The Brief Basics – Phin Wong; SPH Media (Singapore)

Summary

Pin, the head of content marketing and lifestyle media at SP Media, discusses the importance of a marketing brief in content creation. He emphasizes that a well-crafted brief is essential for understanding the goals and challenges of a client, which guides the creation of meaningful content. He highlights the need for clear communication and understanding the target audience to avoid mistakes and wasted effort. Pin also shares tips on structuring briefs and the need for a thorough understanding before diving into creative work, stressing that success in content creation begins with a solid brief.

Takeaways

• 😀 Understanding your target audience is the most important step before creating any content.
• 😀 Avoid jumping straight into ideas or references; take time to understand the needs of your audience.
• 😀 Know your audience's concerns and psychological state to craft content that resonates with them.
• 😀 Tailor your strategy based on your audience's needs and mindset rather than rushing to create content.
• 😀 Think about your audience’s everyday life and what will make them feel better or address their concerns.
• 😀 Writing or creating content for yourself can lead to mistakes; always prioritize the audience's needs.
• 😀 In the digital age, everything is trackable, so it’s crucial to create content that meets your audience's expectations.
• 😀 In print media, feedback wasn’t immediate, making it easier to write for yourself, but today’s online platforms provide instant data.
• 😀 Today’s media environment requires you to be more audience-focused as feedback is available in real time through metrics.
• 😀 Whether your content is paid or not, always create with the audience in mind to avoid wasting time and resources.
• 😀 The success of content creation today relies on adapting to audience feedback and engagement metrics, which are now easy to measure.

Q & A

What is the importance of a marketing brief according to the speaker?

A marketing brief is the most important part of the marketing process as it defines the job or mission. It helps clarify the objectives, issues, and context, ensuring that content creation or marketing strategies are aligned with what needs to be achieved.

How does the speaker view the role of accountability in a marketing brief?

Accountability is key in a marketing brief. It helps clarify the mission and the responsibilities of those involved. A brief serves as a foundation for understanding the problem and ensures everyone is on the same page, holding people accountable for addressing issues.

What should a good marketing brief include?

A good marketing brief should include details about the client's problems, goals, target audience, previous attempts or solutions, and the context surrounding the project. It also needs to provide insight into what success looks like to ensure the content addresses real needs.

How is a marketing brief different from an editorial brief?

An editorial brief is less detailed than a marketing brief and often more informal. While an editorial brief might focus on the content angle and its relevance to the audience, a marketing brief includes more structured, problem-solving details to guide content creation and marketing strategies.

What does the speaker mean by 'do for what'?

'Do for what' is a phrase the speaker uses to remind their team to always understand the purpose of a task before starting. It emphasizes the importance of knowing why you are creating content, ensuring it is aligned with the goal and the target audience.

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

The two main types of briefs mentioned are content marketing briefs and advertising briefs. Content marketing briefs address the creation of content that aligns with the brand’s goals, while advertising briefs focus on creating creative materials for campaigns.

How does the speaker suggest structuring a marketing brief?

A marketing brief should begin with basic information about the client, their product, and the campaign details (such as formats, deadlines, and objectives). The structure should be flexible to accommodate different types of projects but should always start with the mission and goals.

What mistake does the speaker warn against in the brief creation process?

The speaker warns against making the brief overly complicated or filled with marketing jargon. The brief should be simple, clear, and accessible to clients, who may not be experts in marketing language. The goal is to gather as much useful information as possible, not to confuse the client.

What is the speaker's process for handling briefs in their company, SP Media?

At SP Media, the content marketing team holds regular brainstorm sessions every Monday and Wednesday to address incoming briefs. These sessions allow team members to read the brief beforehand, ask questions, and discuss the brief in detail to develop relevant ideas.

What common mistakes does the speaker identify in brainstorm sessions?

A common mistake in brainstorm sessions is focusing too much on the product rather than the target audience. The speaker emphasizes starting with the audience’s needs, desires, and concerns before connecting them to the product, ensuring the content resonates with the audience.

What advice does the speaker give to students entering the marketing field?

The speaker advises students to pay close attention to the brief, as understanding the brief is fundamental to creating effective content. They emphasize that the excitement of coming up with cool ideas should not overshadow the importance of understanding the target audience and the strategic goals behind the content.