Developing a Creative Brief

It serves as a point of reference during material or activity development to help practitioners stick to their original objectives. The brief is a comprehensive document that balances brevity with adequate detail, leaving room for creative interpretation. A creative brief typically includes five broad areas: goal and audience, communication objectives, message brief, tone and key content, and other creative considerations. The goal and audience section outlines the overall aim of the material or activity and the selected audience(s). The communication objectives section identifies the desired changes and barriers to change, as well as the communication objectives addressing these barriers. The message brief section explains the key promise, support statement, call to action, lasting impression, and perception of someone who changes. The tone and key content section outlines the tone for the material or activity and the key content to be communicated. The other creative considerations section includes media mix, opening, cost, and creative considerations. A creative brief is developed by reviewing and discussing the overall goal of the material or activity, the intended audience or audiences, and the communication objectives with key program staff. A template is then used to fill in the right column, and a draft of the brief is shared with the whole team and stakeholders to build consensus and support for the materials or activity. The benefits of a creative brief include serving as a point of reference during material or activity development, ensuring buy-in and support when shared with key stakeholders and partners, and providing a handy two- to three-page document that guides the creative team as they develop and execute concepts. A creative brief example is provided for videos promoting voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) in Kenya in association with the World Cup. The brief outlines the goal and audience, communication objectives, message brief, tone and key content, and other creative considerations for the videos. The brief includes details on the media mix, opening, cost, and creative considerations for the videos. The value added of a creative brief includes providing a clear definition of the goal, intended audience or audiences, and communication objectives of the SBCC activity or material, explaining the desired change and barriers to change, describing key content, tone, and the message brief, and describing the format of the SBCC materials and activities and outlining dissemination opportunities. The resources for more information include C-Change's C-Modules: A Learning Package for Social and Behavior Change Communication, Greenberg et al.'s Handbook for Population and Health Communication Programs, and the National Cancer Institute's Pink Book: Making Health Communication Programs Work.