What is a Campaign Brief?
Think of the campaign brief as a relay race. The purpose of the game is to successfully exchange batons without error or loss in pace.
The campaign brief is similar in nature. It’s the link between the outsourcing organisation and the internal or external marketing team.
The brief is a document that outlines the steps, processes and expected outcomes required in the execution of a project.
It contains questions that can help the creative team come to speed with the needs of the client, and also serves as a reference point during the project’s life cycle.
Taking up a project without a clearly defined objective can create friction between the client and the creative team.
Campaign briefs aren’t all the same. Some require more questions and detailed planning – depending on the project involved – however, the core elements remain the same.
Next steps, what elements should you include in your campaign brief?
Elements of the Campaign Brief
To create an effective campaign brief, the following elements should be accounted for:
Company description
Give a summary of your brand’s mission and vision. This also helps to establish your value and provide a reference point for the marketing team.
- What makes you different?
- What are your unique selling points?
Describe your campaign
Include a brief summary of what your campaign or project is about.
- What is the purpose of this campaign?
- Why do you want to launch this campaign?
- What product or service will you be promoting?
Include the price of the product or service if necessary.
Read also: 4 customer engagement strategy for social media success
Campaign objectives
- What are the goals of the project?
- How are you going to measure the effectiveness of the campaign?
- What KPIs should you be monitoring?
Example: increase website traffic by X%, drive brand awareness, increase email subscribers by X%. Be specific.
Target audience
You need to describe who your ideal target audience is.
- Who do you want to talk to?
- Is this projected target towards consumers (B2C) or other businesses (B2B)?
- What are their pain points?
- Why do you think they need your product or service?
Messaging
Provide detailed guidelines on brand voice and personality.
- How do you want your message to be communicated?
- How do you want your brand to be perceived?
- What feeling do you want the campaign to evoke?
- What’s the main action you’d like people to take (call-to-action)?
Deliverables
This is where your client will state their vision of the campaign.
- Is there an example of another work you’ve seen somewhere that inspires you about this project?
- Do you have any previous work that can help with the execution of this task?
- Is there something your competitor is doing that you’d like to include?
Your client should describe the picture of what they want. Get clarifications and manage expectations at this stage.
Project timeline
Your campaign brief should include a pre-set timeline of events.
- When is the project kicking off?
- When will it end?
- Will there be iterations, when are they due?
Put a timestamp to every detail. This helps to keep your team focused.
Campaign strategy
Some of the essential factors you should consider are:
- Relevant keywords
- Type of content
- Distribution channels
Read also: How to develop an effective content strategy in 6 easy steps
Stakeholders
This includes the names and responsibilities of those involved in the project.
- Who’s working on the creatives?
- Who’s the go-to person for approval?
It’s helpful to list out responsibilities to keep everyone on the same page.
Budget
After all said and done, you need to know how much will be required for the execution of the campaign. Factor in every cost and leave room for miscellaneous if necessary.
A campaign brief template that includes these sections will provide your clients with proper guidance.
Creating a marketing brief can be daunting, but at the end of the day, it’ll save both you and your client’s time… and money.