Into The Wild: Tackling A Creative Brief

Tackling a creative brief can be daunting. Where do you start, and how do you ensure your interpretation aligns with the client’s vision? How do you provide a client with something they didn’t know they needed?

Welcome to "Into the Wild," where we share tips and tricks for all things creative.

Step 1: Get Face to Face

A written brief is great, but a lot can be misinterpreted. Meeting the client in person or online allows you to discuss their interpretation of the brief in detail. This meeting is a chance to clarify any uncertainties and quiz the client on what they deem important and how their brand or campaign should be portrayed.

Step 2: A Deeper Dive

You may have obtained key information from your face-to-face meeting, but now it’s time to test your detective skills and become the ultimate brand stalker. Explore their website, social feeds, and any other sources where you might find crucial insights that could drive your creative direction while rooting it in brand values and history. When you move to brainstorming ideas, you’ll be able to get inside the mind of the client and evaluate whether your creative choices are correct.

Step 3: Breaking Down the Brief

Now that you understand the client and the brand, re-read the brief and pull out the key factors of the project: main aims, messages, timescales, budget, and themes. Keep it as concise as possible and eliminate any unnecessary information. Remember to include any additional insights from your client meeting and brand research that may have been missed in the brief.

Step 4: Inspirational Research

With a clear understanding of the brief and deep brand knowledge, you can start gathering inspirational research relevant to the brief’s themes. At this stage, try not to think about the finished product. Instead, focus on the elements that will make it up. For instance, start by defining the theme by identifying textures, colours, shapes, and tones. This approach opens up a creative conversation for playful interpretation rather than predictability.

Once you’ve gathered your research, you’re ready to start sketching out initial ideas and concepts. However, I always suggest referring back to your brief and brand knowledge throughout the creative process ensuring your ideas remain aligned.

A creative process is fluid and personal, so we’d love to know how you approach a brief differently!

Be sure to keep an eye out for our next "Into the Wild" post for more creative guidance.

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