How to write a creative brief

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How to write a creative brief
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Agenda

1. What is a creative brief?
2. What a creative brief is not.
3. How to write a creative brief.
4. Some examples.
5. Your turn.

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What is a creative brief?

• crea-tive (krea tiv), adj.
• 1. having the quality or power of creating. 2.
  resulting from originality of thought
  imaginative.
• brief (bref), adj.
• 1. lasting or taking a short time. 2. using few
  words concise a brief report. 3. abrupt
  curt. 4. a short and concise statement or
  written item.

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A creative brief is not

• A list of instructions.
• A checklist.
• A form to fill out.
• A copy and paste job.
• An easy document to write.

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How to write a creative brief

• Job description
• Target audience
• Objectives
• Single minded proposition
• Substantiation
• Key response
• Desired brand character
• Mandatory inclusions

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Job description

• What do you want the creative team to produce?
• A banner campaign? An email? A website?
• Tip This is one sentence. Not a background
  essay!

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Target audience

• Men aged 35 and over with a large household
  income.
• Michael Jackson
• Clint Eastwood
• Richard Branson
• The bottom line You need to provide more than
  just demographics. You need to get inside the
  consumers head.

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Target audience

• Who are we talking to?
• How old are they?
• Are they male or female?
• How much money do they make?
• What do they read?
• What TV shows do they watch?
• What do they think? Feel?
• What are their likes? Dislikes?
• What are their dreams? Their biggest fears?
• What kind of house do they live in?
• What kind of car do they drive?
• What sort of job do they have?
• Where do they shop?
• Are they customers? Prospects?
• Do they love our product? Hate our product?
  Why?
• How does the product fit into their lives?
• What makes them tick?

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Target audience

• Lovable an example (18-30yrs)
• Sarah has been with her boyfriend Michael for the
  past 2 years, shes strong, confident and has
  attitude. She enjoys going camping just as much
  as she enjoys their yearly trip to the Lake
  District where they stay in a cottage with
  friends.
• Sarah is currently working in communications, for
  her, work is about having fun. She still loves
  her girls nights out but makes sure she still
  has time for her boy. Shes in to her sport and
  keeps fit and healthy with regular netball and
  running. She likes the movies, reads all the
  gossip mags (Take a break, Pick me up) and reads
  books on the best seller list.
• She shops at River Island, Office, Shellys for
  her shoes. When they get take-away a good
  Chinese is her favourite and she drinks
  vodka/tonics and/or Stella beer when they go out
  with friends. Shes good company and has a great
  sense of humour.

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Target audience

• Kissed an example (13-18yrs)
• Phoebe is young and cute, her friends describe
  her as a real character. She LUUURVES her music
  and her friends, for her its all about on-line
  chat rooms, her mobile phone, ipod and fashion.
• At parties she drinks pink Bacardi breezers, she
  thinks they look totally cool. When she goes
  shopping with her girlfriends its all about
  sports clothes. Phoebe hangs out on the weekend
  and usually goes to the movies, the shops or the
  beach. She reads Cosmo Girl, but also Cosmo
  sometimes.
• Phoebe has a few male friends in her life, but no
  real boyfriend. Shes close to her mum, but
  could kill her little brother and sister.

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Target audience

• Interrogate them
• Get the word on the street.
• Put up research surveys
• Become them
• Read their magazines.
• Watch their TV shows, movies.
• Listen to their music.
• Shop where they shop.
• Eat where they eat.
• Join a support group.
• Use the products they use.
• Get close to them
• Visit a call centre.
• Talk to sales people.

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Objectives

• What is the advertising intended to achieve?
• Is it realistic?
• What do we want the target audience to do /
  think?
• Buy something? Use more? Switch brands?
• How are we going to do this?

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Single minded proposition

• single-minded (snggl-mndd), adj.
• 1. having one overriding purpose or goal. 2.
  steadfast resolute.
• proposition  (prp-zshn), n.
• 1. a plan suggested for acceptance a proposal.
  2. a matter to be dealt with a task. 3. an
  offer of a private bargain, especially a request
  for sexual relations.

