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The Creative Brief: The Secret 
Ingredient That Will Make All Your 
Content More Powerful and Effective 
Content Jam 
October 2, 2014 
#contentjam @nancyagoldstein @CompassX
2 
WHY YOU NEED A CREATIVE BRIEF
3
What Was Wrong With That Ad? 
4
Other Examples From the World of Content 
5 Source: whatthefuckismybrief.com
How Could That Happen? 
I don’t know anything about moms 
with kids, but that seems painful! 
Dudebro, that’s 
hilarious! Air five! 
6 NOTE: Quotes are from the twisted brain of Compass(x) Strategy and do not represent any actual knowledge of the 
situation. Comic Sans font has been added for emphasis. 
The mommy focus groups said 
that sometimes they felt pain 
when carrying their kids. We 
should use that!
7
THIS CREATIVE BRIEF THING SOUNDS IMPORTANT…TELL ME MORE! 
8
The Creative Brief is the Glue That Holds the Execution to the 
Strategy 
9 
Positioning 
(Reason for 
Being) 
Growth Plan 
and Goals 
Creative Brief 
Execution 
(social, blog, 
video…)
The Creative Brief Is Only Miraculous if You Use It 
10 
Before Creative Begins 
When Evaluating 
Creative
Where Can You Use a Creative Brief? 
11 
Website content 
Topics for blog posts 
New features for awesome app 
Videos
12 
The Compass(x) Strategy Creative Brief 
OBJECTIVE 
What does this marketing piece need to communicate? What problem is it trying to solve? 
AUDIENCE 
Who is the primary audience that will receive this? A clear audience definition will guide the type of language used and 
the appropriate tone. 
CUSTOMER THINK/FEEL/ACT 
NOW 
• The goal of marketing communications 
is to change attitude (thinking and 
feeling) and behavior. So, we must 
start with identifying what people think, 
feel and do now. 
CUSTOMER THINK/FEEL/ACT 
FUTURE 
• What are the desired attitude and action 
changes that will result from this? 
OUR REASON FOR BEING 
Why should the audience want to engage on 
this? What is inspiring about it? 
SUPPORTED BY MESSAGING 
• What are the 2-3 most compelling points 
about why they should believe you? 
BRAND VOICE 
• What is the tone in terms of language 
and design that is consistent with your 
brand and your audiences attitudes and 
beliefs? 
REQUIREMENTS 
• Anything that someone must know is a 
mandatory do/don’t. For example, if 
there is language that cannot be used 
for regulatory reasons, or other 
guidance. 
TIMING AND BUDGET 
• Speaks for itself - what are your 
deadlines, any approval processes they 
need to know. What is the budget?
13 
LET’S BUILD A BRIEF
Two Major Groups of People Are Expected to 
Buy Entrepreneur Barbie 
• Traditional stay at home moms who have daughters that love 
Barbie 
• Career minded women frustrated with their daughters’ 
obsession with Disney princesses 
14 NOTE: Not actually based on fact. For wacky creative-brief exploration purposes only.
15 
Entrepreneurial Barbie Launch 
OBJECTIVE 
Sell One Billion Units of Entrepreneurial Barbie by the end of 2014 
AUDIENCE 
Traditional stay at home moms who have daughters that love Barbie 
CUSTOMER THINK/FEEL/ACT 
NOW 
• The goal of marketing communications 
is to change attitude (thinking and 
feeling) and behavior. So, we must 
start with identifying what people think, 
feel and do now. 
CUSTOMER THINK/FEEL/ACT 
FUTURE 
• What are the desired attitude and action 
changes that will result from this? 
OUR REASON FOR BEING 
Inspiring young girls that if they can 
dream it, they can be it 
SUPPORTED BY MESSAGING 
• What are the 2-3 most compelling points 
about why they should believe you? 
BRAND VOICE 
• What is the tone in terms of language 
and design that is consistent with your 
brand and your audiences attitudes and 
beliefs? 
REQUIREMENTS 
• Anything that someone must know is a 
mandatory do/don’t. For example, if 
there is language that cannot be used 
for regulatory reasons, or other 
guidance. 
TIMING AND BUDGET 
• Speaks for itself - what are your 
deadlines, any approval processes they 
need to know. What is the budget?
16 
What is their current 
lens? 
What does your 
audience think, feel, 
or do now? 
Key messages 
As a result of your 
awesome, what will 
the audience think 
feel or do in the 
future? 
