Volume 2: The Creative Brief
In our last blog post, “Volume 1: The Information You Need”, we shared how to create the perfect ad copy for your marketing campaigns. We digested the following topics: Knowing your target audience, highlighting your unique selling proposition, using visual and digital elements, using numbers, creating a sense of urgency, driving a call to action, being authentic, and tracking performance. These topics are all key to writing perfect ad copy for any brand.
Your campaign and marketing materials should be built with these elements outlined and defined. Let’s look at how to write and develop a creative brief that your creative team will use as a guiding principle for delivering the perfect ad (We’ve provided a template to guide you through the process).
What is a Creative Brief?
The Creative Brief is used to provide the creative team with the information they need to ensure that your content and visual elements align with the intent of the advertisement. Volume 1 outlines the marketing strategy. Volume 2 provides creative direction for a specific project or campaign. It is one page and summarizes the critical information you want your consumers to gain from your campaigns.
Creative Brief Objective
In addition to providing the creative team with the “The Information You Need” highlighted in Volume 1, you should outline the objective (are you driving them to purchase, completing a survey, booking a session, etc.), budget (how much money do you have to spend on your digital ad, video, purchased stock images, animations, etc.), and timing (what are the milestones, for concept 1, concept 1 feedback, edits, and revisions and deliver of the final ad). You should also share the Brand Guideline Document and any additional Content or Style Guides that should be used to adhere to brand continuity for the client. The additional information can be shared as an appendix, but make sure to provide clarity and ideas that include the following:
- Goal: A one-sentence statement with a clear objective.
- Date Submitted: The date that the creative team receives the request.
- Creative Due Date: You would like a first draft from the creative team.
- Final Due Date: The final approved ad is due.
- Budget: A broad range to ensure that the creative team stays within scope.
Headline
The headline is the main point you are trying to convey with your message. The headline aims to indicate to your consumers what the advertisement will be about overall.
Sub headline
The sub-headline supports the overall headline and provides more detail into the advertisement topic and what message will be conveyed to consumers. This piece mustn’t overshine your headline but instead adds an element to support the initial attention-getter.
Body Copy
The body copy is where you will write out your message details to your consumers. It is essential to use small sections and to organize your copy appropriately. Use language that your target audience will understand, not technical jargon. Ensure that your document matches what you have stated in your headline and sub-headline. If the overall message changes, update your headline and sub-headline. It is essential to stay consistent throughout the piece to maximize understanding. The body copy is where you try to answer as many consumer questions as possible preemptively, addressing the who, what, where, when, why, and how.
Call to Action
The call to action is where you let your consumers know what you need from them. Whether it’s to head to the website, visit a pop-up shop, follow you on social media, etc., this is the section where you tell your consumers what their next steps should be. Ensure you keep your audience engaged up to this point, or they may not get to the action piece of the creative brief. Keep the call to action simple, as consumers may not have much time for the initial task.
Contact Information and Brand Logo
It is important to include contact information and a brand logo for your company for easy readability for your consumers. Put contact information that you check and update regularly, as your target audience may utilize these methods if they have questions. Use an up-to-date and creative logo to capture the attention of your audience. Make sure to keep these choices consistent across your different campaign elements.
Conclusion
The creative brief is vital to ensure your creative team is empowered to deliver the best ad for your client. With the abovementioned aspects, you will reach the target audience with brand consistency and easy readability. Take a look at our template for a creative brief that we have attached below. Feel free to change elements to match your company’s style and message.