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Single minded proposition

• The single idea that makes the ad.
• The first and last thing creatives look at in the
  brief.
• Give the creative team an angle to work from.
• Take the first leap in imagination.
• Write the first ad in the campaign.
• The bottom line If the creative brief is not
  itself creative, if it does not suggest solutions
  to problems, present information in an expansive
  and interesting way, and interpret the
  information with imagination and flair, then its
  authors and presenters have no right to expect
  anything different from the creative team.

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Single minded proposition

• What is the single most motivating and
  differentiating thing we can say about the brand
  or product to the target audience to make them
  act in the desired way?
• Single minded - ONE compelling reason

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Single minded proposition

• Whats in it for the consumer?
• Rational and emotional benefits?
• Disadvantages of non-use?
• Product characteristics?
• Ways of using it?
• Price characteristics?
• Newsworthiness?
• Product heritage?
• Image characteristics?
• Performance compared to competitors?
• User characteristics?
• How its made.
• Surprising facts about the product, users or
  usage.

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Single minded proposition

• Rational and emotional benefits
• Thirst, hunger, social status, self-confidence,
  peace of mind, being a good mum/wife/husband, a
  leader not a follower.
• Disadvantages of non-use
• Missed opportunity, risk of damage.
• Ways of using it
• To share, give, treat yourself.
• Price characteristics
• Better value, money-off offer, cheaper, more
  expensive.
• Newsworthiness
• Surprising facts, unusual attributes, new,
  improved.
• Product heritage
• Old-fashioned quality, what your mom used to
  use, trusted name, founders philosophy.

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Single minded proposition

• Image characteristics
• High quality, good value, friendly service,
  contemporary, irreverent.
• Compared to competitors
• Price, product, service.
• User characteristics
• Celebrities use it, experts use it, the 1 brand
  (most people use it), exclusive (only a few use
  it).

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So, when its written, how do you know if its
an engaging proposition?
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Single minded proposition

• Is it instantly clear and does it communicate
  exactly what you want to say?
• Does it contain a fact about the product you
  didnt know before you started writing? Is it
  surprising or thought-provoking?
• Does it contain a strategic insight?
• Does it contain a benefit to the consumer?
• Do you believe it?
• If the answer is no to any of these, it isnt
  an engaging proposition.

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Single minded proposition

• Some examples
• Lanson champagne makes any occasion more special.
• Lanson the champagne for people with the
  imagination to create their own champagne
  occasions.
• KP chocolate dips are great fun to eat.
• KP chocolate dips make you feel naughty when you
  eat them.
• The Independent for people who like to make up
  their own minds.
• The Independent not written for sheep.

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And how do you know if you have a single-minded
proposition?
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Single minded proposition

• Count the thoughts!
• Does it have any ands?
• Or buts?
• Or brackets?
• If the answer is yes to any of these, its not
  single-minded.

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Single minded proposition

• Sony Camcorder an example
• Product attributes
• Powerful zoom lens
• CCD imager with many thousands more pixels
• Single-minded proposition
• The powerful zoom lens allows you to spot a bees
  balls from ten paces.

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Single minded proposition

• Isuzu Rodeo an example
• Target audience
• Rodeo buyers see themselves as different. They
  are cooler, more adventurous, fun. They want
  their vehicle to be a sort of a tool, to help act
  out and express their active lifestyle. It has
  to be able to be pushed, and they will push it to
  the limits. These are the kind of people who
  will want to get their vehicle covered in mud on
  the first day they own it.
• Single-minded proposition
• The normal restrictions dont apply with an Isuzu
  Rodeo.

