Direct Answer
A brand decision memo is the one-page record that names the proposed change, gives a PASS, ADJUST, or STOP verdict, lists the evidence, names what must be preserved, and sets the kill condition before money moves.
Decision Context
A brand decision needs a written object.
The meeting can sound clear while the decision stays vague. The memo forces the room to write down the actual change, the evidence behind it, and the condition that would stop or reverse the rollout.
Use the memo before the brand decision becomes a design invoice, agency scope, website rebuild, package run, or launch calendar.
The useful version is short. If the team cannot fit the verdict, evidence, preservation rule, test, and kill condition onto one page, the decision is not ready.
Mini Check
Five lines the memo must answer.
Do not judge the decision by taste first. Write the operating facts before the design opinion takes over.
01
Decision
What exact brand move are we approving, and what spend does it put in motion?
What to prove
One sentence with the budget, owner, and approval date.
02
Verdict
Does the decision PASS, need ADJUST, or need to STOP before spend moves?
What to prove
A scored verdict, not a mood.
03
Preserve
Which recognition asset, buyer habit, proof block, or category cue must survive the change?
What to prove
Name the cue customers already use.
04
Test
What will be tested before launch: recognition, message, trust, offer clarity, or rollout risk?
What to prove
A test with a real surface and a real threshold.
05
Kill condition
What metric, by what date, gives someone authority to reverse or pause the rollout?
What to prove
If metric X drops by Y percent by date Z, reversal authority acts.
Brand Decision Memo Template FAQ
What is a brand decision memo?
A brand decision memo is a one-page approval record for a rebrand, logo change, website redesign, package update, message rewrite, or agency proposal.
What should be inside a brand decision memo?
It should include the decision, PASS / ADJUST / STOP verdict, evidence, preservation rule, test, kill condition, and next action.
When should I write it?
Write it before the invoice, contract, design sprint, print run, or rollout calendar locks the decision.