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Creative Brief Template
1. Concise Background
Keypointsthatthe Agencyhasto take intoaccount inorder to understandthe currentstate of affairs inrelation
to the brand/product, andwhatleadus here.
Brief descriptionof the productandbrandand what characterizesit/setsit apart fromthe rest.
o Positioning,character/personality,valuesetc.
o Strengthsandweaknesses,andreasonsbehind
Competitive landscapeandmarketcharacteristics.
o What are the maincompetitorsandwhatdo theystandfor. How are theydifferentfromus
o What isthat drivesthismarketand why?
Performance measures
Brief historical background of the brandandmarket
o How didwe endup here and keyturningpoints /milestones
Brief coverage of keycommunicationalinitiatives(oursandcompetitors’).
o The way we believedtheyhave worked(or not).
2. Why do we communicate/advertise? What is the issue or the opportunity?
Situationreport – where the brandstandsnow and whatare the challengesfacedbyit
o Sales,marketshares, imageryand perceptions,userprofile–whyis thisan issue?
What are the driversbehindourneedtocommunicate?
o What do we needto affect/change?
o Thismay be the resultof spottinga certainproblemthathas to be dealtwith,oran opportunitythathas
to be capitalized upon–or some combinationof these two.
o Thismay stemfromthe brandper se,some of the competitors andtheirmoves ora
change/evolutionarymove inthe market
3. What is the specific role of the communicationinitiative?
What are we afterby initiatingthiscommunicationeffort?Whatisthe desirable endresult?
How will consumerperceptions,marketstatus,salesetc.lookideallyafterthe campaignconcludes?
o Please insertnumbers/KPIs - if applicable.
Brand (Nameof brand/ mother brand)
Date Issued
Product (Name of product / range)
Description
(Brief coverage of what drivesthis communicationinitiative - e.g.Capri Sun re-
launchCampaign)
Requirements
(Type of communication and channels - e.g. Television, radio, outdoor,
web/social media, sponsorship, placement POP material)
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1st
Stage – give the broader directionand prioritize:it shouldtargetachievingsome (butnot toomanyat the
same time) of the following:
- Introduce ,establishConnection
- Establish/facilitate Communication
- Establish/reinforce Trust
- Build/SustainAwareness
- Build/SustainSalience
- Draw / focus Attentiontoa Point/Highlighta Point
- DivertAttentionfromapoint/ Mask a point
- Build/SustainAwareness/Remind
- Build/SustainSalience /make somethingcome out
- Create / Sustainanticipation
- Create / Sustain predispositions
- Create / Enhance attractiveness
- Satisfyaestheticneeds
- Feedandplease the senses
- Impress - reinforce wowfactor
- Build/SustainRelevance andfeelingof Belonging
- Make customerfeel special
- Build/Enhance Image Elements
- Relax inhibitions
- Explain,provide withInfo,establishUnderstanding
- Educate / Provide examples
- Facilitate trial /usage
- Appease /cool down
- Setthe stage fora nextstep,prepare,pave the way
- Cross-sell,refertootheroffers
- Reassure oncorrectnessof choice
- Create / Enhance Satisfaction
- Enhance Loyalty/ RepeatPurchase
- Fuel Advocacy/Wordof Mouth
- Satisfyethical principlesandconsiderations
2nd
Stage - Be more specific:e.g.
- We wantto remindthe consumerbase thatour brand still leads/reinforce
- We wantto letpeople knowthatthe brandis available inanew,betterpackaging/formulation
- We wantto pushpeople toactuallytrythe brand,as we believeinitssuperiorityandpowertoconvert
trialiststoloyalists
- We wantto establishbrandXas a viable solutionforthose whoseekqualityin the category
- We wantto put brandX among the league of up-marketbrands
- We wantpeople tothinkwhat we are good at whentheythinkof prioritieswithinthe specificcategory(e.g.
move the agendafromhealthinesstolifestyle)
- We wantto builda strongemotional attachmenttothe brand
- We wantto connectthe brand witha certaintypology/profile of consumersthatwe believe isaspirational
to our targetaudience
- We wantto make sure that a price increase isseenasjustifiedgivenwhatthe brandwill standfor
- We wantto letpeople knowthatthere isanalternative usage /applicationforbrandX
- We wantto shootdownargumentsthat the competitionsuggestandmake themlooklessattractive
o Etc.
