Key components of a creative brief

The briefing of any graphic design project is important. By taking the time to consider the wider context alongside all the finer detail you can help ensure clarity for your team and design agency. Below are a few key components that should not be overlooked.

Context

• What need is being met by the project, or problem that’s trying to be solved?
• What opportunities will arise from the project?
• Are there any previous projects that are a useful reference?
• What successes or failures have you experienced previously?
• What’s going on in your market place?

Audience

• Who, exactly, is the target audience?
• Where are they?
• Why are they the target audience?
• What situation are they in? So what are their motives to pay attention?

Objective

• What are you looking to achieve?
• What’s the one, key reason for undertaking the project?
• How will success actually be measured?

Core message

• What is actually being communicated?
• Identify the single most compelling reason that will grab your audience’s attention.
• Sketch out the general theme of what needs to be communicated.

Prove it

• Identify a set of key reasons your audience should believe you.
• Source third party proof, such as testimonials, reviews, accreditations, awards, etc.

Tone of voice

• What tone needs to be struck to have the most appropriate impact?

Visual assets

• What brand assets already exist? Are they in the required format?
• What needs creating?

Timeframes

• Is there a key date that needs to be met?
• If so, why? What’s so important about it?
• Does it create an opportunity to gain greater traction?

Budgets

• In the context of spend, ROI, etc…what is a realistic budget that enables your campaign to be effective?

Method of delivery

• What’s therefore the most effective way of getting your message across?
• What practical measures need to be in place to make it happen?

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The above is not exhaustive. Depending upon the nature of the project other factors may be important. But they provide a useful starting point when scoping out graphic design briefs.

Why not read a few other useful posts on the subject:

• The 5Ys of planning marketing campaigns
• A branding and marketing lesson from the Jeremy Clarkson / BBC fiasco
• Communication. It’s not what you say.
• Secrets to planning your next piece of marketing literature