DOMAIN:CREATIVE — STRATEGIC_BRIEF_WRITING¶

OWNER: valentijn (Brand Strategist) ALSO_USED_BY: aimee (scoping-to-brief handoff), alexander (design direction), felice (video briefs), tjarda (brand campaigns), jouke (content briefs), dinand (content briefs) UPDATED: 2026-03-28 SCOPE: creative brief writing, client brief interpretation, brief structure, brief quality standards

CORE_PRINCIPLE¶

The brief is the most important document in the creative process. A great brief liberates creative work. A bad brief produces expensive revisions, misaligned output, and wasted time.

RULE: every creative task at GE must have a brief — no brief, no work RULE: the brief is a DECISION document, not an information dump. Every line should constrain and direct. RULE: Valentijn writes strategic/creative briefs. Aimee's scoping output is the INPUT, not the brief itself.

CLIENT_BRIEF_VS_CREATIVE_BRIEF¶

These are DIFFERENT documents with DIFFERENT purposes.

CLIENT_BRIEF¶

WHO_WRITES_IT: the client (or Aimee translates client input into this format) PURPOSE: captures what the client wants and why CONTAINS: business context, objectives, audience description, budget, timeline, references TONE: informational, sometimes incomplete, sometimes contradictory

CREATIVE_BRIEF¶

WHO_WRITES_IT: Valentijn (brand strategist) PURPOSE: translates client needs into a single strategic direction that creative teams can execute CONTAINS: single-minded proposition, target audience insight, desired response, tone, mandatories TONE: directive, focused, inspiring

THE_TRANSLATION_PROCESS¶

CLIENT INPUT (via Aimee scoping)
  ↓
VALENTIJN: interprets, researches, distills
  ↓
CREATIVE BRIEF (for Alexander, Felice, content agents)
  ↓
CREATIVE EXECUTION (design, video, copy)

RULE: the creative brief is NOT a summary of the client brief — it is a strategic INTERPRETATION RULE: if the client brief is vague or contradictory, resolve ambiguities BEFORE briefing creative teams RULE: never pass client confusion downstream. The brief must be clear even if the client wasn't.

CREATIVE_BRIEF_TEMPLATE¶

This template is adapted from best practices across W+K (Wieden+Kennedy), Droga5, BBH (Bartle Bogle Hegarty), and TBWA.

CREATIVE BRIEF — [PROJECT NAME]
Client: [client name]
Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
Author: valentijn
Version: [1.0 | 2.0 etc.]
Status: [DRAFT | REVIEW | APPROVED]

---

1. BACKGROUND
   What is happening? Why are we doing this?
   [2-3 sentences of business context. Not a history lesson —
   only what the creative team needs to understand the "why."]

2. OBJECTIVE
   What must this work achieve?
   [ONE measurable objective. Not three. Not five. ONE.
   If you have multiple objectives, prioritize ruthlessly.]

   Success metric: [how will we know it worked?]

3. TARGET AUDIENCE
   Who are we talking to?
   [The specific person. Not "SME owners aged 30-55" but
   "A bakery owner in Rotterdam who needs an ordering system
   but has been burned by a freelancer who disappeared mid-project."]

   Key insight: [the ONE thing about this audience that unlocks the creative]

4. SINGLE-MINDED PROPOSITION (SMP)
   The ONE thing we want the audience to take away.
   [One sentence. If you need two sentences, you haven't distilled enough.
   This is the brief's beating heart.]

   WHY: The SMP is what the audience should BELIEVE after seeing the work.
   It is NOT a tagline. It is NOT a feature list. It is the strategic truth
   that all creative must ladder up to.

5. REASONS TO BELIEVE
   Why should the audience believe the SMP?
   - [Proof point 1 — specific, concrete, verifiable]
   - [Proof point 2]
   - [Proof point 3]
   [Maximum 3. If you need more, your SMP is too broad.]

6. DESIRED RESPONSE
   After seeing/experiencing this work, the audience should:
   - THINK: [what we want them to believe]
   - FEEL: [what emotion we want to evoke]
   - DO: [what action we want them to take]

7. TONE AND MANNER
   How should this work feel?
   [3-4 adjectives. Must align with brand voice guidelines.
   Include "not" descriptors for clarity: "Confident, not arrogant.
   Warm, not casual. Technical, not jargon-heavy."]

8. MANDATORIES
   Non-negotiable requirements:
   - [Legal/compliance requirements]
   - [Brand guidelines that apply]
   - [Specific elements that must be included]
   - [Format/channel specifications]

9. DELIVERABLES
   What creative output is needed:
   - [Deliverable 1 — format, dimensions, length]
   - [Deliverable 2]
   [Be specific. "A website" is not a deliverable. "A responsive landing page
   with hero, 3 benefit blocks, social proof section, and CTA" is.]

10. TIMELINE
    Brief approved: [date]
    First concepts due: [date]
    Final delivery: [date]

11. BUDGET CONTEXT
    [Not the exact number if sensitive, but enough for creative to understand
    the scale: "This is a hero campaign" vs "This is one of 12 monthly posts."]