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3rd
Stage – Quantify (andprovide withtime frames)intermsof:
- Sales,marketshares,decelerationof share loss,
- ConversiontoanotherSKU(againstcurrent)
- Visits/footfall instores,
- Expansionof distribution(numerical/weighted) asa resultof enhancedtrade acceptance
- Call centeror e-mail enquiries.Reductionof complaintsinthe same channels
- Numberof followers,likes,people talkingaboutetc. (web)
- Overall opinion,imagery,intentiontobuyor suggestKPIs(inquantitative researchTrackers)
- Mentionsinmedia(press, TV,web,etc.).Frequencyandquality(contentanalysisindicators)
o Etc.
4. Who are we talking to? What do we know about them?
What isthe targetaudience of the communicationcampaign? Whose perceptionsandbehaviorsdowe wantto
change/affect?Focusonthe aspectsof the audience thatare keyforour messagestoclickwiththem
Demographicdescription
o Sex
o Age group
o Place of residence
o Educational & workingbackground
o Social class
o Ethnic& religiousbackground
Etc.
Usershipdescription
o Frequentbuyers,occasionalbuyers,non-buyers,pastbuyers, indifferent, rejecters
o Buyersof our brand and/orcompetition
Attitudinal/Psychographicdescription
o Motivationsandpersonalitytraits –E.g. Techlovers,show-offs,earlyadopters,nutrition nutters,people
whoexercise regularly, peopleanxiousabouttheircholesterol levels, peoplewhoplace alotof
emphasisonhowtheylook,caringmotherswhowantthe verybestfor theirkids etc.
o Habitsand behavioral patterns (theyprefertobuybig quantities;theytypicallyshopwiththeirkids,
theirpurchase patternsare affectedbypromotions&price-offs,etc.)
Insertrelevantsegmentationdatahere, if available
5. What is the main idea that we want tocommunicate? What is the desiredkey take
out?
Thisshouldbe a product of the interactionof the brand’spositioningandstrategicoutlookandthe particular
tactical prioritiesof the campaign,asoutlinedabove
It shouldnotclashwiththe positioningunderanycircumstances,butitcan privilegeone aspectof itoverothers
if thisbenefitsthe tactical priorities
It shouldbe inpositiontobe summedupinone keyphrase
Thisphrase shouldcharacterizedby:
o Conciseness
o Relative uniqueness
o Memorability
o Meaning-packedandrichinconnotations
o Motivational powerandcall toaction
o Shouldringtrue (nopreposterousclaimshere)
o Be easyto grasp
o Leave no marginsformisconstrue
be understandable byprettymucheveryoneinthe same manner
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The exact phrasingisthe jobof the AdvertisingAgency andakeydeliverable bythem!
o …but definingit/ outliningitisthe jobof the Brand Owners
Under an ideal scenario,thiscanbe usedword-by-wordasa sloganora tagline (andif itsscope isstrategic
enough ratherthan tactical,can followthe brandforsome years)
Examples:
o For (brandX) nothingisa detail
o We standfor the evolutionof the (category)
o The taste of (category) asit shouldbe
o Pleasure in(category) hasaname attachedto it
o It takesa true (category) lover/maniactocreate (brandX)
o There isno way youcan resistgreattaste
o Do you really wantto drinkyourgrandfathers’(category)?
Etc.
6. Why shouldour idea be credible? What are the reasons tobelieve?
Draw fromthe BrandTruths to supportthe keyargumentspushedbythe communicationinitiatives.
More factual / functional truthsshouldmake ithere ratherthanemotional claims
o (thoughthese truthsmusthave some emotional resonance insome shape orform)
The Agencyshouldbe inpositiontointegrate these somehow intothe scenario/visuals/audioetc inasuggestive
mannerratherthan recite them
o but insome casestheyneedtobe recitedwordbyword – thisissomethingthatyoushouldspecify
(see:executionalguidelines)
Examples:
o A brandthat has beenaroundsince XXXX
o From the brandthat brought(category) intothismarket
o True to the original recipe
o Sourcedexclusivelyfrom(X place)
o From (countryof Origin) whotrulyknow about(category)
o We are a familybusiness
o Limitedproduction
o Extreme qualitycontrol
o Nottouchedby a humanhand
o Frozen only momentsafterpicking
o Absolutelynopreservatives
o It takesmonths/yearstomature
o A balancedandwell-roundedsource of nutrients
o The most creamyof the lot
o The most exotic,unpredictableflavors
o Onlythe bestvarietiesof (category) make itinto(brandX)
o The favorite of the connoisseurs
o Pickedbymost consumers ina blindtest
o The choice of kids
o The fastestgrowingbrandinthe market
o A greatvalue / affordable
o A package that istrulyconvenient /easytouse
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7. What is the style that we should use inour approach? What is our tone of voice?
