The Brief Basics – Rod Killick; Likeable Creative (Perth)

Summary

In this insightful conversation, Rod Kilik, Account Director at Likable Creative, discusses his role in helping clients navigate marketing challenges and the importance of effective marketing briefs. He emphasizes the significance of brevity in briefs, the importance of collaboration between clients and agencies, and common mistakes such as overloaded briefs or unclear single-minded propositions. Rod shares tips for new marketing graduates, highlighting the need for understanding the marketing ecosystem and gaining insights for impactful campaigns. He also touches on the evolving nature of the marketing industry, where collaboration and clear communication remain key.

Takeaways

• 😀 A marketing brief should be concise and focused on key objectives, with brevity being the most important aspect.
• 😀 Marketing briefs can come in two forms: the initial document from the client and a creative brief shaped by the agency based on that information.
• 😀 The process of briefing should involve early collaboration between the client and the agency, ensuring that both are aligned on the project’s objectives.
• 😀 A good marketing brief should answer three key questions: What are we trying to achieve? Who is the audience? What are the expected outcomes?
• 😀 Overloading a brief with unnecessary details can be counterproductive. It’s important to avoid including too many thoughts and stay focused on a single-minded proposition.
• 😀 The most effective marketing briefs contain a core truth or evidence-based facts that back up the proposition, making the brief clear and actionable for the creative team.
• 😀 Marketing briefs should highlight a single thought or message, which makes it easier for creatives to focus their ideas and avoid confusion.
• 😀 A core challenge in creating effective marketing briefs is balancing between giving enough context and avoiding overwhelming the creative team with irrelevant information.
• 😀 For students learning about marketing briefs, it’s essential to understand that a brief is a distillation of the task, not just a long document filled with irrelevant details.
• 😀 In the future, marketing briefs may evolve to become more collaborative, but the foundation of a good brief will remain centered on clear communication and a focused task.

Q & A

What is Rod Kilik's role at Likable Creative?

Rod Kilik is the Account Director at Likable Creative, a small creative agency based in Perth. His role is client-facing, helping senior marketing managers with the challenges they face in promoting their products or services to the right audience.

Can you provide some fast facts about Likable Creative?

Likable Creative is a small agency with seven people, most of whom have senior creative agency backgrounds. They have been around for seven years, and Rod has been with them for two and a half years. They recently moved their office to a different part of Subiaco.

What are the two types of marketing briefs mentioned in the script?

The two types of marketing briefs are: 1) The brief written by a client or marketing organization to define what they need, which is then sent to an agency, and 2) The creative brief developed by the agency based on the client's brief, focusing on the creative challenge and the direction for the project.

What is the most important aspect of a marketing brief, according to Rod Kilik?

The most important aspect of a marketing brief is brevity. A well-written brief should be concise and focused, distilling the key objectives, target audience, and desired outcomes to avoid overwhelming the creative team with unnecessary information.

How does the briefing process work at Likable Creative?

At Likable Creative, the briefing process starts with early collaboration with the client to understand their challenges and context. The team engages in discussions about the market, previous work, and lessons learned. Once the brief is clear, it is shared with the creative team to start the process of developing solutions.

What are the common difficulties or mistakes associated with marketing briefs?

Common mistakes include providing too much information, which makes it difficult to focus on what is truly important. Another mistake is lacking a single-minded proposition—often, marketing briefs include multiple messages, diluting the focus. Additionally, the brief should be based on a core truth that can be substantiated with evidence.

What was Rod's initial experience with marketing briefs when he first entered the industry?

Rod's initial experience with marketing briefs was confusing. He recalls a moment early in his career when senior colleagues discussed a brief, and he didn't understand what a brief actually was. He learned that a brief is essentially a clear summary of what needs to be achieved, often distilled into a single sentence.

What potential innovation does Rod foresee regarding marketing briefs in the future?

Rod speculates that marketing briefs may evolve to be more collaborative and integrated within teams, potentially blurring the lines between agencies and in-house marketing teams. While he doesn't think AI like ChatGPT will replace briefs, he believes the process may become more fluid and collaborative.

What tips does Rod offer to students learning about and working with marketing briefs?

Rod advises students to think of a brief as a funnel, starting with broad research on the consumer, category, context, and competition. The goal is to find insights that can form the foundation for a creative campaign. He also emphasizes the importance of discovering a central truth or insight that can spark innovative ideas.

What is Rod's general advice for new marketing graduates?

Rod advises new marketing graduates to work hard, stay eager, and be resilient. It's essential to understand the structure of the marketing industry, which is like an ecosystem, with various roles in client organizations, creative agencies, media agencies, and other specialized services. Gaining an understanding of these roles will help new graduates navigate the industry more effectively.