This is the first in a four part series on the Bracco HPF creative briefs and how to use them. Our basic four briefs are designed to work in concert with our brand development tools, but are straightforward enough to be used as stand alone guides. We am going to start with the Messaging Brief (as we generally do with any properly executed marketing program).

Clear objectives and messaging form the cornerstone of any successful initiative. By developing a strong central message upfront - and by sticking to it, your communications remain cohesive and consistent across all of your initiatives. Once it has been finalized, we strongly encourage all of our clients to share the messaging brief with all of their internal teams and marketing partners (including PR, Advertising, Events, etc.).

One thing to notice in this brief is that it starts with broad statements and finishes with a very single minded statement. The top sets the context, the bottom is the crux of what we want to say.

The Bracco HPF messaging brief

Company description

• [ Personality and Values ] This is our personality in terms of how we work internally and how that translates to how we relate to outside customers and firms.

Company growth objective

• [ What are we tying to accomplish - short and sweet ]  Where do we want to go as a firm? This is similar to the company vision (but in crisp compelling language) and it points us in a particular direction.

Target audience

• [ Who are we talking to ]  The demographics of the group plus a psychographic description of an individual who is most representative of our primary target.

What the prospect is buying

• [ This is not the physical product or service, but it is what the person wants to accomplish through this purchase ] This is what the person wants to get out of this purchase, the more emotional the better. Examples may be centered around things like (from less to more emotive); reduce overhead, streamline operations, promote ones self status through better performance.

What the product/service contributes

• [ This is the product/service proposition that is relevant to the above prospect ]  Specifically, of all the great things our product/service does, what is the one element that addresses what the prospect is buying?

Strategy to address it

• [ This is a description of how we match what the product/service contributes to what the prospect is buying - and capitalize on it ]  How are we going to leverage what our product does against what the prospect needs. What sorts of things will our communications illustrate? How do we capitalize on this match of prospect needs and company offering?

The razor sharp message

• [ The message boiled down as far as it can go - the Essential Message ]  Don’t mince words here. What is the one thing we need to say above all others?

The elevator speech

• [ The essential message plus the key supporting details ]  This is the the 20 second pitch

The challenge is to keep the brief…well, brief. Keep it to a page, or two at most.

• If you want to get right to work you can download the word version.
• If you would like a brief customized to the way you work, contact us.

 

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Tags: brand tools, creative brief, messaging