Commentary

Singapore is a bustling nest of small businesses and new up and coming enterprises waiting to tell the world who they are and what they do (or what they sell). I often walk into meetings with small business owners and start-ups with a ton on things to introduce my company but when it’s my turn to ask them for information, most can only speak their ideas and plans without anything to show for. Although the amount of work to be done to make their dream into reality can be a real put off, creative briefs are essential to start off any projects big or small. That way, everyone is heading for the same goal and start of on the mission together in tandem. Waking up one day, I received a call from an old friend whom I have not met for over 10 years. He had found out what I do through Linkedin and Facebook and decided to give me a holler for old times sake. Johnson was seeking to start out on his own after years of toiling for other people. He had saved enough to incorporate his company and now needed to have an online front to help his marketing. He had no clue what’s needed to be done on that end and felt that he needed someone to “trust” to help him tell the world about his company. “You know, dude” he said when we met at my favorite coffeeshop in the north. “I have this big vision of BRANDING my company. I want many people to see my products and services and also read my blog. I want the company to be in everybody’s minds and they will surely look for my products when the need arises. This branding will help me make back my money in one year.” “I want this…this, this, this, this…” Johnson went on and on. “Since you are in this business, can do or not?” I told him it was an ambitious idea and it will take a lot of planning before it could take flight with proper RESEARCH and DATA collection in order to achieve optimal results in his marketing and branding your online campaign. A CREATIVE BRIEF will also go a long way in achieving success. Johnson scratched his head. “Research? Data collection? Creative Brief? What for?” 1. Research No deep space scientific sort of method needed here. You can just use the web, find out what your competition is like or what they are doing. In fact, find out WHO your competitors are! Go to the library, get some reading done on branding and how successful companies achieve that. It may be Apple, Microsoft, Chanel or Borat, they each have their success story to tell on how they reached the top. No two campaigns are exactly the same and reading up on it let’s you know the upside of their methods as well as the pitfalls you might encounter. Read and research away! 2. Data Collection Collect your own data. This is essential when you are coming up with your own creative brief for the campaign. It helps the designer help you come up with the best approach towards your target audience. These days, designers don’t just create graphics anymore, they are often tasked to double as copywriters to come up with zany and catchy quotes that goes along with the graphics. Data is also key in getting your marketing right by reducing wastage in selling to the wrong crowd. 3. Creative Brief This is probably the hardest to come out with despite it needing to be brief. You’ll need to gather points 2 and 3 and then come up with what I call blueprint to your company’s success. There is no wrong or right way to come up with a creative brief, but as long as it shows the following: a) Background of company / project b) An objective you want to achieve c) Audience – this is where your data collection comes important d) Any form of tagline to work with e) COLORS to use f) FLEXIBILITY – yes, it is important to include this in invisible writing for your marketers and designers so that you get the best out of them. Remember, you paid for their ideas too! “Oh.” Johnson said in a less enthusiastic tone and goes into a pause. “That’s great information. Without all these, my plans could be going into any directions. I know mine is a small business, but it makes sense to sit down and do all you have told me to so that I also will save both time and money.” So, however big or small you might think your next branding exercise or marketing campaign is, do take time to research for it, collect as much data as possible (better to have overflow of data than not enough data), and a creative brief to kick start that successful campaign. American designer Charles Eames once said, “Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose”.