SBR 47: WHAT’S THE SECRET TO A GREAT MARKETING CAMPAIGN?

It All Starts with the Brief

When was the last time you reviewed a marketing brief and thought, this is perfect? If you’re like most marketers, that moment is rare. Too often, briefs fall short—lacking focus, clarity, or alignment. This leads to wasted time, misaligned campaigns, and disappointing creative work.

If you’ll allow me to head off on a mini-tanget for a moment. There’s a few things going unsaid between clients and agencies regarding briefs…. According to research by the better Briefs Project, 80% of client side marketers believe they are good at writing briefs. In my experience agencies bolster that opinion in the first minutes of their response - “thanks for this brief, it’s excellent.” Very few agencies ever tell clients that they have given a poorly thought through brief. And yet, according to the same research, 90% of them think that their clients aren’t good at writing briefs….

A difficult and honest appraisal of the brief is better for both client and agency in the long run. It’s something I’ve done recently with a potential client. At the time of writing, we’re waiting to hear if we’ve won the business - watch this space…..

Anyway, back to the main subject.

But here’s the good news: great briefs can be crafted with the right process and tools. By addressing common pitfalls like disconnected objectives, vague insights, or unclear audience descriptions, you can transform your creative briefs into a launchpad for success.

Common Briefing Mistakes Marketers Face

From years of creating and reviewing briefs, we’ve found the five most common barriers to success:

1️⃣ Lack of Single-Minded Focus: When a brief tries to communicate too many things, it dilutes the message and confuses the creative process. Two things to say? That’s two briefs.

2️⃣ Unclear or Generic Insights: Insights need to dig deeper than surface-level observations to unlock compelling, actionable strategies.

3️⃣ Poorly Defined Target Audiences: Psychographics, not just demographics, are key to understanding the “why” behind consumer behaviour.

4️⃣ Disconnected Objectives and Metrics: Misaligned goals and KPIs create confusion and weaken campaign effectiveness.

5️⃣ Failure to Address Behavioural Barriers: A great brief identifies the things that stop consumers from engaging and maps a clear path to change.

Enter Barry the Brief: Your Briefing Assistant

All of which got us thinking…. What if we created a tool to ensure every brief was not only complete but inspiring? Meet Barry the Brief, our AI-powered briefing assistant designed to:

1. Check and Optimise Briefs: Barry evaluates your existing briefs for clarity, focus, and strategic alignment, highlighting areas that need improvement and offering actionable recommendations. He ranks them alongside all the other briefs we’ve trained ‘him’ on and tells you where you rank. He lets you know whether you’re ready to brief.

2. Help You Write Better Briefs: Whether you’re starting from scratch or refining your strategy, Barry guides you through the process by asking targeted, insightful questions. Think of it as a collaborative sounding board that ensures every angle is covered, from objectives to audience insights. He follows up by sending you a first draft.

Why Barry Matters

Barry isn’t just a checklist—he’s a mentor for brand marketers, helping you articulate your vision clearly and inspire creative teams. With Barry, you’ll save time, eliminate ambiguity, and increase the chances of delivering campaigns that truly resonate.

Beta Test Barry the Brief

We’re on a mission to help marketers write the best briefs possible, and we need your help. We’re inviting a select group of marketing professionals to beta test Barry the Brief and provide feedback on how we can make it even better.

Want to be part of the future of marketing strategy? Sign up to join the beta test today and start creating briefs that inspire greatness. Together, we’ll transform the way briefs are written—and campaigns are executed.