Thisshouldbe a product of the interactionof the brand’spositioningandbrandcharacter and the particular
tactical prioritiesof the campaign,asoutlinedabove.
Thinkof the brandas a personanda story-teller.How wouldhe/shetalkunderthese conditions?Howshould
he/she be perceivedthroughwhathe/shesaysandthe wayhe/she saysit?
Examples:
o Truthful,honest,direct
o Practical, everyday, simple
o Rugged,tough,masculine,adventurous
o Warm, friendly,easilylikable
o Humorous,fun,jester
o Innocent, child-like
o Downto earth,approachable,modest,humble
o Consistent,dependable,wordacontract
o Ethical,withprinciples,drivenbyvalues
o Professional,attentivetodetail,obsessive
o Expert,connoisseur,in-the-know,
o Deep, wise,thoughtful
o Stylish, refined,artistic,cosmopolitan
o Leaderpersonality,status-driven,powerful,incontrol
o Arrogant,sure for itself
o Independent,challenging,rebellious,irreverent,anti-conformist
o Conventional,traditional,unchanged
o Imaginative,passionate,driven,fiery spirit
o Sensual,pleasure driven,charming,alluring
o Loving,caring,a giver
o Visionary,idealistic,future-facing,seeingthe greaterpicture
Etc.
8. DesiredConsumer Reaction
How will consumersfeel andbehavefollowingthe exposuretoour messages(see 3: ‘Whatis the specific role of
the communication initiative?’)
o In relationtothemselves
o In relationtothe categoryand whatis important/whattheyshouldseek
o In relationtoourbrand
o In relationtothe competition
How will we knowthatwe are successful,inameasurable manner –KPIsthat will shift
It shouldbe expressedasa change of at leastone measure afterthe conclusionof the campaign
9. Communicational structure
What type of communicationwe needacrosswhattype of media
o Television
o Radio
o PrintAds
o Outdoor
o Installations –non-conventional outdoor
o Webactivations(banners,facebookpagescontentetc.)
Etc.
Define if we needany differentiation/changesintonality,mainmessage,highlightedcontentetc.acrossthe
mediachosen
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10. Executional guidelines
Withoutsuffocatingthe creative process (Creativeswill getreallyannoyed!),youmayneedtosuggestsome
elementsthathave tobe incorporatedinsome shape orformin the enddeliverable
Define clearlywhatisimperative andwhatismerelyanice-to-have
Examples mayinclude:
o Dominantcolors / colorpalette
o Aesthetical codes(e.g.minimalistic,vibrantetc.)
o Filmingstyles/directionof photography(e.g.grainy,sharp,sepia,highlysaturatedcolorsetc.)
o Keywordsinsertedin textsand/orkeybrandpoints
o Use of humor or irony
o Use of wordplay/puns
o Depictionof logo – when,where anddegree of dominance
o Depictionof people /depictionof certaintypesof activities and/ormoods (e.g. family setting,male
bondingsetting, Mother-kidinteraction,sportsactivities,morning/breakfastsetting, cooking,looking
troubled/perplexed, enjoyment,exhilarationetc. )
o Depictionof interactionwiththe product
o Packshot– howlong?
o Referencestoavailable variants,flavorsetc.
o Price references
o Referencestoavailable packs/sizes
o Etc.
Technical aspects – e.g.spotduration inseconds,size of outdoorposters,aspectratios etc.
Budgetaryrestrictionsforproduction
Preferredcollaborators(e.g.castingagencies,productioncompaniesetc.)
11. Tentative Timeline andInvolvedParties
What do we need tobe done bywhen
Define final vs.provisional andessentialsvs.nice-to-haves
The role of the company,the agencyand possible 3rd
parties – whodoeswhat