01
Define an intended action
Describe what someone should be able to do after reading: explore an offer, request information, register for a workshop or support a project. A broad ambition such as “increase visibility” is not enough to choose the content.
In our fictional example, a brand introduces a refillable notebook. The brief asks the team to explain how it works and lead readers to its product page. It promises neither a sales volume nor an undocumented environmental effect.
02
Describe the audience and situation
State what the audience already knows, what they are looking for and which questions the message needs to answer. Use expressed needs and authorised information. Do not turn a team’s intuition into a proven characteristic of an individual.
For public communication, define the subject, context and intended readers of the publication. Individual profiles are not needed to prepare information that everyone can understand.
03
Gather facts and limitations
Attach the reference documents with their dates and versions. Separate confirmed features, proposed interpretations and points to check. Record quantities with their units and scope.
For the notebook, a specification may confirm its format, listed materials and refill mechanism. Any comparison with another product needs its own supporting evidence. The brief also lists wording to exclude.
04
Give each format a role
Define what each format does. An email can introduce the offer, a page can explain its features and a partner sheet can provide reusable information. They do not need the same word count.
Agree what stays consistent: facts, conditions, useful links and the next step. Record any length or layout constraints actually imposed by the format.
05
Name the decisions and deadlines
Identify who drafts the copy, checks the facts and authorises distribution. The schedule distinguishes receiving sources, the first draft, review feedback and the agreed version.
Plan for delays and changed information. A provisional date does not become final simply because it appears in several mockups.
06
Plan a report that can be interpreted
Choose observations related to the objective: enquiries received, confirmed registrations or product-page visits, depending on the data actually available. Define their period and source.
Separate preparation activity, confirmed sending and outcomes. A change observed after a campaign does not, by itself, prove the message caused it. Keep measurement limitations in the report.
Points to check
- The intended action is stated in one sentence.
- Audience needs are separate from assumptions.
- Sources and points to confirm are attached.
- Each format has a role and a next step.
- The people who check and decide are named.
- Reporting observations have a definition and period.
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CAMPAIGN BRIEF Campaign name: Dossier owner: Objective and intended action: Audience and expressed needs: Publication context: Main message: Confirmed facts and reference documents: Assumptions, qualifications and excluded claims: Formats, their roles and destination links: Preparation and approval schedule: People who prepare, check and decide: Handling changes and delays: Observable indicators, definition, source and period: Open questions:
Common questions
How long should a brief be?
Use the length needed to make decisions. A one-page summary can work if sources and details are available alongside it. Unresolved points should remain visible, even in a short brief.
Does the brief replace an editorial calendar?
No. It explains the purpose and conditions of the campaign. The calendar organises steps and dates. Connect them so that a brief change is reflected in the affected formats and deadlines.
A useful brief reduces unspoken assumptions. It can evolve, provided the people involved can find what changed.
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