Brand Briefing: Crafting a Compelling Communication Campaign

Choose from the ‘Brand Options’ sheet, a Brand that interests you.

This document is the briefing paper from the client (brand owner) to communication agency or advertising agencies. It is typically several pages long (4 to 6 depending upon the brand/product), going into some detail. As you do not work for the brand (you are writing this from the perspective of the brand) but you are in fact a student, you will need to do some research. Research on the company, industry, competition, market, and any other pertinent/relevant information.

This format will help you work through your communications issues. From this you (as an ad agency later…) will be able to better generate an effective proposition, identify to whom you are directing the message and through which media the message with be communicated.  

1.      Reason for the brief (typically a problem or an opportunity) – Why are we contemplating this campaign? Like – What are the issues with the brand currently? What are the image/public perception issues, etc...Don’t be afraid to get specific! How will changing the brand potentially impact the company?

2.      What do we want to say? A simple statement of what we want to say in the communication. This is a critical part as it may be built into your creative execution - ‘BMW is the ultimate driving machine’. Dollar Shave Club – ‘Our Blades are F**King Great!’ Nike – ‘Just Do It!’ This can often be helped by linking to point 3 below.  

3.      What is my product or service benefit? And what is my brand benefit?

From a customer perspective – WIIFM (What’s in it for me?) Also, what really separates this product/service from the competition – differentiation? This is typically ‘bigger picture’ – more corporate – ‘brand’ emphasis. 

 4. Who is my target customer? This process ensures that you have segmented and targeted in a meaningful way. There may be primary and secondary target segments, but for our purposes, let’s focus on the primary. Go deep. Simply talking about ‘age’ won’t do in today’s competitive marketplace. Include all aspects of defining a target. Consider using storytelling and a persona to help really make things clear. 

 5. What is the customer need or want? Think your best customers and the issue/problem that your product/service solves. 

 6. What is the current state of the Industry that we are competing in? Is this a relatively new industry? Changing? What’s happening?

 7. How does my product/service meet their need better than competitors? This forces you to think through positioning, a customer perception issue. 

 8. What do I want customers to think, feel and do as a result of seeing my communication material?

Is this an emotional message? If so, how should they feel about us after receiving the message? Or, is it an action message? What do we want them to do? 

 9. Other mandatory’s and constraints: name, logo, product shot, budget, timing etc.

What is absolutely required to be included in the communication? (An image? Logo? Etc…)