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Contents
Foreword 5
Introduction 7
l. How to
fi ll
in the DO Brief, section by sectioDI3
2. Examples of good DO Briefs, and rcasons why they're good '2
3· T nspi ration, 24-hour Briefs, a RedWorks Brief and the ac tual briefing
35
Appendi x: Exa mplcs of gooel DO Briefs from
DO BAIEF
Ogih'Y &MaLher COfe Creative Bricr: New Idea Generation -Direction
Brand Product Job No. Date
Task Success Critena
E.g., new product launch, reposition !he brand, generate inquiries How will this activity be measured and are these measunements in place?
Why 15 this briaf hare?
What's keeping the cl ient awake at night? What's happening in the client's business that has prompted the need for communication? What is the big brilliant problem we can help to salve?
Who are we trylng to influence?
Who is it we need to influence and how (if at all) do they currently think, feel and behave towards the brand/category/ product area? Ask yourself what they are currently doing that we need to change. Think about any barriers that exist. Please bring these people to life in a way that will help the creative team get inside their heads, not just as general consumers but within the context of the specific challenge the brand faces . NB: The relevant points will set the scene; more in-depth info can be attached in the Inspiration section or saved lor the briefing.
What do wa want them to DO as a result o, tilis communication?
When it says "do" it means DO. This is the actual change in behavior that will ultimately altecl the client's business-and help them sleep well at nigh!. A simplistic answer like "buy mare X" is not enough-everyone in the business is doing tha!. Be specific rather than general. You'lI need to have explored who you need to influence, what they are currently doing, and how we need to change it befare you can express this fully.
How do we expect communications to work towards achieving this?
How are the communications actually going to DO that? Will they shock, engage, make things more relevant , entice people to trial , create a unified voice far the brand, change the way people feel abQut when and where they should consume the product and so get them to consume it mare olten? How will our communications reward people for the time they spend with them?
What are we trying to convey?
What is the care thought that will drive the creative solution? Think about whether this should be a big a killer fact, a promise, a straight message, or just a plain and simple big idea- it depends on the task at hand . What wlll help people to KNOW thls? What will help people to FEEL th 51
What makes this competitive, relevant to the target and What are the care values ar personality 01 the brand we need
true? NB: Additional product detail can be attached as to stay true to? Are we questioning ar directing? Are we
an addendum to the core brief. being inclusive ar exclusive? Are we talking conspiratarially
with people ar are we distant and autharitative? What do we imagine the tone 01 the communication lo be?
Mandatorias Channels Supporting Materials
What are the immutable "must haves" Where and whet1 will we reach people List any additional technical specs,
ar "must nots" for this task? E.g., avoid in the most receptive state of mind? copy briels, or product details
attacking competition or using slapstick (Please expand as needed.) supporting this brief.
humor, ensure culturally sensitive references, leature the product, etc.
Account Dinector Planning Director Cneative Director
Creative Development Time Final Review Date Clien! Presentallon Date Final Deadline Production Budget
Perva jve Creativity. Jt's what Ogilvy aims ro r. We want LO be the network that doc Lhe bes t, the freshe t and Lhe hotte t creativc work in the world.
That's why I'm deligh ted by lhi renewed focus on th ve ry start f rhe creative process- the crealive b rief.
Everyone who wriles a crea tive brief ha the pp rt unity to mak a d ifferenc .
You remembcr the old computer acronym GlGO? "Garbage lo, Garb gc O ut." It's like thal with b riers.
Every creallve team ha' horror stor ies of receivi ng lousy briefs. D ul! , vague
confu ing, though tle What chance do they have of producing sparkli ng,
fresh reative work if th e accou nl t a m d esn't hrief th m properly?
Bu t every crealive lea m al o re member. those bri f lhal made a di ff'eí oce. Briefs that igniled their imaginations. Briefs that open d up new possibilities. Erief tha t inspi red and enthused.
111at's what Perva ive Crea ivity mcans here. Writing a briefhas to be a creati fe act
in it
elr.
1bat will O'ive crcative teams lheir best chance of producing g reat work.The better the brief, th hetter thc work.
Our Tw in Peak traleg y- tbe trategy of producing the most creative work in lhe world a wd! as the mo t effective- sLarts he re. With great briefs.
The DO Eriern l form is here to help y u. It asks the lo ugh queslions you need
to answer in order to write greal brief . PI as ' tud y and apply lhe lcssons in
this short book.
l
WHY JS TIllS CUIDE HERE?
PresidentJohn F. Kenn dy wanted to ell the idea oflanding aman on the Moon.
He said , "We choose to go t the Moon in this de acle and do the other things, not becau e they are easy, bu l beca use they are hard."
The DO Brief is ha rd. Most cr alive briefs ask familiar questions. lhe DO Brief a ks ough new questions. This guide explai ns why. It will he!p you answer those questions b tter.
WHAT'S EW BO T THE DO BRIEF?
1. It begins with a q uestion about the client's business issue.
N t aD awareness issu ,or an image issue, or a positioning issue, but a business issue.
Unless our creative work help clrive the d ient's business, it will pass like a ship
in the night. All clients want profitable growth. H w can we help?
To help solv the client's business issue, we need a commercial idea -an idea that uses Ogilvy's creativity to address th . r busin ss issue.
2. It asks what communications must goet consumers to do.
H w must consumer behavior change-not just awareness or perceptions, but
behavior? For in tance, a chari ty ad might raise your awareness. It might even
move you to tea rs. But unless you put your hand in your pocket to donate money, it failed.
It asks how communications will change behavior.
AH campaigns exisl to get somebody to do something, but they work in different ways. Sorne persuade, giving rational informatio n about a product benefit. Otbers make lhe brand fam ous. Sti l1 others strengthen emotional engagement. There are many other possibilities. We need to be clear ab ut which communications
fiode! applie' in th is si tuation . 4. It asks what we n eed to convey.
U nlike mos t creative briefing forms, il does not assume the solution is always to dr iv a logical, factual proposition into consumcrs' minds. Often the most effective campaig ns create an emotional impression of the brand. Conveying inform atíon can be effective, but conveying feelings can be more effective. 5. It is channel-neutral and global.
P reviously, Ogilvy & Mather Advertising, O g ilvyOne, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide and O gilvyAction each had different briefing forms. The DO Brief
encourages in tegration among strategists of all disciplines because it is the shared platform for a11 activity. It is also used in all regions. Al! of us must use the same too1 in tn is global ized w rld .
WHY DOES IT ASK THESE QUESTIONS?
l. To improve br iefing quality.
FiIling in the DO Brief ought to make your brain hurt. It demands clarity, focus and consistency as wdl as creative stimulation. lhe harder you work at the briefing form, the better the briefing will be.
2. To help clients huy original work.
It is easier for our marketing clients to seIl seen-it-before creative work within their own companies. Helping them buy fresh, truly original work is part of the planner's job, perhaps the most important parto Stanley Pollitt, one of the fathers of account planning, said something crucial about the planner's role that seems to have been forgotten: "lhe rationale of creative work after it has been developed will become much more important than the initial creative brief."
What is a "rationale of creative work"? It is a narrative that explains how the work wiIl sell more. It involves four steps:
i) Review the brand's sales and position in the market to identify a business opportunity.
ii) Identify the key consumer segment for that opportunity.
iii) Analyze consumer behavior and attitudes in terms of the defined business opportunity.
iv) Articulate the role of communications in bringing about the desired behavioral change.
lhese reftect the first four questions on the DO Brief. Answer them properly and you are well on the way to selling the work as strategically right.
3. To j udge creative work.
Creative work should be judged against strategy. Unless you happen to be in the target market, it doesn't matter whether you personaIly like, say, the look of the lead actor or the music track. lhe question is whether the work will get the sales job done.
If you and the client agree on the communications strategy-by going through the Ogilvy Fusion™ process and the DO Brief together-it will be easier to judge whether the work will be effective with its target audience.
