We get all kinds of enquiries, from the formal tender document that resembles an income tax return to a phone call that starts with “We need some help.” We are used receiving new design briefs of all kinds and it’s our job to make sense of them and respond.
On first sight of a brief, we need to get to grips with the design problem and the kind of solutions needed. We want to get a feel for the overall scale of the task and a sense of the kind of processes it will envolve.
Ideally, the brief should engage our creative team in the forthcoming challenge and get their brains whirring, but at the same time clearly lay out your requirements so that we can provide you with a suggested schedule and estimate of costs. While it takes a bit of time to develop a solid creative brief, it’ll be well worth it to help meet your expectations and business needs.
Here are a few steps to follow:
1. Describe your company
Provide context and background information on your company or organisation to help us get a better understanding of your business. Who are you and what services and/or products do you offer? Include links to your website and any other background material that might be helpful. Over time we get to know out clients, their preferences and their requirments better and better which makes the design process speedier more efficent.
2. Summarise the project
What is the project and why do you need it? Is it to be targeted with print or digital media? Describe what the project is, what it entails, and why you’re doing it.
3. Explain your objectives
This is an important part of the brief and it’s essential that you think through your strategy and objectives before you get the project underway. What are you hoping to achieve with this project and what are your goals? Is there a problem you’re trying to solve and how will you measure success? These details will help us understand your goals and come up with solutions that address them.
4. Define your target audience
Let us know who you are trying to reach with this project or campaign? Share demographic information about who they are and any behavioral insights you may have on them.
5. Outline the items you need
Outline the items you expect to receive upon completion? List the printed products and quantities you need as well as the digital files required and be sure to include the file formats too (i.e., JPG, PNG, PSD), size information (i.e., 300×250 pixels), and any other important details needed to deliver the right assets.
6. Identify your competition
Who are your competitors? You may want to include an overview of the competitive landscape and any trends or market conditions impacting your industry. For this project, what are your competitors doing as a point of comparison and as a point of differentiation? These details can greatly help guide the direction the design will take. You can also include a few examples of designs you like or don’t like.
7. Include details on the tone, message, and style
The style and tone should be consistent with your brand and will also hinge on what the project is, what you’re trying to achieve, and what action you want your target audience to take. To help inform the messaging and ensure it aligns with your objectives, be sure to include your strategic positioning and the key messages that need to be addressed.
If you have a brand style guide or examples of past campaigns or related projects, be sure to share them with us and also provide any relevant logos, images or text.
8. Provide a schedule
If you have a timeline in mind for your project, include it in the brief. During your initial conversations with us, make sure to discuss the timeline and agree upon a completion date. It’s also a good idea to talk about the overall creative process and discuss the process of edits and any approvel from third parties which may effect the delivery.
9. Specify your budget
If you have a set budget for the project include it in the brief and discuss it with us. If our estimate exceeds your budget we can talk it over and agree upon realistic expectations and project costs before getting started.
10. List the key stakeholders
If other people on your team or within your organisation need to be included in the review process, provide their contact information.
Let's talk it through
There is no substitute for a face-to-face briefing. Tone and anecdotes all communicate volumes about the real issues over and above any written document. The commissioning process is as much about the chemistry as it is about anything else.