Tone and Attitude
17 
Entrepreneurial Barbie Launch 
OBJECTIVE 
Sell One Billion Units of Entrepreneurial Barbie by the end of 2014 
AUDIENCE 
Career minded women frustrated with their daughters’ obsession with Disney princesses 
CUSTOMER THINK/FEEL/ACT 
NOW 
• The goal of marketing communications 
is to change attitude (thinking and 
feeling) and behavior. So, we must 
start with identifying what people think, 
feel and do now. 
CUSTOMER THINK/FEEL/ACT 
FUTURE 
• What are the desired attitude and action 
changes that will result from this? 
OUR REASON FOR BEING 
Inspiring young girls that if they can 
dream it, they can be it 
SUPPORTED BY MESSAGING 
• What are the 2-3 most compelling points 
about why they should believe you? 
BRAND VOICE 
• What is the tone in terms of language 
and design that is consistent with your 
brand and your audiences attitudes and 
beliefs? 
REQUIREMENTS 
• Anything that someone must know is a 
mandatory do/don’t. For example, if 
there is language that cannot be used 
for regulatory reasons, or other 
guidance. 
TIMING AND BUDGET 
• Speaks for itself - what are your 
deadlines, any approval processes they 
need to know. What is the budget?
18 
What is their current 
lens? 
What does your 
audience think, feel, 
or do now? 
Key messages 
As a result of your 
awesome, what will 
the audience think 
feel or do in the 
future? 
Tone and Attitude
With the Compass(x) Strategy Creative Brief, You Will Now….. 
19 
Bond more with your company’s leadership team 
Cry less 
Have less back strain 
Look like an official 
content marketer 
If you look tired and crazy, 
people will understand why
20 
Nancy Goldstein 
Chief Strategist 
Compass(x) Strategy 
(e) nancy@compassxstrategy.com 
(c) 773-255-4853 
(t) @CompassX 
(t) @NancyAGoldstein

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The Creative Brief: The Secret Ingredient That Will Make All Your Content More Powerful and Effective

  • 1. The Creative Brief: The Secret Ingredient That Will Make All Your Content More Powerful and Effective Content Jam October 2, 2014 #contentjam @nancyagoldstein @CompassX
  • 2. 2 WHY YOU NEED A CREATIVE BRIEF
  • 3. 3
  • 4. What Was Wrong With That Ad? 4
  • 5. Other Examples From the World of Content 5 Source: whatthefuckismybrief.com
  • 6. How Could That Happen? I don’t know anything about moms with kids, but that seems painful! Dudebro, that’s hilarious! Air five! 6 NOTE: Quotes are from the twisted brain of Compass(x) Strategy and do not represent any actual knowledge of the situation. Comic Sans font has been added for emphasis. The mommy focus groups said that sometimes they felt pain when carrying their kids. We should use that!
  • 7. 7
  • 8. THIS CREATIVE BRIEF THING SOUNDS IMPORTANT…TELL ME MORE! 8
  • 9. The Creative Brief is the Glue That Holds the Execution to the Strategy 9 Positioning (Reason for Being) Growth Plan and Goals Creative Brief Execution (social, blog, video…)
  • 10. The Creative Brief Is Only Miraculous if You Use It 10 Before Creative Begins When Evaluating Creative
  • 11. Where Can You Use a Creative Brief? 11 Website content Topics for blog posts New features for awesome app Videos
  • 12. 12 The Compass(x) Strategy Creative Brief OBJECTIVE What does this marketing piece need to communicate? What problem is it trying to solve? AUDIENCE Who is the primary audience that will receive this? A clear audience definition will guide the type of language used and the appropriate tone. CUSTOMER THINK/FEEL/ACT NOW • The goal of marketing communications is to change attitude (thinking and feeling) and behavior. So, we must start with identifying what people think, feel and do now. CUSTOMER THINK/FEEL/ACT FUTURE • What are the desired attitude and action changes that will result from this? OUR REASON FOR BEING Why should the audience want to engage on this? What is inspiring about it? SUPPORTED BY MESSAGING • What are the 2-3 most compelling points about why they should believe you? BRAND VOICE • What is the tone in terms of language and design that is consistent with your brand and your audiences attitudes and beliefs? REQUIREMENTS • Anything that someone must know is a mandatory do/don’t. For example, if there is language that cannot be used for regulatory reasons, or other guidance. TIMING AND BUDGET • Speaks for itself - what are your deadlines, any approval processes they need to know. What is the budget?
  • 13. 13 LET’S BUILD A BRIEF
  • 14. Two Major Groups of People Are Expected to Buy Entrepreneur Barbie • Traditional stay at home moms who have daughters that love Barbie • Career minded women frustrated with their daughters’ obsession with Disney princesses 14 NOTE: Not actually based on fact. For wacky creative-brief exploration purposes only.
