Many people often underestimate the importance of the creative brief. The quality of the brief can make or break a project or campaign with the old adage of trash in = trash out, never been more true.
The creative brief is a guide for the project. It helps everyone, including managers and designers, understand the goals. It also clarifies the target audience and the expected results.
Often, the creative brief is handed to the creative team without any discussion. Like a ticket given to a restaurant kitchen.
We get it, though—the creative brief is a complex beast with many moving parts, so it is tricky to get right. A poorly written brief can cause confusion and misalignment, which may result in a failed project. In this article, we will look at the key parts of a creative brief. We will talk about common mistakes and the risks of doing it wrong.
In the webinar titled ‘Brief Encounters: Crafting the Perfect Creative Brief,’ hosted by Angela Mastandrea and curated by Allen Singer, we explored the challenges of developing effective creative briefs. The session included insights from 20 industry professionals.
Here’s what we discussed—as you can tell, there is still plenty of food for thought!
Who owns the Creative Brief?
Ownership of the creative brief is crucial to the success of any project. Typically, the person or team leading the project, often within the marketing, branding, or creative departments, holds this responsibility. Depending on the organization, this could be a project manager, account manager, or creative director.
Why ownership matters:
- Clarity and Direction: The person in charge makes sure the document is clear and organized. It matches the project’s goals. This helps the creative team and stakeholders understand what to do.
- Accountability: Ownership establishes a point of accountability. The owner gathers input from all relevant stakeholders, ensures the brief is comprehensive and manages revisions.
- Consistency: Keeping ownership ensures the project stays on track and the final result meets the original goals.
- Communication: The owner is the main contact, helping with feedback, managing expectations, and solving problems as they come up.
- Efficiency: A designated owner simplifies the process. This reduces the risk of scope creep and misaligned expectations. They make decisions quickly and keep the project on track.
Ingredients for a great Creative Brief
A well-crafted creative brief is the backbone of any successful project. It brings all stakeholders together, sets clear goals, and gives the creative team the guidance they need to create great work. It should be a collaborative process that inspires the team. Here are the essential ingredients of a great creative brief:
Project Overview
- Purpose: This section gives a clear explanation of the project. It explains what the project is and why it is being done. It provides context and a brief summary.
- Background: Relevant history, brand information, or previous work that informs the current project.
- Objectives/Goals: Clear, measurable objectives that the project aims to achieve, such as increasing brand awareness or driving sales.
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Specific metrics to gauge the project’s success, like conversion rates or engagement metrics.
Target Audience
- Demographics: Key information such as age, gender, location, and income level.
- Psychographics: Insights into audience interests, behaviors, and values that influence their purchasing decisions.
Key Message
- Core message: The most important message the creative should communicate, resonating with the target audience.
- Supporting messages: Additional messages that provide context or emphasize benefits.
Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
- Differentiators: What sets the brand, product, or service apart from competitors, highlighting why the audience should choose this offering.
Deliverables
- Scope: A detailed list of what needs to be created, including formats and specifications.
- Formats and specifications: Specific requirements related to size, format, and platform.
Tone and Style
- Voice: The personality and tone of the creative work, such as friendly or authoritative.
- Visual Style: Guidance on visual elements like colors, imagery, typography, and overall aesthetic.
Timeline
- Deadlines: Key milestones and final delivery dates, outlining when drafts are due and when feedback is expected.
- Project timeline: A detailed timeline mapping out the project from start to finish.
Budget
- Cost estimates: Clear indication of the project budget, including constraints.
- Resource allocation: Information on how resources will be allocated across the project.
Approval process
- Stakeholders: A list of key decision-makers who will review and approve the creative work.
- Review rounds: The number of review and feedback rounds, with clear instructions on handling feedback.
Mandatories
- Brand guidelines: Non-negotiable elements like logos, taglines, or legal disclaimers.
- Compliance: Any specific requirements related to regulatory or legal considerations.
- Inspiration: Examples of work that align with the desired outcome or anything the client wants to avoid.
- Competitor analysis: Information on competitor campaigns that should be considered or avoided.
Client Contact Information
- Point of contact: The person responsible for overseeing the project from the client’s side, including contact details.
Creative Freedom
- Flexibility: This section explains where the creative team can be innovative and where they must follow the brief closely.
Common mistakes that lead to Creative Briefs going wrong
Even the best intentions can go awry if certain pitfalls aren’t avoided. Here are some common mistakes that can lead to a creative brief going off course:
Lack of clarity
- Vague objectives: If the goals are not clear, the creative team may have trouble knowing what success means. This can lead to outputs that do not match expectations.
