The Problem: Your creative projects are missing the mark. The first draft of a video or design asset is often completely misaligned with your team's expectations, leading to endless revisions, wasted time, and frustrated team members. Important strategic details are getting lost in translation between the marketing team and the creative team.
The Solution**:** This creative brief template is your single source of truth for any creative project. It’s designed to eliminate guesswork and ensure that your creative team has all the strategic context they need to deliver exceptional work on the first try. Use this to kick off every new project, from a product demo video to a full-scale brand campaign.
This section sets the stage for the entire project. It's the "why" behind the work.
| Element | Guiding Question | Your Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Project Title | What is the clear and concise name for this project? | e.g., Q4 Enterprise Product Launch Video |
| Project Background | Why are we doing this project now? What is the business context? | e.g., We are launching a new enterprise-level feature set next quarter and need a compelling video asset for our sales team to use in presentations and email outreach. |
| Primary Business Goal | What is the single most important business outcome we want to achieve with this project? | e.g., To increase the number of qualified demo requests from enterprise prospects by 20% in the next quarter. |
| Target Audience | Who are we trying to reach? Be specific about their roles, challenges, and what they care about. | e.g., Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) and VPs of Engineering at Fortune 1000 companies. They are time-poor, skeptical of marketing claims, and primarily concerned with security, scalability, and integration. |
This section defines what we need to communicate and how we should say it.
| Element | Guiding Question | Your Answer |
|---|---|---|
| The Key Insight | What is the one thing our audience needs to understand that they don't right now? | e.g., "Our new feature doesn't just add functionality; it fundamentally changes how their teams can collaborate on a global scale." |
| The Single Most Important Message | If the audience only remembers one thing, what should it be? | e.g., "This is the most secure and scalable solution for enterprise collaboration on the market." |
| Supporting Points | What are the 2-3 key features or benefits that support our main message? | e.g., 1. End-to-end encryption. 2. Seamless integration with their existing tech stack. 3. Proven 99.99% uptime. |
| Tone of Voice | What is the desired feeling or personality of this communication? | e.g., Confident, authoritative, and knowledgeable, but not arrogant. It should be clear and direct, avoiding marketing fluff. |
This section outlines the practical details of what is being created and where it will be used.
| Element | Guiding Question | Your Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Deliverable(s) | What specific assets need to be created? | e.g., One 2-minute animated explainer video. |
| Technical Specifications | Are there any specific requirements for format, length, resolution, etc.? | e.g., 16:9 aspect ratio, 1080p resolution, MP4 format. Maximum length of 120 seconds. |
| Distribution Plan | Where and how will this asset be used? | e.g., Featured on the enterprise solutions page of our website, used by the sales team in meetings, and promoted through a targeted LinkedIn ad campaign. |
| Call to Action (CTA) | What is the one thing we want the audience to do after engaging with this? | e.g., "Request a personalized demo with one of our enterprise solutions experts." |
This section provides the essential guardrails for the creative team.
| Element | Guiding Question | Your Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Key Stakeholders | Who needs to be involved in the review and approval process? | e.g., VP of Marketing, Head of Product, Lead Sales Engineer. |
| Budget | What is the allocated budget for this project? | e.g., $15,000 all-inclusive (production, music licensing, etc.). |
| Timeline & Milestones | What are the key deadlines? | e.g., First Draft: Oct 15, Final Revisions: Oct 25, Final Delivery: Nov 1. |
| Brand Guidelines & Mandatories | Are there any specific brand elements, logos, or legal disclaimers that must be included? | e.g., Must use the official company logo and color palette. Must include the registered trademark symbol (®) next to the product name. |
A great creative brief doesn't just kick off a project; it ensures the final product is a powerful business asset. By investing the time to answer these questions upfront, you bridge the gap between business strategy and creative execution, saving countless hours on revisions and ensuring the final deliverable hits the mark.
You have the blueprint for a winning strategy. Now, it's time to bring it to life.