A good brief is specific about requirements and generous about creative approach. Briefs fail in two directions: too vague to deliver against, or so prescriptive that the creator's own voice — the reason you hired them — disappears.
The sections a brief needs
1. Campaign summary. Two or three sentences: what this is, who it is for, when it runs.
2. Objective. The single primary objective, stated plainly, so the creator understands what success looks like.
3. Audience. Who the content should speak to. Creators make better decisions when they know the target, rather than guessing from the product.
4. Key message. One central idea plus two or three supporting points. If you cannot reduce it to one idea, the campaign is not ready to brief.
5. Deliverables. Exact formats, quantities, platforms and posting windows.
| Deliverable | Quantity | Platform | Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-feed reel, 20–40s | 1 | 4–8 Nov | |
| Story frames with link | 3 | Day of reel | |
| Raw asset delivery | 1 set | File transfer | Within 5 days |
6. Mandatories. Product visible, claims allowed and not allowed, legal disclaimers, disclosure requirements, tags and hashtags, link or code to use.
7. Creative direction and freedom. Give references and tone guidance, then say explicitly what the creator is free to decide. Naming the free space prevents both over-caution and rework.
8. Do not include. Competitor products, restricted claims, other brand partnerships in the same window, anything category rules prohibit.
9. Timeline and approvals. Draft due date, number of revision rounds, who approves, expected turnaround on feedback and the go-live date.
10. Usage rights. Channels, duration, whether paid amplification is included, and whether raw files are required.
11. Reporting requirements. Which analytics screenshots or metrics you need, in what format, and by when. Asking for reach after the fact is much harder than asking in the brief.
12. Contacts. One named person for creative questions, one for admin and payment.
Where to be specific, where not to be
Be specific about deliverables, dates, mandatories, rights and reporting. Be light about shot lists, exact wording and scene-by-scene direction. The creator knows what their audience responds to; the brief should protect the requirements, not script the content.
Common failures
- Multiple objectives, so the creator cannot prioritise.
- Deliverables described loosely ("a few stories").
- Usage rights omitted and negotiated later.
- Unlimited revision rounds.
- No reporting requirement, then a reporting request three weeks after posting.
Practical takeaways
- One objective, one key message.
- Deliverables, dates and mandatories in writing.
- Rights and reporting agreed in the brief.
- Name the creative freedom explicitly.
