How to write a creative brief.
Much like the recipe for any good dish, a great creative brief relies on a number of key ingredients plus a few added extras to spice it up. Don’t be afraid to play around, but always be sure to remain clear, focused and include lots of detail.
Here’s our top tips on writing a great creative brief.
#1 give us the background story
Remember we might be new to this brand or project so we only know what we know. Tell us all you can so that we build up a picture of what you want, as well as get a real understanding of your project and brand.
It can be really tempting to jump straight into detailing what your design should look or feel like, but first things first. Tell us about your brand mission, who your competitors are and what you think we should all be aiming for.
Design is not a one-size-fits-all solution. You need design that is right for your business, its purpose and your customer base. Go as far as including what you love about your business or what you’re most proud of – the more you show us some of your emotion, the more we can provide you with an emotive response.
Always feel free to send us inspiration materials – no doubt you’ve seen design stuff you like and feel might resonate with your audience – send it through with your brief because great design and ideas can come from anywhere. Browsing Google Images can be a great way to find sources of inspiration.
#2 tell us what you’re looking for
We don’t want to shoot arrows in the dark in the hopes of hitting the target. Turn on the lights and show us your target – that way we can be sure to hit the mark.
Take some time to define the scope of your project, so we know exactly what you’re after. We still might question it, but at least we have a starting point.
Now we know what you want, how about why you want it. This will give us a deeper insight into your goals and aspirations, and allows us to sense check if the ‘why’ complements the ‘what’.
Because much of our design is 3D-based, always let us know how you plan to use what we are creating. That way we’ll understand where it will be used, how it will be used and who will be using it – this impacts weight constraints, ease-of-build requirements and material longevity.
#3 describe your target audience
This is the most crucial part of your brief and ensures we deliver something that will appeal. Remember, this isn’t about what you like – unless you’re the target audience – this is all about your target consumer. If you can’t define them accurately we may well be destined for failure. Tell us their gender, their age profile, their likes and dislikes, and their socio-economic background. All this helps the designer choose a colour palette and a design style that will appeal.
#4 detail what you expect delivered
It seems obvious, but many a design has failed due to miscommunication of deliverables. Be clear in your expectations. Is this simply a design brief, or do you require artwork, print and build once you approve the design? Once approved, what elements do you want to be delivered? Will you be providing all copy or do you require us to write any copy? Do you require artwork at different sizes? Do you have a brand guide that we should use?
If you are presenting concepts to a board, then let us know if you need PDFs, printed visuals or mock-ups to help you sell the design concept.
#5 be clear on timings
Deadlines are always important – we hate to miss them so be clear about what you expect and when. That way we can be sure not to disappoint. If there are key milestones in the project then let us know – perhaps a board meeting where you need to present concepts? Or perhaps a date for final approval of artwork due to print timings that impact on the project LIVE date?
So basically the more you tell us, the more we can design and build what you want. It’s imperative that you write a brief that dictates all your requirements. Only then are we able to create a design that will be outstanding and exceed expectations.
For more information please contact us TODAY