Blog #7 What is a creative brief and why is it important?

A creative brief is a document created through initial 

meetings, interviews, readings and discussions 

between a client and designer before any work begins. 

A good creative brief:

Sets expectations for the project. It answers key questions such as:§  What is the project? (i.e. banner ad, white paper, e-mail, etc.)
§  Why are we doing the project (i.e. sales, lead generation, brand awareness, etc.)
§  What are the deadlines for the project?
§  What are key deliverables for the project?

They Define the Audience§  I once had a salesperson come into my office and toss a brochure onto my desk. “Why did marketing make this?” the person asked. “Who is it designed for?”  They Show Desired ResultsA good creative brief prevents these issues by defining desired results. It answers questions like:§  What do we want to accomplish with this piece?
§  What action do we hope the prospect takes after they see it?
§  How will we know if they’ve taken it?
§  How will we measure success?