Write an ad brief that someone can use

Start with a real offer

Write down what someone can actually obtain, the conditions that apply and the next step you want them to take. Keep the first version plain: a named product, a concrete use and a destination. If the offer is difficult to explain without adjectives such as amazing or revolutionary, return to the product details. A designer or writer needs something observable to work with, not a promise that cannot be checked.

Choose one audience situation rather than a broad demographic label. A person buying a first bicycle may need reassurance about fit; someone replacing a worn component may need compatibility information. State the situation, the question that person is trying to answer and the information available on your destination page. This keeps the brief connected to a decision that the campaign can genuinely support.

Give the visual a job

Describe what the image needs to explain. It might show the product clearly, demonstrate a use or establish a setting. Separate mandatory details from creative freedom: the product shape and packaging may need to be exact, while the background can be illustrative. Supply original assets where available, and flag elements that must not be changed. A visual concept should not imply accessories or capabilities that the offer does not include.

Include the intended format and a simple hierarchy: first the subject, then the message, then the action. Do not prescribe every pixel before seeing a composition. Instead, name what must remain legible and which elements can move between formats. Keep essential information out of tiny embedded text. Review an image at the size a person is likely to see, not only on a large editing canvas.

Make approval specific

End the brief with acceptance checks. Can a reviewer recognise the product, understand the offer, read the action and find matching information at the destination? Attach the source for each factual claim and name any unanswered questions. A brief with a visible gap is more useful than a confident document that silently fills the gap with invented details.

For the first round, request a small number of deliberately different concepts. Label each by the idea being explored, such as convenience or product demonstration. Review the underlying idea before requesting many sizes. Record the chosen wording, asset version and remaining corrections so that the next person can continue without reconstructing the conversation. The brief is ready when production decisions have clear inputs and an identifiable reviewer.

As a final check, hand the brief to someone who was not in the original discussion. Ask them to describe the deliverable and identify the missing inputs. Revise any instruction that depends on an assumption they could not reasonably know.

Sources

• FTC: evidence-based advertising guidance (United States)

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