What is the role of the creative brief in the new world of marketing communications?

Leo Moore

Planning Director

Irish International

About me

• Currently Planning Director at Irish International

• Previously;– Planning Director, McCann Erickson

– Founding Partner, AnalogFolk

– Media Manager – GB & Ireland, Diageo

– Group Sales Manager, RTE

• What I do:– Lead the development of new processes and ways of working

– Champion the digital evolution of the agency– Lead the strategic communications planning on a number of brands including

Guinness, Bank Of Ireland, Barry’s Tea and upc.

What is the role of the creative brief in the new world of marketing communications?

THE WORLD IS CHANGING

Rapid development of digital tools driving massive changes in consumer behaviour (the emergence of the post-analogue society)

8

Text

“Our focus should not be on emerging technologies but emerging cultural practices”

Henry Jenkins

“A revolution doesn't happen when a society adopts new tools. it happens when society adopts new behaviors”

Clay Shirky

There is a massive change in how consumers and brands engage with each other

• More participatory

• More social and communal

• More fragmented

• More transparent

• More playful

• ‘Always on’

• Location increasingly important

Traditional (current) approach to briefing

• A problem to be solved by advertising

• ‘Consumers’ to ‘target’

• A message to say at them

• Reasons to believe

• Tone of voice

• Maybe, if lucky, what media you’re filling

Traditional (current) approach to media planning

• Impressions

• OTS

• Reach

• Frequency

• CPT

• Share of voice

Advertising = Interruption

Images courtesy of Russell Davies

Hugh MacLeod – gapingvoid.org

The future of advertising isn’t

messaging.

It’s in ideas that solve business problems in a

culturally positive way.

A new approach to planning

Message Content

ChannelsAccount Planning

Media Planning

Communications PlanningIdeas that drive channel behavior.

People engage with ideas, not channels.

Insight. Excite.

Insight. Excite.

Key principles

We need a noble purpose, not a message. Have a point of view on the world, not a position in the category.

Principle No. 1

Levi’s – Go Forth

It’s not what we say but what we do that matters

Principle No. 2

From peacocks to bowerbirds

Source: Gareth Kay “Briefing in a post-digital world”

Peafowl are best known for the male's extravagant tail, which it

displays as part of courtship.

Bowerbirds are most known for their unique courtship behaviour, where

males build a structure and decorate it with sticks and brightly coloured objects in an attempt to attract a

mate.

Fiat Eco Drive

We need ideas we can advertise, not advertising ideas

Principle No. 3

Vaseline – Prescribe The Nation

Walkers - Sandwich

We need to leave gaps for people to participate

Principle No. 4

Volkswagen – Fun Theory

We must understand what people are interested in and use ideas as a bridge between these interests and

the brand

Principle No. 5

Lurpak – Bake Club

We must be media positive

Principle No. 6

We should build a balanced and holistic media mix

Nike Chalkbot

We must be agile and fleet of foot

Principle No. 7

Old Spice – The Man Your Man Could Smell Like

We must think about behaviour, not technology

Principle No. 8

Twelpforce

PRE-DIGITAL

Interruption

Information

Messaging

Targeting markets

Perception

Big

POST-DIGITAL

Participation

Inspiration

Actions

Creating movements

Behavior

Long

All this means how you design, create and

evaluate ideas has to change.

Does it communicate?

Is it clear?

Is it likeable?

Is it engaging?

Is it replicable?

Is it magnetic?

Has it got depth?

Is it slippy and spreadable?

Is it participatory?

Is it generative?

The Creative Brief

What is a creative brief?

cre·a-tive (krea tiv), adj.

1. having the quality or power of creating

2. resulting from originality of thought; imaginative

brief (bref), adj.

1. lasting or taking a short time

2. using few words; concise: a brief report

3. abrupt; curt

4. a short and concise statement or written item.

What is the role of the brief?

• The bridge between smart strategic thinking and great communication

• Designed to improve our chances of having lots of good ideas

• Intended to liberate not limit creative thinking

• It is the first stage in the creative process

Brief Writing – Guiding Principles

CLARITY BREVITY

CONSISTENCY INSPIRATION

Clarity?

• Fishing analogy CLARITY

Source: Brief Guide to briefs - Dare

BREVITY

Source: Brief Guide to briefs - Dare

BREVITY

Source: Brief Guide to briefs - Dare

BREVITY

Source: Brief Guide to briefs - Dare

BREVITY

Source: Brief Guide to briefs - Dare

Source: Brief Guide to briefs - Dare

CONSISTENCYBusiness Goal Target

Audience

Brand Proposition

Evaluation

“Preparation H is of limited interest to a bunch of twentysomething creatives, but it is of incredible

interest to someone with piles.”Jeremy Bullmore (paraphrased)

INSPIRATION

Source: Brief Guide to briefs - Dare

The core of the brief

GET: The people whose behavior we are trying to change (the audience)

WHO: need, want or believe (the insight)

TO: Think, Feel or Do something specific (the action)

BY: Giving them information, a demonstration, a challenge or an experience (the key message)

Planning, Creative and Client Service stakeholders workshop the

brief for an intensive period.

Planning provide context and consumer understanding.

The group agrees the main insight and message

First cut at creative platform and hero execution

Brief agreed collaboratively

Kick-starting the ideas process – The bunker session

High intensity session with key stakeholders to amplify core strategy

and tactics.

Ask the critical question: How do we make it Bigger?

Then ask it again…

And again…

Making the idea as big as possible – The blow-out session

ANY QUESTIONS?

Thank You