  • 15. 15 Entrepreneurial Barbie Launch OBJECTIVE Sell One Billion Units of Entrepreneurial Barbie by the end of 2014 AUDIENCE Traditional stay at home moms who have daughters that love Barbie CUSTOMER THINK/FEEL/ACT NOW • The goal of marketing communications is to change attitude (thinking and feeling) and behavior. So, we must start with identifying what people think, feel and do now. CUSTOMER THINK/FEEL/ACT FUTURE • What are the desired attitude and action changes that will result from this? OUR REASON FOR BEING Inspiring young girls that if they can dream it, they can be it SUPPORTED BY MESSAGING • What are the 2-3 most compelling points about why they should believe you? BRAND VOICE • What is the tone in terms of language and design that is consistent with your brand and your audiences attitudes and beliefs? REQUIREMENTS • Anything that someone must know is a mandatory do/don’t. For example, if there is language that cannot be used for regulatory reasons, or other guidance. TIMING AND BUDGET • Speaks for itself - what are your deadlines, any approval processes they need to know. What is the budget?
  • 16. 16 What is their current lens? What does your audience think, feel, or do now? Key messages As a result of your awesome, what will the audience think feel or do in the future? Tone and Attitude
  • 17. 17 Entrepreneurial Barbie Launch OBJECTIVE Sell One Billion Units of Entrepreneurial Barbie by the end of 2014 AUDIENCE Career minded women frustrated with their daughters’ obsession with Disney princesses CUSTOMER THINK/FEEL/ACT NOW • The goal of marketing communications is to change attitude (thinking and feeling) and behavior. So, we must start with identifying what people think, feel and do now. CUSTOMER THINK/FEEL/ACT FUTURE • What are the desired attitude and action changes that will result from this? OUR REASON FOR BEING Inspiring young girls that if they can dream it, they can be it SUPPORTED BY MESSAGING • What are the 2-3 most compelling points about why they should believe you? BRAND VOICE • What is the tone in terms of language and design that is consistent with your brand and your audiences attitudes and beliefs? REQUIREMENTS • Anything that someone must know is a mandatory do/don’t. For example, if there is language that cannot be used for regulatory reasons, or other guidance. TIMING AND BUDGET • Speaks for itself - what are your deadlines, any approval processes they need to know. What is the budget?
  • 18. 18 What is their current lens? What does your audience think, feel, or do now? Key messages As a result of your awesome, what will the audience think feel or do in the future? Tone and Attitude
  • 19. With the Compass(x) Strategy Creative Brief, You Will Now….. 19 Bond more with your company’s leadership team Cry less Have less back strain Look like an official content marketer If you look tired and crazy, people will understand why
  • 20. 20 Nancy Goldstein Chief Strategist Compass(x) Strategy (e) nancy@compassxstrategy.com (c) 773-255-4853 (t) @CompassX (t) @NancyAGoldstein

Editor's Notes

  1. Welcome to the wonderful world of the creative brief. We are going to talk about what it is, why you need it and why your life will be filled with ponies and unicorns once you start using it. First - anyone use a creative brief before? Before I started Compass(x), I worked in big packaged goods. And in the world of advertising and promotion, everyone lived and died by this thing called the creative brief. Then I started working with smaller companies and working in content marketing and no one used it. And most people were frustrated that they didn’t get the results they wanted or they had to write 15 revisions to the newsletter before their boss let them send it. Example:
  2. This is really about thinking things through… So how did the Motrin people mess this up?
  3. We were talking about this earlier in the week about the need for specificity in a brief - dont just say “funny” - you may mean family friendly puns but your creative guy went ironic and detached mocking. Define what you want. Not really understanding the lens through which your audience sees the world. Just because a mom says it, does’t mean you can. When the mom said it was she looking for support? Maybe she wanted to be celebrated for the extra effort she is putting in.
  4. Best case scenario - waste of time and money Even worse, it destroys your credibility and people start to mistrust your brand Either way there are lots of tears, pain and suffering
  5. The creative brief is a way to get things to happen faster, just because the idea is in your head, the idea in my head is different. So the creative brief gets everyone on the same page so you don’t have the 11 rounds of back and forth Ensure that the execution matches what you want to happen: Right audience Right message Right tone Desired action
  6. There are a lot of people that do this differently But, a few years ago we reviewed all the brief formats and created this one. It differs from other brief formats in two big ways. one page forces you to make choices. Your video can’t say 15 different things so neither can the beige that gives the direction. - It is focused on behavior change. A lot of other formats talk about the audience and the communication priorities, but if you can’t articulate what you want the call to action to be at the end of this, the execution will be muddy.