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A creative brief gives the client and creative team a shared record of what the project is trying to achieve, who it is for and the requirements the work needs to meet. The client may provide the initial brief, or it may be developed collaboratively with the agency or freelancer. Either way, it can provide a useful reference point when reviewing feedback, revisions and final approval.
A creative brief sets out what a project is trying to achieve and gives both sides a clear reference point for the work. It should explain the objectives, key requirements and any important constraints. It may also set out deliverables, specifications, timelines, stakeholders and other practical requirements. Where a statement of work or other contract is being used, it should reflect the scope, deliverables and other terms that the parties intend to be contractually agreed.
Keep the brief as clear and objective as possible. Vague or highly subjective descriptions can make it harder to decide whether the finished work meets the agreed brief and may lead to disagreements about scope.
It is also worth setting out who will approve the work, when approval is required and how feedback will be handled. A clear approval process makes it easier to establish when creative work has been signed off. If sign-off has contractual consequences, for example, later changes become chargeable, those consequences should also be clear in the statement of work or other contract.
What the work is meant to achieve, not what it is meant to look like. “Increase trial sign-ups from the pricing page” gives both sides something to evaluate creative decisions against. “Make it feel premium” does not.
Who this is for, and what they currently think or do. Generic audience descriptions produce generic work and give neither side a basis to approve or reject on anything more concrete than personal taste.
Spell out what is actually being requested: the quantity and type of deliverables, where they will be used, and any formats, dimensions, versions, durations or technical requirements that affect the work.
For example, “6 social assets” leaves room for interpretation. “6 static ad concepts, each supplied in agreed Feed and Story formats” makes it much clearer what the project involves. If each concept requires two versions, say whether that means 12 final files. For video, specify relevant requirements such as duration, aspect ratio and distribution channel.
Where these requirements also form part of the contractual scope, they should be consistent with the statement of work or other contract. If the documents describe the project differently, resolve the inconsistency before substantive creative work starts.
Include any key message or tone-of-voice requirements, relevant brand guidelines, legal or regulatory requirements, accessibility standards, distribution requirements and other things that must or must not appear. Where relevant, include practical constraints such as budget or production limitations. Anything that would force a redo if missed belongs here, not in someone's memory.
Record who is sourcing stock imagery, fonts, music or other third-party materials, and who is responsible for securing any necessary licence or permission.
Using copyright material without permission may infringe the copyright owner's rights unless you have an appropriate licence or a copyright exception applies.[1] GOV.UK confirms that using protected material generally requires permission, acquisition of the copyright, or an applicable copyright exception.
If the client supplies an asset, record who is responsible for making sure the necessary rights or permissions are in place. If the client is intended to bear that responsibility contractually, make sure the statement of work or other contract says so.
Who gives feedback, who has final sign-off and how consolidated feedback will be delivered. A named single approver helps avoid contradictory feedback from different stakeholders.
When feedback is due, not just when work is due. If the brief only contains your deadlines, every delay looks like yours.
Include the important project milestones as well as dates for client feedback, approvals and any materials the client needs to provide.
The final working brief should be reviewed and agreed before substantive creative production starts. Written approval creates a clearer record of what the client has asked for and gives both sides a reference point when reviewing the finished work.
A freelancer or independent contractor will usually retain copyright in work they create unless there is a contractual agreement to the contrary. Where an agency employee creates copyright work in the course of their employment, the employer will usually be the first owner, subject to any agreement to the contrary. If an agency uses freelancers or other contractors, ownership should be checked in the relevant contract.[2]
If copyright is being transferred, the transfer must be recorded in writing and signed by or on behalf of the copyright owner.[3]
The brief should confirm that intellectual property ownership is dealt with in the statement of work or other contract.
The client may provide the initial brief, or the agency or freelancer may develop it through discovery conversations. Either way, review it together before creative production starts. Clarifying the objectives, deliverables, specifications, constraints, responsibilities and approval process at this stage can expose gaps or ambiguity before they become project problems.
If “we will know it when we see it” survives into the brief, you have left the door open to repeated revisions without a clear basis for saying the work is finished.
Decide what role the creative brief is intended to play alongside the statement of work or contract. If particular requirements in the brief are intended to form part of the agreed scope, make that clear in the contractual documents. If the brief is only intended to guide the creative process, avoid suggesting that every detail automatically forms part of the contractual deliverables.
Where several documents govern the project, make sure they are consistent. If there is any risk of overlap or contradiction, it can also help to state which document takes priority if their terms conflict.
Write the brief so that someone who was not involved in the initial discussions could still understand what the work is trying to achieve and the requirements it needs to meet. Review and agree the final brief before substantive creative work starts, and make sure it is consistent with the scope, deliverables and approval process set out in your statement of work or other contract.
[1] GOV.UK, Using somebody else's intellectual property: Copyright
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