ShapedSI Journal · Creative work
Creative production for business: write the brief before the image
A good creative brief makes decisions easier for the people producing and reviewing the work. Start with what the audience needs to understand and the action you want to support. Then agree on the message, the evidence and the formats. That gives photography, illustrations, design and copy a shared purpose.
In this guide
01
Name the audience and the decision
Describe who will see the work and where they will encounter it. A visitor on a service page, a person comparing products and an existing customer reading an update have different questions. Choose one main decision the piece should help them make, such as understanding an offer or starting an enquiry.
Write the message in ordinary language before turning it into a headline. Include the fact or detail that supports it. If the message depends on a price, a product feature or an availability condition, confirm that information with the responsible person. The creative team should not have to invent a claim to fill the space.
02
Set the visual direction and the evidence
Collect a small set of references and explain what you like about them: spacing, lighting, typography, composition or materials. Distinguish the brand’s direction from another business’s identity. Use the references to make specific decisions rather than asking for a vague mood with no connection to the offer.
Agree on which images are actual products or projects and which are illustrative. Keep the distinction visible where it matters to the audience. If a concept image is used to describe an idea, it should not appear to prove that an installation, customer result or physical product already exists.
03
Define the deliverables and review process
List the required formats, dimensions, copy and destinations. A website hero, a product card and a social image may share an identity while needing different layouts. Confirm what must remain readable at the final size, and which variations are necessary. Include an editable source or agreed handover format when the team will need to make later updates.
Choose the person who can approve factual details and the person who can approve the visual direction. Consolidate feedback into a clear revision list. Separate corrections to the brief from changes of preference so everybody understands what is being revised and why. Agree on the rounds of review before production begins.
04
Review the finished work in context
Place the actual image and copy into the page or destination where it will be used. Check readability on a phone, the relationship between the headline and image, and whether the next step is clear. A composition that looks attractive in a large preview may fail when reduced to a small card.
Keep a record of the approved version and the supporting source material. When the offer changes, update the copy and the image together. A coherent identity comes from a set of consistent decisions across the work, including small details such as image labels, type sizes and the wording of the enquiry link.
Bring this to the conversation
A working brief.
- One audience and one main decision
- A verified message and evidence
- A small set of explained references
- Required formats and editable handover
- Named reviewers and a revision process
A few useful questions.
Can we use generated images?
Illustrative imagery can be useful when it is clearly presented as such. Actual product and project claims still need accurate evidence.
What should we bring to a first conversation?
The offer, the audience, the intended destinations, any required facts and a few references with an explanation of what you want them to communicate.
Original sources
Sources and further reading.
Adobe’s creative brief guidance includes objectives, audience and deliverables as parts of a shared direction. A brief is most useful when those details can guide actual production and review.
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