The Marketing Campaign Brief is the document that kicks off the development of the advertising or IMC campaign. Usually written by the brand’s marcom team, it states what the brand would like the promotional campaign to achieve and includes the key information and instructions the agency team needs to develop an effective campaign.
There’s a skill to writing a good marketing brief. If you get it right your agency will deliver the first time – no surprises. If you get it wrong (or worse still don’t provide one at all), it costs time and money to put it right. The marketing brief should be engaging, relevant and factual because a boring brief makes for an unmotivated agency team. And, ultimately a disappointing end result.
Elements that should be included are as follows:
- Situational Analysis: Brief description of the business situation. Explain the business problem or business opportunity the campaign will address. This is the rationale for why an advertising campaign should be developed for this product/service. You should use numbers to support your case.
- Brand/Product Description: A description of the brand/product/service. It should include the key product features and benefits that may be used to help sell the brand. Does the product have any unique features? Is it the first of its kind? The best? If so, why? How can that be substantiated?
- Business Objectives: Brief statement of the main business goals, such as acquire/cross-sell/up-sell/retain XX customers. Objectives should adhere to the principles of SMART(specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-based).
- Ad Objectives: Brief statement of the advertising/IMC goals needed to achieve the business goals, such as generate awareness, develop loyalty, position product as…
- Brand Positioning: A succinct description of the core target audience to whom the Brand is directed, and a compelling picture of how you want them to view the Brand.
For (target audience), (Brand name) is the (frame of reference) that delivers (benefit/point of difference) because only (Brand name) is (reason to believe). - Brand Personality: Description of the brand personality, is it edgy, quirky, fun, sophisticated, intelligent, laid-back, etc.
- Challenges: Detail the major obstacles or barriers to the success of the campaign that will need to be overcome.
- Competitive Feature/Benefit Analysis: List your main competitors and analyze your product features/benefits in relation to you’re the competitive set. This section is usually best done in a chart form.
- Competitive Advertising Analysis: Analyze the marketing strategies of your competitors specifically include their brand and product positioning and messaging as well as their creative, media and content strategies. If available include their advertising spend.
- Target Audience Description: In-depth profile of the ideal customer (customers most likely to buy and develop a profitable relationship). The profile should include demographics, psychographics, lifestyle, attitudes/behaviors toward the product/service category and your brand. Also, include their shopping preferences and behavior. Lastly, detail their media/content consumption habits. Use numbers to support your profile criteria.
- Unique Value Proposition: Describe in one sentence what makes your Brand/product unique in relation to your competitive set and what your customers feel is important, ie what makes your brand/product unique in the marketplace.
- Message Support: Product features and benefits that provide believable support for the value proposition.
- Media considerations: Instructions on where and when the campaign should be delivered. Timing, geography, type of media suggested.
TIPS: When preparing a brief to avoid jargon, lingo, and acronyms. Include facts (no assumptions or embellishments). Use plain speaking English and include as much detail as possible. It’s easier and quicker for your agency to cut out the superfluous rather than have to fill in some gaps.
You must include your references
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