Overview

Accurate, productive briefings between the client and their media agency, creative agency and printer are crucial to achieving a campaign with efficient production, a successful execution and a positive ROI.

  • Agree everything in detail, in writing

All agreements should be in writing, signed and dated by both agency and client.

Make sure that the details have been comprehensively discussed and agreed as any difference in understanding at this stage can lead to substantial errors, inefficiencies and friction later.

  • Brief all parties at the same point

Ideally, brief all parties simultaneously at the point the media agency has confirmed maximum and minimum sizes for the insert, plus the proposed schedule.

 

 

Strategy

Before you start to create your insert, you will naturally need to decide what task you want it to achieve and how you want the customer journey to work.

A few key questions to ask are:

  • What response do you want the insert to elicit?
  • What action do you want your customer to take? Are your expectations realistic? How can you make this action as easy, rewarding or entertaining as possible to encourage greater response?
  • Are you selling from the insert directly, looking to inform customers before their next shopping trip or purely positioning your brand?
  • How will your insert work alongside and complement other marketing activity – online and offline?
  • Are the goals of your insert isolated – ie measured on direct returns – or is the insert intended to put in the groundwork for success via a different channel, such as point-of-sale or search marketing?
  • How will your insert complement and leverage your brand values, identity and tone of voice?
  • What factors will affect the way your customer perceives your insert? Will the choice of publication significantly influence your design? Will your customer first see your insert at home, at work, during their commute or in another situation – and how can this inform your approach?

 

Key creative considerations

Your creative brief will overlap to a certain extent with the information provided in your media brief and should include the following:

 

  • Creative strategy

You may have already developed your creative strategy with your creative agency or it may be part of an ongoing strategy – but make sure that it is clarified and confirmed, ideally in writing and including any format and copy tests.

 

  • Format and production specifications

Take into consideration all mechanical limitations regarding size, weight, leading edge requirements and so on. Get as much information as possible before you start to turn your concept into a design.

Refine the specifications of your insert as different factors are agreed – including size, weight, pagination, leading edge, paper quality and so on.

Ensure that your written agreement is constantly kept up to date and confirmed by all parties to ensure full communication of changes and avoid costly confusion.

 

  • Target market

Be specific and detailed in identifying your target audience. Provide profiling information alongside your campaign goals to enable your creative team to develop an extremely relevant, engaging and effective approach.

 

  • Budget

Be clear and up-front about your budget for creative and origination. Whatever your budget, knowing it up front will allow your agency to pitch their ideas accordingly and deliver the best value.

Include your print and production budget here as well so that your creative team know what creative formats they can explore.

Your creative agency may also source your print – in which case you should include these considerations in your brief as well.

 

  • USP and offer

State your USP, offer and any time constraints or date sensitivity of the offer. Define whether your insert will use a one-step or two-step promotion.

 

  • Response mechanisms

Choose a response mechanism that suits the action you are asking your customer to take and the fulfilment capabilities you will have at your disposal.

For example, you are unlikely to ask your customer to make a major purchase via a coupon; but you should be absolutely sure that you can affordably have enough call centre staff trained and on stand-by if you encourage response by phone. Whatever response mechanism you fit to your offer, agree this in writing with your agency. Specify responsibility for tracking these responses.

 

 

  • Target audience

Always keep your customer in mind and design your insert to catch their eye and appeal to their tastes. BUT do not pander blindly to stereotypes or assumptions – you only risk causing offence and brand damage, rather than delivering positive results.

Consider your customer’s expectations regarding use of colour, tone of voice and imagery – should you align with these expectations or disrupt them?

 

  • Host publication

Take the look of the host publication into account. Reflecting the look, feel and visual language can add to your insert’s credibility and give a perceived editorial endorsement – but you may decide it is appropriate to sacrifice some of this in search of stand-out or ato support a particular message.

 

  • Relevance of media

Build on the affinities of your product or service to the values and interests of your host publication – and those of your customer.

 

  • Format

Consider the format and impact of your insert. Aim to balance creative ambition against budget

 

  • Take VAT considerations into account

If your insert is to qualify as VAT exempt or 0% rated – relevant to sectors that cannot normally reclaim VAT, such as financial services – find out the criteria required and ensure that your design meets these. Consult your agency, mailing house or VAT advisor for further advice.

 

  • Personalisation

Your insert can potentially be personalised to readers of specific publications using digital printing techniques. Consult your printer or mailing house to understand the options available to you.

 

  • Deadlines

Establish written deadlines for your creative concept to be presented, refined, tested and approved in good time to meet your print deadline.

 

  • Compliance

Make sure that all parties are aware which regulations, codes and obligations they need to work within. Highlight that all copy must conform to the CAP Code.

 

  • Design brief

Please see the Design considerations section of this guide for further creative and design information.