Creative brief
A creative brief is a short document that tells the person or tool making an ad what it must achieve: who it is for, the single message, the proof, the placement and its constraints, and the call to action. A good video ad brief fits on one page and makes it obvious when a draft is off-target.
Updated
Fields a video ad brief needs
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Objective | Free-trial sign-ups from cold audiences |
| Audience | Freelance designers who invoice clients monthly |
| Single message | Get paid in days, not weeks |
| Proof | Average payment time from product data, with source |
| Placement | Reels and TikTok, 9:16, 30 seconds or less |
| Format | Creator-style talking head with screen b-roll |
| Mandatories | Logo in the last 3 seconds; disclosure if paid creator |
| Call to action | Start a free trial |
The field most briefs get wrong
The single message. Briefs that list four benefits produce ads that say four things and land none. If the brief cannot name the one thing a viewer should remember, the ad will not either.
Briefing for several placements
Write one brief with a line per placement for ratio, length and safe-zone constraints. The message stays the same; the edit changes. That prevents the common outcome where the 16:9 version is good and the vertical versions are afterthoughts.
Questions
- How long should a creative brief be?
- One page. If it needs more, the message is probably not yet decided.