Crafting Briefs: Past Challenges
Working with iconic brands like Samsung, L'Oreal Paris, Mastercard, and Coca-Cola provides valuable lessons, particularly when it comes to writing briefs. Here are some key takeaways from the experience:
Embrace Your Role as a New Hire: Starting fresh is like having a blank canvas. You might create your best work, but it may not always resonate immediately. The key is to focus on building a strong team and fostering collaboration. Be generous with your efforts and respectful of your clients’ time. Building relationships and understanding team dynamics is crucial for achieving the best results.
Lack of a Gold Standard: Without a clear gold standard brief or historical learning to guide you, there’s a risk of overselling. Overselling is problematic because it often leads to misaligned expectations. Many agencies fall into the trap of “sell it, then figure it out,” which can result in burnout and frustration. Start with big, bold ideas, but remain realistic about how they will evolve. Planning is essential, but trust in the plan and its feasibility is even more critical.
Avoid Overselling: One of the biggest pitfalls is overselling your plans. This usually happens when the focus shifts to convincing stakeholders rather than executing effectively. When you oversell, you risk alienating team members who have strong opinions on how things should be done. This approach can erode trust and lead to burnout. Instead, focus on setting realistic expectations and delivering on your promises.
Build Constructive Dialogue: If you find yourself stuck, engage in open dialogue with various teams. Connect with the creative team, sales team, and data team. Understand their perspectives and leverage their expertise. Ask questions like, “What is our opportunity?” This collaborative approach helps align everyone’s understanding and can uncover valuable insights that guide the brief and overall strategy.
Stay Agile and Adapt: Recognize that briefs are not static documents. They should evolve as the project progresses and as new information becomes available. Flexibility and openness to change are essential for adapting to new challenges and ensuring that the brief remains relevant and useful.
In summary, writing briefs for high-profile brands teaches you that success lies not in having a perfect brief from the start but in fostering collaboration, managing expectations, and remaining adaptable throughout the process.
