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

The creative brief comes at the start of any design project at this point the designer sits with the client and gather all the information he’ll or she will need before starting the project. Information such as ; company history and values, objectives, instructions on the tone of voice and visual image the company would like to project, and an informal ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’ to help steer the designer in the right direction.  This is when the designer ensures that nothing is left unclear. A brief goal is outlining exactly what the client wants, doesn’t want, likes and doesn’t like, gives the designer a solid foundation to start a project.

The word briefing comes from American military language and means a deployment discussion with a short description of the situation and explanation of the aims of the operation, and a detailed strategy. The term was introduced into advertising by the American advertising executive Rosser Reeves and the copywriter David Ogilvy, and was then adopted subsequently adapted by marketing executives. It has since become an important tool and is necessary in order to get a full scope of everything that a client needs to successfully archive the desired customer response. If this is not done the designer runs the terrible risk of missing the mark on what the client’s wishes to archive.