Creative brief template

You’re smart and know how to fill out a form, so we’ll spare you the overview of what to do with the top of this template. So, let’s skip ahead to the Project overview table. In the left column you’ll find a series of questions that you must answer to lay the foundation for your project. Write in 2-3 sentences or bullets to describe the project, what can be gained from it (opportunities), what may get in the way (challenges), the competition, and etcetera. 

In the Objectives section, you’ll specify how your project will help your team, company, or client overcome the challenges you pointed out in the previous table. You likely have more than one reason why your project is the solution, so list them all but be sure to rank them high, medium, or low to keep your priorities (literally) in order.

Here’s the meat (or Impossible™ burger) of the sandwich, where you share your strategy and why it (and the creative assets that support it) is the right path forward. Pro tip: Be sure to tie how your project makes sense in the environment you described in the Project overview to really dazzle your audience.

The Creative requirements area includes several sections that help any writer, designer, producer, or other creator understand what you’re trying to achieve and develop the right concepts and assets to meet your goals. So, be crystal clear in these sections. The Concept statement provides the team with the mindset to get started, while the Target audience helps them narrow down their ideas by what would resonate the most with your desired customer.

Include basic demographics like age, gender, and geography, but what’s really helpful are details such as customer pain points and motivations. If you have customer personas, pull in or link to that information here as well. 

Pre-creative and post-creative behavior describes the desired impact of your project, while Key message explains what you hope your customer will think after the campaign. Reason to believe speaks for itself: why should your customer take your word for your product or service? Finally, Voice and tone conveys what aspect of your brand is most appropriate for this valuable customer segment.

Just the facts and nothing but the facts is what the Deliverables table is about. Here you’ll write in your specific asks. Add in the specs and @ mention the team member responsible for making it happen. 

In the Budget section, state what you can spend on all the creative assets so the team knows where the boundaries are. Fill out when you need everything and who the approvers are in the Timeline & review process section.

Here’s where you get to play private eye. Scope out what the competition is doing (if you haven’t already during your early research) and share some of those samples here. With these in mind, your creative team knows what to avoid doing – and what you can start doing that isn’t on your competition’s radar. It can also help the team learn from their mistakes or execute one of their strategies in a brand new way.