How we build a moodboard clients actually approve
A moodboard is not a collage of things we like. It is the first argument for a direction, and it should be easy to say yes or no to.
By Mariam Adel | 12 September 2026 | 1 min read
Every project at Sunday Thought reaches a moment where we show a client pictures before we show them work. Done badly, that moment produces a pile of opinions. Done well, it saves weeks.
Each board we present argues for a single idea, written in one sentence at the top. Heirloom, not luxury. A bakery your grandmother would recognise. If an image does not support the sentence, it comes off the board, however beautiful it is.
Clients rarely disagree with a clear sentence. They disagree with images that point in five directions at once.
Nine images, not forty
We cap every board at nine images arranged in a grid, which forces us to choose. Each image earns its place for a reason we can name: the light, the texture, the colour or the attitude.
- Light: where it comes from and how hard it is.
- Texture: paper, fabric, glass, skin.
- Colour: three to five tones, no more.
- Attitude: how close we are, and how posed.
Clients rarely disagree with a clear sentence. They disagree with images that point in five directions at once.
Present two, recommend one
We always present two boards and say which one we would choose and why. It keeps the conversation about the brand rather than about taste, and it gives the client a real decision to make.
If you want to try this on your own brand, start with the sentence. The images are the easy part.
- Photography
- Process
Mariam Adel
Creative director
Mariam founded Sunday Thought after ten years in agency brand teams. She leads strategy and art direction on every project.
