Workflow

Rebuild every size, or adapt one approved master?

Both approaches can deliver good work. They differ in where the effort goes: manual production spends it on rebuilding layouts, guided production spends it on reviewing outputs.

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Same creative decisions
Different effort curve
Human review either way
No credit card required · Full per-size control

Approved master

1080×1080

One approved creative

Adapted formats

1:1 square

9:16 story

16:9 display

Side by side

Where the two approaches actually differ.

The creative decisions are identical. What changes is how much of the process repeats per format.

Manual resizing

Each format is rebuilt in the design file: reposition, rescale, re-wrap, re-export. Effort grows with every size added to the media plan.

Guided production

Formats are generated from the approved master with brand rules applied, then reviewed and edited individually before export.

Time profile

Manual: long production, short review. Guided: short production, structured review — the same care, applied later in the process.

Consistency

Manual consistency depends on discipline per file. Guided consistency comes from shared Brand Kits applied to every output.

Per-size control

Both allow it. In guided production it is an editing step on a generated output rather than a rebuild from scratch.

Scaling behaviour

Manual cost tracks the number of sizes. Guided cost tracks the number of campaigns, with review time per size.

Choosing

A simple decision rule.

Volume and repetition decide this, not preference.

Recurring placement lists → guided production
Many markets or languages from one master → guided production
Bespoke art direction per placement → manual
Complex illustration or retouching → manual
Tight deadlines with a fixed format list → guided production
One-off formats that will never repeat → manual

Common mistakes

What goes wrong in either model.

Starting adaptations before the master is genuinely approved
Treating generated outputs as final without a review pass
Keeping brand rules in a document instead of in the production setup
Collecting feedback per size instead of in one structured round
Comparing costs without counting review and rework time

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What is guided creative production?

Generating each required format from one approved master with the brand's rules applied, then reviewing and editing individual outputs before export — instead of rebuilding every layout manually.

Does guided production remove designer control?

No. It removes the repetitive rebuilding step. Framing, typography and per-size edits stay in the designer's hands, and nothing ships without a human review pass.

When is manual resizing still the right choice?

For hero assets with bespoke art direction per placement, complex illustration work, or one-off formats that will never repeat. The volume simply isn't there to systematise.

How do the two approaches compare on cost?

Manual cost scales roughly linearly with the number of sizes; guided production shifts most of that effort into review. Model your own numbers with the production cost calculator rather than assuming a fixed saving.

Can both approaches coexist?

Most teams end up hybrid: guided production for the recurring placement list, manual craft for hero and campaign key visuals.

Keep reading

All resources

Workflow

The Tadvio Creative Production Workflow, Step by Step

5 min read

Production

Why Approved Creatives Break When Adapted to New Formats

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Brand Systems

How to Build a Reusable Brand Kit for Campaign Production

6 min read

Platform Playbooks

Ad Format Reference: Square, Portrait, Story, Landscape and Banner

8 min read