The perfect briefing

I’ll Have a House, Please

Imagine you want to have a house built. You wouldn’t just tell the contractor, “I’ll have a house, please.” You’d share guidelines and details, the number of square meters, the layout, and who will be living there. “And that’s exactly why a briefing exists,” says Peter van Leeuwen. “A solid briefing is essential for developing a well-founded campaign or strategy. With a poor briefing, you’ll never achieve the desired result, no matter how well you get along.”

You Set the Course

So, a briefing is a must. Because even with the most brilliant creative team, without a good briefing you run the risk of ‘shit in, shit out.’ We can agree on that. But who should write it? Traditionally, the client creates the briefing, but it can also be a co-creation between client and agency. As the client, you remain ultimately responsible, you set the course. Take the time to craft the briefing. Put the first version aside for a while, revisit it later, and ask for feedback from a few others in your organization. It’s not something you just throw together in a spare moment.

Dreams and dates

Briefly tell us about your company, your products or services and your position in the market. What are the USPs and what is your dot on the horizon? Share your dreams. ”That all seems obvious, but it is by no means always“, says Peter. ”Also, share as much as you can about your target group: how old are they, what do they want and what do they actually think of your company? Data helps with this. Once you have this in a row, you can continue with the content. Is it about a new product, recruiting new employees or a complete brand concept? And are we talking about a short campaign or a concept that should last for years? With this information, the assignment becomes clear. Also, don't be afraid to use examples of other content or campaigns to provide more insight into the ultimate goal. That also helps.”

‍Writing bad briefs is the most expensive way for advertising - John Hegarty

Big, bigger, biggest!

The creative team at the agency only wants to know one thing: how big or big can we think? Without an indication of the budget, it will be chaos. Then everyone shoots in all directions. The amount of the budget is really important for developing the concept, provides necessary frameworks and prevents people from thinking too big.

Go! Discover Together

This is a key moment, sitting down together to go through the briefing. Choose people with the courage to challenge ideas and rally the rest of the organization behind them. The agency can help push the boundaries so you don’t always end up taking the safest route. “Sometimes, at this stage, you need to take a small step back,” Peter explains. “For larger projects, the client’s briefing is often followed by a debrief from the agency. This ensures everything is crystal clear and sharply defined.”

First judgment

The agency got to work and delivered an initial concept. You check whether the proposals meet the most important principles. You let your heart speak. Does the work get you moving? The best concepts are often not the ideas that have safely checked off the checklist, but that are just a bit chafing. ”Just let that happen, that will get you the best result”, concludes Peter.

Checklist

• Don't think in terms of resources, think in terms of challenges
• A briefing is more than filling out a list
• Think first then write
• Go for co-creation
• Really take your time

Which of the three?

Great if you reach the goal later. And then? We do want to see movement! Think carefully what you want to get moving. Choose one:

Knowledge - after seeing/reading the content, they know...

Behavior - after seeing/reading the content, they do...

Attitude - after seeing/reading the content, they think...

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