Negotiating Creative Briefs

Happy New Year! 🥂 As we begin 2026, I’ve been reflecting on the briefs that were especially effective this past year—briefs that were organized, readable, and concise. In that spirit, here are ten practices I think consistently strengthen written advocacy: 🥂Use regular sentence capitalization throughout your brief. In tables of contents, issues presented, and point headings, sentence‑style capitalization is the easiest for the reader to process. It keeps the structure clean and the eye moving naturally. 🥂Place important facts, rules, and analysis in full sentences. Key information carries more weight in the text than in parentheticals or footnotes. If removing a parenthetical or footnote drains a sentence or paragraph of meaning, that’s a sign the information belongs in the main flow. 🥂Streamline your introductory sections. Introductions, summary of the arguments, roadmaps, and topic sentences all have their purpose, but beware of unnecessary repetition. Choose the pieces that genuinely help orient the reader - repetitive orientation can cause the reader to stop reading and start searching for substance. 🥂Let necessary repetition speak for itself. Some concepts must be repeated for clarity or structure. There’s no need to call attention to it with phrases like “as explained before.” Trust your organization to guide the reader. 🥂Use acronyms sparingly and only when they help. Familiar acronyms—FBI, DSS, SBI—are efficient. Others often slow the reader down. When in doubt, a simple descriptor (“the Department,” “the Board”) keeps the prose smoother. 🥂Define parties and terms only when clarity requires it. Once you’ve introduced “Plaintiff, John Michael Smith,” you can comfortably refer to “Plaintiff” or “Mr. Smith” without parenthetical definitions. If the reader won’t be confused, the simpler path is the clearer one. 🥂Favor possessives over “of” phrases. “Plaintiff’s attorney” reads more naturally than “attorney of plaintiff,” and these refinements add up across a brief. 🥂Move directly to the action when the action matters. Phrases like “decided to,” “thought to,” or “elected to” often delay the verb that carries the sentence. When the decision isn’t the point, let the action lead: “John crossed the road.” 🥂Draft your table of contents as a true outline of your argument. Point headings that reflect the full structure of your reasoning create a roadmap a judge or clerk can digest quickly. A well‑built table of contents is one of the most helpful tools you can provide. 🥂Use visual formats—bullet points, timelines, charts—when they clarify complex information. A well‑designed chart, for example, can convey what might otherwise take a full page of text, especially when comparing cases or summarizing a timeline. More tips? Please drop them below. Wishing you a new year filled with clear, effective writing and strong advocacy!

I’ve scored more than 40 RFP submissions in the last 90 days (media buying and/or marketing and comms.) Seriously, this is the stack and it’s about ½ of what I've read. From that- I've come up with a checklist that will stop you from writing an incomplete proposal and take you into finalist status. 1. Check. The. Boxes. Mirror the RFP structure the organization has put out and answer every prompt. If we ask for goals in your case studies, give them. Are creative examples required? Put them in. 2. Social media impressions aren’t outcomes. Stop with the vanity metrics. We need to understand if you make things HAPPEN. Show business impact: leads, lift, conversion, cost per result, CTR. 3. Prove you understand the problem. Understand the brand and the challenge before you start to write your response. Then summarize the brand challenge in their language. Bonus points for adding 1–2 data points that will direct the organization towards success. 4. Use relevant proof. Parallel case studies beat “your greatest hits” every time. I've seen the EXACT SAME examples in three of the RFP's I've scored lately- you don't know who is reading your work and may have seen your other responses. 5. Name the actual doers. Who is leading strategy, buying, creative, reporting? Don't just send a stack of resumes. And be realistic. Don't name your president when you know that appearance will be rare. 6. Methodology > vibes. If you’re “now doing buys” and not just a PR or content work company anymore OR if you're a traditional broadcast company at heart- show your process, not just results. 7. Don’t just say what you do, show how you do it. “Statewide reach” is a claim. What’s the plan that gets you there? 8. Create a Table of Contents that matches the RFP sections. And then add anything else to the TOC that you feel is important. This way you address everything we're asking for + share your bonus information on why you’re the one to do the job. 9. Put Quality Assurance into this team process like your life depends on it. Double-check. And then check again. No leftover text from another proposal. Ever. I unfortunately have seen it. If you’re writing an RFP response anytime soon: save this. Want a 1-page RFP response template? Comment “RFP” and I’ll share it. I hope this was helpful!

