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You’re probably familiar with the difficulty of transforming abstract ideas into measurable plans. A well-written brief can help. A creative brief is more than just a document. It guides your team and aligns with your vision. It also sets expectations for clients.
What should a brief for creative work include, and how can you write one that communicates clearly your desired outcome? This article will cover all of that and more!
What is a brief for creative work?
A creative brief is an eloquent document that summarizes the main elements and objectives of any marketing campaign or project. It is a central location for communicating all the details on 1-2 pages.
A creative brief is usually a document. It can be a Google Doc or a PDF file. It can be a table or sheet within a project manager tool.
Remember that a brief is not a place to sketch out copy or ad graphics. The brief is not a collaborative document, as its main purpose is to capture the important details agreed upon by all parties involved in a particular project.
When is a creative brief needed?
A creative brief is essential for any project that involves the development of creative elements as well as coordination among multiple stakeholders. You’re part of a team that is responsible for marketing, but your boss does not want you to supervise social media content. You do not need a brief for holiday content that you create yourself. If you are a small marketing team working with an agency, how do you make and manage your holiday social media campaign? You will need a creative brief.
Here are some examples of common marketing creatives that may require a brief:
- Graphic Design: Logos and brochures.
- Ad campaign: Concepts and copy, graphics, and media.
- Web design and UX design. Complete site overhaul, individual page, and event product interfaces.
- Create content: Blogs and articles, social media posts, and social series.
- VideographyVideo content: Animations, motion graphics, and event videography.
- Photography: Headshots and brand images. Product photos.
- Product Packaging: Labels and boxes, shipping materials, containers.
This is an overview but not an exhaustive list. A creative brief will be useful if you want to get multiple people to agree on a particular project. Here’s why.
Why create a brief for creative work?
A creative brief can be used to bring all parties together around a project or campaign. A creative brief with all the essential elements, such as background essentials, innovative directions, and follow-through planning, will help you avoid having to redo designs or scrap a blog. This means that you can save time and money on any initiative.
It is no surprise that Monday.com discovered that 93% of marketers use some form of creative brief to capture and convey information for their project.
Most marketers who were surveyed did not feel satisfied with creative briefs despite the fact that they used them in a large majority. 67% of respondents said that their creative briefs were either completely ineffective or only partially effective.
The document you create for your project must be effective. Here’s a guide to writing a creative brief that will lead to better results for your projects and reduce stress.
How to write creative briefs
Here is a guide on how to write your creative brief.
Create a project outline.
It would be best if you started with an overview of your project. This will help you identify the purpose and what you are looking for. It will also show you how you plan to complete and finish it.
By defining these, you can avoid scope creep. This is when the original requirements or deliverables of a project are gradually expanded. You’re likely to be familiar with this if you’ve ever worked as a freelancer. It happens when the client requests more features or adds new tasks after the project has already begun. All of this can end up being uncompensated.
It’s not just contractors who suffer. It can take longer to complete a project when you expand its scope. There is also more communication required to review and approve.
A quick and clear overview will allow you to avoid scope creep and time delays and keep your project on track.
Define your project objectives.
All marketing campaigns, including creative campaigns, should have objectives.
Here is an example of a creative brief for PayPal.
The campaign’s goal is clearly stated: It aims to clarify any misunderstandings and make PayPal’s offering crystal clear.
In a perfect universe, these specific misconceptions would have been listed here. This is a great example of a campaign’s objective. What do you want to achieve with your creativity? This should be communicated to all those involved in the project.
Share key messages and facts about your brand.
Include your main message, or messages, that you want to convey with this marketing material.
Imagine you are working with a writer who will be writing copy about your new product for Google ads. What is the value proposition for your product? What is the tagline of your product? What is the positioning statement? Your creative brief should include your key messaging.
This is important for all creatives who use copy. However, it can also be useful for visuals. Knowing how to best communicate with your target audience is always useful. This brings us to our next element for a successful brief.
Include any facts you can use to guide your project. This could include stats, brand information, or insights into your audience.
Describe your target audience.
Understanding your brand’s target audience will help you develop creative assets that are appealing.
So, include relevant details about your target audience. It will contain basic demographic data, such as age ranges, gender identity, and occupations. It should also provide more information about your audience and their connection to your business. Why are they drawn to your brand?
Your creative partner can make designs, media, and content more personal if they know the pain points your customers face, as well as what drives them to purchase your product or service. Personalized advertising is effective.
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