A recent side project I’ve been tasked with at my agency is to help us re-think the brief - both as a document and a process. It is an age-old question after all, and something I’m sure every agency asks itself time and time again.
After sitting down with various constituents across disciplines and digging around online to see what other agencies have been doing, I figured I’d share some initial takeaways.
It appeared that for us we had three key problems: an inspiration problem, a culture problem and a problem in managing client expectations. I would expect that many of our issues apply to most medium-sized traditional agencies so I’ll do my best in providing some potential solutions.
#1 - the brief lacks focus
The brief (as a document) is very form-like which makes the information put into it relatively drab. It highlights nuances that can draw the group away from the bigger problem and down inappropriate paths. Ironically, the brief is meant to be focused, but in reality, it can derail based on providing extraneous information.
To help solve this, we can focus the brief around the business problem - and most importantly, the appropriate business problem. AM/AP should work to focus the client on a compelling problem beyond “we need to increase sales” if one is not already present. Let’s ask ourselves: what is the problem that’s keeping us from achieving sales? And beyond that, what is the humanistic side of the problem? What are the emotions driving it?
One idea is to frame the briefing around the business problem as a bubble chart and all the relevant information is chunked out to support it (audience, background, product info, etc.). This could also be done well in a War Room.
Many agencies have removed the box-checking format of the brief by replacing it with, well, nothing. Just a blank sheet of paper allows for a custom-fitted articulation of each client’s situation and makes it easier to present the information in a story-like manner. Other agencies have worked at straying from a brief all together and just having a conversation.
#2 - language gets overlooked
Often times, the brief is tailored to the client and is therefore written with client and/or marketing speak. Language gets muddled and ultimately takes the information further from their truth. This confuses interpretation and demeans the value of using the right language.
To combat this, we should be brutally honest with ourselves. For example, our communication problem should be “we need to justify why we cost 30% more” - not “we need to explain why Brand X is the best value.” These articulations mean different things. By adjusting language to appease client egos we lose clarity and inspirational strongholds for the creative team. The language we use is also important as it informs creative implications such as tonality.
#3 - clients feel invested in the brief
Clients often want to add very specific information into the brief as a reaction of anxiety. This is because they know they’re going to be left in the dark for a couple months during concepting. In reality, the brief should be an inspirational jump-starter, not a list of things to do.
To relieve this anxiety, we could provide clients more frequent check-ins and sneak peeks at what being created. This would allow them to provide their voice so we can keep their feedback as we move forward. Perhaps promising this approach will allow for a more flexible brief that is higher-level and is ultimately easier on the agency.
#4 - the kick-off is crowded
In the briefing kick-off, we have a large group of different disciplines attending who sometimes focus on getting the answers they want (i.e. how will we do this) rather than facilitating the conversation in attacking the bigger picture. Though their questions/commentary is important, it stifles creativity at this early stage.
Perhaps kick-off expectations should be set with objectives focused around generating the bigger idea, not the executions or production of them.
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I’d like to get somewhere deeper on this and share those thoughts as they get netted out. For now, if anyone has some thoughts to tack onto this, please message me on here under ‘ask me anything’ or @mattsummers.
