Preserving readability when adapting branded creative

An ad built for a wide screen may turn illegible when cropped into a small mobile card. Adapt the layout for each placement, but preserve the cue that lets people recognise the brand.

Check the delivered size

List the aspect ratios and placements that will use the creative. Preview the final crop for each at realistic phone size.

Check that the product, main claim, brand cue and action remain visible. Move text out of busy image areas, shorten copy rather than shrinking it indefinitely, and leave room for platform overlays.

Read the ad without zooming.

For meaningful text, WCAG specifies a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against its background; large-scale text needs at least 3:1. Incidental text, and text that is part of a logo or brand name, are exempt.

A colour that looks distinctive on a design board may fail when placed over a photograph.

Check how each platform renders supplied assets and inspect every final crop. Do not rely on automated cropping to keep a legal qualifier or key detail visible.

Maintain a master message and a set of approved adaptations, rather than one image stretched everywhere. If a format cannot carry the necessary claim clearly, choose a different composition or exclude that placement.

Consistency means the viewer understands the same offer and source, not that every pixel is identical.

Text Contrast Requirements for Readability (WCAG 2.2)