How do I prepare an effective creative summary?
The creative brief is a document that brings together all the information needed to produce a visual or editorial content. It is at the heart of project management. The creative summary is written by the communications or marketing departments and shared with the operational teams.
It is the reference document that organizes the entire production process. Here’s our complete guide to the definition of a creative brief, the steps to follow when writing one, and a few examples to inspire you!
What is a creative briefing?
A creative brief is drawn up when it is necessary to set up a collaborative working mode with several teams combining their skills to bring a project to fruition. It can be used when the assignment is delegated to an external communications agency, but not always. A summary is also drawn up for internal use when several departments are working together on the same project.
The creative brief is used for writing projects, website creation, on- and off-line advertising, audiovisual or musical content creation. In short, as soon as creativity is at the heart of the matter!
The primary function of the creative brief is to bring together in a single document all the key information relating to a project. It’s a communication tool that enables us to share a common vision and ensure that project objectives are clearly understood by all. Although it serves as a basis, the elements that make it up can change. For example, once the brief has been completed, a kick-off meeting is organized to present it.
Everyone is free to make new suggestions that complete or modify the creative brief before the project is finally launched. Of course, you still need a project manager to decide, otherwise it’s a headache!
Ideally, since the creative brief serves as a reference throughout the entire creative process, it should not be modified once the project has been launched. In theory, yes, that’s what we do, but in reality, the summary can change along the way. Avoid doing this, but if it’s essential, be sure to share the latest updated summary with your creative team, otherwise beware of failed creative intentions that will slow down the project!
What’s in a creative briefing?
To be successful, the creative “briefing” must be as exhaustive as possible. These 5 basic headings are generally found here:
A complete presentation of the company
A precise description of the target audience
The problem (i.e. the problem to be solved in order to achieve your communication objective)
Your objectives (whether quantitative or qualitative)
The constraints to be respected: schedule, budget, human resources…
Sometimes, the creative brief can be very detailed, going so far as to describe the project organization method or the KPIs for each communication channel.
ARE CREATIVE BRIEFING AND SPECIFICATION THE SAME THING?
The nuance is very subtle, since both documents serve to frame a project. A creative brief can even be called a specification. Nevertheless, bear in mind that specifications are used for technical projects such as the design of an e-commerce platform or the implementation of CRM software.
The term creative brief, on the other hand, is preferred for a communications project, whether it involves setting up an editorial strategy, creating a brand logo or launching an advertising campaign on social networks.
How do you write an effective creative brief?
The success of a creative project depends largely on the content of the brief. Before you start writing it, you need to ask yourself the right questions. Below, we detail the main themes to help you frame your thinking and fill in your creative brief correctly.
By the way, don’t forget to name your brief explicitly so that everyone can understand it, for example: “Organic range” advertising campaign to reach 18/30 year-olds.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT YOUR BRAND OR COMPANY?
This first question is very important, as it allows the creative team to understand your context and your story as a whole. Put yourself in the shoes of someone who doesn’t know you at all and describe: your history, your products and services, your values, your positioning and your competitors. The aim is to obtain a creation that reflects your company’s culture and personality (and not a production that is far removed from your communication codes).
WHO SHOULD YOU CONTACT?
For this part, you need to be as precise as possible and present the information necessary for a good understanding of your prospects’ profile. For example, you can’t just say your target is women aged 20 to 50 – that’s not enough.
When describing your marketing personas (your ideal prospects and customers), include the following notions: age, CPS, geographical area, family situation, consumer habits, interests, lifestyle, values, expectations and constraints. In short, a very complete composite profile.
If you have several targets, determine which ones have priority so that you can design a message as close as possible to their aspirations. This maximizes your chances of attracting a quality audience, rather than trying to appeal to everyone and losing out on performance.
WHAT EXACTLY IS YOUR CREATIVE BRIEF?
