writing an effective brief - panteion university, ad & pr lab
TRANSCRIPT
Basic principles of strategy
Know your market
Define your USP
Consider your resources
Make sure you can keep your competitive advantage
and then…
Set Defined Goals and Objectives
When you develop a Strategy you stick to it
Explore Different Tactics
Always Measure and Then Evolve
Why it is crucial that a client gives a decent brief
A good brief is the most important piece of information that a client can pass on to an agency to ensure an exceptional outcome and measureable work
A good brief saves time and money
A good brief is a written brief that has been approved by the levels of the client that will make decisions on which proposals will be realized
What to always ask for in a client brief
Information on the brand/service/institution you have to come up with a strategy for: the character, the position in the market, the price point, the chosen distribution strategy
Target group: is there research that determines the potential buyer/user?
View of the competition: this will start off your own research in order to differentiate
What to always ask for in a client brief
Digital assets (website, microsites, social media, mobile apps): analytics often help you acknowledge the interests or the dislikes of your visitors
Specific Goals that have to be achieved through the campaign (awareness, leads, sales): if you believe what the client expects is not feasible, you must make an argument upfront
KPIs (Key Performance Indicators): these are the factors that will determine whether your campaign will be considered successful or not
What to always ask for in a client brief
Previous activations so that the new campaign is an evolution vs. what has already been done. Results of the activations, as well
Media that have been utilized. Additionally, are there any agreements that you have to take under consideration in your planning of the campaign?
The road to less nervous breakdowns
Create a Client Brief form that you will distribute to your clients
Do not accept anything less in order to start working
If the client refuses to fill the form, arrange a meeting, try to elicit the same information and send back a contact report with the issues discussed, asking them to confirm before you go on with your work
Your responsibility is to find the right way to touch your internal target audience within the agency
Background All the elements that will help your team understand the product/service, the environment, the business background, what the business goals are, the opportunities, etc. Make sure it’s all laid out as simple as possible – you don’t want to impress your team, you want them to understand the case
Objective What this particular brief’s aim, ie. present a new product to the target group, strengthen the awareness of a service, enhance trial, engage more people with a flagship store, etc.
Target audience The people you want to touch with your campaign. That actually means “people”, so don’t only use numbers (demographics) to define them. Try to describe who they are, what their habits are, what they would like to do if they had the chance, the issues they are facing in their everyday life.
Promise The product’s offer in a single sentence, the benefit that will present to the user. That could be (according to respective cases) “making your everyday life easier” for an e-banking service, “never worrying again about your kid’s safety” for a new car seat, “freeing your hands in the garden” for an innovative piece of garden machinery, etc.
Support for your Promise Why will people believe in your Promise? These are the features and details of your product that prove your Promise – so, a reality check for your Promise
Tone of voice Are we talking funky, dirty, seriously, with a tint of humor or in plain informational tone? (usually, clients will tell you that they want their campaign to sound modern and friendly – try to read a bit more into that)
Timing & Parameters Requested timeline, internal time plan to meet the client’s deadline, time needed for production, stoppers, etc. There may also be mandatories that must be taken under consideration (brand guidelines, strong no-nos, etc.)
Home-fun: - You have a client brief: your client is Ad & PR Lab (so, Betty Tsakarestou) - Work on your brief to your agency and bring it back, so we can all discuss it in class