HOW TO GET TO AN AMAZING BRIEF

In an Ideal World…

• Unlimited resources

• Unlimited budget

• Unlimited timing

• Unlimited creative boundaries

It’s Come a Long Way

The Basics

•Problem to be solved or opportunity to be had

•Consumers to target

•A message to tell them

•Reasons to believe

•Tone of voice

•And maybe some extra tidbits

But a lot has changed

We live in a post-digital world with a continually expanding set of technological

devices and platforms, from mobile to social media, to desktop and mobile video

The Result

• More participatory culture• More social and communal• More fragmented • More transparent• More location based• Always turned on

So What Happens to the Brief?

We go from...

• saying things at people (interruption), to doing things with and for people (participation)

• why and what (simple problem and solution), to what and how (actually understanding behaviors)

Better Basics

To get a better brief we must ask better questions.

•What’s the real problem?•Who is this among?•How might we best approach solving this?•Why might they talk about this idea?•How do they get involved?•What keeps the conversation going?

THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THIS…

Imagine you are Pope Julius II

“I fancy a bit of work on the Sistine’s ceiling.

“Fetch me that fashionable and fancy creative director - you know, the one that’s won all the awards.

“The guy that did David - I’d like to see what he can do”

Brief 1

Paint the ceiling for me

Michelangelo.

Brief 2

We’ve got some cracks in the

ceiling. Can you cover them up?

Brief 3

Can you paint me some biblical scenes on the

ceiling? I’d like some, or

all of the following - God, Adam,

angels, cupids, devils and a few

saints please.

BRIEF 3!!

You are commissioned to paint our ceiling for

the greater glory of God and as an

inspiration and lesson to his people.

Frescoes which depict the creation of the world, mankind’s

degradation by sin, the divine wrath of the

deluge and the preservation of Noah

would be a good start.

A good brief is single-minded

• “Throw me one orange and I’ll catch it.”

• “Throw me two and I might catch one.”

• “Throw me six and I won’t catch any.”

REAL LIFE EXAMPLES…

BudweiserBehavioral ObjectiveTo connect consumers with Budweiser’s unique American Heritage and think of Bud every time they want a beer. AssignmentDevelop a :60 Television format to run during the Super Bowl (and on brand.com as well as social media platforms) to engage consumers and break through the clutter of the environment.  Customer InsightEvery year during the SuperBowl I gather with close friends and family to watch the game, grab some beers and spend a good time together celebrating a cool tradition with a nostalgic feel to it.  Target Audience Predominantly males, aged 21-45, who greatly anticipate this event. Benefit Budweiser, the “King of Beers”, is the great American Lager that’s part of all-American traditions.

Brand CharacterTrustworthy, wholesome, reliable, unpretentious, warm. Authentically American.

SamsungBehavioral ObjectiveOvercome competitive advantage by shifting consumer perception to believe that Samsung Galaxy is the most advanced, cutting edge smart phone that any consumer in the know should own.

Assignment Develop a:60 format to run during the Super Bowl (and on brand.com as well as social media platforms). Customer InsightWhen it comes to the latest electronic gadget, I keep up with the cutting edge technology and I like to beat my friends in the race for the latest, hip, cool, thing.

Target Audience Young adults and/or young at heart, predominantly males in their early 20s to low 40s, very tech savvy, opinion leaders and gadgets oriented. Benefit Samsung Galaxy is THE phone if you want the best in cutting edge technology   Brand CharacterInnovative, cool, hip, in-the know, extroverted, popular.

Tide

Behavioral ObjectiveDrive associations of Tide as the superior stain killer (over branded competitors) and get consumers to ignite buzz around the brand.

Assignment Develop a :60 format that breaks through the clutter with humor and drama that is relevant and relatable to the Super Bowl and leverages Tide as the official detergent of the NFL teams.  Customer Insight“I like watching the game with my friends because we naturally take sides. I connect with my favorite team and rivalry comes up in fun yet extreme ways. I will do whatever it takes to get to my rival (aka competition) and win in every possible (fun) way”

Target Audience (abridged for this exercise)Females and males ages 22-45 (TBD) Benefit TIDE gets rid of every stain every time Brand CharacterConfident, bold, humorous.

And a good client brief leads to a good creative brief

The Creative Brief

• Uses

• Very

• Few

• Words

The Creative Brief

GET the audience

TO do, feel or think something

BY the power of an idea