Creative Briefs are what ad agencies use to distill the essence of a client\'s marketing needs into useful information to guide the creation of a project or campaign. But you can adapt the same process to your business marketing to get a handle on your communication needs. Writing a coherent brief can distill your objectives, target market, competition, and many other pertinent pieces of information all in one place.

1. Creative Briefs made easy Gary Smith, CD, Smith Creative

2. What are they? You tell me!

3. What are they? You tell me! Document based on research Written with consumer’s viewpoint in mind Gives 360° view of product/service/communication goal Defines campaign’s tone & voice Guides the creative solution

4. What are they? You tell me! Basics: Target Audience profile Communication Objectives Product features and benefits Competition Product positioning

5. What are they? You tell me! Key consumer benefit Creative strategy Tone Support statement Slogan or Tagline Logo

6. What do they look like? CB does not define what the creative should look like Short (one or two pages) Don’t get jargon heavy Write concisely Gives AEs something to do

7. 16 Essential questions What is the objective of this project? What is the product/service to be promoted? Who is the primary audience? What is the size of the audience? What are the key “pains” of your target audience, related to the “problems” your product/service can solve? What emotional motivators drive your target audience to purchase products/services, from you or your competitors? What are the key features of the product/service?

8. 16 Essential questions What are the key benefits of the product/service? Given the features and benefits of the product/service, what is the single most important message that is to be communicated to the target audience? (i.e. What is the Unique Selling Proposition) What are other important messages relating to this product/service, in order of importance? What support materials exist for these important messages? (i.e. testimonials, endorsements, case studies, product specifics, etc.) What obstacles and objections exist in the mind of the target audience?

9. 16 Essential questions What are we really selling? (E.g. We are not selling grass seed, we’re selling a greener lawn; pride of ownership; sense of accomplishment; admiration of neighbors; etc.) What, exactly, are you promising your customers with your product/service? What taboos, if any, need to be avoided? What words would you use to describe the corporate tone that you want to convey to your target audience? Is there anything else that needs to be conveyed about this project?

10. OK, now what? A good creative brief: Sets the compass for agency & client A starting point-creative might take a left turn Use to see if creative measures up/judge competing solutions Is important even if project mutates Shouldn’t take the place of the plant tour

11. Go Forth and Create (briefs)! Gary Smith, CD, Smith Creative