A creative brief is like a road map. A great brief leads to imaginative and persuasive ads, Web sites or videos. And gets you there quickly.
A bad creative brief starts you off in the wrong direction. So you have to stop, figure out where the heck you're going, and start again. Or worse, you follow that brief to Trash Town, a total waste of time.
Some pointers:
- Great advertising and design creative briefs have insights and anecdotes - quotes from buyers, interesting stories about the company, key research findings. Stuff like that.
- Working from verbal input, without a written creative brief, is how amateurs waste time and money.
- The two most essential questions in a creative brief are, "Who are we talking to, and what do we want to say?"
AdCracker's Classic Creative Brief reflects international best practices and is perfect for TV, print and other projects from your current clients. > See all AdCracker creative briefs covering new business pitches, direct response ads, social media campaigns, design and and long format projects such as videos, Web sites and brochures.
Client / Client contact information:
Name, phone number and email address for the person or the team on the client side.
Project:
Example: “New campaign to test "CitiClick" for Citibank.”
Prepared by:
Name, phone number and email address for the person or team members who are responsible for writing the brief.
1 Background / Overview:
What's the big picture? What's going on in the market? Anything happening on the client side that the creative team should know about? Any opportunities or problems in the market?
This is where you introduce the project to the creative team. You'll go over this again in the briefing session, but write it down as well.
For an overview, state, "Who is the ad talking to, and what is the one main thing we want to say?"
Example: This is a test campaign to a selection of Citibank customers. We want them to try Citibank's new "CitiClick" - which is a widget that makes online purchases easier and more secure - and we've got a $1 pizza offer to get them started.
2) What is the objective, the purpose of the ad?
A concise statement of the effect the ad should have on consumers. Typically expressed as an action. And focused on what the ad should make them think, feel, or do.
Example: We want people to download the free application and use it within 10 days to buy the special offer, a $1 family size pizza from Papa John's.
3) Target audience: who are we talking to?
The more precise and detailed the better. Go beyond age and sex to describe demographics and psychographics. Explain how the audience currently thinks, feels and behaves in relation to the product category, the client's brand, and the client's specific product or service. > See AdCracker's section on consumer involvement theory.
Example: This campaign will be aimed exclusively at existing Citibank customers in three test markets: Sacramento, CA, Houston, TX, and Washington DC.
The primary target will be segments of our customer database: male and female, 20 to 35 YO, with at least one Citibank credit card. The target will be approximately 70% married, with combined HH incomes of $85k on average.
This audience is comfortable with new technology, and quick to test new widgets that leverage their time. They like to be among the first to have the latest and greatest electronics. They make multiple online purchases monthly. We will call our representative persona "Joe".
4) What's the single most important thing to say?
What's the single most persuasive or most compelling statement we can make to achieve the objective?
This should be a simple sentence. No more than a few sentences if absolutely necessary. Avoid generalities.
Example: "Joe - CitiClick will simplify and speed all of your online purchases, while providing increased security."
5) What are the supporting rational and emotional 'reasons to believe and buy?'
Explain why the consumer should believe what we say, and why they should buy.
Include all the major copy points, in order of relative importance to the consumer. In other words, 'What else can we say and show to achieve the objective?'
Example: It's free, from Citibank - your trusted financial partner. 2) Get a PJ pizza for $1. 3) Backed with a 100% purchase protection guarantee. 4) It has earned rave reviews from real users. (See attached quotes.) 5) Takes just 3 seconds to download the pre-personalized widget from your online account ... etc
6) What else will assist creative development?
Here's where you can include consumer insights, a description of the brand personality, positioning taglines, creative thought starters, terms of the direct response offer, result expectations, and mandatory elements such as the logo and Web address.
Be sure to include sources for additional research information, customer quotes, and certainly at least one consumer insight. AdCracker.com examples:
- User quote: "I see. I want. I click. I get."
- More info: Call Bill in research 555 8888 for full research report.
- Insight: "People don't like to input their credit card and shipping details over and over when making online purchases."
7) Schedule: What do we need from the creative team? When do we need it?
Provide all details on media, size and color - for both the initial concepts and finished art. Example:
1) Date _________initial creative review of rough pencil sketch ideas.
2) Date _________review revised creative. Half size, with color, hand or computer created.
3) Date _________final internal creative presentation. Same finish as previous round.
4) Date _________client creative & media presentation. Full size, full color. Hand or computer created.
5) Date _________ print ads delivered to publication.
> AdCracker's client services check list
[ ] Do we have sufficient reference sources: previous ads, brochures, competitor ads, books, videos or Web sites?
[ ] Do we have contact info / links to people, research or resources that can help the creative team?
[ ] Do we need a supplemental brief / info for a long format, social media, direct response, or new business pitch project?
[ ] Is it clear from the client what must be in the communication, and what might be in the communication? What are the client requirements versus client preferences?
[ ] Do we represent the client's issues, concerns, wishes?
This brief assumes you have > defined the brand, as well as how the product or service is > positioned in the marketplace. If you do not have consumer insights - or if you have not defined the brand and position - you should prepare an > advanced creative brief.
> See all of the AdCracker creative briefs covering new business pitches, direct response ads, social media campaigns, design and long format projects such as videos, Web sites and brochures.
> Purchase AdCracker CD to use AdCracker's classic creative brief and to get all sample briefs, the completed briefs with resulting print and TV ads, plus the Six Tips video.
> Consider an AdCracker seminar for international best practices related to consumer insights, advertising strategy and psychological motivations.
Remember:
- The creative brief is the first and the most import document in any communications campaign.
- Great creative briefs result from interaction: With the creative team. The client. And with customers or prospects.
- Bad creative briefs are incomplete, or dictate the creative, or use ambiguous language. Fluff like that. |
