How to write a great brief

Proposes five principles for writing successful creative briefs: 1) find out what everybody else is doing in your marketplace, and then do something different; 2) forget the logical proposition and find the personality of the brand instead; 3) define the `target market' so that you like and respect it; 4) put in creative starters; 5) make it inspiring.

How to write a great brief

A revealing guide to writing creative briefs - the HHCL way

Steve Henry

About seven years ago, Leslie Butterfield asked me to give a talk at an IPA course on the subject of writing creative briefs.

I hadn't really thought about this process before the invitation, because I'm a copywriter not a planner; but the exercise enabled me to pass on five thoughts which we used at HHCL to help our planners write creative briefs.

1. FIND OUT WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING IN YOUR MARKETPLACE, AND THEN DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT

When you...

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