- Ambiguous instructions: Unclear or open-ended instructions can result in creative work that doesn’t meet expectations. References help!
Overloading with Information
- Too much detail: Adding too much background information or unnecessary details can confuse the creative team. It can also hide the main message.
- Complex language: Using complex words or technical terms can confuse the team. This is especially true if they are not familiar with industry language.
Inadequate audience insight
- Unclear target audience: If the target audience is not well-defined, the creative work may not reach the right people.
- Lack of consumer insight: If we don’t understand what motivates the audience, the brief might not guide us well. This can lead to weak results in our work.
Undefined Key Message
- Multiple messages: Trying to share too many ideas in one brief can weaken the focus. This makes the creative work less effective.
- Unclear USP: Not showing what makes the product or service special can result in dull or ordinary creative work.
Inconsistent or conflicting information
- Contradictory guidelines: Providing conflicting instructions or feedback can create confusion and lead to delays or errors.
- Changing objectives: Frequent changes to the project brief or goals can slow down progress. This can lead to work that does not meet the original aims.
Ignoring the Creative Team’s input
- Top-Down approach: When briefs are made without the creative team, they might overlook important practical details. This can lead to unrealistic expectations.
- Lack of collaboration: Not allowing the creative team to share their ideas can lead to misunderstandings. This can result in less effective outcomes. Improve it by reviewing this article: 14 collaboration trends changing the way teams work
Unrealistic timelines
- Rushed deadlines: Setting unrealistic deadlines can cause rushed work. This often leads to lower quality and less creative ideas.
- Inflexible timing: Not accounting for feedback loops, revisions, or unexpected delays can put unnecessary pressure on the creative team.
Ignoring Brand Guidelines
- Brand inconsistency happens when guidelines are not followed. This can lead to work that feels out of place. It may not connect well with the company’s identity.
- Neglecting Mandatories: Missing essential elements like logos or legal disclaimers can result in non-compliance or brand dilution.
Lack of approval process
- Undefined stakeholders: Not identifying who needs to approve the creative work can cause delays and confusion.
- Too many decision-makers: Involving too many stakeholders in the approval process can lead to conflicting feedback and indecision.
Budget misalignment
- Unclear budget limits: Without a clear budget, creative ideas may become too ambitious. Alternatively, they might be too cautious.
- Ignoring resource constraints: Not considering available resources, such as time or personnel, can result in unrealistic expectations.
Neglecting the Big Picture
- Lack of strategic alignment: If the brief does not match the larger business strategies, the creative work may not support the main goals.
- Ignoring competitors: Overlooking competitor analysis can result in work that doesn’t stand out in the market.
Failure to revise and update
- Outdated information: Using old data can lead to creative work that no longer aligns with current goals.
- Skipping revisions: Not revisiting the brief when necessary can result in work that is off-target.
The risks of a poor Creative Brief
A poorly constructed creative brief can have several detrimental effects on a project. These risks can lead to wasted resources, missed deadlines, and an unsuccessful campaign. Here are some key risks:
Misaligned Creative output
- Unclear objectives: If the creative team lacks clear goals, they may create work that doesn’t match the project’s purpose or brand message.
- Off-target messaging: The final deliverables may not resonate with the intended audience, reducing the effectiveness of the campaign.
Wasted time and resources
- Multiple Revisions: Ambiguities in the brief often lead to multiple rounds of revisions, consuming valuable time and resources.
- Scope Creep: A vague brief can cause scope creep. This means the project grows beyond its original limits. This can lead to delays and higher costs.
Failed Project
- Missed deadlines: A poor brief can cause delays as the team struggles to align their work with the project
Summary:
The creative brief can be complicated. However, some basic ideas can help you improve your brief process.
Greg Morrell from AgencyAgile shared some wise words during the webinar. He said, “A key purpose of a creative brief is to challenge and inspire a creative team.” I think this sums it up beautifully. It’s important therefore to think of the process more as a briefing, rather than a brief.”
Why does Stockpress care about the creative brief?
Well in short, if you start with a great brief, and end up with great assets, you need a great home for them. We believe that paying attention to the creative brief shows a commitment to the overall creative approach. This approach includes the important mix of people, process, and platform.
Stockpress offers teams the refreshingly simple DAM they have been craving, that gives home to both work-in-progress AND final files. We stand out in DAM and file management.
We offer unlimited users with every package, even our free one. You can use any file type. We provide most of the DAM features you need for just $39 per month.
That’s all the DAM, with none of the compromise! Try Stockpress for free here, or book a demo with the team.
