The best bit of a brief might not be the obvious part.
It’s easy to focus on the fanciest piece, often the TV.
Worse still is just waiting for that big brief, the one with a huge budget and awards written all over it. Huge budgets and awards are good to be fair, but you could be waiting years for it to come along.
In the meantime, every single brief has an opportunity to uncover.
Is there a nice one-off you could get out, an interesting extra, a side thought? Often these are in over-looked channels or use smaller budgets.
Be as creative in finding these, with just as much effort, as creating the ‘big’ idea.
It’s not always the main thought or ad in a campaign that wins the award or praise. Looking everywhere massively increases your chances of finding what will.
Don’t stop with the creative ideas either.
Maybe the brief has a chance to learn a new skill, tech or style of work. Letting you improve.
Sometimes it’s spotting a fresh insight or angle. Even if it doesn’t go anywhere it increases your rep as someone who pushes briefs and creativity.
The opportunity could just be to help the client, brand team or production out of a hole. Build those relationships and they’ll want you on the next amazing brief they do have.
Those three angles really helped my career. The last one in particular when it came to the absolutely stinking briefs we all get now and then.
The trick is to stay open and energetic.
Always trying to spot the win. Whether personal, career or an award.
Great work doesn’t just turn up you have to hunt it out.
The more you look, the more you find.