Wl1ERE DO • IT FIT ¡NTO O lLVY FU, 101 ?
Ogilvy Fu ion i Ogilvy's new operati ng system. It p urpos is to provide a way or our disciplines to work more cIo d y together and produce deeply integ rated 360 Deg ree campa ign .
There are two versions: Ogilvy Fu ion (d signed LO be completed in 48 hour
or a similarly short ti me) and Ogilvy FusionPróf\l (designed for ]oDITer and more
complex marketing programs). They share the sa me fi e-stage process:
4
SOLUTION
111ere are thrce Ogilvy Fusion tages before rhe DO Brief.
Business Arnbition is first. 111is asks the cssential qu stions to help articulare the
dient's business issuc OY opportunü y. It men h lps define the marketing and
com munication goals.
Customer ExjJerience identifies barrier and dr ivers to purchase at ach tep of
(he consumerjo urney. It a l O covers the desired consu mer r pon e to our
comm unications at each step.
Architecture identifies the rol s ror commun ications and basie channel choices
Thc So/ution ínspired by the DO Brief is the fou rth stage. It follows as
a nat ural progression fro ro lhe previous Ogilvy Fusion stages. I n essence, gilvy Fusion is a statemcnt of our strategy, and the DO Brief is the one-p age su mmary and creative inspiration-it is \"here the rubbej" meets the road.
You may need sub-briefs fOf particular corn munications tasks or channels in ve ry elabora te, complex campaigns. Use the DO Brief format fOf these loo .
Th c fift h stage is Effectivenes.r, which identifies key success metrics based on
the Business Ambition we with .
ENTS
C olin Mitchell and Job n Shaw wrote ke y sec tions. Paul Matheso n, Gavin Macdon ald, a nd Catherine Mous tou of Ogilvy Asia Paci fi c made many helpful cornrnents and suppJjed exa mples; they were a]so key membcrs of lhe team that devised, tested and tra i_ned the D O Brief in tbe fi rst place. The Inspiration section carne from Sarah Ncwman's tenu re as H ead of Plann ing
in Ogilvy Londo n. Many tha rU<s to them.
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Don't begin with the brief. Alway begin wiLh a trateo-y. 111e DO BTief sh uld b e the one-page su mmary of the strateg y and indicate how it hOllld be implement d , a step towa rd a creaLive ol ution.
Ogi1vy & 11athcr or' Crcílliv n
r.
New 1d a Gen ratio n - Direc . on The ti le says it all. Use thi briefing form l O gene rale a new ereati e id a.Sometimes you do n't n ed a new ereative id a- for in tanee, ror an adap tation through
R dWorks. There is an example of a RedWork briefing f, rm in Chapter .
Brand Product Job No. Date
Task Suc cess Criterla
E.g., new PfoduCt launch, reposition lhe brand , generate inquines HOI/J will this activity be measured and are these measurements in place?
Mo t of lhe n Xl boxes are self-explana to ry, but please note the rda tion hip between
fue Task and lh SlIccess C riteri . Ir the t sk is to reposition the brand, wouI d you
measur success by rhe number of inqu iri s lhe camp ign gen rated? Probably noto
Ir!he task is to generale inquiries, would yo u measure suecess by ha ng s in brand
image or personali ty? Again , probably noL Make SUTe your lhin king is joined up.
lt really htlp er atives when you are clear abolll how suecess will be j udged . O ne kind
of ca mpaign wiIl genera te inqui ries, whi1e anoth r ki nd wilJ reposi tion the b rand . Let th m know from the beginning whal i requi r d. Don't send them clown blind alleys.
Why Is thls brlaf here?
What 's keeping the client awake at nigh!? What's hap pening in the client 's business tha! has prompted the need lor communication ? Whal is Ihe big brillianl problem we can help lo solve?
O g ilvy's effectiveness ioitiative starts right here, with an articulation of the cIient's b usi nes issue o r opportunity in the crealiv grief. 1he c1ient's objeetive is always profitabl growth , bUl how is that lO b e achieved?
Sometimes there is mis u nd ' rsta nding abou t what eo unts as a b usiness issue. Are sales or market share Aat or dec1 in ing? That's a business issue. Is a competitor
outpacing 1I, io the market? l11at's a business issue. We need w rds like " al s,"
"marke t share," "reven ue" or "profitability" in thi scction, not "bra nd image" or "awareness." 1he O gilvy Fusion proccss (Business Ambition) wi Uhelp he re.
Ir you are lucky, O gilvy RED Consul ting or Business Accelcra.lion
\ViII
have donesorne upstrcam analysis chat win answer this question fo¡"you . Bu t rnos t often ¡eH
be up ro you and your tearo to fi nd an answer.
So rn e accou nt tcarn s will say aL th is point, "We do o't know about sales; rhe cl ient doesn't share thal informa tion with us." But have you asked? Perhaps if y011 ask pol itcly and expIain how important it ¡s, the marketing director wouId spend a haJ f hou r briefi ng thc team on the business challenges facíng the brand.
Yo u can find ou t a tOl by yourself. For instan ce, what do financialjo urnalis ts and ind ustry bloggers say abo ut lhe clien l's business? What's in tha t industry's trad c magaz ines? Wha t do the comp any's own finan cial reports and press statement
y? Does yo ur rnanaging director o r financc director know? Do you know someone who works in that indus try? I t's always belter lO makc an ed ucated guess abou t
the c1 ient's b usiness issue lhan ro hy nothing, because Lhen c1ien ts can COfrect any
misapprehensions when rhey review lhe brief.
It is es.fential that you
try
lo fi nd out wbat the business issue ¡s. Campaigns that arebased on business or behavioral objectives are more thanjour times as likely to be sales
eJJective as campaigns based 00 a tti tude or awareness objcctivcs.' O g üvy Fusion's
Business Ambition scction suggests the key qucstioos tor you to answer.
Olhers migh l say, "Crearives don' t need to know lhis." But
they
do, and thcy've asked for it befo re. O g ilvy's most senior crealives asked us nol to sh ie1d them from business rcalities in b riefings .Who are we tJying te Innuence?
Who is il we need lo inlluence and how (il al all) do Ihey cu rrentl y think, leel and behave to wards the brand/calegoryl producl area? Ask yoursell what they are currently doing Ihal we need to change . Think aboul any barriers that exist. Please bring these people to 1,Ie in a way that wíll help Ihe creative team gel inside their heads, nol just as general consumers but wilhin Ihe conlexl 01 the specilic challenge the brand laces. NB: The releva nI poinls will set Ihe scene; more in·depth inlo c.an be atlached in the In sp iration seclion or saved lor Ihe briefing .
The perfcct answer to this queslion would ínclude:
i) a q uan titative dcscription o f lhe ta rgel audience, incl uding tbeir buyi ng behavior
in relation to the business ¡ssue ¡dentified in the preccding section, and
ii) a q uali tative dcscrip tion that bring s lhem alive as people to creatives. Herc's a g real example from an Axe brief:
He thinks about lOomen a loto A lot loto But not drearnil1g ofrmnance, he\' (l dirty bo) lO/lO
can 't stop thinking about sex lOitlz extraOldinarily lOelcoming women. ret in Ihe real wor/d) women
are a complete0! differenl countl)i-úS .wrnelOhere hes never heen, it l1UlJ' be a while bifóre he getJ
lo go thar and)ou're f},7Laranteed he won't be ableto Jpeak the language lOhen he does.Deep down he wishes he couldjust be lúmse!faround gir/s, that it lOasn't so complicated) that he didn 't have to tr) so hatd.
' Binel, Les; JJ1d Field, Peter: "Marketing in lhe E ra or Accountabi li ty: WARC. 2007
- - -
-This is wher we include the target's perceptions of the brand-its image, positioning or personality, etc. Don't put that in the business issue section.
What do we want Ihem to 00 as a result of thls communica1lon?
