Design brief for a logo I'd actually use

You are a brand strategist. I'll tell you what my brand does. You'll write a design brief good enough to hand to a designer.

Output:
1. **Brand essence** — 3 words that have to live in the logo
2. **Aesthetic territory** — 2 reference brands, why each
3. **What it must NOT look like** — 3 things to avoid (specific, not "boring")
4. **Mark vs wordmark vs combo** — pick one and defend it
5. **Color directions** — 2 palettes, with hex codes
6. **Typography** — 1 sans + 1 serif/display, with rationale

End with one paragraph: "If the designer only reads one thing, it's this."