CREATIVE BRIEF WORKSHOP
Agenda
• What makes great creative• How to create great content• What makes a great creative brief• How to use a brief to evaluate creative• Tips for giving creative feedback
What makes great creative?
What makes great creative?
Your brand
The inboxCall-to-action
How we read email
pop quiz
How many pandasdo you see?
Example: REI
Example: Schwann’s before after
Example: Comcastbefore after
How to create great content
Personas
Jill BrownSingle Working Mom
“There is always something to be done. I need tasks to be simple and easy so I can focus on the more important things in life, like my son Brady.”
Behaviors & Culture• Slightly unorganized• Very practical but easily flustered• Honest and sincere• Passionate
Sample Search Queries• Apartments in safe
neighborhoods• Affordable apartments in
St. Louis• How to downsize living space
Challenges• Managing multiple tasks at once• Coping when “life” happens and
goes against her “plan”
Fears• Feeling unaccomplished• Something bad happening
to her son• Getting off task
Needs & Expectations• Simplicity• Affordable housing options• Products and services that are
easy to understand and choose• Anything that is in the best
interest of her son
Motivations• Checking things off her
“to-do” list• Quality time with her son• Feeling accomplished
Known Information:
User Category: New Apartment TenantAge: 38
Race: White
Education: Associate Degree
Employment: Full time
Household Income: $40,000
Family: Divorced, Single mother
Customer Engagement Cycle
Stage Questions Asked
Awareness How can I find/fix/help __________?
Consideration What do I need to consider when purchasing __________?
Inquiry What options/solutions does this company offer?
Purchase Why is it better to purchase from this company over another?
Retention What would make me purchase from this company again?
Topic Modeling
Topic Modeling
Editorial Calendar
Customer
Customer
Repurposed
Existing Content Repurpose Existing Content As:
News Releases • Rewrite in conversational tone and post on content hub
Video of CEO Annual Meeting
• Post video on YouTube• Convert audio to MP3 for downloadable or streaming podcast• Transcribe speech and post on blog
Customer case studies • Create PowerPoint and post on SlideShare• Record PowerPoint with voiceover as video and post on YouTube• Post video (YouTube embed code) on content hub
Self-published articles • Rewrite in conversational tone and post as a month long blog series• Combine similar articles into an eBook and write a post promoting it’s
download
Evergreen Content • Find content that has performed well before and link to it from a new piece of content or promote it through social
FAQ
Demonstrating Content Value
Exercise!
What makes a great creative brief
Why briefs?
• Think about briefing as a process and not just a document
• What are you trying to achieve?• How does this project fit into your marketing
strategy?• How can you ensure all parties are on the same
page?– Nail down the strategy before someone even
opens photoshop or word– Someone is designing, someone is doing copy, need to
break down silos
Why briefs?
• The Brief is the primary indicator that a goal has become an actual project
• A way to document the project goals• A document that can be referenced along the way• There’s a lot of assumptions that someone
understands the nuance and detail that you’re not communicating
2 kinds of projects
1. Production: Campaigns that use the same framework or template
• Briefs can be prescriptive• Sometimes all that is needed is the new image and
messaging direction
2 kinds of projects
2 kinds of projects
2. AdHoc/New Program: A new program or project that doesn’t follow an existing template
• Absolutely make recommendations and references• Frame the ask as a visual problem to solve
Exercise!
Time to sketch
• Break into teams• Review your assigned brief• In your group, agree on a sketch or
wireframe of how you think this message will look
• Be prepared to answer questions
Exercise
• What kind of project was this? Production or Adhoc?
• Was this brief effective in communicating what you needed to sketch out the campaign?
• What was missing?• What was helpful?
Briefing a new Adhoc Project
Objective
• How will we know success?
Context
• Marketing Strategy
• Segmentation• Brand
Guidelines• Reference
Direction
• Identify the problem you want solved
• Let your team decide the “how”
The Briefing Document
Objective
Which of these is more clear?• Drive conversions?• We need to upsell hotels to people who
have purchased airlines.• Currently 5% of our customers who
purchase flights also purchase hotels. We’d like to see 10% by the end of this campaign.
Objective
Objectives should include a measurable metric– This clearly outlines expectations for the
projects– Objectively enables you to determine if the
project was successful– Gives the team a common goal to work toward
and guide their decisions.