When it says "do" it means DO. This is the actual change in behavior that will ultimately affect the client's business- and help them sleep well at night. A simplistic answer like "buy more X" is not enough-everyone in the business is doing that. Be specific rather than general. You'll need to have explored who you need to influence, what they are currently doing, and how we need to change it belore you can express this lully.
As the brief says, "do" means "DO." What change in consumer behavior will grow the client's sales?
NEVER write "Buy more X." That's unhelpful and spineless.
Think through how an individual might respond to the campaign. What does that person do now and what behavior do we want instead? Specific, concrete actions ("Fit window locks") are much more helpful to the creatives than platitudes ("Be vigilant"). Provide a narrative of the individual behavior change you want. Sorne good DOs that brought the tasks alive to creatives include:
• When the insurance man from X comes round, don't slam the door in his face; invite him in for a chat.
• Reach past the ordinary tea on the shelf and get specialty tea X instead.
• Get your mortgage sorted with X bifOre you look for your new house.
• Instead of passing by X shop as you have done every weekend for the last five years, stop and go inside.
• Drool over the page and divert the taxi to X instead.
The DO must always flow sea mIes sIy from the business issue and consumer target identified earlier in the brief.
How do we expect communications lo wortc lowards achieving this?
How are the communications actually going to DO that? Will they shock, engage, make things more relevant, entice people to trial, create a unified voice lar the brand, change the way people leel about when and where they should consume the product and so get them to consume it more afien? How will our communications reward people lar the time they spend with them?
Unless we specify in advance how the communications are expected to work, we don't
know the issue in full, we haven't examined the problem hard enough, we don't know the audience well enough and we haven't established the strategy soundly enough.
1l1e brief asks for a commUnlcations Olodd for the ad. What is a "cornmunications modd"? Thcre are trucc kinds:
l. Models of comrn1l1úcalions in
Keneral
It used lO be lhought that all communicalions work lhe same way. Sorne clienls
and rcsearchcrs still think that. Typical "universal" models include: AIDA: Attention, intereSl, desire, acrion.
STARCH: Sec, read, remember, act upon ,
AGMAR: Awareness, comprehension, conV1ction, action. AlETA: Awareness. intcrcs[, evaluation, Irial, adoption.
1l1cse communications modds are old- for instance, Al DA dates [rom lhe ,880s.
They
assume a) consumers arcpa'isive and ernpty-headed, and b) commurucatÍonmove cOllsumers through a linear sequence oC conseious, diserete mental event before tbey buy anything. Neither of thesc assumplions i5 credible Loday.
Communicatjons models like thcse fundamentally mjsunderstand lhe way our minds, and campaigns, aetually work . lbey don'L reOeclleamings in ncW'oscicnce,
psychology or ín-market cffcctiveness. So why do they still survivc? Bccause lhey're
plausible, not because they're right. Thcy're converuenl checklists ror prelest research and Lracking sludies.
But this can create a big problem far uso Creative ideas may appear to htil in rescarch.
In reality, lhe problem may not be me creativc idea but lhe cornmunications model
that underlics the research methodology. Howevcr, rebriefing the crcalives beca use
r
an imaginary problem wastes money and diminishes creativc mOJ-alc. You mayneed a conversation wiLh the client and rescarch agency about how l/¡ is jJarticular
crzmpaigll should be pretcstcd and tracked.
2. Mode1s ofsome cllmpairtns
A more sophisticated approach allows lhaL d iffe rent campaigns may work in different ways. 'TIlrce of lhe most widely used sels of communications models are:
Hall 0' Partners:
Sales Response- Pcople register a buying opporlunity thal fits lheir plan.... Persuasion- People t.ake oul a piece of information.
Involvement- People get involved in the adverLising.
Salience- People register lhe ad as standing oul in its sector.Q
'1 lall . Mike (oC I-Jall & Pantll,-",) : "U,ing At.lvt' rlising Di rrnenl RDTarch for Díff¡-rrnt C'lln pa igns." Marc h '9.9 2
Millward Brown:
Irnmediate Challenge- Pcople lak away "new new " abou t th produc t thal create an immediate desire to buy ir.
Interest/Status- Peop!c's memories of advertisement make rhem more
likely lO buy brand X.
Enhancement- Memories of advert ising daims and ¡maO'es are converted
ciuring experi oce of lhe prod ucl iota about the bl nd. '
IPA:
EmotionalInvolvement- Peop e re 1grealerempathy for
tite
brand becau. eof rhe emouon created by the ad, or i likabil ity.
Fame- People taLk more aboul lh brand and its adv rti ing, see it as making waves in its category.
Information- People take away a piece of in fom1ation about the brand, its u ers or thei r w rlci.
Persuasion- People are convinced by rarional argument that brandX is superior.
Reinforcement- People are remindcd to keep on doing what th yal ready
do (I oyalty campaigns) .1
There are effectiveness re ult on ly for lhis last sel. Ern otlve strat gies (Fame and EmotionaI Involverncnt) a r more Jikely lO be sale' cffective lhan rational ·trategies (Persuasj o and Information) . Rein forcernen l ca mpaigns are lhe least effeclivc:
Effi'ctiveoes ucce rate
% Fame p. Emotionallnvolvement
68
Pcrsuasion61
Information Reinforcement J3You necd to w rk out in advance wb ich of lhese com municati ns models is mo ' t
likely lO bring abo ut the behavioral hange described in the previous section of
lhe brief. Thi will be ba >d on your understand ing f tbe consumer nd the kind
of beh avi
ral
cha nge you are looking foro Even hough em tive campaign havea rugher success rate in gene ral, persuasive or informaLive campaig ns might be better in a partic ular case.
3- Model ofthis !Jarticular campaign
Rather lhan u ing a standard, off-lhe- hclf inAu nc model, think lhrough th ljnk between Lhe campaign , nd Lhe pu rcha e. Ogilvy Fu -ion will help you here, with tbe Ogilvy Comm unicati ns BlueprintT\' exercises.
fM ill ward Brow n, as su mma TÍzcd b y P ru e. TC'rry: "An AII -E mbracing Ihcory o f How Ad vertising Vlorks," Ad map , Fcbrua ry 1998
'B inct, S; a nd Ficld , Pele r: "Marke ting in the Erd of ccou ntabi lity," WARC,
To give an examplc o[ think:ing [hrough Lhe purchase process, a brand o[ rruitjuice
was bought by moLhers and drunk by Rcsearch"'showed kids were unlikely to
ask for any particular brand in this sector. An imponant role for the campaign was to get motbcrs to bdjeve their kids would love il even Ihough tliey didll't actively aSÁJor it.
Thi... communications modeJ is clear in tbis diagrdIIl: ExampIc ofbespoke communications modd
Advert isin g
/
Child impact"The one for me"
%
Mother t hinks ch ild wiU llke
%
Mother purchases
The DO Brief version of th is mighl say someLhing like, "We m:ed moms to bcljev this is Dot only high-qualiLy juice, but also
will
be a trca t for Lheir "kids. lhe troubleis lhal kids don'l ever ask for it by name.. H ow can we get moms to bdievc it is
popu lar with their kids
ir
they never ask ror it? By making a campaign their kidslave. 1l1e popuLarity with kids wiU lcad mothers to lhal thc
brand is popu lar with lhcm too."
Wllh a comm unica tions modcl c1early in mind, il is much easier to design pretesl and trdckil1g research appropriale to this particular campaign .
"Snurce: Kia·Ora hi slOI'y, Anl< lfl)' Buck.1PA Efrec lí venc!\5 Awa rdl>. 19RR
Whal are we lJying to eonvey?
What is the eore Ihoug hl that wlll drive lhe ereati ve solution? Th in k about w hether this should be a b ig ideaL: a killer fae t, a prom ise, a straight message, or just a plain and simple big idea-it depends on the tas k at hand .
Thi is the mo t prc S Uf· · ed cetion of the brief. It is whal creatives look at firsl.
