Read the provided briefs and identify what the client wants and how they will judge what a successful outcome would be. Do these briefs provide all the information you need? If not, what questions would you ask the client? Where would you place these briefs on the open-closed spectrum?
When reading through the three sample briefs, I kept in mind the key requirements that a workable brief should include (as listed in the course notes), which are:
- what you are being asked to do
- what the illustrations are trying to achieve
- your target audience or other relevant contextual information
- the form the illustrations will take – print size, colours, etc.
- deadlines and milestones – such as when you need to submit a rough draft or when it needs to be completed.
After reading the briefs through several times, I added emphasise to the keys words and phrases that I thought were the most important to note.
Sample Brief 1
Client: BBC
Brief: Create an opening credit sequence for The Culture Show that will surprise, inspire and challenge viewers.
Introduction: Launched in November 2004, The Culture Show is BBC2’s leading arts programme. It’s forward-looking focus, stylish presentation and confident, witty tone has attracted a younger audience. We are looking to build the show’s reputation as cutting-edge arts programming, signalling, from the opening second, that The Culture Show is an innovative show that respects its viewers’ intelligence and rewards them with well-crafted, expert and thought-provoking content.
Creative Requirements: You should create one or more innovative 20 second credit sequences to open the show, to surprise, inspire and challenge viewers when they tune into The Culture Show. You should reference in some way the show’s coverage of disciplines such as fashion, art, architecture, music, film and TV. It’s down to you how you creatively go about this.
Editorial Issues: Please bear in mind that BBC Producers’ guidelines will need to be adhered to in terms of subject matter – no nudity, sex, smoking or drug references.
Who we are talking to: Young, discerning metropolitan minded 25-44 year olds who have a genuine love of culture.
Analysing Sample Brief 1
What does the client want?
One or more 20 second opening credit sequence/s for The Culture Show on BBC2.
How will they judge what a successful outcome would be?
This is not specified explicitly, but one would assume an increase in viewing numbers for the target audience (25-44 year olds).
Does the brief provide all the information you need? If not, what questions would you ask the client?
Although the brief appears to be quite detailed on first glance, after further inspection I found it to be quite sparse in terms of clear, definitive information on what is actually required. Some of the details that would need to be provided or expanded upon include:
- Specifics of Target Audience: The only quantifiable detail assigned to the target audience is the age range of 25-44 year olds. The other attributes, ‘discerning’, ‘metropolitan minded’ and having ‘a genuine love of culture’, are less clear-cut and subject to interpretation.
- Style Requirements: Are there any guidelines provided in terms of colour schemes, branding, etc?
- Planning Stage: would a draft storyboard of the sequence need to be approved?
- Number of Sequences: Would only one opening credit sequence be used, even if several were submitted, as suggested in the brief?
- Output: Would an animation be required or could/should this be combined with live footage from the show? Are there any specific requirements in terms of including the title, etc. within the sequence? Will any music be provided for the opening sequence? What dimensions should the final sequence be and in what format should it be supplied?
- Deadlines and/or Key Submission Dates: Would these be provided? How long is given to create the final sequence?
- Successful Outcome: Would increased viewing figures be the only indication of a successful piece of work? How would this data be gathered and analysed? Would it be broken down into age ranges and judged on that basis?
I would place Sample Brief 1 as being about mid-way on the open-closed spectrum. Although some useful information is provided in the brief, there is not much specificity of requirements in practical terms and further clarification would be needed.
Sample Brief 2
Client: Orange
Brief: Create your vision of future communications.
Background: When Orange launched in 1994 we set out to simplify things in a world of confusing new technology. Now, in 2007, we can talk to each other by landline, mobile and internet telephone. We have text messaging, email, IM chat and, more recently, the huge rise in popularity of social networking. So what’s next in the world of communications?
Target Audience: All existing and potential customers of Orange.
Creative Requirements: Using illustration, create for us your vision of communications in three to five years time. You could create something tangible, relating to products and physical technology. Something that talks about technology. Something emotional that shows how you think people will feel about communications, and the way that they can communicate with those around them.
Analysing Sample Brief 2
What does the client want?
This is not entirely clear. The only suggestion provided is to “create your vision of future communications, using illustration”.
How will they judge what a successful outcome would be?
This information is not provided.
Does the brief provide all the information you need? If not, what questions would you ask the client?
No, this brief hardly offers any of the information required. A good starting point in terms of what would be needed to proceed would include:
- Further details regarding the target audience demographics.
- Style guidelines (colour, fonts, branding, etc).
- Platform for final piece – TV, poster, magazine advert, online?
- Further specifications regarding the above (dimensions, etc).
- Is a static illustration required?
- Key delivery dates.
- What is actually required?!
I would place Sample Brief 2 as being firmly wide open on the open-closed spectrum. The bare minimum of specifics have been supplied regarding what is actually being asked for and how/when this should be delivered. I did find it quite ironic that the blurb in the brief states that Orange went about simplifying ‘things’ in a confusing world, and yet have provided, in my opinion, a fairly confusing project brief!
Sample Brief 3
Client: Sainsbury’s
Brief: Create a piece of design or illustration for a limited edition range of Sainsbury’s shopping bags.
Requirements: This brief is to create artwork to appear on a new range of bags, based on one of three key themes that are central to Sainsbury’s business:
- Be the best for food and health
- Show respect for our environment
- Source with integrity
Mandatories: The bag dimensions are 390mm high and 450mm wide, so your artwork should fit within such a canvas. There are no colour limitations at all. Sainsbury’s branding will be applied to the side gussets, so your design will dominate both main faces of the bag.
Analysing Sample Brief 3
What does the client want?
A design or illustration for a limited range of shopping bags, based on one of the three themes provided.
How will they judge what a successful outcome would be?
The popularity (indicated through sales) of the reusable bags.
Does the brief provide all the information you need? If not, what questions would you ask the client?
The brief is much more informative than the previous two examples and, I believe, it would be possible to work on this project with only the provided information. However, there are a few additional points of which clarification be helpful, such as:
- Who is the target audience?
- What are the key delivery delivery dates and deadlines?
- What material will the bags be made of (e.g. hessian or plastic?) and thus what would the colour of the surface/background be?
- Would the same design be used on both faces of the bag or is there a possibility of two different designs?
- Do the three different designs (on each bag) need to be linked stylistically in any way or our they all individual from one another?
- As these are limited addition bags, how many will be produced and how long will they be on offer for?
I would place Sample Brief 3 as being closed on the open-closed spectrum. Enough specific information has been provided, such as dimensions and colour requirements, which would enable a designer to have more confidence to proceed with the knowledge of what they should be aiming for.
Final Thoughts
Before undertaking this Research Point, I was fairly certain that I preferred closed briefs to those that are open and this process has confirmed this to be the case.
I work best within a clear structure that has key targets asking to be met in a certain order, as is characteristic of closed briefs.
Open briefs, as demonstrated through the Orange one, are far too vague for my liking and I would not relish the struggle of trying to produce a piece of artwork for submission, especially if there was a tight deadline attached to the project.