How to write a powerful creative brief (Part 2)

According to Graeme Gauld, founder and art director of design and brand development company Redbeerd, one important detail to include is the budget. He says that if the client has a specific budget this must be included. “If no budget,” he says, “Fine, the creative will work out a costing based on the work required.”

“A deadline is gold,” Gauld continues, “If the deadline relies on some other party, such as a printer or broadcaster, this must be discussed so that the creative can get work to the client with a few days to spare so as to accommodate time for reverts and approval.” Although it’s important not to miss a deadline, it does need to be reasonable, says Gauld. “To really work magic, time is required for conceptualisation, incubation and execution. A good idea never comes easy and beautiful execution even less so.”

Usually there is a need for the creative to put blinkers on and focus in order to create something that is completely on target. Including information about the target audience and the objective is a part of creating that focus, but a brief writer can go further by providing a ‘single-minded proposition’ or SMP.

Howard Ibach, a self-described creative brief guru and author of How to Write an Inspired Creative Brief, writes; “whatever you call it in your brief, it must list the one overriding reason why people will or should want to buy your product or service.” Essentially, it’s the ‘big idea’ around which a concept can be built. Ibach explains that an SMP begins as a product feature to which the brief writer must assign a product benefit, and there can be many, but some will be more important than others. “All product features translate into some kind of product benefit,” he writes, but cautions: “The path from product feature to product benefit to SMP isn’t direct. It’s not literal.”

Gauld says that sometimes it can be wise to include a reference to a source of inspiration. He says; “This is great as one can see what the client is expecting.”

It’s also important that an advertising brief include the media channels to be used, and whether these are above or below the line. Gauld adds; “if possible, the brief should leave room for the creative to suggest other possibilities which could be more creative and perhaps lead to a greater target reach at a lower cost.” 

Adrian Benjamin, founder and CEO of 86design, has learned that many clients take the approach of not giving the creative enough direction initially and then having them rework it until they see something they like. Sometimes, however, it’s the client that needs to be pointed in the right direction.

“Remember, clients aren’t designers – even though some may think they are and forget why they hired you in the first place – so treat them as if design is as foreign to them as Maths is to most designers,” he says; “Create a brief of your own, ask every question and send layout examples with descriptive explanations so they can begin to envision what their logo could look like or what they would like.”

Benjamin adds; “There’s nothing easy about design, and as much as people say ‘the client is always right’, I can tell you now, they sure as heck aren’t always right.”

Gauld concludes; “Too open a brief can be fantastic, but more often its murder. No deadline and no particular deliverables is difficult to budget and plan for, and expectations are problematic. I find it is always beneficial for a brief to conclude with a bullet point summary of what's required. Clear, concise language and a breakdown of exact deliverables are gold.”

Check out part 1 here.

Can you think of anything else that would make a creative brief stronger? Tell us in the comments below.