Ir is how the brief as a whole will mainly be judged .
lt i never easy 10 wrile, bu t it is easier
ir
you have worked hard on lhe earli r ections oC' lhe b rief.111 de: ¡red behavioral change and commun ications mode! wil!
guicle
you r choice orthe Ic-ind of thing th communicatíons mu t eonvey.
Ir
yo u nee 1 g nerate ¡nqujries,you wiH probably use a per ua ion infl ue n e model, and ro r thal you wou ld wam te
convey factual info rmati n. Iry u nced to reposition the b rand, you will p rob ably
use an emOlivc influenee model, and for lhatyou woule! want to conv y f c.üngs abouL the brand.
There are sorne great "Conveys in the follmv1 n hapler.
What will help people to KNOW thls? What wíll help people lo Uds?
What makes this eompetiti ve, relevant to the target and What are the core values or persanality of the brand we need true? NB: Additional pro duct del ail can be attached as to sl ay true to? Are we questioning or direc ti ng? Are we an ad dendum lo the eore brief. being Inclusive or exc lusive? Are we talki ng conspiratorially
wi th people or are we distant and authoritative? What do we imag ine the tone of Ihe comm un ication to be?
I n 01 0 t briefs th i s cti n wou ld b cal led "Support for che Propos iti n," which tends
to lead toward ratio naJ, faet-based c1 ai ms. Sut we n w kn ow information is only one Ravar of effectivc eamp igns , aoe! usuall y no t thc m sl eITec1Íve. So lhe DO Brief gives
knowledge andIeelings egual ta.Lus.
I f you wa n t to convey fact ual inform ation, yo u wOlll d give more em p ha is l, lhe Knowledge b ox. If you want to convey a fceling, you would write more in Lhe Fcc1ings box. You don' t h ave to fil l both boxes each ti me .
Be very selec tive abo ul wha t you wrü e in eithe r Avoid cl ichés and p latitude
D wha t yo u have written r aI1y suppo rl lhe "Convey," and is it meaningflll ,
appropriate and imagi native? Or is il thcre for other reason - for instance, lo appea e
the die nt or aec u nt team? 'TI1cn lhe brief
will
eon fuse lhe erea li e .Mandatorles Channels Supportlng MElterlals
What are the immutable " must haves" Where and when will we reach people List any additiona! technical specs, or "must nots" for this task? E. g., avoid in the most receptive state 01 mind? copy briefs, or product details attacklng competition or using slapsti ck (Please expand as needed.) supporting this briel . humor. ensure cu lturally sensit ive
references, l eatu re the product , etc.
Accoun\ Planntng Creative Dlrector
Creatlve DBvoJopment Time Final Ae\iIf1w Dale CUent PresentalJon Da10 Final Ooadline Productlon Budget
Finally, we come to lhe practical stuff that creativcs need to know before they actual1y begin worki ng on someth ing_
Mandalories res tr ict creative freedo m, so , as lhe brief says , only include the
"immu tables." 1l1at i.llclud es the thi ngs th at will get the ad out of hand
as unbuyablc. C reativcs m ust be in rormed o f these "m ust nots" im mcdjately,
befare Lhey Slart work, or yo u may waste their time on mutes that will never see
the light o f da)'.
lhe ChanneIs box wi U summarize the O g-ilvy Comm unications Blueprint fro m Fusion .
For b riefs with many delailed req ui reme ms- often direct, d igital or retail activatíon briefs-attach a separate p age to the DO Brief.
1l1e briefMUST be signed by the aCCOUl1t, plann ing and creative directors before it ente.t·c; the crea tive d eparLment. C realives are absolu tdy right to refuse to work on DO Bricfs wilho ut all th.ree signatures.
1l1C remaining boxes are sclf-explanatory.
A FINAL NOTE
A DO Brief m us t be log;ical, connected, joined up. Good briefs lell a story, wi th. a begi nn ing, a mid dlc a nd an end.
The success criteria mus t fit lhe task. The target audicnce must fit the business issue.
The dcsi red change in behavior must fi t the infl uence model . And so on wilh the
olhcr sect10ns .
Always remember David Ogilvy's advi ce: "What mos t clien1.s want [rom LI S is greal
campaigns, wiLh the spark to ignitc sales and lhe staying power lO build enduring
brands." Read through your brief one last üme criücally before you pass it to tbe
creatives. Has it g OL Lhar spark? Has il got staying power?
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Ogih-y & ¡vbthcr eore ,r "alivl: Bnd : N 'w fde a Generalion - Di rectio n DO BRIEF
Brand ProduCI Job No. Dale
Ho\els & Resorts ' "4/2009
Tas!< Success Cnlarla
350 Deg.w GlobaJ Campalgn Id • SIe.aling share In these. lhe dltllault attd compellllva I
• Assessed by IncteaseO Inqulries 10 i!XllIlíng halem and Inle
• Talkablhty and PR generdhon
lnI"'I lar holels.
resl lor nev; launches.
Why 19 tttís briel here")
We are in the eye 01 \he worsl global recession since Ihe Ice Age. The rlo tellndustry is already blldly affected, partlcularly as lis key target, business travelers, are faced WIIh redlJced blldgets ttJe worfd over. There are dtopping occupancy rales and increased prometlollS and a priee war loomtng while
more and more harels are b uilL In Ihe mldSt 01 aU Ihls, lt1e Shangri-La is also laundling a rucmber cf new hotels In mator US and Eurcpean destinatlons
and is seel<ing le attract more bUSlf1eSS. II has lo. In lact, we hava estimated thal Its ho!els round the wcrld wln need 10 more stays per nighl to remaln laval in tenns 012009 vs.2008 reV9f1ue. To achleve i expansion objectives and nda t/1e storm of the recession, Shangri-La needs to laKe a number 01 eeUons . IaClical and straleglC. AI'lII 01a1J, It neecls an idea to wrap all these actíons In , an idea tha! defines II In a uni ue. ng an d ow nable way. We beliave this idea is lil e extraordinary St'tangn-La quallty 01110Spitality, hospilailty l hal goes we!J beyond simply Impeccable serviee In luxurfous surroundin -hospnaJlty tIlat comes lrom \ha hearl.
Whal does thlS mean?
Whila olher ftve-star hotels (bolh Inlemational and Asían) treal hospitaJily like hardware- somelhing lo be aeqUlreO and pollshed 10 sterlle pertectlon- the Shangri-La sees 1\ as Ilvll1g, Ilwd Inl8faction between human beings. conducted w ith heartfell since!'lty. Thus. Other l iv -star h tels reach tllelr stafl consistenUy Impeccable service, bu! \he Shangr!-La advoca!es sponlaneity and an individual approach. The>¡l belleve !ha! cookl&-cutler lakeness has nothing to do with respecting \ha guest. Othar five-slar halets mighl lreal Ihelr gueslS Ilke ki ngs to be indulged, bul lhe Shangri -La belleves in treatinq !hem "ka human belngs lo be valuad other five-star halels belle"e lhal a good haleller is made bUI Ihe Shan n- La behaves lhal a goad Iloteller is born- bom wllh!he ablhty te empa\hiza and app<eciate \he n€eds 01others an to really caro and respond Irom l he hearl. "Everyttung m t
come from!he heart," lhay leach young recrurts.
The briel hBre is to help Shangrl-La achieve ils objectlves by making Shangn-La's dlstmCl brand 01hospitalit'} lamous the wotld over, hence m aking Shangri -La every premlum lraveler's must-stay hotel.
Who 8111 _ trying lo Inlluence?
