Briefing and checking an advert's design

A business that orders an advert from a designer has two moments to shape how it turns out. The first is the brief they hand over. The second is the proof, the near-final version they sign off before it runs.

Start the brief with the purpose

UK government communicators plan their work with a guide called OASIS. Its five steps are objectives, audience and insights, strategy and ideas, implementation, and scoring and evaluation. The first two make a good opening for any design brief.

Government communicators set objectives that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. It also separates the buyer, who commissions or funds the communication, from the user, who it is meant to reach. A designer needs to know both.

It has to look like an advert

The UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing is known as the CAP Code. Rule 2.1 reads: "Marketing communications must be obviously identifiable as such." When an advert sits among articles, publishers and marketers have to make clear that it's an advert. One way is to head it "advertisement feature".

Adverts that look like posts

On social media, the ASA is likely to expect a clear "ad" label at the start of a post. People should know it is an advert before they click on anything. The label needs to be easy to see. The ASA says a label buried in hashtags at the end isn't enough. It has also ruled on a label in a colour that was hard to see against the background.

The ASA says words such as "Ad", "Advert", "Advertising" and "Ad Feature" are very likely to be acceptable. It advises against "sponsored", because people read it in different ways.

The small print

Small print that limits or explains a claim is called a qualification. Rule 3.9 of the CAP Code says qualifications "may clarify but must not mislead by contradicting the claims that they qualify". Rule 3.10 adds: "Qualifications must not mislead by not being presented clearly." On a proof, check the size of that line and where it sits.

Text that people can read

The government's guidance on inclusive communication, updated on 17 June 2026, says nearly 17 million people in the UK have a disability. That is 25% of the population, from the latest Family Resources Survey estimates.

The W3C's web accessibility guidelines give a contrast test for text. Ordinary text needs a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against its background. Large text needs at least 3:1, and the W3C counts 18 point text, or 14 point bold, as large. Text in a logo is exempt. The W3C wrote the test for web content. A designer can use the same numbers as a working check on a printed proof.

Before you sign the proof

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