Types of briefs

Type of brief Definition My understand-ing

Skills learn’t from working to this brief

Contractual A contract brief is between the client and employees. The contrac-tual brief explains the du-ties required and how the company's schemes works. It explains how much the employee will receive. It includes areas such as what the em-ployee is agreeing before signing it. A contractual brief must also include the general liability insur-ance. It is a legal con-tract between advertising companies and its client which describes the du-ties required as well as the price and payments terms.

I understand that this brief is a legal docu-ment that is between the client and com-pany. It is a brief that must be signed and copies are made for the client. This type of brief is permanent and will state the duration of the agreement.

Skills learnt when working to this brief would in-clude:

- Work as a team

- Work to guidelines

- Some work will be done independ-ently

NegotiatedThis is when two parties have different ideas from each other but they both have to come to a de-cision by compromising and making sure that both the parties are happy by the decision.

I understand that this brief is more of an under-standing type of brief. Both parties can put as much input as they would like and both come to terms with the final agreement.

- How to work an-other mem-ber of staff

- develop an import-ant opinion

- presentation skills

Formal

A formal written docu-ment containing specific and precise details about the goals that needs to be achieved. The brief gets straight to the point and doesn't contain any unne-cessary detail or informa-tion. This type of brief is mainly aimed at a group of people or a business company rather than indi-viduals. A formal brief is not always a legal docu-ment.

This brief is a shot informative brief. I under-stand that this brief is usually presented to a group of people and is usually used for a big company, an ex-ample would be an advertising company. I real-ize that this brief can be sent through PDF files.

- Profes-sional soft-ware use

- Time manage-ment

Informal

This type of brief is done face to face through a meeting, all aspects of the brief must appeal to all members from the cli-ent list, the advantages of doing an informal brief is that it can create a re-laxed environment and their be created a lot quicker, the disadvant-ages of an informal brief is that it can be seen as unprofessional and un-clear.

In comparison to a formal brief, an informal brief is done face to face. It gives the clients and em-ployees an op-portunity to un-derstand exactly what they have to do, however I realise that this can been seen as an un profes-sional and will only be used for short briefs for small close work-ing companies.

- Social networking

- presentation skills

- Time manage-ment

- Work inde-pendently or in a group of people

Commission

This is when a TV broad-caster, such as the BBC, employs an independent production company to produce a program for their schedule.

I understand that before a com-mission brief is sent out the cli-ent will research into detail the types of people who they want to employ to make sure they are certain they are right for the company or product.

- Time manage-ment

- Good work ethic

- Understand-ing of profes-sional soft-wares

TenderThis is the type of brief you would receive if you are new to the company and where you would de-velop your ideas amongst others and from there the company would decide if you should be the client. The advantages are that it is very relaxed and easy however the disad-vantages are that you may not be chosen as the final client.

I understand that this brief is sim-ilar to the com-petitive brief. This brief is slightly different as the employ-ees can ask for guidance from the company whereas a com-petitive brief would have no other contact from the com-pany. The only information would they would receive would be sent through on the brief.

- Presentation skills

- work well under pressure

- learn how to bet-ter your competiti-ors

Co – operative brief A co-operative is a group

of people acting together to meet the common needs and aspirations of its members, sharing ownership and making decisions democratically. 

Co-operatives are not about making big profits for shareholders, but cre-ating value for custom-ers – this is what gives co-operatives a unique char-acter, and influence our values and principles. 

I understand that this brief focuses on the quality of customer ser-vice. The ‘team’ members of this work together and to produce the best value for their audi-ence.

- comu-nication skills

- social networking

- cus-tomer care service

- better under-standing of the com-pany and brief

Competition briefs

A competition brief is when two or more parties participate in the brief. The best one is chosen so each competitor must make sure they have completed everything that the brief was asking for.

I understand that this type of brief is ex-tremely com-petitive, and is used for sev-eral jobs within the media in-dustry.

- work well under pressure

- Time manage-ment

- commu-nication skills

- be able to work in-depend-ently and plan in ad-vance