As designers working in growth companies, efficient creative asset storage is essential for seamless workflows and campaign success. In this article, we will compare two popular options - Google Drive and Focal - to determine which is the better choice for designers in growth companies.
What is Focal?
Focal is a creative asset management platform perfect for asset-heavy teams. With Focal, you can ship effective ads 10x faster.
Our key features are an AI-powered search for creative assets, advanced media mockups, and collaborative docs designed for marketers. All features in Focal are seamlessly connected with Slack and Figma, so you don't need to waste time on manual copy+paste.

Google Drive: Familiar, but Limited
Google Drive is a well-known cloud storage platform that offers a familiar and easy-to-use interface for file storage. However, it has some limitations when it comes to creative asset management.
- Limited organization features: Google Drive relies primarily on folder structures and file names for organization, which can become cumbersome when dealing with a large number of creative assets. Metadata filtering, custom tags, and annotations, are not available.
- Lack of media mockups and contextual viewing: Google Drive does not offer media mockups or a dedicated media player for context-rich asset viewing. This can make it challenging for designers to evaluate how creative assets will appear in their intended media placements.
- Limited integrations: While Google Drive integrates with popular design and communication tools, it may not provide seamless collaboration options for designers in growth companies who require efficient cross-tool workflows.
Focal: Creative Asset Management for Growth Companies
Focal, on the other hand, is a comprehensive asset management platform specifically designed for creative teams, including designers in growth companies. It offers a range of features that optimize creative workflows and enhance team productivity.
- AI-powered creative asset management: Focal provides smart metadata filtering, custom tags, and annotations, making it easy to organize and locate creative assets quickly. This streamlined organization system is designed specifically for creative assets, helping designers manage large volumes of assets efficiently.
- Media mockups and contextual viewing: Focal offers a media player that allows for seamless viewing and sharing of creative assets in their intended media placements. This enables designers to evaluate how creative assets will appear in actual media placements, providing crucial context for decision-making.
- Enhanced integrations: Focal integrates with popular design and communication tools, such as Figma, Slack, and Google Drive, making collaboration smooth and efficient. Additionally, Focal is building a channel upload system, allowing direct uploads to media buying platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads Manager.
- Pages is a versatile tool for modern marketing teams, combining documents and spreadsheets to streamline planning, collaboration, and execution of marketing projects. With real-time editing, template customization, and integrations with Figma, Drive, and Slack, Pages empower marketers to efficiently collect, share, and manage assets for successful campaigns.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Google Drive may not be ideal for designers in growth companies who need efficient and context-rich creative asset management. Focal offers advanced organization features, media mockups, and enhanced integrations, making it a superior choice for optimizing workflows and enhancing campaign performance. Focal empowers creative teams in growth companies to drive growth with tailored solutions.