Day in a life of a content marketer: I had to redesign my entire blog brief template because of AI search. Earlier, my briefs looked like this: – target keywords – reference articles – competitor links Useful? Yes. But in now, it's not enough. Here’s what I do now 👇 I start with questions, not keywords. Before creating an outline anything, I pull up real questions from: • AnswerThePublic • Google’s “People Also Ask” • Reddit threads These places tell me what real humans are confused about, frustrated with, or actively searching for. Then I take those questions and turn them into my H2s and H3s. Because if people are already asking, your blog should be the one answering. 💡 Second big shift: depth > decoration. Instead of adding generic fluff, I answer every question with actual detail. I avoid adding those typical summary paragraphs that add no real value - obvious advice like “content is king” or “always provide value.” 💡 Third shift: show, don’t tell. Every brief includes: • product screenshots • screen recordings • step-by-step visuals If a reader lands on your blog with a question, they should leave with a solution. With AI search in place, the bar for what “helpful” actually means has increased. So, stop writing for algorithms and start writing for real questions people are asking. Build briefs around intent and show your product in action, not in theory.

The creative brief is the most underrated document in our business. And most of them are terrible. I've seen thousands of briefs over 30 years. Award-winning briefs and briefs that should never have left the building. Here's what separates them: 01 - A bad brief tells the creative team what to make. A great brief tells them what problem to solve and trusts them to find the answer. 02 - A bad brief has six objectives. A great brief has one. If everything is important, nothing is. 03 - A bad brief describes the audience as a demographic. A great brief describes them as a human being in a specific moment, feeling a specific thing. 04 - A bad brief is written by committee. A great brief is owned by one person willing to defend every word in it. 05 - A bad brief asks for something safe. A great brief gives the creative team permission to surprise you. The best creative work I've ever seen didn't start in a studio. It started in a room where someone wrote a brief that was brave enough to demand something extraordinary. You can't get great creative output from a mediocre brief. It's not possible. What's the worst brief you've ever been given or written? #Advertising #CreativeStrategy #BriefWriting #Design #BrandBuilding #CreativeLeadership The One Club for Creativity

If you’re doing this in briefs, stop: inconsistent shorthand. You introduce a long title once, and two pages later it’s “WCP,” “the Project,” “this initiative,” and “the program.” But every time the court has to figure out what the shorthand means, you lose momentum. ❌ “Under the Writing Clearer Project (“WCP”), the parties agreed to revise the policy. The Project requires monthly reporting.” ✅ “Under the Writing Clearer Project (WCP), the parties agreed to revise the policy. WCP requires monthly reporting." (WCP) beats (“WCP”) because acronyms don’t need quotation marks. Parentheses already tell the reader, “This is the shorthand.” If the acronym is clunky or unfamiliar, define a short name instead. ❌ Writing Clearer Project (“the Project”) Don’t include the article in the defined term. It reads awkwardly later and invites inconsistency. ❌ Writing Clearer Project (the “Project”) This is a mash-up of two systems: the article outside, the term inside quotes. ✅ Writing Clearer Project (Project) Simply define Project, then use “the Project” normally in prose. Most importantly, only define what you’ll reuse. If you won’t mention it again, skip the shorthand. — Hi, I’m Patrick Hagen. Clear writing. Sharp strategy. Litigation done right for in-house teams.

