2. CONTRACTUAL BRIEF
Definition:
You signs an agreement/legal document to complete a specific
task within a specific time period for your client for a set fee.
This is typically easy to read and simply states the clients
wants and requirements from your service.
Advantages
If the client do not stick to what they agreed upon they would
be found in breach of contract and could face legal action.
Disadvantages
You should always make sure you check what you are signing
up for with a contractual brief so you don’t agree to do
anything you don’t want to do.
3. FORMAL BRIEF
Definition
This type of brief typically tends to simply and clearly establish
what they want from you as a client which you may formally agree
upon.
Advantages
It should only contain the necessary information required for you to
complete the brief.
Disadvantages
Additional information will need to be obtained during negotiations
with the client.
Though like the contractual brief both parties will formally agree on
the project a formal brief is not always legally binding.
4. INFORMAL BRIEF
Definition
This type of brief occurs more frequently as a verbal agreement between two
parties, no contract or written documentation tends to be involved in the
process.
Advantages
The client and the company discuss and agree upon the project without and
formal paperwork.
It is easier to make changes to the agreement throughout as it is such as relaxed
no-strings attached agreement.
Due to it being a more relaxed agreement there is not always a set deadline which
has it’s own advantages and disadvantages.
Disadvantages
As it is informal there may not always be a set completion date and this form of
brief can be quite risky due to not have a contract involved in the agreement.
Informal briefs are not legally binding so if you produce the work you agreed to
produce the company can always back out and you could lose out on pay.
5. CO-OPERATIVE BRIEF
Definition
This is a brief where two or more production companies are hired to work on
a specific brief, the companies will then have to work together in order to
complete the project.
Advantages
Due to this brief involving a collaboration this can in a lot of cases mean that
the project gets done in less time with effort to ensure so coming from
both companies.
Disadvantages
On the other hand if a disagreement occurs within the collaboration, a
negotiated brief would have to be submitted to appease both companies.
6. NEGOTIATED BRIEF
Definition
If two or more media companies are working on a brief
collaboratively and have conflicting ideas regarding a project
they would have to negotiate a brief.
Advantages
It settles the conflicting ideas that had previously halted
progress.
Disadvantages
There will have to be some compromise in order for the project
to continue.
Negotiating a brief will take time off the project.
7. COMMISSION BRIEF
Definition
This is were a large media company hire a smaller media
company to work to create the product for them.
Advantages
The smaller media company will get paid for this job, maybe
every time the bigger media company make a sale with the
product or when ever they make profit from it’s broadcast.
Disadvantages
The brief has to be negotiated and agree upon by the
participating parties, this could be a problem if there are
conflicting ideas.
8. TENDER BRIEF
Definition
This is when the client publishes that they require a brief being
made and production companies see this and produce briefs,
proposals and budgets that will be pitched to the client and they
will choose the preferred.
Advantages
The company that is the client on this occasion get a variety of
briefs to choose from ensuring that they pick the best from the
variety.
Disadvantages
This can be a disadvantage to any of the companies that pitched a
brief that did not get chosen because they have wasted time and
effort on something they will get no gain from unless chosen,
being a high risk.
9. COMPETITION BRIEF
Definition
This is where the brief is open to any production company that
wishes to complete and submit the work.
Advantages
The winning company will get paid and the company that
submitted the brief get lots of varying work to choose from.
Disadvantages
The company that's brief was not chosen may have wasted a lot
of time and even money on the brief.
10. MY BRIEF
Which structure/structures will your client brief use?
The brief itself was informal with no set guidelines and freedom
of creativity, there is no meeting required between myself and
the client as they have left contact details for me to use during
production and to send completed work to after.
11. READING THE BRIEF
Why is important to thoroughly read your brief?
It is very important to thoroughly read the brief as you can make
mistakes with the work which could have wasted time and even money
with production.
You should also check for legal/ethical and regulatory issues that may
be proposed with the brief, this includes copyright issues with the
content of your pieces such as free fonts and stock images in
comparison to those that are not allowed for commercial use.
You should also ensure that the product will be completed for the
deadline, so your goals aren’t too ambitious but are what the client
wants.
12. READING THE BRIEF
What is the nature and demand of your client brief?
The brief is set for three possible product posters, this posters are
required to offer a narrative to the products design.
There is freedom in style and layout and only a few recommendations
on how the company would like the pieces to aesthetically appear
(fonts).
13. NEGOTIATING A BRIEF
Why is it important to discuss the brief with your client prior to
production?
You can confirm with your client aspects of the brief, clarify that they
are comfortable with you interpretation of it and what you will be
making for them.
Ask them if there are any specific requirements such as colour scheme
or font type, check with them pieces they have had designed for them
in the past and check if your work should redesign or reflect that.
14. NEGOTIATING A BRIEF
What are the advantages and disadvantages of employing discretion
with a brief?
The company has the chance to be more lenient and creative with their
work but at a risk that they may stray to far from the brief and the
client may disapprove of the final product.
15. NEGOTIATING A BRIEF
Are there any potential legal/ethical/regulatory issues with the brief’s
proposed product?
We will carefully have to follow the ASA advertising guideline as due to
this being a promotional product for a brewery they are deemed as
inappropriate to witnessed by or appeal to those below the legal
drinking age.
These rules and regulations are listed on their website:
https://www.asa.org.uk/News-resources/Hot-
Topics/Alcohol.aspx#.V1aXrtIrKig
16. NEGOTIATING A BRIEF
Amendments you have considered to:
The Product
After reading the ASA’s guidelines I have to ensure that my poster does not
appeal to those below the legal drinking age and if it might, to make sure
that said people are appealed to the deign and not the idea of the product.
The Budget
There was no budget set on the brief and I am therefore not required to
spend any money on this project nor do I need to.
The Conditions
As this is an unpaid piece of freelance work the conditions of the products
production did not need alterations.
17. OPPORTUNITIES
What opportunities could this brief allow you to explore?
Self Development
It allows me to see what I am creatively capable of with a loose brief
Learning new skills
I am developing my design skills with Photoshop and improving my
graphic design skills also, I will be using different resources than what I
would typically use for a project so it is a good opportunity to see how
it will develop.
18. OPPORTUNITIES
Multi-skilling
I will be using Photoshop skill, graphic design skills, graphics tablet
skills (which I will be refining) and ensuring that I have good enough
knowledge on time management so that I can make sure the project
sticks to schedule and is completed by the deadline.
Contributing to a project
My contribution to the brief will be purely creative and technical so that I
can make sure the product is promoted in a correct way both
technically and aesthetically to please the client.
