Being part of a creative team at a large organisation means working with lots of assets, lots of resources and lots of partners. This is great because it means that work can happen on multiple fronts at once. One agency is making a video for a new campaign. A studio is working on a thought leadership eBook and an executive's accompanying speech for an upcoming conference. A digital marketing firm is creating a sponsored content package that will launch on a popular magazine's website and social platforms.
But it also makes things more complex because there are so many moving parts. Assets need to be thoughtfully organised and easily findable. The right people need to be able to access them, and nefarious actors need to be prevented from seeing anything they shouldn’t. Outside partners need to know they have the correct logo, font and deck template. If these simple pieces and assets aren’t in place – and secure – creating high-quality work grows more difficult, especially as the number of external partners grows.
If you’re part of a creative team at a large company and work with a number of agencies on marketing assets, you want to set up a smart process. Luckily, Dropbox can help systematise collecting, collating and distributing brand resources.
Systematising assets
The first thing to consider when creating an asset repository is what exactly should be included. Make a list. Consider things including logos, taglines, style guidelines, messaging documents, document templates and more. You’re better off giving your external agencies more assets than you think they might need – then waiting on an approved tagline or SVG file won’t be a bottleneck during production.
From there, it’s all about setting up the folder structure. Consider top-level folders, then subfolders where specific assets will live. Perhaps a top-level folder is called Digital assets with one subfolder for logos and another for graphic taglines. Going a step further, the logo folder could have subfolders for logos by size or usage – sure, you told them that this secondary mark is what the team uses for social, but it’s best to label that and systematise it so there are no questions at the eleventh hour.
Organising files by project
A reliable folder structure for team projects is one top-level folder per project, with a consistent set of subfolders every time. Use a clear naming convention and numbered prefixes so folders stay in the same order for everyone.
To organise stored files by project, create a top-level folder for each project, then reuse the same subfolder structure every time (for example, Brief, Working files, Reviews and Final). Name project folders consistently—like 2026-01 Spring campaign and so on—so they sort cleanly and stay easy to find.
For shared folders—create a top-level Projects folder, then keep each initiative in its own shared project folder and invite only the teammates or agencies who need access to that project. Use the same internal subfolders (Brief, Working files, Reviews, Final) so collaborators always know where to put—or find—what they need. When a project wraps, move its folder into an Archive subfolder to keep active work uncluttered.
To organise client files efficiently, use a client-first structure you can repeat—for example, Clients > [Client name] > [Project name] > Internal WiP, Client-ready and Final. Share only the Client-ready (or Final) folder so clients always see the latest approved files, while your team keeps drafts and feedback neatly contained.
Tagging and collecting assets
Make sure to use tags for folders, too. It’s easy to create an automated folder that will automatically add the tag to anything placed in that folder, making locating assets easy in the future.
Dropbox lets you tag files and folders with simple labels, so you can search by tag and quickly pull up related assets. You can also set up a folder so anything added to it automatically gets the same tag, keeping your library organised as it grows.
For example, adding a #DigitalAsset tag to the Digital asset folder means that every asset in the folder will get that tag, as well as anything added to any subfolder in the future. A #Logo to the Logo folder will do the same for everything contained in that subfolder. An intelligent tagging system saves time later.
Now, about getting assets into the correct places. By using a file request, it’s possible to ask colleagues to upload specific files—which will automatically go to the correct place—even if they don’t have their own Dropbox. (Although they should!) Simply make the file request, send it on its way and watch as the assets end up where they should be. Everything in its right place.
For your eyes only
Managing permissions—i.e. determining who’s the owner, who can edit and who can view—is on a case-by-case basis but, whatever the decision, it’s easy to implement. Changing access level, unsharing, letting others share with new people and additional functionality is just a click away.
Plus, the enterprise-grade encryption at Dropbox as well as password-protection options help keep assets safe and secure—no matter who has access.
To securely store proprietary designs and source files in the cloud, keep them in an invite-only Dropbox folder. When you share, add safeguards like password protection, expiry dates and download controls and use viewer history to track access and revoke it fast.
Version history and file recovery can also help you restore previous versions if files are changed or deleted.
Sending assets safely
Asset repository created. Alright, alright, alright. Next step, distributing the assets to partners who need to use them or providing access to an organisation’s internal Dropbox; so external agencies can use the resources. There are multiple ways to do this, safely and securely.
With Dropbox, it's easy to share a folder or file. Better yet, the person who is sharing can control who can view and edit the folder or file—those with the link, team members or only those with an invite—as well as who can provide further access.
It's also possible to password-protect folders or files, set expiry dates for links and disable downloads so no one can download the shared material.
If you need limited access for client files, share from Dropbox using shared links with controls like passwords, expiry dates or disabled downloads as you see fit—and track viewer activity for added oversight.
For extra protection, you can also add digital watermarks so shared content includes details like the recipient’s email and IP address to discourage unauthorised sharing.
And, of course, it's always possible to see who has viewed any folders or files in a Dropbox account.
Secure version control across remote teams
To secure version control for marketing collateral across remote teams, keep everyone working from one shared Dropbox folder and limit edit access to the people who should make changes.
Dropbox version history and file recovery let you restore earlier versions if files get overwritten and shared link controls like passwords, expiry dates and download restrictions help you share drafts safely.
Another way
A second option is to use Dropbox Transfer to send a copy of a file or folder to an external partner.
Simply click ‘Send a copy’ in the Share dropdown, then send via link or email. With Transfer, there’s also an option to make it password protected, set an expiration date and receive download notifications for further security and visibility into the status of the assets.
Organising and distributing brand resources doesn’t have to be difficult or scary. A thoughtful method, smart tagging and secure sharing will help any organisation and its marketing partners create beautiful, impactful work together.
Do more than store with Dropbox—securely organise, control access and deliver brand files with confidence, from shared folders to Dropbox Transfer. Explore the full range of Dropbox features and see how it can help optimise your entire workflow.