The Real Reason Most Campaigns Fail? The BRIEF. 👉 Let’s stop pretending it’s always the agency’s fault. → It’s not always the creative. → It’s not the media plan. → It’s not the pitch team. 👉 Most campaigns fail because they were set up to fail. And that failure starts with a BAD BRIEF. 👉 What does a bad brief look like? → It’s vague. → It’s written by committee. → It has no business outcome attached. → It’s filled with jargon, but no clarity. → It’s written to tick a box, not solve a problem. 👉 I’ve received briefs that were: → A three-line email → A rushed conference call → A 42-page RFP with zero actual direction → A three-minute thought during a presentation → A “template” copied and pasted across departments 👉 And every time, the question is the same: “Come back with something great.” 👉 Here’s the uncomfortable truth: If the problem isn’t clearly defined, no one can solve it. → Not even the best strategist. → Not even the best creative director. → Not even the best media team. But how do you solve a problem that’s never been clearly defined? Who’s responsible? Both sides. 🟦 Brands need to stop outsourcing confusion. → If you’re not aligned internally, don’t expect clarity externally. → Define the outcome. → Sharpen the ask. → Then brief. 🟧 Agencies need to stop playing along. → Challenge the brief, and ask questions. → If it’s broken, don’t build on it. → Fix it first. 👉 Why does this matter? Because unclear briefs don’t just waste time. The result? → Great agencies are stuck answering the wrong question → Misguided pitches → Frustrated clients → Underperforming work 👉 So what’s the fix? Simple, but not easy. → Better briefs lead to better ideas. → Better ideas lead to better results. → And that starts with the courage to slow down and get clear. 👉 So here’s what I do: ✅ Ask for a formal written brief ✅ Request a meeting to walk through it ✅ Interrogate the assumptions ✅ Clarify the objective ✅ Ask: “Is this the right question or just the one that made it onto paper?” 👉 The truth? Most campaigns don’t fail at the end. They fail at the very beginning. A bad brief.

What I learnt the hard way about writing influencer briefs 👀 No one else cared about them as much as I did. Harsh? Maybe. True? Definitely. Here’s the problem: Brands who send creators (and their agents) never-ending-slide-decks stuffed with brand vision, campaign context, KPIs, tone of voice, and more. It feels thorough, but in reality, the core message often gets buried under text bulk and over-explaining. I’ve been guilty of this myself. Hours spent perfecting every word choice, adding layers of context that felt essential, but overwhelming (and sometimes confusing), for the person on the other end. Even today, I still see briefs like the one in my slideshow circulating (😭). They’re heavy, uninspiring, and often suppress creativity instead of sparking it. Psychology backs this up: 💡 Information overload makes it harder to prioritise what’s important. 💡 Paradox of choice shows us that more options often make decisions harder, not easier. Creators are operating in fast-paced environments, competing for attention. Recruiters are pitching roles in 2-minute Loom videos. If you’re asking for creativity, you need to meet them in the same spirit. Guide on best practices and strategic frameworks, but ensure the core of your brand shines through in a simple, clear-cut way. My recommendation for briefs that actually work: 📲 A short TikTok esque video: deliverables, vibe, do’s/don’ts. 📄 A one-pager/Notion: clear, to the point, starting with overview, deliverables, non-negotiables. 📷 A moodboard: bring the creative direction to life visually 🤝🏼 Make it collaborative: share a Pinterest board, jump on a 15-minute vibe check call. Pressure-test: if your core message and brand can’t fit in 5 slides, it’s probably too much. For complex industries like health or fintech, extra detail is valid, but that makes it even more important to cut jargon and put clear do’s and don’ts front and center. Every brand’s process will differ, but it’s worth asking: is your brief actually doing its job? A brief is the first touchpoint with a creator. It’s your chance to inspire, not bore. 👀 If you’ve ever sent an influencer brief or received one yourself - what are your thoughts on this?

A powerful creative brief isn’t just a document — it’s the bridge between your brand’s strategy and the execution that brings it to life. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/epk9F-cK In our in-depth guide, we walk you line by line through what makes a brief effective — and highlight where many marketers go wrong. Here’s what you’ll get: ✨ The “must-decide” elements: one objective, one tightly defined target, one desired consumer response, one main message, and up to two strong reasons to believe. ⚠️ Clear examples of bad briefs: too many objectives, too broad a target, or diluted messaging — contrasted with smart briefs that bring sharp focus. 🧩 Templates you can plug in right away: whether you’re creating a full creative brief or a streamlined “mini brief” for fast-moving campaigns. If you feed your creative team a vague, sprawling brief, you’ll likely get work that misses the mark. But if you give them a clear objective that tightly aligns with strategy while leaving room for creativity, they’ll deliver meaningful, effective work. When people ask me "how long does it take to write a brief?" I say, "About half an hour....plus six weeks of hard work." 👉 Check out our post: “The good and the bad of the Creative Brief, line by line” 🔗 https://lnkd.in/epk9F-cK

