SANJIESAN LICENSING / Visual direction
Two brands, one leading idea: keep the first visual readable
A collaboration image can become crowded before the product itself has been designed. Both teams want their strongest symbols included, so every corner acquires another badge. Begin with a small visual hierarchy exercise. Its purpose is to find a readable relationship between the brands, before either side spends time polishing a complicated composition.
Choose what the viewer should notice first
On a blank rectangle, mark only three zones: the leading image, the product or practical message, and the brand identifiers. Give the leading image one clear job. It might introduce a character or show the object in use; it should not also explain the entire fictional world. Start with rough blocks so both teams can discuss the hierarchy without being distracted by finish or detail.
Test a contribution without doubling every symbol
Try one version where a motif supplies the structure and another supplies a small focal detail. In a second version, reverse those roles. Use only materials available for the exercise, and keep established character features intact. Compare whether each proposal has a recognisable contribution from both sides. Equal participation in a collaboration does not require equal amounts of every colour, pattern and emblem on every surface.
Inspect the smallest intended presentation
Reduce each rough to the size of a likely listing thumbnail or printed insert, using a clearly labelled hypothetical size. Ask a reviewer to describe the first thing they notice, without prompting the desired answer. If the brand identifiers swallow the object, reconsider the layout. Record the chosen hierarchy in a sentence so later adaptations preserve the same reading order instead of adding more decoration.