How to write a campaign brief that gets useful work
A useful brief explains why the work matters, who it is for, what should change, and what constraints apply. It does not need to be long; it needs to remove ambiguity that would otherwise lead to rework.
The essential sections
- Objective: the business or communication outcome.
- Audience: who the work is for and what they already know.
- Insight: the problem, need, or context that makes the campaign relevant.
- Core message: the one idea the audience should remember.
- Proof: evidence, product details, or approved claims that support the message.
- Deliverables: channels, formats, sizes, and quantities.
- Constraints: budget, deadline, tone, legal review, and must-use assets.
- Success measure: how the team will judge whether the work helped.
Example objective
Weak: “Make a social campaign for our new feature.”
Stronger: “Help existing trial users discover the new reporting feature and encourage them to open the report builder this month.”
Before sending the brief
Ask whether a collaborator could explain the audience, goal, main message, and required output without another meeting. If not, add context where decisions are still unclear.
Worked example: turn a vague request into a brief
Vague request: “Promote our new service.” Actionable brief: “Generate demo requests from independent retailers; explain the setup time in plain language; primary CTA: Book a demo; deliver one feed image, one vertical version and two copy options; avoid unverified performance claims; marketing lead approves before launch.” The details are illustrative and should be replaced with real campaign facts.
Copy the campaign brief template and use the Content Brief Builder to structure a first draft.
Editorial note: Platform specifications and analytics interfaces change. Confirm current requirements in the channel or analytics product you use before launching a campaign.