Premium business travelers who expect lil e highes t levels 01serviee an d c omforl from I he ho tels Ihey stay In .. wh o Ilmi less and Increasing chOice 01 excellent ho tel chai ".w ho are olten Hyalt and Slarwood dlehards b eca1JSe thay hold 10yaltY programs w itil benelits that are "unshakable." Thay spend e good deaJ al Iheir Ilfe on Ihe road . liVing out of sultcases and on slale alrtine food . They arrive nd leave alone. They are mal everywhare by pSlnled-on smllés and generic greellngs becs use aU In Ihe hos il lily industry k now fhelr monetary value and Ireat lhem IIke kl ngs. Yel In Ihelr goloen cages thay leal dissatisfaction and th ey may even suspect fhal wh t 15 misslng In alllhese temples
01 luxury is genulne humanity end interactlons from the Ilearl, no l Ihe how-to book .
An d hsre [¡es the dlffereoee. Shangn-La w i\h its betíal in antl practica 01trua Asian hospltallty - Ihe human way al treatlng custom ers- warms your Mearl. leads your seul and neller lelS you feel like a slranger in !he strangest of plaoes. Doesn'l \hIS make a dlffarence when you are back In !he tour wal ls 01 a hotel room for \he tenth time In a monltl?
What do w n1 tIlem lO DO 85 a re:;ult 01 thlb communtcation?
Recognize Ihece's Vital humanlty m lsslng l rom Iheir hotel expariences t o dale and reso lve to stay In Shangrl-La nexl time. $peclfic;aJly. IhIS means Instead of booklng on autoplloi. thay InSlruCl Iheir boo ker to book th Shangri -La time.
How do we e"pect communlcatlons lo orlo. 10Wilrds achlevlng Ihis7
We are hare 10 change Ihe debate from luxury one-upmanship and mindless poln! colle l ion lo one that recognires whal's really important-
the Quall y of lhe ex perience In a ho tel.
What are we trying lo convey?
Hosp;l ality fram the heart .
What wllI I Ip peoplo to KNQW Ihls7 Wilat wlll help peopl 10 FEEL thl$? Staft recru ilment- \I1ey will 90 out 01 lheir way (a.g. , rural China) lo flnd staff w ith Ihe rlght attrtude. Id eas about humanily, nol efficiency. Stafftraining- Ihe firsl Ihing Ihey do is to ask trainees lo descnbe Iooking alter tarnlly or being looked Id eas th a! are no! wailpaper lollo wing alter by famTIy. Then thay relate leelings and pro tices lO Iooklng alter guests. "Everythmg must come Industry codeso Ideas Illal m ake
!rom /he roart." Training on Ihe Shangri-La way-sincenly. respee!. courtesy. helplulness, 11unnllfty I ham la ugh or make them cry -
Slncerity is key. Thls means behavior needs 10 be sponlaneous and insdnctive, not pmscrlbed. Staft th at don' t leave them mdlffaren t.
are lrusted and empowered to make a difference on !heir ovm reading end aecording lo thelr culture.
This IS observed and cultlvated daily by GMs. "If JS lhe care tha! bnngs a person back. "
M¡¡lnd tortes Channela Supporting Mate 15
Make It easy lo book off Ihe page/scréen. AdaptatiQrJS for European and Asian 360 Degree. But fi rst: Guest tones, Shan gri-La languages. Retlecr locabons (current and new) and t"¡ otel s <lnd resortS . Refl ect Pri nt (prass & poslers). Core Values Video, training Asian herltage. Template lor CHI spa and F&8 . CRM, Digital Video andlor transe ipts
Aceount Director Planntng Director Creallva Director
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I L l\111 8 10 Y·I -I H::> "-Y IIS 31lS 83M l N ltld2. lTibiki r alivc DO Brief:
Ogil"y & ¡ f aLher Con: 'r -aove Bricf' Ncw T de: Ge nerarion - Oireuion DO BRIEF
Brand PredIJe! Job O. Date
Sunlory Hlbikl s UTNAXazoOOC0 1N 9/1 6/2008
Task Success enterla
Rebranc:llng Business Target: Annual Sales 6.5 bllllon JYP + 7 tllUlon JYP in 5 yea,s)
Why is lh S brief here?
The whisky category and Hibiki are suffering. Young pecple aren't drinking it. Its formal and hierarcllical drinking occasions are disappearing. And for all bUI the very loy 1, there's liltle emotional enga ement and certainly very lillle pleasure associated wlth il. And even th ough it's the world 's best blended whisky, very few people und ersland the superiority of the blend over ane-note pungent malts. More broad ly speaking, this applies to the world of premium alcohol overall. As the leading bran d in the Suntory whisky portfolio, Hi iki needs to change I his.
We need to brlng Hibikl bac k lo life; il needs to live in th e modern world. We need lo position it as contemporary, with so meth ing uniq ue and compelling to say and enga e with.
Who are w Ing to Influence?
Male, 35 - 40, premium whisky drinkers (including Hibiki) , plus drinkers 01 other premium alcohols.
He's a man who's hungry For experiences and looks to get the moS! from life and what It has to offer. He lives life dynamically and appreci ates drama. com plexit y, rarity, and new ness. He searches for insp iratio n in today's age, he 's focused on what's ofihe highest quality, and he always wants sornething authentic. He loves to go to the best places, not lor show and status but because interesting things happen in them . M ixi ng with oth er people is at t he top 01 his agenda becau5e tt's abo u meeting excíting new people and encountering new worlds.
He drl nks what he oonside(s to be th e best nd most interesting alcohol. He needs to understand that Hibiki is by far the best and most interest ing choice he c ould make.
What do we want them to DO as a result of thls communlcatlon?
To actively choose Hibl í and to understand w hy th ey' ve d one so , To do so versus other prerni um w hisky choices , and to do so at tim es when other prem ium alcohols may also be considered.
How do we expect communicatlons lo work towards achieving this?
We wi ll Ik aboul b lended whisky (and our superior blend) in a new way, a way that is ric h, evocative and emotionally compelling in the story it tells abou t Hibiki (and by association the Hlb iki dnnker).
For current Hibiki drinkers, thls wi ll reinforce why they already ehoose Hibiki. For Ihose drin ing other premium alcohals, it wlll make it very d ifficult not to try Hibiki.
What are we trylng to conv y?
Hibiki: Make Lite More Complex.
What will help people to KNOW this? What will help peopte to FEEL thls?
A master blend of carefull y selected malt and grain "Make Life More Complex " is not just about
whisky-whiskies. matured for a minimum of 17 years. it repres ents a bigger ideal. When we look at life,
we reali ze that people who lead li ves with varied Bringing many different characters together to make one
experien c es achieve so much more than anyo ne else. very deep ONE is what makes us special.
"Make Life More Complex" should remind our l arget 01 this.
This process is where the drama happens: bring differen!
Intimate. beautiful, ch arisrnati c, insp iring , premium . characters together and someth ing new wi ll be born.
Mandatorias Channels Supporting Materíals
Ofl ly Hibiki understands lhat when we bri ng different people. th ings and experiences together, something dramatic happens, as our name Hibiki (resonating) implies.
Accollr1t Director Ptannm Director CrealJve Director
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¡ I I3. Dove creative DO Brief:
al ive Brit f: Nl'w Idea G nera ti n- Din:c ti n DOBRIEF
Ogilvy & • lalher Ce
Brand PrOduct Job No. Date
Dllmage Therapy shampoos na condlooners 7/16/2009
Task Success Cnt ria
Get wom en to 91ve DOIle's • Is )ur adVernsing a WOW? IHow mueh free p,c:¡ do€>. 1I gMerate? Ale consurnet'S anct lile índuslry lalkmg ilOOU I sI?)
new shal'llpoos and • Does It bUlld the Dove bmnd? lDoes II slrenglheo lhe core idea tllal Do ve l ,el,Os WOI en leel greal abour themseJves?)
cond.tíoners " '90 . • Does 1I prompt women give Do', 's new .;hanlpoos and conchtioners a 9o? (000$ /1 rel3in CUI/'En/ Dove [iSefS Dnd
encoorage olllen . omen lo sWllch brands?¡
Why IS this brIal here?