Context
Sum up the overarching marketing strategy
• How does this project fit into the way we’re talking to our customers in other programs?
• Are there materials that have already been created that we should reference?
• Do we have previous performance metrics we can refer to?
Context
Brand Guidelines– Brand guides are like giving the creative team
a map to your organization– Good brand guides should include:
• Messaging/Tone• Color palette• Font sizes/weights
Context
Examples/Reference– Are there programs that your company has
already done that we should refer to?– Do you have an example of a brand who has
accomplished your same goal?
Context
Segmentation– With the proper marketing information
(demographics, etc..) your creative team can craft a message to the appropriate segments.
Direction
• True direction requires trust– It’s important to identify what problem this
project will solve and let your creative team come up with the solution
• You can contribute Why and What, but you have to let your team decide how
• If you can explain why your subscriber should care, your creative team can tell that story visually
4 Components of a great brief
Objective
• How will we know success?
Context
• Marketing Strategy
• Segmentation• Brand
Guidelines• Reference
Direction
• Identify the problem you want solved
• Let your team decide the “how”
The Briefing Document
“If I only had one hour to solve a problem, I would first spend 55 minutes making sure I’m asking the right question.”- Albert Einstein
Creative Brief Checklist Dated title of email contact Target Audience
Audience Profile where appropriate Segmentation and Versioning, where appropriate
Subject Line Direction Primary Message Objectives
Primary content objective: what do we want the subscriber to do?
Specific outcomes desired, when appropriate Traffic/Engagement to Online Experience X Traffic/Engagement to Retail Store Experience X
Creative Input Summary:
Primary Secondary, where appropriate Tertiary, where appropriate Promotional, where appropriate Preview, where appropriate Social, where appropriate
Template considerations, (optional) required, recommended, prohibited
Images: (optional) required, recommended, prohibited Copy: (optional) required, recommended, prohibited Disclaimers, where appropriate
Recommended Product Individual product and/or product categories supporting
messages
Summary of deliverables required Count of files Description of files/format
Personalization Elements, where appropriate Objective Simple
Field names and application
Dynamic Content Segment(s) names and application Field names and application
Testing Elements, where appropriate Objective Assets required for execution
Landing Experience(s): CTAs required, recommended, prohibited Description of Landing Page requirements expected from Online
team Product(s) recommendations and/or count Category recommendations and/or count Seasonal Landing Page recommendation Email Specific Landing Page recommendation
Agency-Generated Landing Page Creative Direction (aligned with Email specifics, above + Landing
Page requirements from Online Team
Analytics Requirements
Exercise!
Time to sketch
• Break into teams• Between yourselves come up with an
upcoming project that needs a brief• What’s your objective?• What context would you need to provide?• How would you write direction for your
team?• Be sure to keep the brief you write
4 Components of a great brief
Objective
• How will we measure success?
Context
• Marketing Strategy
• Segmentation• Brand
Guidelines• Reference
Direction
• Identify the problem you want solved
• Let your team decide the “how”
The Briefing Document
Creative Brief Checklist Dated title of email contact Target Audience
Audience Profile where appropriate Segmentation and Versioning, where appropriate
Subject Line Direction Primary Message Objectives
Primary content objective: what do we want the subscriber to do?
Specific outcomes desired, when appropriate Traffic/Engagement to Online Experience X Traffic/Engagement to Retail Store Experience X
Creative Input Summary:
Primary Secondary, where appropriate Tertiary, where appropriate Promotional, where appropriate Preview, where appropriate Social, where appropriate
Template considerations, (optional) required, recommended, prohibited
Images: (optional) required, recommended, prohibited Copy: (optional) required, recommended, prohibited Disclaimers, where appropriate
Recommended Product Individual product and/or product categories supporting
messages
Summary of deliverables required Count of files Description of files/format
Personalization Elements, where appropriate Objective Simple
Field names and application
Dynamic Content Segment(s) names and application Field names and application
Testing Elements, where appropriate Objective Assets required for execution
Landing Experience(s): CTAs required, recommended, prohibited Description of Landing Page requirements expected from Online
team Product(s) recommendations and/or count Category recommendations and/or count Seasonal Landing Page recommendation Email Specific Landing Page recommendation
Agency-Generated Landing Page Creative Direction (aligned with Email specifics, above + Landing
Page requirements from Online Team
Analytics Requirements
Using the brief to evaluate creative
Tips for evaluating creative
Objective
• Will the creative solutions lead to us meeting our goal?
