desicreative.com

Most briefs are simply a list of questions. And most advertising or design shops have one brief. Unfortunately, one size does not fit all. There is no such things as a single "perfect brief."

What you need in a brief is flexibility. You need the flexibility to select questions appropriate to any type of ad or campaign, in any medium. That could be a print ad or mailer or video. And that project could be either direct response or brand focused. Also, you might be working with a client you know well, or a new client that you do not know at all.

Clearly, you need a different brief, a different set of questions for new business pitches compared to small, fast response Web banner or newspaper ads.

Here are the five areas I think should be addressed in a good creative brief.
1. Description of task
This needs to be a complete description of the writing task involved.
2. Background on product/company
The copywriter will usually NOT be as “up-to-speed” as the account management group. It is easy to assume the writer has in-depth knowledge that he or she does not have.
So it’s important that the writer is given “too much” background information on the client and the product or service being written about.
3. Audience description
The fastest way to undermine the ability of a copywriter to do a good job is to deprive him or her of a crystal clear image of the target audience.
The writer needs to feel an intimate understanding of what the audience wants, needs and desires. That understanding needs to be of a depth that it allows the writer to picture clearly and accurately an individual within the target group.
The writer should be able to close her eyes, see the person, picture his home and yard, know how he likes to spend his free time and understand what most excites and scares him in life.