THE_SINGLE_MINDED_PROPOSITION¶

The SMP is the most important element of the brief. It deserves special attention.

WHAT_MAKES_A_GREAT_SMP¶

A great SMP is: - SINGLE — one idea, not a compound sentence - AUDIENCE-CENTRIC — about what THEY get, not what you offer - INSIGHTFUL — rooted in a genuine audience truth - DIFFERENTIATING — couldn't be said by a competitor - INSPIRING — gives creative teams a clear direction AND room to be creative - PROVABLE — supported by reasons to believe

SMP_EXAMPLES¶

WEAK: "We build great software at a good price." PROBLEM: vague, generic, could be anyone.

BETTER: "Enterprise-grade software is no longer reserved for enterprises." WHY: specific promise, implies democratization, has tension.

WEAK: "Our AI agents work 24/7." PROBLEM: feature-focused, not audience-benefit focused.

BETTER: "Your software gets built while you run your business." WHY: audience-centric, implies effortlessness, relevant to SME owners.

WEAK: "Fast, affordable, quality software." PROBLEM: three propositions, not one. Pick one.

BETTER: "The quality you thought you couldn't afford." WHY: single idea, addresses real tension (quality vs. price), differentiating.

SMP_DEVELOPMENT_PROCESS¶

List everything the brand could say (brain dump)
Group into themes
Rank themes by: (a) audience relevance, (b) differentiation, (c) provability
Take the top theme and distill to one sentence
Test: could a competitor say this? If yes, sharpen.
Test: does it inspire creative work? If no, make it more evocative.
Test: is it supported by evidence? If no, choose a different theme.

BRIEF_WRITING_FROM_TOP_AGENCIES¶

W+K (WIEDEN+KENNEDY) APPROACH¶

Known for: Nike, Old Spice, KFC. Brief philosophy: "The brief should make you feel something." W+K briefs are short (often one page) and emphasize the TENSION — the conflict between what the audience wants and what's in their way.

KEY_LESSON: find the tension. Great creative resolves a tension the audience feels.

DROGA5 APPROACH¶

Known for: Under Armour, The New York Times, Hennessy. Brief philosophy: "The brief is a springboard, not a cage." Droga5 briefs include a "creative thought-starter" — a provocative observation or reframe that opens creative possibilities.

KEY_LESSON: include a provocative "what if" or observation that reframes the problem.

BBH (BARTLE_BOGLE_HEGARTY) APPROACH¶

Known for: Levi's, Audi, Johnnie Walker. BBH's brief centers on the "Zagging Brief" — explicitly identifying what the category convention is, and then defining how to break it.

KEY_ELEMENTS: - Category truth: what does everyone in this space say/do? - Brand truth: what is uniquely true about this brand? - Human truth: what does the audience actually feel/need? - The ZAG: where these three truths intersect in a way no competitor occupies

KEY_LESSON: explicitly map the category convention before trying to break it.

COMMON_THREAD¶

All three agencies share: 1. BREVITY — one page, not ten 2. FOCUS — one proposition, not a feature list 3. INSIGHT — grounded in audience truth, not brand narcissism 4. TENSION — great briefs contain a conflict that creative resolves 5. INSPIRATION — the brief makes creative teams excited to work on it

BRIEF_QUALITY_CHECKLIST¶

Before issuing any creative brief:

[ ] SINGLE-MINDED: is there ONE proposition, not three wearing a trench coat?
[ ] AUDIENCE-FIRST: is the brief about what the audience needs, not what the brand wants to say?
[ ] INSIGHT-DRIVEN: is there a genuine audience insight, not just a demographic description?
[ ] DIFFERENTIATED: could a competitor use this exact brief? If yes, rewrite.
[ ] INSPIRING: would a creative team be excited to receive this brief?
[ ] CONSTRAINED: does the brief CLOSE doors as well as open them? Good briefs exclude.
[ ] PROVABLE: can the SMP be supported with concrete evidence?
[ ] MEASURABLE: is there a clear success metric?
[ ] ACTIONABLE: does the creative team know exactly what to deliver, in what format, by when?
[ ] CONSISTENT: does the brief align with brand positioning and voice guidelines?
[ ] BRIEF: is the brief actually brief? One page is ideal. Two pages maximum.
[ ] APPROVED: has the brief been reviewed before reaching creative teams?

BRIEFING_FOR_GE_AGENTS¶

HOW_BRIEFS_FLOW_IN_GE¶

AIMEE (scoping) → Client requirements document
  ↓
VALENTIJN (strategy) → Creative brief
  ↓
ALEXANDER (design) → Visual direction / design system
FELICE (video) → Video production brief
JOUKE/DINAND (content) → Content brief
TJARDA (brand) → Campaign brief

ADAPTING_BRIEFS_FOR_AGENT_CONSUMPTION¶

GE agents are LLMs. Briefs need to be: - EXPLICIT — agents cannot read between the lines. State everything. - STRUCTURED — use the template. Agents parse structure better than prose. - COMPLETE — missing fields will be interpreted as "no constraint," leading to generic output. - SPECIFIC — "make it look professional" is meaningless to an agent. "Use the Inter font family, navy (#1a365d) and white (#ffffff) palette, 16px body text, minimal illustration style" is actionable.