Dove's hair scientists have spent yea rs developing a world-class, patented, superior hair r.epalr technology. It is belng launched as a new ra nge 01 shampoos an d conditioners called Dove Damage Therapy. It's a b r illiant solution t o a p roblem the vast majority
01 women don't th in k they have. Creating the need is difficult beca use no woman wants someone pointlng a finger at her and
calling her "damag ed ." It's in sul ti ng. 'Nhy would she listen?
The point of this bnef is to turn the issue of damage on its head , making damaged hair something 'Nomen activel y choose to confront ,
rather lIlan 50/nething they deny or shy away from. .
Who are we trylng lo Influence?
Women who don '1 think of their hair as damaged. They would probabiy desc,-ibe thelr hair as pretty normal: sometimes il behaves
itself an d other times it's dry. or has spli t ends , or is a rnass 01 fnzz thal's a nightmare lo styt'e. But that's normal; il doesn't mean thei r hair is damaged and it doesn't rnean they need a special. tI)erapeutic repalf system. Wnen they hear "damaged hair," tlley think of extremely fran led ha ir that has been colored , cooked. crimped and coiffed to a crísp-certainly not their own. That's why thay shun exisl ing damageJrepair variants.
Whal do W8 want them lo DO as a result of this communrcabon?
We want th m to positively embrace the notion 01 damaged hair. When people ask them thell hair type. they should reply "damaged" -confidently and Witll a twi nkle in their ey , They should place their Dove Damage Therapy bottles in plain view in thelr bathrooms as badges of honor and hope that guests notice them. They should use Damage Therapy every time they fee! like their haír could use a little TLC (e.9. , the morníng after a big nlght out; at the end of a hard week; after the beach ; after workíng out any ti me theír hair feels dull and lifeless). They should join onllne communities and forums with handles Irke Stressed Tresses and leave suppor!lve messages for other women with damaged hair. They shou ld put bumper stic kers on theír bashed-up cars that say things like "ll's not Just my hall that needs repai ring."
How do wa expect communlcatlons lo work lowards achlevlng thls?
Cornrnunications 'Nill democratize damaged hair by revelling in the lac! that it's a slrnple tact of Ilfe for 80% 01 women . They WIII not work by lecluring or hectori ng, which is the category norm. Nor will they attempt to induce anxiety. Instead. comrnunications will be
upbeat and celebratory: hair darnage is par! of being a wom an, par! 01 the Dove slsterhood.
WhBt are we tfying lo convey?
DAMAGED HAI R: BRIN G IT ON ! Because damaging your hair is a sign that you are liVing life to the fullest.,
Whal wlll help people lo KNOW lhls? What wiO help people lo FEEL thl ?
Darnaging your hair is norma l. There's nothing to be fearful Pan tene's solution wou ld be to prey on women's insecurities
0 1' concerned about. Everyone does it. Blow-drying, brushing, with fear-based comm unications thal go deep inside the hair shaft
coloring and straightening all darnage hair. Just living life to reveal U'le darnage that blow-drying and stralghtening cause.
damages hair. But Dove isn't Pantene. Dove is posltive and suppor!ive 01 women,
not underlllining. Dove Damage Therapy makes IIght work ot the repair.
It's a patented technology that beats Pant ene and salon Dove is about ordlnary women getting on with it, embracing Iheir
brands in labo ratory tests. It delivers tangible benelits: imperfections wi th grace and humor.
• 2X more moisture Dove has a sense of hurnor. It 's a twinkle in the eye,
• 3X less írizz
a conspiratorial wink between girlfriend . 'Nomen don't need
• 6X fewer split ends lo take the communieations seriously or literally in order
• 10X mo re resilience against futu re darnage
to engage with tile product.
Mandatorias Chann 15 Supporting Materials
Should feel IIke a breath 01 fresh air in the 360 Degree plan to follow, but anthemic For tone 01 voiee·.
quasi-scientilic, pretend world of hair care 1V!web spot wlll be vital. Boots' "Here Come the Gi rls" TVC
advertising. Fun, uPQeat and anthemic, The Indigo Girls, "Closer to Fine"
Account Drrector Plannlng Director Creatlve Director
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I4, Acqua Panna creative DO Brid:
00 BAIEF
O li ' '1' '<l Liv B rit.J· I ew Idea Gcncralion - Oirecl ion
Brand flcqua Panno Task Brand SIOfY Product Glass bOItle Job No. Success Crileria
• Aest3warll eli,. "bullon and Dusn • Being OlSked lar 1"1 restaurants
Date 1/1A12009
Why 15 this briaf here?
Tradit ionally pushed by restaurants. Acqua Panna is largely seen by t.he trade as th e still-wate r sister to sparkling San Pel legrino. It has no dlsf inct Identlty that wo uld ensure consumer pull-thraügh. Growt h af filtration systems and economic frugality have led to a dramatic 50 % sales decline .
Who are we trylng to Influence?
achlever. Well educated. He owns his own business and enjoys the sophisticated. cult urad high life. Good restaurants, nice hotels. clubs and a bread array 01 the arts constantly previde stimulation. He' JI order San PeJlegrino
or a still water to accompany his tood and wine when asked. As with his on-the-go choices, he has no compeJling
preference For any brand 01 premium stll l water. They all quench his thirst. but nooe of rea lly raject an imaga Ihat he stnves for (indeed , French water for lhe girls at the gym is decidedly too pin k).
In charge at wark and In control in life, he sits on top of society's box. Dressed in Ozwald Boateng, he does Indeed rule his world.
What do we want them to DO as a result 01 thls cornmuOIcation?
Pass on the Acqua Panna legend. Become knowledgeable proponents of both Its unique hlstory and its ro le with food. We need to squlre the cognoscenti en both the glving ami receiving sides of fine dtning restaurant tables, and encourage
them to reveal Acqua Panna's secret mystical knowledge.
How do W8 expect cornmunications lo work towards achlevlng Ihís?
Create a dramatic legend in a manner that lures and intrigues.
Get them to thlnk of it with the same kind of reverence they have lar their special spints or wlnes. Challenge many of Ihe established category rules -i ncluding. specifically, the role of the water- through the use 01 history. a masculine persona, and a sense ef serenity.
What are we trylng to convey1
Acqua Panna bestows astonlshing power.
Whal will help people to KNOW ttllS? What wíll help people to FEEL thls?
oewer ef the water to make tead taste better. Creation of an intriguing legend.
Dellcate mineral balance + astonishing naturally flItered purity frem Brand Personality: Powerful, Cultured,
a 15-year journey through the limestene ef the Tuscan hills. Mysterious, Dangero us.
AstQn ishing Dower of its heri age: sourced fram Villa Pan na, the Med ici Tusean estate. Ruthless Medicl power and mfiuence across Europ e
etween the 13'" and 17' centuries: popes, rulers, monarchs. poli tics. Jealously guarded secret for over 400 years.
Mandatories Channels Supporting Materials
Un less t here is good reaso n creatively to the contrary, we should leverage the brand's packaging Icans.
Accounl Direclor Ptanníng Director Creatlve Dtr13ctor
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1. They re creatively sLimu latin<Y. Th >y're also clear and internall y consis tcJ1t (no false
trails), and lhey make ens .
2 . They're ro L d in r al cl ien t business i sue :
. 111C hOlel market i in c1 ine in the T ce sio n. Shangri-La need 10 mo r stay ' per n ight pcr hotel just lO keep rey nues lhe s me as la t y ar.
