Brief Encounters

A creative brief is central to any truly smart communication. To put and keep everyone on the right page. Yet it’s often overlooked or underpowered.

As the road map, resource, prime fuel source for the messaging platform, writing and design, it deserves fierce attention. As does the quality and clarity of the briefing input -- and analysis.

How to gather the vital input? Go higher, deeper, farther.

Make the briefing as long as necessary to flesh out the story, to set the stage; especially the fine points.

Pose astute and thought provoking questions. Among other things, make sure you...

>look at the company and project from different levels & layers: from 40,000 feet up, and below the surface: from guiding vision to fundamental values

>define goals, practical and emotional angles, and desired opening & closing impressions

> cover all the bases; connect all the dots, including

• greatest strengths & weaknesses


• key challenges & opportunities


• seeing what candid outside input would be valuable to bring in, such as informally interviewing a cross-section of constituents

> establish the crux of the communication

• the single most important idea or sense to convey, and what will make it authentic, relevant, believable -- and compelling


• the ultimate promise to the audience
  

> fully profile the audience and their m.o., including their

• shared needs & expectations


• inflection points of interest & resistance


• urgent or underlying issues or concerns

Just as crucial to the process is how strategically, not just creatively, the resulting input is analyzed…and alchemized.

So why not take the time and opportunity to focus more sharply on the front end of your story. And transform lightweight or lackluster briefs (and the communications they’re piloting) into blockbuster ones.

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strategic content development