Feb 26, 2010

How to Brief Your Advertising Agency

If "search the world and steal the best" is your motto then you'll love this. I went through my old papers and found "How to Brief Your Advertising Agency" by Anthony Weir.

Anthony Weir started his career as a copywriter for Batten, Barton, Durstine, and Osborn (BBDO), then worked as a specialist in starting up and managing offices in Asia and Latin America for the Ogilvy & Mather and Leo Burnett advertising agencies.

"How to Brief Your Advertising Agency (and how to increase your chances of getting superb advertising)" is an eight page booklet published in 1984.

These principles are timeless – and priceless. Remember to bookmark and share if you like them.

Here's a summary:

How to brief your agency

  1. Inundate the agency with information.
  2. Make sure all the right people attend the briefing.
  3. Invite the agency to your laboratory and your factory.
  4. Make your brief professional.
  5. Be enthusiastic.
  6. Give your brief a clear format.
  7. Start with the company.
  8. Explain your product in detail.
  9. Explore the problem your product solves.
  10. Review the history of the brand.
  11. Detail the conditions of the market.
  12. Analyze the competition.
  13. Examine the marketing and advertising strategies of the competition.
  14. Define your target consumer with care.
  15. Explain your sales and distribution systems.
  16. Present the product's position in the market today.
  17. Outline your marketing objectives and strategies.
  18. Arrange a field trip to the marketplace.
  19. Tell how you will judge the advertising.
Now you have briefed your agency. You're off and running. Here is how to increase your chances of getting superb advertising:

  1. Avoid management by fear.
  2. Make your agency an extension of your company.
  3. Set high standards – and stick by them.
  4. Require written strategies.
  5. Don't strain your advertising through too many levels.
  6. Don't compete with your agency in the creative area.
  7. Be candid, and encourage candor.
  8. Listen.
  9. Don't be afraid to experiment.
  10. Generate an atmosphere of competitive urgency.
  11. Make sure your agency earns a healthy profit.
  12. Hold formal evalutions.
If you do these things I can guarantee that you will have a happy, healthy and mutually profitable relationship with your agency.

Most important: You will get the advertising you deserve.

By the way, do you have a friend or colleague who is interested in marketing? Why not share this article with them?

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