Advertising Brief
Client: Client name + product / service name
Background: General brand and market introduction (two paragraphs max)
Purpose of the brief: In simple terms outline the task – the problem the advertising has to solve.
Marketing Objectives: Only list desired marketing outcomes e.g. sales, volume, market share, distribution etc. Must be SMART.
Notes: “How to write SMART objectives”
Marketing Strategies:
Marketing Mix:
Product= describe the product (range) in terms of sizes, colours, packaging or key differentiating feature
Price= List the prices for each of the products listed above to give the users of this brief the idea of price range and price positioning. With variable pricing e.g. a vehicle model you can use ‘from $xxx’
Place= Identify the types of distribution outlets from which the consumer can trial or buy the product/service
Promotion= List the non-advertising promotional activities which have recently occurred or will occur concurrently with this planned advertising campaign
Target Audience:
Primary
Provide a target audience profile description in the standard industry format in terms of:
• demographic,
• geographic,
• psychographic,
• Behavioural o usage,
o benefits sought
Note: Depending on the campaign purpose, there may be other specific audiences that might need to be reached –Secondary or even tertiary. Note that including secondary or even tertiary audiences may require unique media & messaging in the campaign proposal. Only include extra audiences if significantly relevant e.g. Gate keeper/consumer roles.
Secondary (If necessary) List profile description of the secondary TA using the same format and detail.
MKT102A Advertising Brief Template
Consumer insights
Insight into the consumer that relates to the purpose of the campaign that will provide deeper understanding of the consumer to help in achieving the desired outcome. Support this with researched and referenced data.
Target Audience Weighting
Identify the level of prioritisation between the two audiences to assist the media investment split (E.g. 60/40 or 75/25). Only required if more than one audience.
Advertising Objectives:
Only include those specifics (in this SMART Objective) that advertising can achieve. It is a statement of WHAT the advertising campaign is setting out to achieve not HOW it will achieve them (how is a strategy not an objective).
Advertising Strategy:
List the advertising strategies to be used to achieve the advertising objectives.
Strategy will include an outline of:
• Direction– Simple statement of the overall approach.
Refer to the supplied notes for a range of strategies that would be suitable. The level of involvement and either rational or emotive (FCB Grid) could be the foundation for your strategy.
• Campaign scope
• Suggested Media (Note: top line not detail – detail comes in the proposal
• Timing & duration
See Notes: “Objectives, strategies and Rationales” & “How to write strategies with CLARITY” for examples and formats.
Brand dimensions: Outline a brief Brand positioning statement and list:
• Brand Values
• Brand Personality
• Brand tone of voice
List all known branding issues, properties and associations (E.g. use of Cadbury purple in advertisement / commercial Red Bull association with extreme sports)
USP (Proposition): Identify the ONE competitive advantage about this product or service that can be claimed as unique. Express the USP as an advertising proposition
Advertising brief submission template V2 2017
Advertising Brief
Competitors: Insert a table listing the direct competitors and their respective competitive advantages over the client’s product or service (E.G. Rowntree brand chocolates
~ Pricing advantage, Lindt chocolates ~ Premium Product quality advantage etc). List their slogans/positioning. Brief outline of any relevant competitive advertising or promotional activity.
Why the Customer will respond favourably?
List why the customer will respond to this proposed advertising strategy not why they would respond to the product or service itself. E.g. the USP is why they are likely to respond positively to the product /service.
Why the customer will not respond favourably?
Identify marketplace conditions, situations, trends or activities that would negatively impact on the consumer response to the proposed advertising strategy?
Media considerations:
List any issues that will assist the ‘Media Planner’ develop their plan e.g. timing, situational influences, geographic weighting, any know ‘aperture’.
Mandatory inclusions:
Cover any legal and or ethical issues, conditions or restraints for this advertising campaign, especially advertising code compliance. For example - health/pharmaceutical claim disclaimers, ‘Enjoy alcohol responsible’ disclaimer, Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or Terms and Conditions brochure (for regulated financial products).
Must be based on researched and referenced laws, regulations, advertising codes etc.
Budget:
Provide an actual budget with a list of budget allocations for:
• Campaign Development (assume 5% of budget)
• Production (assume 15% of budget)
• Media (assume 50% of budget)
• Monitoring/research (assume 10% of budget)
• Agency fees (assume 20% of budget)
Timing: Key deadlines
• Proposal due date (Start with the final assessment (The Campaign Proposal) submission date - to keep all development and campaign dates in the future)
• Proposal approval date
• Final creative approval
• Creative production – Material deadlines
• Campaign launch & Campaign finish
MKT102A Advertising Brief Template
Advertising brief submission template V2 2017