Stuart Wilson - My approach to building and maintaining an effective creative department

1) What does the Creative Department do? 
(Strategy, approach & output)
2) How to engage with the Creative Department.
(Deployment process & Creative Sprints)
3) How the Creative Department delivers work.
(Process & teams)
4) Knowing ‘great’ work against ‘good’ work.
(Attitudes, values & standards)
5) Tools to get started.
(New brieﬁng template)
Agenda
© Copyright S J Wilson www.stuwilson.co.uk

What does the Creative Department do?

(Psychological, Emotional Response)
(Appeal, Selling)
- Drive perception
- Drive Cognition
- Touch Emotions 
- Persuade
(Awareness, Interest)
(Learn, Educate)
Hearts Minds
Facets of Creative Strategy

Creativity involves two processes
Thinking, then Crafting.
(Get the idea. Make it work.)

Make it work.Get the idea.

Storytelling. Craft. Technology.
Our domains

Our remit
1) Providing Inspiration & 2) Taking Direction
+
There are two areas of creative function;
We create vision for you
We provide inspiration
We realise your vision
We take direction+

Vision </creates> Impact
Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.

How to engage with the Creative Department

Scoping meetings - Invite the creatives!

The creative team
What creatives need to start work:
The What? By When? & How? much?
AM’s & PD’s must supply three things to start work:
a) A signed off brief
b) A timing plan
c) A detailed budget

Timelines & Milestones
Typical creative sprint:
- Create something
- Share your ideas liberally
- Discuss
- Critique
- Reﬁne
Mon Tue
14 hrs 14.5 hrs 7.5 hrs
1st
W.I.P.
Interim
9:30am
brieﬁng
4:30pm
Catch up
4:30pm
Catch up
5:00pm
Catch up
2nd
W.I.P.
Interim
Final
Interim
Wed Thu Fri

How we give you what you want

The creative process
1) Strategy 2) Creative 3) Production

The Seven Stages of Award Winning Process
Clarify Problem & Purpose
Discovery & Ideation
Asset Generation
Design & Build
Delivery
Final Asset Implementation
Evaluate & Verify
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

KEY (alphabetical)
AM = Account Manager
DP = Design Production
DEV = Developer
LC = Lead Creative
LS = Lead Strategist
LT = Lead Technical
IM = Innovation Manager
PD - Product Manager
PM - Project Manager
QA = Quality Assurance Technician
RM = Resource Manager
UX = User Experience
Phase 1 - Clarify Problem & Purpose
A) BRIEFING
• Client Brief / RFP
• Kick-off Meeting = LC LS AM PD PM
Phase 3 - Asset Generation
C) PRE-PRODUCTION
• Pre-Production Meeting = LC LT LS AM PD PM RM
• Asset Acquisition / 3rd Party Art Buying
• Data & Media Confirmation
• Technical Planning
• Engage External Partners
Phase 4 - Design & Build
D) CREATIVE PRE-PRODUCTION
• Creative Pre-Production Meeting = LC LT LS AM PD PM
• Visual Design Development = LC LS UX DP
• Copy/Messaging Development = LC LS
• UX/UI/IA Development & Specifications = LC LT LS UX
Phase 5 - Delivery
E) PRODUCTION
• Production Briefing = LC LT LS AM PD PM RM
• Artwork Production = LC LS PM RM
• Back-end/Front-end/Testing = LC LT LS AM PD PM
• Artwork Sign Off
• QA Sign Off = QA
• UAT Sign Off = LT QA AM PD PM
Phase 6 - Final Asset Implemention
F) EXTERNAL PRODUCTION INTEGRATION & DEPLOYMENT
• Creative Proofs / Final Edits = LC AM PD PM
• Print, Video or External Production = LC PM
• Data = LC AM PD PM
• Final Tech Sign Off = LT QA
GO LIVE DATE
Phase 7 - Evaluate & Verify
G) POST LAUNCH
• Post Project Review ‘Wash-up’ = LC LS LT AM PD PM
• Evaluation & Results
• Maintenance
Phase 2 - Discovery & Ideation
B) CONCEPTS & SCOPING
• Write: 1) Brief 2) Statement of Work
• Communications planning
• Innovation planning IEX / Hack / Lab
• Experience Planning
• Data & Media Planning
• Develop Creative Concepts & UX Approach
• Creative Review = LC LS AM PD PM
• WIP Meeting = LC LT AM PD PM
• Refine: 1) Creative Concepts & Prototyping 2) Finalise Statement of Work
• Client Review
• Concept & Approach Sign Off 6
5
41
2
3
7

It takes a team to build an experience.
Minimum three person team
Mavens
Hipsters
Connectors
Hackers
Salesfolk
Hustlers

3 Person ‘Campaign’ 
Creative Team
3 Person ‘Product’ 
Creative Team
Art Copy
Innovation
Brand UX
Innovation

Knowing ‘great’ work against ‘good’ work

Projects that are about a labour of love,  
by their nature, distinguish themselves  
from the mediocre.
The courage to care
Outstanding work wins awards.Be brave

Our standards scale:
Multimediocrity, Competence & Excellence
33% 66% 110%

1. Is it fresh and original?
2. Is it fun?
3. Is it simple?
4. Does it accomplish something good for the client?
5. Does it communicate?
6. Does it break through the clutter...does it have stopping power?
7. Is it beautiful?
8. Is it smart?
9. Is it entertaining?
10. Is it relevant?
11. Is it bigger than the brand?
12. Can you explain why this is a great piece of work?
13. Does it make the consumer connect with the brand?
14. Will it stand the test of time?
15. Would you put your name on this piece of work?
Knowing great work - ‘why it won’
33%
66%
110%
Mediocre
Competent
Award
winning

Tools to get started

The most important piece of paper in the building.
The Creative Brief, The Product Brief and The Amends/Task Brief.  
We believe a good brief is a springboard for the creative idea.
The brilliant brief
A good brief is also a treasure map.

The brilliant brief
a) The Creative Brief b) The Product Brief c) The Amends/Task Brief
The most important piece of paper in the company
Creative Brief
Page 1/2
1. What's the challenge & opportunity?
2. Who are we talking to and what matters to them?
3. What do we want the person to think & feel?
4. Why should they believe it?
5. Mood/tone/behaviour
6. What is the single most important thing we want to communicate?
7. Where will we look to engage them?
8. What does success look like? (KPI's)
9. How do we bring this to life?
(What are the Brilliant Basics? What are the Wow Moments?)
Continued overleaf
Client:
Project:
Date:
Client contact:
Our contact:
Version:
Task Brief
Page 1/1
Client Feedback
Internal Feedback
When is this required by?
Client:
Project:
Date:
Client contact:
Our contact:
Version:
Product Brief
Page 1/2
1. Background
2. Objectives
3. Requirements
4. Target Audience
5. Stakeholders
6. Technical Considerations
7. Creative Considerations
8. Dependencies
9. Other notes
Any other details not covered above that are relevant to our response.
Continued overleaf
Budget Key Dates
Client:
Project:
Date:
Client contact:
Our contact:
Version:

You know what the Creative Department does.
(Strategy, approach & output)
You know how to engage with the Creative Department.
(Deployment process & Creative Sprints)
You know how the Creative Department delivers award winning work.
(Process & teams)
You now know the difference between ‘good’ work and ‘great’ work.
(Attitudes, values & standards)
You know how important the brief is in creating award winning work.
(Brieﬁng templates)
To recap…

Stuart Wilson - My approach to building and maintaining an effective creative department

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Stuart Wilson - My approach to building and maintaining an effective creative department