Creative briefs—5 ways to streamline the agency strategy process

A viral LinkedIn post from a CMO recently argued that the agency model is broken. Once hired, she argued, agencies waste too much time in the research stage: repetitive customer research, company deep dives and agency onboarding that feels like frivolous billable hours. By the time they reach out to an agency, marketers want and need fresh and executable ideas, not detailed explainers of problems they already know they’re facing. The language in the post might have been harsh—which is why it received so much attention—but the criticism was accurate. Clients are looking for immediate signs that you know them and are ready to act. In other words, introductory research periods need to go, and the actual strategy needs to start faster. A-List & Creativity Awards Enter for a chance to be recognized as the best in advertising Submit your entry here Here are five ways agencies can hit the ground running while gaining the client’s trust. Focus on translation, not research These days, most brands come to the table with lots of existing data. For strategists, translating data into insights (i.e. human-centered ideas) is a skill unto itself and one that should be demonstrated quickly. With a great translation under your belt, you can use the “creative” brief as the first step in the creative ideation process rather than as a backgrounder for information the client already knows—and that the internal agency creative team should have already learned alongside account and strategy. Onboarding and creative should happen in sync The whole point of the game of telephone is to get to the end and laugh at how convoluted the story has become. Let’s not play “telephone’ with business problem-solving. Get strategy and creative teams together at the outset of the project so everyone hears the origin story directly from the source. The brief shouldn’t introduce the rest of the agency team to the client or assignment. Rather, it should be the translation of client data into beginning ideas. Don’t ask clients to approve a backgrounder on their business, customer and product. Ask them to approve a first step into a solution to their problem. By diving straight into the development of creative ideation with the brief, any information gaps will fill themselves organically. When data-driven insights and creativity inform each other from the start, it shows clients the immediate value of that interplay. It will also reaffirm that you’re fast and on point. Offer a deliverable as quickly as possible Nothing impresses like arriving with rolled-up sleeves and research-driven, implementable ideas–even if they’re still in the early stages. Unless your client can envision the beautiful solution simply from words on paper, then it’s preferable to show, not tell, even in the earliest stages. Think of it as the rapid prototyping of creative content. It will showcase your commitment to action while getting the entire team—including account leads, art and copywriting—immersed in the client a lot faster. Create trust by trimming the fat If it’s a lasting relationship you’re seeking, always operate as efficiently as possible from a money-saving mindset. Getting to powerful and effective communications is still a team sport, but we need to rethink how those teams are constructed to move quicker and more cost-effectively. Read Ad Age’s Best of 2024 stories here The single specialty, multilayer, linear, departmental baton pass no longer serves a modern-day communications strategy. The answer lies in smaller cross-functional teams ready to complement and cover for each other. No matter what resources the client may have, everyone’s looking for more nimble strategies that save time and are budget-friendly. They’ll appreciate you recognizing that, too. Research can always be added if there are real knowledge gaps New research is sometimes warranted. If that’s the case then work with your client to build the best study possible. However, it’s important to remember that research results in data, not insights. Insights come from the human translation of information into ideas. So, if research is being done simply to feel safe or sure about “the answer,” either by the client or the agency, resist the urge to spend the time and money and go with what you already know. Your client will thank you. These days, the way to distinguish yourself is letting clients know you speak their language, are ready to dive into a holistic and strategy-embedded creative process and want to work as nimbly as possible to deliver them great ideas. Ad Age Tech Power List 2025 We’re looking for top digital innovators from agencies, brands, platforms, ad tech companies and tech startups Enter here

Creative briefs—5 ways to streamline the agency strategy process

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