We see a ton of creative briefs at GetAds, so this post made sense to dissect what makes a brief, a great one. It’s not just about filling in the blanks → it’s about setting up your team for success. Let’s break it down: 1️⃣ Clarity Over Complexity  ↳ A strong creative brief is concise, free of jargon, and gets to the point. Overloading it with unnecessary details only slows the process and creates confusion. Focus on simplicity without sacrificing purpose. 2️⃣ Start with the Why  ↳ The purpose of your campaign should be crystal clear. Why does this campaign exist? What problem does it solve for your audience? This gives your team direction and creates alignment from the start. 3️⃣ Know Your Audience  ↳ Go beyond demographics. Understand what motivates your audience, their pain points, and aspirations. The deeper your understanding, the more your creative resonates. 4️⃣ Define Success  ↳ Establish clear, measurable goals. Whether it’s increasing CTR, driving conversions, or boosting brand awareness, everyone on the team should know what success looks like. 5️⃣ Inspire, Don’t Dictate  ↳ While a brief provides structure, it should also leave room for creativity. Share tone or examples for guidance, but avoid being overly prescriptive. Creativity thrives in flexibility. 6️⃣ Pinpoint the Message  ↳ What’s the single most important takeaway? If your message tries to do too much, it risks losing its impact. Keep it focused and powerful. 7️⃣ Deadlines + Deliverables  ↳ Be explicit about deadlines and formats. Ambiguity derails projects. Set expectations early to keep everything on track. Why it matters: A well-crafted brief saves time, aligns your team, and sets the stage for impactful work. Great creative starts here—it’s non-negotiable. Found this helpful? Like, follow, and share ♻️ so others can too! ps. struggling with creative bottlenecks? We can help.

I've worked with more than a dozen B2B SaaS companies. One thing I look out for before signing a contract with any company is - "Do they provide their freelance writers with solid content briefs?" I've seen so many companies provide freelance writers with just title and H1, H2, and H3 headers - just for the sake of creating these briefs. Or they expect their freelance writers to create outlines based on SERP analysis. But I'm not sure if that's the way it should be. Think of a content brief as an architectural plan. Just as an architect needs a detailed blueprint to construct a building that meets specific requirements and standards, a freelance writer needs a comprehensive content brief to craft valuable content. The more detailed the brief, the better the outcome. What should you include in your content briefs: ✅ Basic details like post title, recommended word count and keywords to target. ✅ Who the readers are, their challenges, and their pain paints - to better understand why they are reading this specific piece of content and what'll make them move. ✅ What questions does the company want this post to answer? ✅ In-depth SERP analysis - what's so special about the posts ranking on the first page of Google for the specified keyword worth ranking there? ✅ What can we do better than these posts to rank better - maybe add more visuals? Or approach this article from a unique angle? ✅ Sample posts for inspiration. ✅ An in-depth outline that acts as a roadmap for the writer. I'm also seeing companies provide writers with SME quotes to be added to the article - these are quotes from their partners rather than just random people they find on HARO or HelpAB2B writer. ✅ Links to other important documentations like style guide, internal posts to link and more. Also, one thing I'd like to point out is that freelance writers are not industry experts (not everyone). So, obviously, they may not sound authoritative. And this may reflect in your posts. To deal with this challenge, what content folks can do is - ask their internal experts to record a quick Loom video - which can be shared with freelance writers - sharing their insights on the topic assigned to them. This way, writers can get a firsthand understanding of the subject matter from an expert's perspective. That's how you can create solid briefs. But I'd also like to point out that companies that I work with - they have large content marketing teams. They have the resources and time to put in-depth research and time for these briefs. Content teams at startups, especially early stage, may not have that kind of time and resources. So, you don't need to work on all the above-mentioned pointers all at once. But you can take all of them into consideration and move one-step-at-a-time based on your your current capacity and resources.