STRATEGY + MESSAGING

Powerful strategies and messaging documents should be short and succinct. The thinking behind creating one isn’t all that difficult, but the process of distilling it down is.

Creativity isn’t like more quantitative professions. There is no bottom-right corner of a spreadsheet to consult for deciding whether Pantone 349 is the right color. There aren’t numbers that can be plugged into an equation to determine whether something’s funny (or offensive). And there isn’t an algorithm to assure a CMO they’re spending their marketing dollars wisely.

But there are ways to perform the due diligence required to make informed decisions about all things branding related. Creative briefs and messaging frameworks are two great examples.

Sample document formats:

CREATIVE BRIEF:
The format I used is based on the dozens of different styles I’ve seen used at other agencies and marketing departments. Bonus points are awarded for brevity.

MESSAGING FRAMEWORK:
These are called different things by different companies. Typically they’re more in-depth than a creative brief and go much deeper. They form the foundation upon which a brand or company is built and have a shelf life that often lasts for many years.