My Brighter Click team and I have spent countless hours refining our creative strategy process to serve our clients best – and to make life easier on ourselves. One of the most critical yet overlooked steps is handing off the creative brief to the graphic designer. This process requires careful thought, not just about what’s in the brief, but also how our creative strategists communicate with designers, involve them in decision-making, and integrate marketing frameworks into our production.

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Here’s how we’ve refined our process to best serve everyone involved. 

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Clear Communication in Creative Strategy

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Communication is the backbone of any successful creative process. When a creative strategist and designer are aligned, the final product reflects that unity. However, this doesn't happen overnight. Frequent, clear communication is essential, especially in the early stages of a working relationship. From understanding design language to setting expectations, these conversations create a shared understanding between strategists and designers.

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At Brighter Click, we’ve learned that proactively communicating with our designers avoids unnecessary back-and-forth. For instance, when introducing new creative themes, it’s essential to schedule a call, not just drop the brief in a project management tool. 

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Even if the designer knows the brand, they might need more context to translate the new direction effectively. It isn’t always easy to translate an idea to paper, and a strategist can’t expect a designer to read their minds, which is why I ask our strategists to be ready to explain and walk through their vision, ensuring there’s no ambiguity.

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The Creative Briefing Process

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When it comes to handing off the creative brief, the process can vary depending on the relationship. For new designers or newly formed teams, more time should be spent on alignment. I always advocate for spending the first few months building a solid communication foundation with a new designer. Don’t rush to hand off a brief without spending time aligning your language and goals.

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Once that foundation is set, we move into a more seamless process where designers can run with the brief. But even then, clarity is key. That’s why my team doesn’t just send out briefs; we provide detailed playboards with examples. Visual references, themes, and previous successful campaigns all provide context that helps the designer deliver what we’re aiming for.

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For ongoing relationships, one best practice is still to allow open channels for creative input. Designers often bring a fresh perspective, and at times, they might come up with ideas that elevate the project. A quick Slack message or a five-minute call to share new ideas can make all the difference.

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How Much Creative Freedom Should Designers Have?

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This is one of the most nuanced areas of creative strategy. How much freedom should a designer have, and when should they follow the brief to the letter?

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It depends on the goal. If a campaign needs to communicate a very specific message — say, adhering strictly to a client’s branding guidelines — the designer may need to follow the brief closely. However, when room exists for innovation, it’s beneficial to grant more creative liberty. 

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At Brighter Click, we encourage our designers to share their thoughts and propose adjustments. After all, they’re the design experts, and their input can elevate an idea beyond what was initially imagined.

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The trick is balance. We don’t want to stifle creativity, but we also don’t want the designer to run with an idea that might conflict with client expectations or campaign goals. That’s why we encourage designers to communicate their ideas before making major changes — a simple conversation can save hours of revisions later.

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Integrating Marketing Frameworks into Creative Production

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When constructing creative, it's not just about aesthetics. A well-constructed brief incorporates marketing frameworks like PAS (Problem-Agitate-Solution) or AIDA (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action). These frameworks help structure creative in a way that grabs attention, holds interest, and drives action. Whether it’s a static image ad or a video ad, having these elements in mind during creative production ensures we’re not just making something that looks good — we’re making something that converts.

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For example, in a creative targeting a specific pain point, we might follow the PAS model: identify the problem, agitate it by emphasizing the frustration or difficulty it causes, and then present the solution — the client’s product or service. 

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This type of layered approach ensures the creative is hitting psychological motivators that move people toward a purchase decision.

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My team’s briefing templates reflect these frameworks. We don’t just talk about the product’s features; we also look at behavioral psychology and how we can integrate motivators like social proof or time-sensitive offers. These small but important details ensure that our creative isn’t just nice to look at — it’s built to perform.

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These frameworks can also help the designer understand which elements of an ad are absolutely essential, especially when it comes to editing videos with multiple potential clips, features, and talking points. 

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Fostering Innovation Through Team Dynamics and Culture

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Team culture is a big part of what makes our process successful at Brighter Click. The designers, strategists, and copywriters are not just team members — they’re collaborators. When you foster a culture of innovation and open dialogue, people feel empowered to contribute ideas that can make a big impact.

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But that kind of culture doesn’t happen by accident. As a leader, I work to ensure that our creative team has space to experiment and room to fail. Encouraging innovation means creating a space where new ideas are welcomed and designers feel comfortable challenging the brief if they think they can improve it. That’s where the magic happens.

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However, it’s crucial that designers are aligned with the project's needs. We’ve seen what happens when a designer brings brilliant but misplaced ideas that don’t fit the project’s goals — both sides can feel frustrated. 

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That’s why we emphasize communication, proactive collaboration, and passion for the niche we’re working in.

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