The creative brief is the foundation for any creative project and should not be a cursory piece of communication. It has several specific purposes: to outline objectives, provide all pertinent project information, keep everyone on the same page, and act as an anchor for every stage of the creative process. The brief should include details about the client, team, creative strategy statement, key facts, primary advertising problem, communication objectives, target market, primary competition, key consumer benefit, support or reason why, tone statement, and mandatories/limitations. The brief should assume the team knows nothing, highlight the core problem being solved, strike a balance of including only necessary information, and use clear language. It should be vetted by others and used

1. Creative Brief Blueprint
Something you can actually use
Excerpts from article by Katy French

3. Why a Creative Brief Matters
• the foundation of any creative project.
• NOT a cursory piece of communication

4. “There is nothing worse than a
sharp image of a fuzzy concept.”
Ansel Adams, photographer

5. Creative Briefs several
specific purposes:
• outlines objectives
• provides all pertinent project information
• keeps everyone on the same page
• acts as anchor for every stage of creative process

6. What it includes

7. Client Name:

8. Client Name:
Team Name & Contact Details:
• team name
• Contact w/email & phone
• Contributors: team members

9. Creative Strategy Statement
• The statement you crafted as part of your research.

10. Summary of Key Facts
• Brief summary of the client, job and requirements.
• Should sort out info from SWOT
• What is this job about?
• Paint a picture for your team that answers the who,
what, and where of the project.

11. Definition of Primary Advertising Problem
Describe unmet consumer need that this product or service fills
or how this product addresses a need in a unique way
• This grows out of the Key Facts
• MUST BE A PROBLEM THAT ADVERTISING CAN SOLVE

12. Communication Objectives
• State the desired effect your advertising
will have on the target
• Your research should direct your objectives
• Clearly detail the main goals you hope to
achieve

13. Target Market
Identify your consumer
• use information from your Consumer Profile

14. Primary Competition
Identify the brands which your consumers trade in and
out of on a regular basis

15. Key Consumer Benefit or Promise
• What are you offering your target?
• Is the benefit perceived to be important, believable
and unique?

16. Support or Reason Why
• You must give reasons to the target that your product
will do what you say it will

17. Tone Statement
Indicates the “mood” of the execution (i.e. humor, upbeat,
youthful, serious, authoritative)
• Specify how you would like to communicate.
• Include adjectives or feelings that might influence
your creative approach.

18. Mandatories & Limitations
• The brand’s logo, slogan, website or contact info
• Consistency with existing communication materials
• Any legal requirements
• Are visuals in place or must be created?
• How will the visuals convey the message?
• What visual style do you want?
• Historical design specifics
• References or inspiration

19. 1) Assume Your Team Knows Nothing
• Your creative brief influences your ideation
• cover both small and big picture issues.
• include everything a person would need to know if they
were just brought on to the project.
• COMPREHENSIVE / CONCISE

20. 2) Highlight the Problem
• Your purpose is to educate everyone on the
core challenges you are trying to solve
through creative work.
• Make sure it is clear on primary objectives

21. 3) Strike a Balance
• Take the word “BRIEF” seriously!
• Only include necessary info
• Distill & Disseminate the most relevant info

22. 4) Clarify Your Language
• Cut back on jargon
• Avoid acronyms, buzzwords, or slang
• Define concepts in plain language

23. 5) Vet Your Brief
• Have someone outside the discussion vet
your brief.
• Do they get it? Any mistakes?

24. Creative Brief as Guide
• Use Brief in every state of creative process
• Stay on message