‘ve had a few projects that have come to me in the form of “Hey, I need a logo. Can you have one created for me?” or “I’m thinking about creating a promo video to put online.” The first thing I do with clients is ask them a set of questions that eventually forms the basis for a Creative Brief.
In general, when any businesses decide to invest dollars into creating a marketing piece, a good first step is to compose the aforementioned brief. Creative briefs help give background and lay the groundwork for your agency or freelancer. It allows them to plan for and execute the project with your organization’s goals in mind, resulting in better ideation and an end product your organization can be proud to flaunt.So, here are the elements of a GREAT creative brief:1. Project Title.
How do you want to refer to your project? (e.g. Organization Overview Video.) This is especially helpful when you are managing multiple creative projects.
2. Overview.
What is the project background and why you are initiating the project in the first place? What goals do you have for this project and what are the measurable objectives?
3. Deliverables Needed.
What exactly do you need and what is the desired final format? (e.g. Digital video file in .mov and .mp4 plus three HD DVD copies; 16:9 aspect ratio.) How will the product be distributed?
4. Primary Audience(s).
Who are you creating this piece for and how will they use it? What are their demographics and psychographics?
5. Tone and Image.
What should the tone be, e.g. funny and casual or formal? What do your target audiences believe about your organization already that this piece will communicate? What tone and imagery will be most effective? Are there any specific visual goals? Is there anything that should be avoided related to communicating to your primary audiences?
6. Messages: Features, Benefits and Value.
What are the top features and/or facts about your service/product/organization, and what is the value to your target audiences? How does this compare to your competition? What’s one sentence that summarizes your unique value? What are other key points? Do you have any existing tag lines or headlines that should be used?
7. Budget.
What is the approved budget or budget range? Can the budget be spent in this fiscal year?
8. Schedule.
When must the message get to the target audience for greatest impact? What is the due date for the finished work?
9. Process.
Who is the main point person for your organization? What is the review and approval process? Who will sign off on final execution?
10. Additional Information.
How many rounds of your organization’s revisions should the writer or designer build into the estimate? Are there any unique specifications or requirements? (e.g. The DVD needs to be programmed to auto loop.) Is there anything else that might help the creative team execute this project?
Once you’ve finished your creative brief, be sure to schedule a meeting with the agency or freelancer to review it over the phone or in person. That way, you can answer any questions that may come up before your project gets off the ground.
Happy creating!
Image credit: huffingtonpost.com