Supply the identity and the intended treatment
Use the approved logo and explain whether you prefer a discreet mark, a clear front-facing identity or a message on the packaging. Identify any required language and words that must remain unchanged. Specify the selected products rather than asking for a generic branded scene. The free gift workflow can apply an existing logo to a concept; creating a new standalone logo or unrelated campaign artwork is a separate design service.
Review placement, proportion and consistency
Judge the mockup at a realistic viewing size, not only as a large image on a screen. Check whether the logo competes with handles, seams or functional controls. Compare its apparent scale across the products, and see whether the message is readable without turning every surface into an advertisement. Note desired changes precisely: “reduce the mark on the notebook cover” is more actionable than “make the whole set more elegant.”
A hypothetical marketing review
A marketing team reviews a notebook, pen and box for a partner event. The first concept makes all three logos equally prominent, so the team asks for a stronger box identity and subtler product marks. That is a useful visual revision. Before production, separately confirm artwork quality, decoration method, actual print area, colour expectations and any sample requirement. A concept can show the intended relationship between pieces without proving exact print dimensions, material behaviour or final colour reproduction.
Separate visual feedback into three decisions
Review the product identity, the packaging identity and the supporting message as separate decisions. You may approve the box treatment while still revising the notebook mark. Record the accepted elements so a later mockup request preserves them. Keep feedback about actual feasibility, such as an unknown printing area, apart from preference feedback about scale or balance. This lets the next visual revision answer a narrower question. Once the concept is accepted, transfer the approved intention to the technical artwork review rather than assuming the image itself specifies production.
Before you move forward
- Upload the approved identity reference.
- State placement, language and visual priorities.
- Review the concept at a realistic scale.
- Keep technical artwork approval as a separate step.
Common questions
Is a mockup a final printing proof?
No. It communicates the visual direction. The final files, dimensions, decoration method and relevant production proof need their own approval.
Should I request a mockup before choosing products?
It can help explore an idea, but use confirmed product choices for a presentation intended to support purchasing. Otherwise the visual may represent items outside the actual scope.
Ready to turn the brief into a shortlist? Explore the catalogue or start a project in Brandkom’s free Gift Design Studio.