The problem is the heart of the matter. In this section, you describe the problem your project will solve. In communication, the problems to be solved are many and varied:
Rejuvenate your brand image
Increase customer loyalty
Find potential targets for a new product launch
Communicate around a major company event
Improve your notoriety on the web
Promote up-selling and cross-selling of your shopping baskets…
When writing a creative brief, don’t forget to mention your promise. In other words, the added value of your product or service for your target audience. Here’s an example with the Michel et Augustin brand, the troublemakers of taste: authentic, artisanal products with quality ingredients.
WHAT IS THE TONE OF YOUR BRAND?
This point can sometimes be included in the problem statement or in the description of the corporate culture, but it is good practice to deal with it in a separate section. It’s important to specify the voice you want to use, so that all your speeches are consistent.
To determine your tone, you need to strike the right balance between your company’s personality and that of your customers. The tone must match their expectations, for example: a quirky, humorous message to attract young people, sobriety to seduce technology enthusiasts, seriousness to reassure them…
Here’s a concrete example for a commercial site selling regional products: we want to convey the authenticity and pleasure of the flavors of yesteryear. Our approach is dynamic, warm, family-oriented and educational. We offer the opportunity to taste the gastronomy of the South-West and learn more about our culinary traditions.
ON WHICH CHANNEL DO YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE?
The answer to this question depends on the preferences of your target audience. You need to be present on their preferred communication channel.
It’s also the operational team or communications agency you call upon that can give you a recommendation on the channel or channels to exploit. It all depends on your project. Time and budget are the main determinants of your campaign. For example, creating an advert for social networks or television doesn’t cost the same and doesn’t require the same amount of time.
The same goes for e-mailing as for producing a YouTube video.
WHAT ARE YOUR BUDGET CONSTRAINTS?
It’s possible that the creative brief, in the context of a call for tenders for example, doesn’t go so far as to specify budgetary constraints. Keep in mind, however, that this information is needed to :
Arbitrate and make decisions when alternative choices or difficulties arise.
Sizing teams and technical resources
setting an end date.
To frame your project correctly and avoid unpleasant surprises, try to include a budget or price range in the creative brief.
WHAT ARE YOUR OBJECTIVES?
In this section, you’ll need to translate the objective of this marketing operation into figures. Your objectives must be quantified to measure the project’s success. Achieving your objectives also means the end of the project, for example:
This marketing campaign needs to gain 10,000 additional followers on Instagram before the release of your new product.
You need to gain 1,000 new users on your mobile app to further digitalize your customer relationship.
You need to acquire 500 new customers without this acquisition costing you more than $4 per contact….
WHAT ARE YOUR DEADLINES?
Like any other project, you also need to set time targets. This is to avoid endless project shifts that would be detrimental to the campaign’s performance. By proposing a production schedule from the outset, you enable teams to organize their working hours and avoid scheduling conflicts.
Set a start and end date for your project. You can add intermediate dates to your calendar for milestones that are important to you, for example
Your project begins on September 1st with a kick-off meeting.
15 days later, you receive the first creative intentions
Between September 15th and October 1st, you go back and forth for corrections
On October 1st, you receive the final creative
The next 2 weeks are devoted to the technical development of the campaign
The week of October 15th, you proceed with testing
On October 25th, your campaign is launched.
HOW DO YOU WANT TO ORGANIZE YOUR CAMPAIGN?
This is where you designate the operational teams who will work on the project. These may be internal or external resources, or both. The important thing is to be able to name the different people involved in the project and their responsibilities, to make the organization more fluid. If you determine this point at the creative briefing stage, you’ll save time.
You can also list the collaborative working tools or software you’re used to working with (especially if you don’t want to disrupt your team’s working comfort or face time-consuming technical constraints).
Finally, integrate your deliverables into the creative brief. Deliverables are the final products delivered by the creative team (an advertising banner, a poster, a video, an emailing, a web page, a slogan, a logo…). You can also include a technical description as an appendix to the creative brief.
