Well, It’s On-Brand For “Clients From Hell”, Anyway

I was working with a major credit card company over an eight-month period where I was making them a series of marketing materials. Early in the process, I had a conversation with my direct contact that went something like this.

Me: “In order for me to follow your brand, I will need a copy of your brand book. Can you send it to me?”

Client: “We don’t have a brand book, but here are some of our colors, and you can look at our website for more inspiration.”

The entire time working with them was a complete migraine. They would have a certain visual concept at the start of each project and then change their opinion multiple times throughout. It got to the point where I stopped following what I thought was appropriate for their brand and just tried to make the multiple voices happy.

Sure enough, on the last project I made for them, several revisions in, I got this email.

Client: “The last revision you sent us was off our brand. Please refer to the brand book I have attached.”

The brand book was dated before I had started working with them. 

They are no longer my client.