Client Briefs

Client Briefs

What are they? And how do we analyse them?

Explore different types of client briefs

Evaluate a media brief

Use a S.W.O.T analysis to ‘de-code’ a brief

A good brief

• Target Audience
• Clients Aim
• Product USPs and Assets 
• Desired platforms

What should a brief tell you?

Who?

What?

Why?

When?

How?

What a brief does tell you

• Explicit
• Implicit/Implied
• Open (You can do what you want)

Background

Objective

Target Audience

Promise

Support for your promise

Key Message

Timing and parameters 

Key Words

• Contractual - The brief is outlined within a contract of employment - LEGALLY BINDING

• Tender - A client publishes an advert making clear they need a media product to be creates, and requests bids from production companies. Production companies then send in their brief or pitch in response, detailing estimated costs, timescales, and how the product will be produced.

• Commissioned - A client hires a separate independent media company to create a media product for them. The media company will do their own research, create a proposal and do the planning for the project.

• Formal - Based on a scheduled meeting between client and producer. Client outlines their requirements for the product. Writing documentation is provided for the meeting setting out the rules and regulations to be followed. The meeting allows detail to be looked at and follow up meetings to be arranged. This can also be done by video conferencing.

• Informal -  The client will discuss their requirements during a telephone call. There will be no documentation provided, will end with the client and the producer coming to a verbal agreement about the product to be produced.

• Negotiated - The client and producer work together to develop a brief for the project and digital media product. Discussions take place where he various aims and objectives are agreed before anything is formally written down.

Example Brief

‘Hi My Smith, we understand you are an expert on European films and have worked with many genre. We would like you to create a print advert for our new film’

Whats missing?

• Deadline - when is it?
• What is the budget?
• Your pay?
• Milestones
• Any specific creative ideas?
• Who is the target audience?
• Are there known stars/actors or Directors to use when creating material