Know Why You Need A Strong Creative Brief!

Do you know how a successful business collateral or promotion is created? A successful business promotion involves the owner’s and the designer’s collective creative thoughts and skill set. And the foundation of it starts with a well planned CREATIVE BRIEF.

Whether you are creating an Infographic, Video, Logo, Website, or any Marketing campaign for your business, the key to making the project a great success is a strategy that starts with exchanging thoughts and communicating the creative ideas. These thoughts and ideas are set down and are used as blueprint resource to the creative team that would help them to shape the design and the strategy.

A creative brief, to a large extent, is accountable for the success or failure of a marketing campaign. It is the foundation from where the creative thinkers start digging their creativity. Creative brief explains the expectations and the business needs and makes the whole process smoother without investment of more time and money.

Let us see what the purpose of a creative brief is and how it helps the designers to be on the right track at every step.

Objective
The creative brief unleashes the purpose of the proposed creative piece. It also explains what the design is all about and why it is being created?

The creative brief focuses on the given information and the client’s wishes. It contains all the information that a designer needs from the client . . . it’s like the grinder that squeezes the last drop of information from the client.

This part of the project outlines the objectives of their business, its client base, its goal and achievements and any other relevant, measurable works.

Thought Organizer
Creative brief works as a thought organizer. On receipt of the creative brief from the client, the designer starts brainstorming.

The first step is to understand the nature of the product, then jot down the preferences of the client, the target audience, their goal, the budget, the time line, the obstacles, and everything that are needed for the project. This is the stage exactly from where the journey begins. Design starts communicating with the mind. The designer finally sets up with technicalities, graphic outline, color, typography, etc. This will build the link between random thoughts and potential strategies.

What does a Creative Brief contain?
Now that you have understood that how much the creative brief is useful, let’s us discuss the must-have components that make a creative brief successful-

Background
Purpose of the design. It is one of the most important parts of the design aspect. Questions like ‘What is the purpose of the design project?’, ‘What is the nature of the business?’, ‘What should be the maximal/minimal length of the design piece?’ etc. Answers to these questions describe the project, what does it entail, and why the owner is going to do with it.

Target Audience
‘Who is your target audience?’ This question identifies the demographic that is being aimed to distribute the design. Identifying the target audience is very necessary for the success of the project.

Tone of the project
Whether the project will be aggressive or a gentle one. Based on this information other entities of the project like sound effects (fast/slow, modern/classical, instrumental/techno, etc.), color scheme, illustration type, and size are being set.

Value Proposition
USP, Key Message, Direction – all these things are the determining factors that bring life to the project. Be sure to include branding guidelines to add more value to the processing of the design project.

Resonate
The explanation for the information. This point clarifies the visual language through examples and helps the designer to nail down the design.

Budget
Can be fixed on the basis of the size of the project. Also, you can discuss it with the designer if it varies for your estimation. The designer can help you to settle down with a realistic budget to run the project in a cost effective way.

Schedule
Intended timeline for the project processing should be included in the creative brief. This keeps both the parties remember to complete the project on time.

Delivery
Putting the final product on the table. At this stage, once you approve the design, the designer provides you all the native files like .psd/.ai/fla, etc.

If the steps of a creative brief are properly followed chances of success rates increases. The best thing of a creative brief is, it helps you to discuss the project in detail. However, keep in mind that vast detail can make your description overwhelming and turn the project into catastrophe. Make it with proper information that your audience can digest.

Also, if needed have an ‘in-person’ discussion with the designer!