Name the person who can resolve a question. |
| Status | Distinguish current, pending review, and superseded files. |
| Source or permission record | Keep the origin and allowed usage traceable. |
A file named final-final-new.png is not a reliable version record. Use a stable asset ID and a readable version marker, then put the approval status in the manifest.
Keep examples specific.
Annotate what to reuse in an approved example: type hierarchy, pace, framing, or tone. Also state what should not be copied, such as an expired offer or a product-specific claim. A reference image without explanation can send production in the wrong direction.
For voice, include approved pronunciation samples and the matching written terms. For software, record the product version or capture date. For physical goods, distinguish current packaging from earlier designs.
Maintain the library when the product changes.
Move superseded references out of the active path and identify the creatives that depend on them. Update the start-here index before commissioning the next batch. Preserve history when it explains an older asset, but make the current source unambiguous.
Use the reference-pack template for the first handoff. Add fields only when they resolve a real recurring question; the library should reduce review work rather than become another project to maintain.
Try a five-asset inventory.
This invented coffee campaign has one reel, one carousel and a possible customer-quote post. The inventory records decisions about its inputs before production. It is a fictional planning exercise, not a record of permissions for the coffee examples elsewhere on this site.
| Input | Intended job | Decision | What happens next |
|---|---|---|---|
| PACK-01 · current packaging | Show the correct product in the reel and carousel. | Ready for stated brief | Use the recorded version within the confirmed campaign scope. |
| MUSIC-02 · downloaded track | Add music to the paid social reel. | Hold | Find the source and evidence for the intended use, or choose a replacement. |
| REF-03 · moodboard image | Explain lighting and framing. | Reference only | Describe the direction; keep the image out of the finished export. |
| QUOTE-04 · customer message | Add an attributable quote to a post. | Hold | Resolve the wording and use with the responsible owner before including it. |
| OFFER-05 · old offer card | Provide historical context. | Superseded | Use current offer facts; inspect the dependent carousel for old wording. |
Download the worked inventory CSV or start with the blank asset inventory. Both have the same twelve columns and open in an ordinary spreadsheet. The example contains placeholder record names, not actual evidence documents.
Use one row per asset version and intended-use decision. If the same photo has different decisions for an organic post and a paid ad, give those uses separate rows with the same asset ID. Do not label the whole file “approved” when only one use has been checked.
Keep evidence separate from the status label.
| Fields to complete | What a usable entry tells the producer |
|---|---|
| Asset ID; file or source reference; version or capture date | Exactly which input is being discussed. Use a shared reference the assigned reviewers can open. |
| Role in this brief; intended use | Whether the file is an export ingredient, a style reference or historical context, plus the planned channel, market and campaign. |
| Evidence record; conditions or open questions | Where the source, relevant use record or owner confirmation can be inspected, and what remains unresolved. |
| Owner; decision and scope; decision date | Who made the decision, what it covers, and when it was recorded. |
| Review or expiry trigger; dependent creative IDs | What would reopen the decision and which finished pieces may need attention. |
“Ready for stated brief” is a production decision for the recorded scope. It does not mean the asset is cleared for every future use. “Hold” means the producer needs a fact, source or decision before proceeding. “Reference only” keeps an inspiration file separate from material that will appear in an export. “Superseded” preserves history while directing new work to the replacement.
A tick in the spreadsheet does not grant permission or interpret a license. The responsible owner must check the actual records for the intended use. Keep sensitive evidence in the appropriate private location and link only what the assigned reviewers can access. This worksheet records those decisions; it does not make them.
Reopen the record when the use changes.
- An organic post becomes an ad: check the new intended use and its evidence instead of copying the old decision.
- The product photo changes: identify the replacement version and inspect every linked creative for obsolete packaging or details.
- A quote is shortened or translated: send the revised wording and intended use back to its owner.
- The campaign runs later than planned: recheck any date limits, offer facts and other recorded review triggers before scheduling.
For example, replacing MUSIC-02 affects COFFEE-REEL-01. Recheck the final audio mix, transitions and any timing influenced by the new track. Changing OFFER-05’s replacement facts affects COFFEE-CAR-01’s copy and destination. The inventory identifies what to inspect; it does not prove those exports have passed review.
Carry the relevant source IDs and current decisions into the creative handoff package. Then record final approval against the actual export. Input readiness and finished-creative approval are separate decisions.