The Art of the Brief

James Robinson - Managing Director, Hello Starling

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Marketers and agencies are under relentless pressure to deliver ideas that work. But here’s the truth: too many campaigns fail before they even start. Why? Because the brief wasn’t up to scratch.

The IPA sums it up nicely: 80% of marketers think they’re good at writing briefs. Only 10% of agencies agree. That gap doesn’t just cause friction, it burns cash. Weak briefs account for £1 in every £3 of marketing spend wasted.

A brief isn’t admin. It’s the foundation of your campaign. Done well, it sets the tone, focus and inspires better thinking. Done badly, it leaves agencies second-guessing, slows everything down and wastes your budget.

What makes a good brief?

Think of a brief as your first creative act. It should be clear, inspiring and practical. The essentials are:

Clarity: Be upfront about what’s needed, by when, and with what budget.
Audience: Paint a vivid picture of who you’re trying to reach (and who you’re not). Use real data, not lazy clichés like “millennials.”
Context: Share relevant history, competitor activity and market challenges. If you’re dusting off an old brief, you’ve already lost.
Ambition: Define success. Set the right metrics. Show how this campaign ties into the bigger picture.

One extra that saves everyone’s time: a “Form of Response.” Give agencies a template to work to. You’ll get comparable proposals, and they’ll know exactly how to respond to the brief.

What to avoid

The weak-brief hall of shame includes:

Jargon and buzzwords.
Goals so vague they mean nothing (“target everyone”).
Shifting goalposts halfway through.
Briefing in isolation or pinging over a one-pager via email.

The result? Wasted media spend, endless rework, and opportunities missed.

Why briefs matter

A strong brief won’t guarantee success, but it stacks the odds in your favour. It aligns everyone, frees agencies to do what they do best, and sparks the kind of creative problem-solving you actually need.

With budgets under more scrutiny than ever, no brand can afford to treat the brief as just paperwork.

A brief is not admin. It’s the first creative act, and done well, it will save you time and money.

The Art of the Brief