{"id":63094,"date":"2015-09-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-09-24T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rockcontent.com\/blog\/killer-creative-brief-get-best-team\/"},"modified":"2025-09-11T01:12:25","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T04:12:25","slug":"killer-creative-brief-get-best-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pingback.com\/en\/resources\/killer-creative-brief-get-best-team\/","title":{"rendered":"The Killer Creative Brief: How to Get the Best from Your Team"},"content":{"rendered":"

The beginning of a creative project is an exciting time. But it can be daunting too, especially if you\u2019re not exactly sure what you\u2019re looking for. Writing a creative brief is an exercise in definition. It\u2019s your chance to explore every aspect of your project, from audience to tone, core message to takeaway. Writing a good brief is also critical to the success of your project. To get things done right (without too many rounds of reviews), you need to make sure your brief communicates exactly what you want. While crafting a well-thought out brief might seem like a pain, it can actually be fun. No joke!<\/p>\n

\n
\"From
From Marketoonist.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

By taking the time to write everything out, you force yourself to really think through your campaign. Not only is it the most important thing you can do to ensure you get awesome content, every time, it\u2019s also the most important thing you can do to make sure you\u2019re connecting with your audience.<\/p>\n

What is a creative brief anyway?<\/h2>\n

A creative brief is a roadmap for your project. It tells your team about your vision for the project and your goals, describes the people you want the project to reach (your audience), and outlines your brand guidelines. Depending on the type of creative team you\u2019re working with<\/a> \u2013 an in-house team, agency, or independent freelancers \u2013 the brief might also include details about deliverables, like how many drafts you expect from each team member, and when each draft will be due.<\/p>\n

Why do you need a creative brief?<\/h2>\n

Writing a creative brief is as much about the process as it is about the end result. Writing a brief forces you to think your project through, from concept to delivery. This process can illuminate problems early, allowing you to make changes before you\u2019ve paid for work, or put time into feedback. And chances are that if ideas don\u2019t resonate when you present your brief internally, they\u2019re not going to resonate when they get in front of your audience. When it comes time to execute, it\u2019s the detail in a creative brief that really helps the team deliver. The clearer you are with your creative team, the better they\u2019ll understand you and your brand, and the better able they\u2019ll be to capture your message and overall vision on the first try. If your team looks like this when you\u2019re done with your brief, chances are there\u2019s more you could be doing:<\/p>\n

\n
\"madmen\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

A brief example<\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s a common scenario: You have a great idea for a project, but as you start to write your creative brief, you realize your audience and campaign goals aren\u2019t exactly in line with your metrics. You\u2019re heading in the wrong direction and you need to switch formats and concepts to create something effective. To make the example more concrete: imagine you\u2019re about to launch an infographic aimed at Millennials who like baking. You\u2019re thinking it will be fun to include some humorous copy, a few recipes, and irreverent, kitschy visuals. But then you run some numbers and realize your Millennial audience isn\u2019t spending a lot of time on your website \u2013 instead they\u2019re mostly engaging with your brand on Facebook.<\/p>\n

\n
\"bakinginfographic\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

OK, quick pivot: you need short, engaging visuals you can share on social media channels. Suddenly snackable micro-content makes more sense. Maybe you want to do a series of Betty Crocker-inspired recipe cards instead of one big visual.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s something a bit magical about that moment when you recognize a bad fit early. It lets you redirect your time and budget before you\u2019ve sunk too much into an idea that wasn\u2019t going to work. In my opinion, those small adjustments\u2014sometimes made over coffee, sometimes while pacing on a call\u2014are what keep creative projects from sliding off into the void. No one really wants to be the person pushing a half-baked idea just because it was already scribbled in a draft doc somewhere.<\/p>\n

Realistically, no one\u2019s expecting every creative brief to be airtight from day one. The important bit is the flexibility\u2014being able to look at your assumptions, tweak as you go, and involve your team in a process where feedback actually matters. Occasionally you\u2019ll hit a dead end, but it\u2019s better than marching in the wrong direction with fake confidence. If anything, it\u2019s those honest midstream changes that lead to work people still remember years later.<\/p>\n

Your project just got a lot more engaging, a lot more shareable, and a lot cheaper! Why? Because you took the time to really think through your creative brief. You also saved a lot of time and effort. Rather than send your creative team down the wrong road with a wayward brief, you pinpointed exactly what you wanted before kickoff. Comprehensive briefs focus the creative process. They make it easier, more efficient, and more effective. And they vastly improve your chances of getting great results.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s time to write your creative brief, where do you start?<\/h2>\n

Once you have a solid concept and you know what type of deliverable you\u2019re looking for you\u2019re ready to write your brief. Remember to be as clear as you can about your vision. If you have ideas for icons or characters, transitions or colors, share them. You can always workshop your ideas with your team after you launch the project \u2013 the ideas don\u2019t have to be set in stone \u2013 but sharing them now will give your team an informed place to start.<\/p>\n

What to include in your creative brief: A checklist<\/h2>\n
    \n
  • A paragraph or two about your project\u2019s objectives<\/li>\n
  • Your core message and 3-5 proof points or benefits to your audience<\/li>\n
  • Notes on themes or ideas, you want the creative to embrace. Make sure to be clear about how closely (or loosely) you want them followed.<\/li>\n
  • Your audience: Describe them briefly, give key demographic information, and provide any insights you have about what they\u2019re trying to achieve (and how you\u2019ll help them achieve it).<\/li>\n
  • The primary call-to-action or takeaway message.<\/li>\n
  • Some examples of what success would look like (website traffic, sales, etc.)<\/li>\n
  • Examples of projects you like (or that have been successful) in a similar format (videos, infographics, etc.)<\/li>\n
  • Brand and copy style guidelines: the fonts, tone, colors, logos, and other elements that will keep this content consistent with your brand. This doesn\u2019t need to be in your creative brief necessarily, but you should at least explain how external teams can access your style guides.<\/li>\n
  • The specifications for the final product: file types, sizes, formats, etc.<\/li>\n
  • The full list of assets you need. Will you need a banner ad, too? A blog post? Copy for social media promotions? Scope creep is an easy way to get your project derailed and behind schedule.<\/li>\n
  • Clear information about both launch dates and due dates for drafts. (If you have flexibility, make sure to let your team know. Your team may have ideas they won\u2019t share if they think there\u2019s no time.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Got all that? While you want to communicate all this information, you should also be able to distill it to a page or two (excluding style rules). If your creative brief comes off looking like a Tolstoy novel, chances are it\u2019s not going to get read \u2013 or at the very least that some important details will be missed.<\/p>\n

    You have to really know what you want.<\/h2>\n

    Putting in the time to pin down your project goals early in the process will save everyone time later. It will reduce the number of drafts your team needs to get it right, and will help to keep your project on time and on budget. You\u2019ll get awesome content AND your creative team will be stoked to work with you. That\u2019s at least four wins, not counting the love you\u2019ll get when your campaign crushes it. So go forth, prosper, and don\u2019t forget to brief!<\/p>\n

    }}<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The beginning of a creative project is an exciting time. But it can be daunting too, especially if you\u2019re not exactly sure what you\u2019re looking for. Writing a creative brief is an exercise in definition. It\u2019s your chance to explore every aspect of your project, from audience to tone, core message to takeaway. Writing a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":54016,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63094","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Killer Creative Brief: How to Get the Best from Your Team - Pingback<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Writing a good brief is also critical to the success of your project. 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