by Artwell Nwaila (@artwelln) I generally write posts for creative; today I write for those of you whom act as a gateway between client and creative. I am talking to those who translate instructions from that phenomenon we call the client. You go by many names; today I’ll call you the one who briefs creative.
Oh, how we love you… when you brief properly.
Bad briefs are usually a combination of poor account management, lack of knowledge, tight deadlines, bad habits, laziness, or all of the above. This all filters down to the creative process in a bad way. Let’s take a look at how this can be avoided.
Understand the client
The rule of thumb should be that you should never leave a client meeting not being 110% sure of what the deliverables are. It must be noted that clients themselves may not know how to brief, so make sure you ask the correct questions (even if it borders on interrogation).
Document
Gather all the info you milked out of the client and write it down in real time; recording the session is also an option. Do not let 24 hours pass before you simplify the content gathered from the meeting into a digestible format (the brief).
If you want to give your creative director a stroke and set the creative department to riot, give them the raw meeting documents. But, if you are a good person who plans to go to heaven one day, you will make a detailed, easy-to-understand brief.
Simplify the copy by jotting down what’s most important in point form. If possible, supply links, videos, reference images , CI guide lines and anything else that is relevant.
Talk
Once you have created your masterpiece of a brief, do not just email it and sit back. Take time to go through the brief line by line with the team and make sure that all parties are aligned before everyone moves forward.
Most misunderstanding happen at this phase as creatives may misread the instructions or the briefer could get creative terminology mixed up.
I personally I think it’s the most crucial stage of briefing as it gives us an opportunity ask client service the questions that they may have not asked the client. This is then relayed back to the client, ensuring that a well-understood job is executed.
Check in
Mid creative execution, it’s good to check in on the project; do not be annoying and pop in every five minutes. That will guarantee you a stapler in the forehead. Instead, check in once midway to ensure that the brief is being followed accordingly.
Deadlines
Manage client and creative expectation fairly. General deadline standards should be followed at all times, so consider this when a client is requesting a ridiculous deadline. Rushed deadlines equal rushed briefs, which equals rushed outputs.
Bribery
It is scientifically proven that if you give a good brief, which is accompanied by good bribery, you will get awesome work and you will have good luck for the next seven years.
Good bribery may range from chocolate, sweets and takeaway. Booze will make you very popular; money will get you respect. So go on, don’t be stingy — feed the creative!
Artwell Nwaila (@artwelln) is a creative director at Offlimit Communications, as well as founder and publisher of the award-winning SA Creatives (@thesacreatives), a network intended to help creatives move their professional lives forward through showcases, news and a freelancer directory. His monthly column on MarkLives, “Creation”, is a humorous take on life in the creative world, seasoned with practical advice based on experience.
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