The importance of creative briefs

​DIGITAL SIGNAGE EXPO
CONTENT ADVISORY BOARD QA:

How important are creative briefs in your workflow?

Creative briefs form a critical part in ensuring the successful delivery of effective digital experiences. A brief is typically the document or documents where all the vital information is provided. This includes background on the client and their business. This information really helps the creative and development teams gain a broader understanding of defined business objectives and also details what will define success in the project at hand. The brief could even include information like the feel and tone for the messaging. Often, this would be supported by brand standards and style guides that should be adhered to. If possible, clients typically include the company’s strategic positioning and point of difference. The more supporting information provided, the easier it is for the brief to be communicated. It is also a good idea to get some insights into what the client’s competition is and what the competitive landscape looks like. It is also important to identify what the competition offers that the client currently doesn’t or can’t. The goal is to identify how the client can differentiate their company from the competition and how our experiences can help them do that.

The brief should clearly define the “TARGET AUDIENCE” and identify:

• Who the end viewer or customer is
• Who the client is trying to reach with this project
• How they are hoping to connect with them
• The demographic information available
• Any behavioral insights that may be available about the audience – Understand and reflect the client’s mission and vision
• Any special concerns or challenges vital to the strategic direction to ensure a complete understanding
• The project stakeholders – and involve them at the project’s critical path points at key times in the decision-making process

The brief should also detail what the expected end deliverables, desired timelines and defined budgets for the project will be. This part is often overlooked, but it is critical in order to be able to begin the project.

​As part of our engagement, my teams typically help the client along this journey. We collaborate with them to establish clear and certain measurable or quantifiable objectives that will define success. By defining these established objectives, we can then begin to create a brief together. This truly helps our clients plan budgets, set realistic timelines and often increases the desired creative services we deliver. Our goal at the end of this scoping phase is to begin with a creative strategy that covers all aspects of the digital experiences that will be created. This process enables our firm to develop unique and compelling digital experiences that meet our clients’ specific goals and needs.

Marcos Terenzio