Sweden's top talents redefine the "creative brief"

Having allowed Dave Trott's lectures to go to our head 'rewrite the brief' used to be our mantra, as far too often the brief that lands on your desk is too long, poorly targeted, and often just plain confused not knowing if the goal is to expand the market or expand the market share. The Swedish Association of Communication Agencies (KOMM) feel your pain, people, and they assembled a gaggle of Swedish ad celebs to help redefine the creative brief ahead of the national advertising award show Guldägget.

Those participating in the work shop ranged from copywriters like Rebecca Oswald (Garbergs), to ad agency CEO's like Ann Ystén (Perfect Fools). Former Creative Director & CEO, now creative advisor and the founder of Åkestam Holst, Göran Åkestam. From the client side comes Caroline Forsshell, marketing and communications director at Lidl, from academia Erik Modig, doctor and researcher at Stockholm School of Economics, and the lone brave account Director was Stefan Rudels from Forsman & Bodenfors.

I read their new creative brief and asked Ann Ystén a few questions. “One thing seems to be missing from the brief, and it's the "single minded proposition". What made the panelests choose to remove what is arguably the strongest tool to carve out a creative idea? How do the panellist suggest that creatives concentrate their creative efforts in absence of this? Do they have any advice on how to distill a brands selling thought now that the brief will no longer do it for them?”

Ann responded: “The assignment was to write a brief that could work for both client and agency. The group suggested that this brief is written during a work-shop together with the client. The single minded proposition is something that should be developed during the creative planning process as a product of the insight work and not necessarily defined in the initial client brief.”

So the new creative brief is as follows:

1) Why do we exist?

2) Where are we?

3) Where are we going?

4) What values / opinions do we have?

5) What do we measure?

Creative brief


1) What is the problem / opportunity?


2) Why?


3) How can communication help?



4) What do we say?


4a) Is it distinctive?


4b) Why should you care?



5) Who are we talking to?


6) Which external factors affect the mission?


7) What does the competitors do that affect?


8) What's the goal of the operation? When / how do we measure it?


9) When should it be done?


10) What will it cost?


11) Who should be involved?