Stephen Turner
Akash Kumar
Jordan Lee
Taylor Scott
Client review meetings for creative agencies: make approval explicit
A good agency review ends with a clear status for a specific version of the work: approved, approved with named changes, or waiting on a decision. Keep new requests separate, so a friendly chat doesn't quietly expand what production has to deliver.
Before the review: decide what can be approved
Different people judge different things. The sponsor checks the message, the brand contact checks identity and the producer checks whether the next stage can start. Send them all the same thing: the exact asset version, the brief and the questions to answer. A link to a whole folder invites reviews of the wrong draft.
Agree who approves each deliverable and what happens if they can't attend. Atlassian's project kickoff guidance stresses clear roles and a shared definition of success. Here, that means agreeing what the asset is for before asking whether people like it.
During the review: keep feedback, approval and changes apart
Open with the goal and the version on screen. Ask for feedback against the audience or brief. “The opening makes the offer hard to understand” gives the designer something to work on. “Make it pop” needs a follow-up question first.
Don't treat silence as approval. Before you close, read back each asset's status and any conditions. If a request changes delivery or scope, use your normal change process. Don't commit on behalf of absent teammates.
Throughout, keep three lists visible:
- Fixes within the current brief.
- Decisions the approver needs to make.
- Requests that change the brief.
Example: one campaign, three outcomes
An agency reviews a launch campaign with a client: a landing-page concept, a short video and social artwork. The client approves the artwork and asks for a clearer video opening. They also want another audience segment added to the landing page. That's three different instructions for production.
The example is fictional. Use your own version names and approval rules; this is a working aid, not contract advice.
| Asset version | Review outcome | Next production step |
|---|---|---|
| Social artwork v3 | Approved by client campaign lead | Export agreed formats; keep the approved source version |
| Video storyboard v2 | Approved once the opening is revised | Writer supplies the opening; client lead confirms before filming |
| Landing-page concept v1 | New audience requested; decision pending | Account lead checks the brief and timeline before design continues |
After the review: give production a clear handoff
Send a short record that links each outcome to its asset. Name who makes the change, who checks it and when the next review is. Someone who missed the call should be able to tell an approved instruction from an idea that was only discussed.
Ziflow's guide to agency proofing makes the same point. An approval belongs to a specific version and a specific person, and only that version goes to production. A comment that sounded positive in the meeting isn't a sign-off.
Keep records by project and version
If you record client reviews in Bridge, the notes include a summary, decisions and follow-ups. Share them with specific people by email rather than a public link. Check each outcome against the asset version before you send.
Across several projects, keep records separate by project and version. A general account update can link to them but shouldn't replace them. If a new approver joins, show them the decision history. Confirm whether they're reviewing current work or reopening an old direction.
When a meeting isn't the right next step
Meet when discussion will change a decision. Don't gather the whole production team just to read comments aloud.
- An open question about the brief may need an account conversation before another creative review.
- Conflicting feedback may need the client to pick a direction first.
- A simple correction can usually be confirmed in writing.