The Brief Basics – Benjamin Goh; Montblanc (South East Asia & Oceania) (Singapore)

Summary

Benjamin, the Head of Marketing for Southeast Asia at Montblanc, shares insights into the brand's evolution and marketing strategies. Known for its executive image, Montblanc is transforming into a more lifestyle-focused brand, with leather products leading the change. He explains the importance of a structured marketing brief, detailing the components that make it successful, such as clear objectives, audience targeting, and concise messaging. He also highlights the evolving role of AI in creating briefs and offers advice for marketing graduates, encouraging them to explore both client-side and agency opportunities for a well-rounded career in marketing.

Takeaways

• 😀 Benjamin is the Head of Marketing for Southeast Asia at Montblanc, overseeing markets like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and others in the region.
• 😀 Montblanc is undergoing a brand transformation, shifting from a masculine, corporate image to a more lifestyle-focused and playful one, led by their leather products.
• 😀 A marketing brief is a key document containing objectives, target audience, and messaging, guiding campaigns and aligning the client with the agency.
• 😀 Different types of marketing briefs include media briefs, project briefs, and marketing briefs, each serving different functions for communication and project management.
• 😀 A well-structured marketing brief starts with campaign objectives, an audience profile (demographic, psychographic, and geographic), and a single-minded message.
• 😀 One of the main challenges in crafting a brief is creating a single-minded message that clearly encapsulates the campaign's goals.
• 😀 Budget discussions are crucial when working on a brief—deciding whether to set a fixed budget or give creative freedom to agencies can be a tough decision.
• 😀 Both the client and agency need to take ownership of the brief, understanding each other's needs to create an effective campaign.
• 😀 Generative AI is expected to play a significant role in future marketing briefs, streamlining the process by providing quick access to information and creative solutions.
• 😀 For marketing students, it's beneficial to visualize the creative output by drawing out what the final product could look like. This helps structure the thought process.
• 😀 New marketing graduates should consider both client-side and agency roles, as agency experience offers valuable insights into strategic communications and client management.

Q & A

What role does Benjamin hold at Montblanc and which regions does he oversee?

Benjamin is the head of marketing for Southeast Asia at Montblanc. He oversees markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. In addition, he manages the Oceania region, with a local team in Australia handling the Australian and New Zealand markets.

How is Montblanc transforming its brand, and what product category is leading this change?

Montblanc is undergoing a transformation by shifting its focus from being predominantly a corporate and masculine brand to a more lifestyle-oriented brand. Leather products are currently leading the transformation, adding a more playful and diverse angle to their product offerings.

What does a marketing brief consist of?

A marketing brief consolidates key information such as campaign objectives, target clientele, messaging, and other relevant details. It serves as a reference for both the client and the agency to execute the campaign. The brief typically includes objectives, audience demographics, campaign summary, and useful supporting information.

What are some common types of briefs in marketing?

In marketing, there are several types of briefs, including media briefs (focused on communications), project briefs (for capital expenditures or new boutiques), and marketing briefs (for campaign launches). Each type serves a distinct purpose depending on the scope of the project.

How does Montblanc structure its marketing briefs?

Montblanc's marketing briefs follow a standardized template that includes sections like campaign objectives, target audience, campaign summary, and a single-minded message. The brief also provides information about the brand, historical campaigns, and any references that could help the agency with their creative process.

What are some common challenges when creating a marketing brief?

A key challenge in creating marketing briefs is crafting a single-minded message that can encapsulate the entire campaign. Additionally, defining the budget can be difficult—marketers must decide whether to give agencies a set budget or allow for unrestricted creativity, which may lead to cutting out valuable elements in the final execution.

What does Benjamin wish he knew about briefs before entering the marketing industry?

Benjamin wished he had a better understanding of the ownership of the brief on both the client and agency sides. He believes the agency should fully understand the client's needs and represent those needs while also managing client expectations when presenting creative work.

How does Benjamin foresee the future of marketing briefs with regards to innovation?

Benjamin anticipates that generative AI will play a significant role in the future of marketing briefs. With information becoming more accessible, AI could assist both clients and agencies in crafting more efficient and effective briefs, streamlining the creative process and potentially improving campaign outcomes.

What advice does Benjamin give to students learning about and working on briefs?

Benjamin advises students to not only write marketing briefs but also visualize the outcome of the creative work. He suggests that marketers should attempt to draw or conceptualize their ideas, helping them better understand the process and enhancing their ability to communicate a single-minded message.

What is Benjamin's general advice for new marketing graduates entering the industry?

Benjamin recommends that new graduates have a clear idea of which industry they want to work in, as marketing varies greatly across sectors. He also encourages graduates to consider starting at an agency rather than immediately moving to the client side, as agency experience offers valuable strategic communications insights that can be beneficial for a long-term marketing career.