AGENT_BRIEF_ADDITIONS:

TECHNICAL CONSTRAINTS
  Framework: [Next.js, Swift/SwiftUI, etc.]
  Design system: [reference to design tokens]
  Accessibility: [WCAG level, specific requirements]
  Performance: [load time targets, bundle size limits]

REFERENCE EXAMPLES
  Good examples: [links/screenshots of work in the right direction]
  Bad examples: [links/screenshots of what to avoid, with explanation]
  [Agents learn from examples faster than from abstract descriptions]

COMMON_BRIEF_MISTAKES¶

MISTAKE_1: THE_KITCHEN_SINK_BRIEF¶

SYMPTOM: 5-page brief with every piece of information about the client. PROBLEM: creative teams (human or agent) drown in information and lose focus. FIX: a brief is a FILTER. Include only what's needed to make creative decisions. Cut everything else.

MISTAKE_2: THE_FEATURE_LIST_BRIEF¶

SYMPTOM: SMP is "Our product has X, Y, and Z features." PROBLEM: features don't inspire creative work. Benefits do. FIX: translate features into audience benefits. "24/7 availability" becomes "your software gets built while you sleep."

MISTAKE_3: THE_AUDIENCE_IS_EVERYONE¶

SYMPTOM: target audience section says "all business owners" or "anyone who needs software." PROBLEM: targeting everyone means the creative will resonate with no one. FIX: define the SPECIFIC person. Give them a name, a frustration, a decision context.

MISTAKE_4: THE_MISSING_INSIGHT¶

SYMPTOM: brief has demographics but no insight into what the audience actually feels or needs. PROBLEM: without insight, creative teams guess — and usually guess wrong. FIX: include one genuine audience insight. See domains/creative/audience-research.md.

MISTAKE_5: THE_PRESCRIPTION_BRIEF¶

SYMPTOM: brief dictates the creative execution ("use a blue background with a person smiling"). PROBLEM: this is art direction, not strategy. It removes creative possibility. FIX: brief the WHAT and WHY. Let creative teams decide the HOW. Mandatories are for non-negotiables only.

MISTAKE_6: THE_MOVING_TARGET¶

SYMPTOM: brief gets rewritten after creative work has started. PROBLEM: wasted work, frustrated teams, scope creep. FIX: approve the brief BEFORE creative starts. If the brief must change, acknowledge the reset.

MISTAKE_7: THE_COPY_PASTE_BRIEF¶

SYMPTOM: reusing a brief from a previous project with minor edits. PROBLEM: every project has different context, audience, and objectives. FIX: start from the template. Reuse research, not the brief itself.

ANTI_PATTERNS¶

ANTI_PATTERN: writing the brief after creative work has already started FIX: brief FIRST, creative SECOND. Always. Retrofitting strategy to justify creative is not strategy.

ANTI_PATTERN: using the brief as a legal/compliance document FIX: compliance requirements go in mandatories. The brief's purpose is creative direction, not risk mitigation.

ANTI_PATTERN: multiple stakeholders adding "just one more thing" to the SMP FIX: the SMP is singular. If stakeholders disagree, resolve it before briefing. Valentijn is the arbiter of brief quality.

ANTI_PATTERN: briefing without brand positioning in place FIX: you need a Positioning Canvas before you can write briefs. Strategy before brief. Brief before creative.

ANTI_PATTERN: treating all briefs the same regardless of scope FIX: a homepage redesign needs a different depth of brief than a social media post. Scale the brief to the task.

ANTI_PATTERN: never measuring whether the brief led to effective creative FIX: after creative is delivered and measured, assess whether the brief set the right direction. Learn and iterate.

AUTHORITATIVE_SOURCES¶

Source	Work	Key Concept
Wieden+Kennedy	Agency methodology	Tension-based briefs, emotional provocation
Droga5	Agency methodology	Creative thought-starters, springboard briefs
BBH	Agency methodology	Zagging brief, category/brand/human truth intersection
Mark Ritson	Mini MBA in Marketing	Brief as strategic filter, diagnosis before brief
Dave Trott	One Plus One Equals Three	Simplicity in briefs, cutting to the essential idea
Adam Morgan	Eating the Big Fish	Challenger brand briefs, lighthouse identity
Julian Cole	Strategy Finishing School / Planning Dirty newsletter	SMP discipline, modern brief frameworks
Rob Schwartz	How to Not Suck at Advertising	Brief as catalyst for creative, common mistakes

CROSS_REFERENCES¶

STRATEGY: domains/creative/brand-strategy.md — positioning that informs the brief AUDIENCE: domains/creative/audience-research.md — research that feeds audience definition COMPETITIVE: domains/creative/competitive-intelligence.md — competitive context for differentiation BRAND_MGMT: domains/marketing/brand-management.md — voice and tone guidelines for briefs DESIGN: domains/design/ — Alexander's design system (downstream recipient of briefs) CONTENT: domains/content/ — content agents (downstream recipients of content briefs)

Strategic brief domain loaded. Every creative task starts with a brief.