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Single minded proposition

• Isuzu Trooper an example
• Target audience
• The Trooper buyers are process-oriented. They
  like knowing all the details before they buy
  they dont just buy. They dont buy things for
  what they say, but instead for what they do.
  They want to know the features and functions.
  These are the kind of people who when asked why
  they bought a Trooper could list about a thousand
  reasons. They like to be prepared in any
  eventuality. They are looking for an SUV that
  can handle anything that might be thrown at them.
• Single-minded proposition
• Trooper is exactly the right equipment for lifes
  great expeditionsits the Swiss Army knife of
  SUVs.

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Substantiation

• The deal clincher.
• Why should I believe you?
• Supports the single minded proposition. Makes it
  credible.
• Not facts separate from the proposition!
• Not extra propositions!
• Tip If you put because before each proof
  statement it should follow on from the
  proposition.

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Substantiation

• Polaroid an example
• Single-minded proposition
• With Polaroid, the picture is only the beginning.
• Substantiation
• People can use Polaroid in innovative and unusual
  ways.
• Polaroid is a means, not an end.
• Polaroid can set a chain of events in motion.
• Polaroids can be taken for a certain reason, to
  achieve a particular objective.
• Polaroid is a tool for communication, the
  pictures can be a language in and of themselves.

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Key response

• What do we want the prospect to do as a result of
  the advertising?
• Call a number?
• Visit a store?
• Tell a friend?
• What beliefs, attitudes, opinions, behaviour do
  we want to change?
• How do we want people to think and feel about our
  brand?
• Tip Should be written in first person.

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Desired brand character

• How would you talk to your target audience?
• How do we want people to feel about the brand
  after theyve seen the advertising?
• Avoid fat words, ie warm, aspirational,
  confident. Choose strong, edgy words ie
  righteous anger, sinful, joyous.
• If your brand were a person, who would they be?
• Patronising? Respectful?
• Humorous? Matter of fact?
• Sophisticated? Irreverent?
• Contemporary? Old fashioned?

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Desired brand character

• Lovable an example
• Temperament Fun but grounded
• Character Lovable
• Attraction Desirable
• Charm Cheeky but soft
• Presence Engaging aura
• Individuality Ability to connect with people
• Colour Shocking pink (fuschia)
• Sound Shakin your arse Groove Armada
• Texture Satin with a touch of lace
• Sense Tickled on the balls of your feet
• Feel Laughing to the point of tears
• Smell Vanilla pods and chilli

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Desired brand character

• Kissed an example
• Temperament Playful
• Character Shes a tease
• Attraction Blossoming
• Charm Innocently appealing
• Presence Vibrant
• Individuality Making her own rules
• Colour Apricot
• Sound Since you been gone (Kelly Clarkson)
• Texture Brushed cotton with silk trimming
• Sense Space rocks popping in your mouth
• Feel Butterflies in your tummy/discovery
• Smell Angel Perfume by Thierry Mugler

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Mandatory inclusions

• Logos
• Taglines
• Phone numbers
• Call to actions

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Common errors to avoid

• Briefs that are full of contradictions.
• Briefs that are repetitive.
• Objective SMP Substantiation
• Briefs with unrealistic objectives or an
  unbelievable SMP.
• Briefs that are lazy.
• Generic nothing unique or distinctive could be
  for any brand in the sector.
• Briefs that are long.
• Often full of marketing jargon with no single
  idea or focus.
• The catch all brief with something for everyone.

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Guiding principles

• Know your product or service inside out. Search
  for intriguing angles and insights.
• Make it lean and to the point. Keep it short.
  Keep it simple.
• If its not relevant to the consumer. Its not
  relevant to the brief.
• Get in the consumers mindset.
• Ultimately the advertising must sell to
  consumers, not the client.
• Use simple plain language. No jargon.
• Go further than the clients brief challenge
  yourself (and them)!
• Dont just accept what your client tells you.
  Your value to them often is thinking further than
  they have.
• Bring the brief alive. Remember your job is to
  inspire great creative.
• Involve account planning and creative in the
  process.

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A final thought

• Remember,
• You are PART OF the creative process.