- What'
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vely about "ro more s tays" i th at il makes advcrtising's lask v iv id and r al for thc creatives. A i lilar calcu lation was made f: mous in arce nt Sainsbury's IFA EITectivenc paper.!i Sain bmy', commercialobj clive was lO iner a'e 'ales by E2.5 billion over thrce ycars. 1 h is amou nt was LOO vast to be a u eful input inlO lh creativc proce . A impl uro howed il actuall, me nt cu tomen pend ing EI,I 4 m re pe r vi it (Er.r 4 x I4 mi lli n CUSl me rs x 52 weeks x3
years =E2.5 billion) .-Thi calculation ''Lransformed the role for communícations: t geuing shoppcrs
to spendo titile extra," which "unl ck d rile [ 2.5 bil li n proble m so Lh at
creativ ity c uld be used to solve it. An un imaginably daunting was
tran forrned in to somethrng a tang ible and approac ab! as it's po ' ible to imagine." Can you translate b ig corporate object ive int tan ible on umer behavioral changes like thi on )'our brief:? Can )'ou solve huge pn>blcm with ,olution based on the behavior o C individuals? Creariv s wi ll love you for it. • 'TIle wh i ky market i in dce ¡ne, and Hibiki i ded ining WiLh ¡lo Young pe pIe
in particular aTe drinki ng le s. Based on current nends, Hibik i wi ll no t have a future a an advertised brand. l1le importan of Lhe la k help inspire creatives.
They know that what úley d real61rnatters.
• Dovc ha' sp nt years developing a product that solve p roblcm people don't
tllink they have. H w lhen can we launch il lIccessfully?
• Acqua Panna ales a re clown by 50%.
3.
111ey bring lhe audi nce Lo life in a way that allows creative to rel l to Lhem as peopl :.1h business traveler
ror
Sh angri-La is no t a "road warr ior" cliché bUl someone who "arrives and leaves a lone."• Th wh isky dl'inker Lor Hibi ki is not a "savor the best trung in !i f "cl iché ut someone who wants LO m ingle to rn et new people ,
ro
hay newexp eri e nce . • Dove'" ha mpo bu yer wan t t have fu n.• 'file Acqu Panna dri uker ' rule. lhe world" bUL th in k all b tt l d still water are lh samc.
"Roach, Tom ; Mawds ky, e mig ; Dors')!cl,Ja ne: "Sél in shury's- HOI' a n IdC<l n lp -d .\1a ke Sainsb ury's e r 'a l Aga in ," I PA Effl'CllVen s Awarcls, 200S
4. Il is clca .. what we need !.he audicnce lO do as a resulL of seeing lhe campaign: • Specify which hotel they want to sLay in instead of booking "on autopilot."
1hat's inLrigu ing for the crealives: "So nlost hotel bookings are made on autopilot?
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didn'l know that."• 'i\ctively choose" H ibiki over 01 her premiunl drinks. 1 h at mcans nOl joining lhe crowd, not ordering lhe same drink as othe! people. lt means standing out and asser t.i ng your individuality.
• Cheerful1y reply "Damagedl" when asked what theÍT hair rype is, and display lhe bOltle in plain view io lhe bathroom as a "badge or honor."
• Become Acq ua Panna's proponent.
5. 1he Convey contains a stcp towards lhe creative solut ion:
• "IIospitahty from me heart" leads towards an emotivdy engaging plaLform.
• "Make life more complex" lcads towards a salient and involving campa ign . • "Damaged haü shows you ardiving life lo lhe fullest" lcads towards a campaign
aboul life and fun .
• "Bestows astonishi ng power" leads lowards aSlonishing Renajssancc art and il P9wcrf ul patrons.
6. The Knows and Fcc1s support lhe Convey and lead towards the crea tive solulion:
. 1 he Shangri-La campaign "might make people laugh or
cry,
bul nol leave themfeeling indifferent."
• TI1e IIibiki campaign is nOl j usl aboul the whisky itselfbut also about leading a varied, interesLing tife.
• TI'le Dovc campaign is nOL based on rearor guilt, but on cnjoying Jife. • TI1e waler is sourced from the Medió Tuscao cstale and associated witb
legenclary figures.
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L 'SPIRATIO.
Ogilvy & Matllt'r eore Crcaliv BricE New Id ea Generation- 1m ¡.ra tio n
Use ¿his pagejor anjlLhing thaL jlOU think could give creative people inspiration in
solving the brief visual a.l we!! as verbal.
For example: !illks to relevan! material on the web, books, m"Lides, movie14érences,
music, art, TV, celebrities, a "rant')ou l¡,ave wriUen, tlwught starters, púces o/
advertising, any material whichfleslzes ouL the target audience, 07" allything else
tizat co ufd Ize!p.
The firsl pag of the DO Bricf ensUTes r 1 vanee to the el ient's busine s. The econd
page is optiona\. Its role is to timulatc [re h exec ulion .
Creative peopl usually ask [or two things fro m a ricf: directi n and in. piratíon .
111 y are like1y Lo want directioo a th y taTt work on a projec t, but as lh y try lo 'olve it they may be looking for inspiration.
Th requirements for d irec tion and io p iralion are d irreren t. Direction oe ds to b . clcar and logica\. It m sl be followed. O n the other hand, iospiration can be intu itive, touchy-feely and vi ual. Il does nOl a1J need t be followed; it ao be used or di card d accordi ng to whethcr it is h lprul.
What you put in the Inspiratjon section is very much up to you. It i yOllr chan e to think of the mos exciting and intere . ng exampl > " a nd sti mw i tha t bring the
ntral thought of!.he brief to lif¡ . !t's aIs an opportu n ity lO make your brief
sta nd ou t in relation to the other briefs that are floati ng afound the creative dcpartment, to get your b rief lO bout o ut "Work on me!"
The 1nspiration section should look like an enticing chocolate box of tirnul ati n.
Choosing a few good pieces of stimuli yo u bclieve in i more val uable than a huge quan tity of stu ff. Yo u might u e song , painlin s, video, mov ie ,websites, and other pieces of commun ication , or yo ur owo thoughts. You could even make tbe
In piration section a coupl f vi ual sl ides where the links op n aUlo maricaUy.
Sorne examples of thi ngs that could help:
• Examples of olhcr bTands (gIobally) [hat have attempted si mllarj parallel challenges, a nd of success and [ai lure.
• Competitive communications to iIlustrate thc conventions of the category, \-v ith ideas about how to sidestepjovercome thcm .
• 1hings that takc us ¡ntO the world oC" the target aud ience- in actuality and
vi sual1y and vcrbally, including smelJ, taste, and atmosphere. Bri ng thci r hopes and fears to Jife.
• Sources o[ in formation and en tertainment th at inspire the tal-get audience, such as lhe web, novel s, arl, etc.
• Examplcs of how peopIe i nteract v"ith the categoryjth e brand. What they say about them online, how they feat ure in popu lar culture.
• What would lhe plan ner ad look like? Fancy wriling an inspiratjonal poem or a 5hort rant? (It may Ila t bs; as h um iliating as you th ink.)
Here are cxamples of good Inspiration scc tions:
I. Ford Fíe ta
Pan o f Lh Tnspirauon crion compared the rel a unch o f (he Ford Fiesta wjth
Tarantino's reseue of John Travolta1
car > r and the launch of th icon ie iMac.
The ven tual work- part ofwbat wa descri ed y the sen ior rd o f E u rope
client as "our mosr su cessfullauncb ever"- had something of the confidenr mood of lh ' iMac launch. It was nol encumb red with product messages ab ut tbe
Fiesta, but gave the brand a en e
oC
being a d irable, fa hionabl i o n:Inspiration John Travolta
Fanta
The team tha t developed Fanta's "Stealth Souod System" was able to create a stjm ulus that brough t the sp irit of Fanta to life, and refelTed specifically to the tech nology that form ed the basis of the h ighly awarded campaign:
Fant¡o inspl ... elleryore to Opl' " n""1
lffi,lqlnatlor,s¡ lo see that pla y exists every""!nere and at any time, and that ¡t 's easy to
spread and make contagious. ,. c; < "'atin pandemir ,ot play
-=
au:iJ _...
_ .-- - ---. ---. ----_---. Shame on lhe Grown-ups: Mosquito Teen Repellentbelieves the world
would be a beUer place
if
we Id'
C''/\ _ ¡..., t,v..,and
played more.
