Writing creative briefs 28 th
October 2009

<ul><li>Role </li></ul><ul><li>Proposition </li></ul><ul><li>Writing </li></ul><ul><li>Briefing </li></ul>

<ul><li>Define the task at hand
</li></ul><ul><li>Act as a platform for great ideas </li></ul><ul><li>Inspire everyone on the project </li></ul><ul><li>Inform people of the key points for communication </li></ul>What they should do

<ul><li>Copy and paste the Client
brief </li></ul><ul><li>Rushed and last minute </li></ul><ul><li>Dull </li></ul>What they shouldn’t

Where to start? What is
the problem we are trying to solve? Define the comms/biz objective before writing the brief

<ul><li>Role </li></ul><ul><li>Proposition </li></ul><ul><li>Writing </li></ul><ul><li>Briefing </li></ul>

The hardest part of the
brief

Insights required <ul><li>Inspire original thinking
</li></ul><ul><li>Ensure distinctiveness within the market </li></ul><ul><li>Achieve channel cut-through </li></ul>

How to get there… Consumer
Market Competition Product/ Company Technology Research Assess Establish insights Proposition

Consumer Who are they? What’s
their current relationship with the brand/product? What are their attitudes towards its? What do they do with their spare time? What’s the most important thing in their life?…

Competition Who is the competition
in the sector? What are they saying? To whom? How much do they spend? Where do they advertise? How are we different?

Market How big is it?
Is it growing/flat? What is our market share? Is there any innovation? What factors are shaping it’s future?

Technology What is the role
for digital? What examples of innovation are there? How are people using social media/mobile? Role for website/search? How do our audience use it?

Product/Company What are the core
attributes? Are these differentiating? Is it first/cheapest/most highly rated? What is the company’s history/mission statement? How is it performing financially?

Distillation

Solid performance Trust crucial for
consumers Sleeping giant Digital under used Weathering the storm Consumers feeling the squeeze Retaining front of mind Being relevant and personable Market leader Maintaining position Market Commercial Consumer Brand Technology Insight Challenge Synopsis

Solid performance Trust crucial for
consumers Sleeping giant Digital under used Weathering the storm Consumers feeling the squeeze Retaining front of mind Being relevant and personable Market leader Maintaining position … staying there requires commitment … consumers need reassurance … brand need to do more for less … in a space that demands attention Its tough at the top Market Commercial Consumer Brand Technology Insight Challenge Synopsis

Developing a proposition What is
interesting in all this? Brand Truth, Consumer Truth, Market truth, Digital truth? Combine the most telling insights to create the story…

Developing a proposition For this
generation the future has never been more uncertain More people have personal pensions with Standard Life than any other provider + Consumer truth Brand truth The future, designed by you You can take control of your future online Digital truth +

<ul><li>Role </li></ul><ul><li>Proposition </li></ul><ul><li>Writing </li></ul><ul><li>Briefing </li></ul>

It is not… The media
placement It is… Exactly what it is we are promoting

It is not… An endless
list of product attributes It is… The core product benefit to the consumer

It is not… A broad
brush stroke or one liner from the client segmentation It is… A tight description of the exact person we are talking too – including attitudes, behaviours etc

It is not… An end
line It is… A creative platform for the work

It is not… A list
of all your research It is… The reason to believe the proposition

It is not… A generic
statement about the product It is… A consumer insight that supports the proposition

It is not… The media
schedule It is… The expected creative deliverable

It is not… “N/A” It
is… Amplification thought starters

It is not… A list
of random adjectives It is… The brand’s personality

It is not… A detailed
breakdown It is… How much we have to produce the work

It is not… “See brand
guidelines” It is… The absolutes the Client cannot live without

It is not… A repository
for things you forgot It is… Other campaign activity, similar previous work

<ul><li>Role </li></ul><ul><li>Proposition </li></ul><ul><li>Writing </li></ul><ul><li>Briefing </li></ul>

Briefings Have the product present
Go outside the office Make it enjoyable Don’t just sit there and read Client documents Talk about things! Remember – you won’t crack it in the briefing