50-asset-resize-global

# Asset Resize (Global)

Resizing is not stretching. Every ratio needs re-composition so the hierarchy still works. One good master becomes 10+ variants — the single biggest time saver in design production, and the first job after a campaign ends when winners get repurposed at D+2.

## Information gathering

Read the asset list (`41-campaign-asset-list-global`) if available. If information is missing, ask up to 4 questions:

1. **What is the master?** Link to the source file (Canva, Figma, Adobe Express), plus its original size and channel.
2. **Which channels and sizes are needed?** List them all, or pull them from the asset list.
3. **Which elements cannot be lost?** Text, CTA, logo, faces, product — is anything sitting close to an edge?
4. **Is cropping content allowed,** or must everything stay in frame?

## Principles

1. **Always resize from the master.** Never resize an already-resized file — quality degrades each pass.
2. **Critical elements are never cropped at any size** — focal point, CTA, and logo stay intact.
3. **Each ratio needs its own strategy.** One approach does not fit all.
4. **If the content will not fit, escalate to the lead** to decide what to drop. Do not decide unilaterally.
5. **Repurpose winners immediately after the campaign (D+2)** — context fades fast.
6. **Update the status in the asset list** as each size is completed.

## Workflow

### 1. Analyze the master

Identify the focal point; the safe distance of each element (text, CTA, logo) from the edges; and what CAN be cropped (background, texture) versus what CANNOT (message, faces, product, CTA).

### 2. Pick a strategy per target size

| Strategy | When | How |
|----------|------|-----|
| Scale and crop | Close ratios (1:1 to 4:5, 16:9 to 1.91:1) | Keep the layout, trim background |
| Re-compose | Moderately different ratios (1:1 to 16:9, landscape to cover) | Move elements to fit the new frame, preserving hierarchy |
| Rebuild | Very different ratios (1:1 to 9:16, feed to email) | Build fresh on the new canvas, keeping concept, colors, and copy |

### 3. Resize in priority order

Do the primary channel size first (usually 1:1 feed), then work down the priority column of the resize map.

### 4. Check, name, upload, update

Run each file against the final checklist, name it to convention, upload it to the right subfolder, and update the asset list status.

## Standard size matrix

### Social

| Type | Dimensions | Ratio | Channel | Note |
|------|-----------|-------|---------|------|
| Square feed | 1080x1080 | 1:1 | Facebook, Instagram | Build this first |
| Portrait feed | 1080x1350 | 4:5 | Instagram, Facebook | Occupies more of the mobile screen |
| Story / Reels | 1080x1920 | 9:16 | Meta Story, Reels | Safe zone 250px top and bottom |
| TikTok video / cover | 1080x1920 | 9:16 | TikTok | Safe zone 150px top / 300px bottom, ~140px right |
| YouTube Shorts | 1080x1920 | 9:16 | YouTube | Same safe zones as Reels |
| Facebook cover | 820x312 | ~2.6:1 | Facebook Page | Cropped on both sides on mobile — keep content centered |
| LinkedIn post | 1200x627 | ~1.91:1 | LinkedIn | Also accepts 1080x1080 |
| LinkedIn document | 1080x1080 or 1200x1500 | 1:1 or 4:5 | LinkedIn | Exported as PDF |
| Pinterest pin | 1000x1500 | 2:3 | Pinterest | Vertical only; taller pins get truncated |
| YouTube thumbnail | 1280x720 | 16:9 | YouTube | Keep the bottom-right clear for the duration overlay |
| X post image | 1200x675 | 16:9 | X | Center-crops in timeline previews |

### Ads (Meta)

| Type | Dimensions | Note |
|------|-----------|------|
| Feed ads | 1080x1080 | Serves both Facebook and Instagram |
| Story / Reels ads | 1080x1920 | Keep content roughly 14% off the top and bottom edges |
| Carousel | 1080x1080 | 2 to 10 cards |
| Link banner | 1200x628 | Right-column and audience-network placements |

### Email and web

| Type | Dimensions | Ratio | Typical strategy |
|------|-----------|-------|------------------|
| Email header | 600x200 | 3:1 | Rebuild |
| Email hero | 600x400 | 3:2 | Scale and crop |
| Website hero desktop | 1440x600 | 2.4:1 | Re-compose |
| Website hero mobile | 375x300 | 5:4 | Rebuild |
| Blog featured image | 1200x630 | 1.91:1 | Scale and crop (also serves Open Graph) |

### Documents

| Type | Dimensions | Use for |
|------|-----------|---------|
| Slide deck 16:9 | 1920x1080 | Presentations, pitch decks |
| A4 portrait / landscape | 210x297mm / 297x210mm | Printed reports and proposals |
| US Letter | 8.5x11in | US print deliverables |

## Safe zones and platform crop behavior

| Placement | Safe zone | Crop behavior |
|-----------|-----------|---------------|
| Meta Story / Reels (1080x1920) | Keep text and CTA out of the top 250px and bottom 250px | Profile and caption UI sit in those bands; the middle ~1420px is reliably visible |
| TikTok (1080x1920) | Top 150px, bottom 300px, right ~140px | Right-side icon rail and caption block overlay the frame |
| Meta Feed 1:1 / 4:5 | 20px on each edge | Little cropping, but thumbnails center-crop to 1:1 in some surfaces |
| Facebook cover (820x312) | Center ~640px | Mobile crops both sides aggressively |
| LinkedIn (1200x627) | 40px on each edge | Feed preview may letterbox; avoid edge-tight type |
| Pinterest (1000x1500) | 60px on each edge | Bottom band can be covered by the title overlay in some views |
| YouTube thumbnail (1280x720) | Bottom-right ~120x40px clear | Duration badge overlays that corner |
| Email (600px) | 20px inner padding | No crop, but many clients scale images down — keep type large |

## Re-composition rules

**Landscape or square to vertical (to 9:16):**
- Logo: keep the position defined in the brand guideline (commonly bottom-right)
- Headline: move to the top third
- CTA: always in the bottom third but above the safe-zone band
- Respect the story and TikTok safe zones above

**Square to email (600px):**
- Increase type size where the new width makes it too small
- Simplify the visual — drop secondary elements
- CTA button at