Context
• Does this solution make sense with the rest of my consumer communications?
Direction
• Does it fit your “what” and “when” criteria?
• Is there a solution to the problem we identified?
Tips for evaluating creative
Use the 7 principles of user experience• Hierarchy• Utility• Usability• Aesthetics• Identification• Stimulation• Value
7 principles of user experience
Hierarchy• Is the first element I see the most important
part of the message?
7 principles of user experience
Utility• Is this the right channel or delivery method
for this message?
7 principles of user experience
Usability• Does this email function like I would
expect?
7 principles of user experience
Aesthetics• Does this represent our brand?
7 principles of user experience
Identification• Can I identify myself with the product or
message? Does it fit into my daily activities?
7 principles of user experience
Stimulation• Does the message give me inspiration?
Or wow experiences?
7 principles of user experience
Value• What’s in it for me?
Exercise!
HIERARCHYOn a scale of 1-10, is the first element I see, the most important one?
UTILITYOn a scale of 1-10, is this the right channel or delivery method for this message?
USABILITYOn a scale of 1-10, does this email function like I would expect?
AESTHETICSOn a scale of 1-10, does this represent our brand?
IDENTIFICATIONOn a scale of 1-10, can I identify myself with the product or message? Does it fit into my daily activities?
STIMULATIONOn a scale of 1-10, Does the message give me inspiration? Or wow experiences?
VALUEOn a scale of 1-10, what’s in it for me?
Exercise!
Critique
•Hierarchy
•Utility
•Usability
•Aesthetics
•Identification
•Stimulation
•Value
Critique
•Hierarchy
•Utility
•Usability
•Aesthetics
•Identification
•Stimulation
•Value
Critique
•Hierarchy
•Utility
•Usability
•Aesthetics
•Identification
•Stimulation
•Value
Giving Feedback
Giving Feedback: Copy & Design
• Assume every word, punctuation mark, color, font and pixel are there for a reason before giving direction
• Let the team explain creative decisions• The writer and designer are counting on you to make sure
the work meets business objectives• Try to differentiate client direction from your personal
preferences (Both are valid! But in different ways)• Ask questions and make suggestions, so the writer and
designer have a choice and trust your team• Be specific about what isn’t working• If there are more than a couple stickies or emails, TALK
Giving Feedback: Copy
• It looks easy, but it’s not • Give direction rather than rewriting• Ask questions about word choice• Keep the editing within the
copy discipline– When typos happen,
it’s a reflection on the writer
• Include examples so thewriter can easily understandwhat you’re looking for
Giving Feedback: Design
• At first glance, what are you immediately drawn to?– In two seconds can you tell what this email is about?– Do you look at the primary message first?– Is a secondary message bolder and
carrying more visual weight?
• Be specific about what isn’t working• Keep the end user in mind
– How will a subscriber interact with this message?
• Decide whether your responsesare personal preference orbusiness objectives
Do’s and Don’ts
DON’Ts• Say “I don’t like that”• Stand over someone while they make changes,
unless you are invited
DO’s• Keep the objective in mind – is this meeting the
objective?• Think about your word choice when giving feedback• Be specific about what you’re looking for
Exercise!
Feedback
•Hierarchy
•Utility
•Usability
•Aesthetics
•Identification
•Stimulation
•Value
Feedback
•Hierarchy
•Utility
•Usability
•Aesthetics
•Identification
•Stimulation
•Value
Feedback
•Hierarchy
•Utility
•Usability
•Aesthetics
•Identification
•Stimulation
•Value
Let’s evaluate our briefs
Exercise!
• Find your team’s original brief• Share it with the team next to you• As a group, you have 7 minutes to come up
with a wireframe for the project
Exercise!
• Now use the 7 principles of user experience to evaluate the wireframes
Exercise!
• For our final exercise, let’s practice giving feedback!
Questions?
Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least. - Goethe
Wacarra YeomansDirector, Creative ServicesResponsys@[email protected]
Chris [email protected]
Thanks!