Poor briefs erode marketing budgets

As much as one third of marketing budgets could be wasted due to poor briefing, new research suggests.

That’s according to the BetterBriefs project, the first-ever global study (based on the opinions of 1,700 marketeers and agency staff from over 70 countries) into the shortcomings of marketing briefs, revealed at the IPA’s EffWorks Global event.

Why it matters

Respondents estimated that a third of the marketing budget goes to waste due to poor briefs and misdirected work. Both marketers (69%) and agencies (73%) agree that rebriefs happen too often, leading to loss of time, money and fuelling frustration on both sides.

Key findings 

Marketers and agencies are on different planets

• It’s not a new finding but the differences remain stark: marketers (80%) think they write good briefs, but only 10% of creative agencies agree. 
• Over three quarters of marketers (78%) think the briefs they write provide clear strategic direction, but only 5% of creative agencies agree.
• Marketers (83%) believe that the briefs they write contain clear and concise language, but only 7% of agencies agree.

Briefs are essential but neglected 

• Both marketers (89%) and agencies (86%) agree that it’s challenging to produce good creative work without a good marketing brief. But almost all marketers (90%) and agencies (92%) also agree that the brief is one of the most valuable and paradoxically most neglected tools marketers have to create good work.

The co-founders of the BetterBriefs project, Matt Davies and Pieter-Paul von Weiler, say its aim is “to jumpstart more informed conversations about briefs. They should direct and inspire, not confuse and frustrate”.

Sourced from IPA, BetterBriefs