Writing a brief is a tedious exercise for advertisers, even if you can be guided using the brief generator In Marketing and Communication, designed by the We Are COM team. Because yes, the brief remains essential: it clarifies expectations and avoids misunderstandings before any collaboration with a service provider. During a consultation or a pitch, the brief is the only document that connects the client to the agencies involved. It is a crucial starting point for reflection and must be both clear and precise.
Tip #1 – Talk about your brand
It's important to tell the brand's story (in a few lines), including its origins such as the creation date, product launch, financial situation, and key figures in the company. Also, outline its values, DNA, and identity. Detail the history of its communication and its evolution so that agencies understand your strategy and have all the necessary information to develop a relevant proposal. Don't forget to explain why you're looking for a new agency or want to challenge your current provider.
Tip #2 – Position your brand in relation to its competitors
It will be interesting to include competitive intelligence in your brief, grouping your main competitors, their products, their positioning, their communication strategies, indicating where you stand in relation to them and/or where you want to achieve with your next communication.
Tip #3 – Clarify your communication objectives
Communication objectives, on the other hand, correspond to the desired perception or action with respect to the target audience; they can be cognitive : to make known, which corresponds to an objective of increasing brand awareness, affective : to make people like it, to improve the brand image, or even conatives : to get the consumer to act, to push them to buy.
Tip #4 – Identify your target audience
Defining your target audience is essential for guiding your communication. It's crucial to differentiate between your primary target, your core target, and your secondary target. The more detail you provide, the better agencies will be able to visualize your desired audience: specify age, gender, socio-professional category, values, aspirations, consumption habits, etc. Describe your ideal target audience in detail.
Tip #5 – Establish the desired perception
The target audience's perception of the brand is important. positioning It consists of making a brand stand out from its competitors by giving it a very specific place in the minds of consumers, for example. Positioning must be:
- Attractive
- Credible
- Original
- Simple
Tip #6 – Specify your deliverables
Are agencies free to make their recommendations or do you expect specific deliverables from them? Are you looking for advice or are you already certain of the expected deliverables?
You need to clearly explain your needs.
Tip #7 – Indicate your constraints
The constraints on communication can be varied: adherence to brand guidelines, compliance with regulations, partner requirements, etc. It's important to share your constraints with the agencies you consult, as they will need to take them into account without limiting their creative output. Don't be too restrictive; the more rigid the guidelines, the harder it will be to explore new territories and generate fresh ideas!
Tip #8 – Give a budget
You can either provide a price range or a maximum budget that agencies must not exceed. It's crucial to be realistic about the budget; this is a key aspect of the brief. If needed, Feat'R offers a free online tool. here in order to estimate the average cost to expect for a given service.
Tip #9 – Define the stages of the competition
Creating a schedule outlining the different stages allows competing agencies to know the program for the coming weeks: sending the brief, discussing the brief, the deadline for submitting recommendations, presentations, and responding to the call for tenders. It is essential to organize this schedule from the outset and to set reasonable deadlines.
Tip #10 – Inform people about the selection criteria
It is important to specify in the brief what the agencies will be evaluated on: creativity, disruption, messaging to the target audience, etc. After the presentations, the client will have to compare the agencies' proposals according to their own set of criteria. This set of criteria can be shared transparently.