Play is nol just an aclivity, FoJ.'y IS a feelir¡g , al' 311,1I1(\e, a splnt that IIves ¡nside us,
X Box: Jump In
Cadbury's
3- Ford Ka
1 his [o. pirati n ecLion illumi naled me
r
th most resonant lhemc for ilStargel aud iencc (a more Icading-edge group tha n Fie ta'} discovery, cele ticism nd playful subverion. 1he succes 'fu] multichannel campa ig n c\carly reRe Led
Lhcs meme:
Foro Sacre!
-3
24- HOUR BRlEFS
..
Sometimes Ilrsl thougbts are righ t. We might spend weeks worklng on a pitch slrategy onIy to lose sigh t of the obvious . lhere's a small window al' opportun ity
during whic h we slill think like consumers. We might say it lasts for the OOt 24 hours
after recciving a new brief. Use th at ti me
01'
c1 arity la write a creaLive brief. Use the DO Brief format-it's on ly six questions.lhe 24-hour Brier is provisional. It glves a work ing hypothcsis of the SLralegy before we do the work neccssary to complete a full DO Brief". Management consultants, wha use tlLis p ract ice widcly, call it "solving the case befare solving the case." It is parLicularly usefuJ when crealive work bas to be produced quickly, but it also
has ather advantages. 1l1e discipline of writing ane forces you to form a hypolhesis,
whieh makes subsequent prímarfand sccondary research more purposeful. Jt align
the tearo befare Lhey al! go off in differenl dircclÍons. It allows lhe whole Lcam, particularly creati ves , lO start mulling over the problem irnmcdiately. Otherwise creaÜves have lo wait until the resl of lhe team has compleled its work befare lhey can evc n begin lhi nki ng aboul solving Lhe prob!em.
l"ht bcst way lo wrile a 24-hour Brier is to asscmble a "swa ml" meeting immccüalely arler the cLcnt briefing and b rainstorm the problem. You can also invite expcrts in the agency wha might help. 1l1e swarm arríves al a besl-guess consensus and
somcone wriles it up and distributes it within 24 hours. lbe priority is to get a clear
art iculation 01' thc c1 ienL's business prablem. TIlat's wha t lhe crcatives need mosl
sta rling wark.
SomeLi mes yo ur 6rst impressions wiU be very near the mark. However, often the stratcgy wilJ evolvc considerably as lhe piteh develops. TIle 24-hour Bricf is no substit ute for a fu ll y thoughl-out DO Brief. No maller bow percepLive first imprcssions are, they can always be impraved upon. Always reserve the righ l to go back to the crea uves lalcr witb a rcvised brief if you leam more [ram research, th inkin!! oranalvsis.
---REDW RK BRIEF
RedWorks d es nol use a con istem briefi ng formo Briefi ng for ms vary by task,
channel, cJicnl and geograp hy. H ere' a [a irly typ ical xample:
REDWORKS
TASK BRIEF - PRINT
;
Cllent : Date
Brief Owner :
I
Job No.1;
I
Budget :Newspaper Ad
O
Leafle!O
POS WobblerO
OM LetterO
POS Co unter
Magaz.ine Ad
O
FlyerO
Card
O
OM EnvelopeO
Task :
I
(C h eck box)
BusAd
O
CatalogO
OtherPOSO
Other OMO
Othaf
Brochure
O
POS PosterO
(Please specifv)O
Media I Publlcation(s) :
Size I Number of Pages :
Media I Position :
Publication(s) : Color
(Ust or attach
Modla Schedule) Publlcatlon Dale(s)
-Material Deadllne :
Ptlnl Quantity : 1Dellvery Destinatlon 1 :1
Message :
Not requ ired
O
Existlng - Spec:lfy iocation :
O
Images :
(Choc k box) Supplied - Attach lo brief
O
New Photography Required - Photo brief attached
O
Notes I Inslructions
4
;
Mandatorles
Cl fent's Approva l: Date :
The f¡ cus is mueh m re on delivering ' xecutions l a sp cified shape and size, and
less o n devel ping new crcat"Í ve idea . RedWork brief requ ire a d iffer nt kind of clarity from the DO Brief. You need to be absolulely clea r abo ut the xact materials the cIient needs.
TTlE ACTUAL BRIEFlNG
P robably the worst lhi ng to do is write a brief, slip it under th e ereatives' door and ru n away. Yo u a re missi ng an op portuni ty lo in fl uence the work.
J eremy B ull more, the former creat ive dú ecto r o f JWT London, explained how bricfi ngs lead to ideas? Ask a writer of fictio n to w rite a story and he may not know how Lo begin. Ask hi rn to wri te a story abo ut, say, an in tern ational terrorist a nd a tube of toothpaste, and h e'lI soon get started.
C reatives in age ncies may sometimes yearn [or g reater rreedom, fo r release from the ty ra nny o f the brief. But it is prcciscly th is tyra nny tlta t prov ides sti mu lus for invention. D avid O g ilvy may have seen many black eye-patches, but it was nOl un til h is m ind was p reoccup ied wi lh lhe problem o f sell ing lI athawa)' Shirts
tha t he realized black eve·patches WeTe the solu tion to
rus
problem.Howcver, th e acL of briefing requi res a d iffc rcn t k ind of tllink ing' from wri ti ng
the brieC 111e brielcome s allhe end of the strategic process. Writing it ¡nvolv
log ica l, d eductive though t bascd on in forma tion. The briifing comes al lh e star t of the creative proccss. ILs p urpose is to spark ideas, to encourage lateral leaps and invention.
Get lo kn ow the creative team before briefing thern. Wh at makes lhem tick a peopIe? What creative work do thcy admi re?What are their proudest achievements? What do lhe)' consider to be their best work? How do lhey like to be brieíed- do thcy
prefer briefs to be plain and simple, or do they p refer to improve on creative starlers? Do they wa nl mounla ins of illfonn al ion or j ust one word?"
Briefings must motivate and inspire the creatives. Talk about communicatÍons ¡de ...., not abou t marketing stratcgy. Be more enthusiastic aboul lhe creative possibi litics tha n lhe business possib il ities. Make thc briefi ng f un, but kecp il relevant. Use the briell ng lo start a conversalion. The creative process nceds fuel. Briefi ng is a process, Dot a one-off ac tion. Slimulate a n ongoin g diaJogue and d iscuss ion.
Consider ex tending the In spiration scction of the brief LO the briding's venuc
and slyJe. Someti mes it can help to tu rn a ke)' element of th e brief i nlo a víscera 1
expcr icnce- whelher rid ing in th e back of a BMW al IS 0 mph, or sitting naked
in a ho t spri ng, or visiting a room where Picasso painted , or being shown the real
meani ng uf tea mwork b), Ma rin es in an underwatcr lunnd, 01' sampl ing the
"greas)' spoon" lifestyle of van drivers, or spending an evening with p ros tilutes n an lIIV/AIDS projec t (all real cxa mp les from O gjlvy staEf).
: BlI llmn rc,Je remy: "Thinking up 'TI,ings: 'TIle Advert isíng C rcative Process," in ¡Hon BulL More:l!elánd IheSctrre, i/l
AdvetÚli/lg(Nlm-k lll) , WARC , 2 003
"Two classi cs o n crcative briefing are wcll WOrlh repca led rcading: O 'M alley. D¡tmi en: "C reaLi\'(: Bric'fi ng,"
in How lo Plan ArllllTlirillg, ed. C nwlc:y, Don; Casscll , 1987; and Robertso n, Charlic: "C rea li"" Brid s and Bridings,"
in lJow lo Plan Advmúing, Seco nd Edition , ed . C oop ero Alall; SOlll h-Wes tern Cengagt:, 1997
CO CLU 'roN
1hc DO Brief and the creative briefing are lools thal help us reach the Twin Pcaks. Ogilv y is a creative busine ' aboye all, a crealiv bu in e. lhal helps our clienls
lo grow. We mea lIrc our SlIcces by cTeal ive awards and by eíTectivenes awa rd ,
bUl aboye all by our clients' uccess.
