Cooking up your brand.

Try a new recipe with your creative brief.

Writing a good creative brief is a lot like cooking. You shop your competition just like you shop for food, walking the aisles of all your resources; hand selecting what you think are good brand staples you may want to mirror, and those you don’t.

You get all of your ingredients together, prep, and then start cooking.

Sounds simple enough but brand recipes are complex. Depending on how many cooks are in the kitchen, it can even get messy. Everyone has their own taste and style of working; getting on the same page means you have to respect all that is brought to the table.

Many questions arise to be answered. This is where your brand flavor begins. Are you going to brine, use a sauce or prepare a fond broth? What spices do you want to include in your brand?

Certainly you have your main course, but you will also have your sides, desserts and beverages. You have a table to set that may be casual or sophisticated. You may have a centerpiece and table décor to complement the setting. Then you have your guests to consider.

This is where it gets tricky. Your guest experience is going to be the most important part of the brand meal. Making your guest feel welcome is paramount. Flawless table service with right timing is like good grammar and punctuation. People notice.

Inviting interesting guests who will have things in common, but also those who are of different backgrounds and culture will help to keep things lively.

If you think of your creative brief this way, you will be able to determine what goes into the entire brand strategy with a fresh perspective. You will have a beautiful brand to plate, satisfying every touchpoint.

Better yet, no more stale business briefs.

Don’t be afraid to fire it up!