1. Business problem and decision
- What business condition must change?
- Why does it matter now?
- What is in scope and out of scope?
- Who owns the commercial result?
- What decision will the campaign evidence support?
2. Audience and buying situation
Describe the people involved, their trigger, current belief, alternatives, barriers and evidence needs. Include the buying group when more than one person influences the decision. Avoid persona details that do not change the work.
3. Communication job
Complete one sentence: After seeing this campaign, [audience] should [think, feel or do] because they understand [single most important idea]. If the sentence contains several outcomes, the campaign probably needs prioritization.
4. Promise, proof and mandatory facts
| Field | Write here |
|---|---|
| Promise | The meaningful, defensible change |
| Reason to believe | Method, evidence, people, product or experience |
| Mandatory facts | Price, eligibility, location, timing, legal or brand requirements |
| Exclusions | Claims, audiences, placements or language that must not be used |
5. Creative and channel roles
Define the organizing idea before listing deliverables. Then state what each channel must accomplish: create memory, explain, demonstrate, capture intent, retarget, convert or follow up. IPA effectiveness research is a useful reminder to connect short-term activation with longer-term brand effects. [1]
- One recognizable campaign idea
- Message hierarchy by placement
- Distinctive assets that must remain consistent
- Required variations by audience or format
- Landing-page and sales-message alignment
- Accessibility and disclosure requirements
6. Measurement and learning
Define primary business outcomes, diagnostic signals, baselines, exclusions and decision thresholds before launch. Attribution helps describe observed paths; incrementality is the stronger question when the business needs to know whether the campaign caused additional outcomes. [2] [3]
| Measure | Definition | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Primary outcome | Qualified commercial change | Business owner |
| Leading indicator | Early signal connected to the outcome | Channel owner |
| Quality guardrail | Fit, complaints, margin or retention | Sales/service owner |
| Learning question | Assumption the campaign will test | Campaign lead |
7. Timeline and approvals
- Brief approved by business and campaign owners.
- Concept approved before asset production.
- Claims, links, tracking and accessibility checked before launch.
- Sales and service teams briefed on the promise and response path.
- Mid-flight review scheduled with pre-agreed change rules.
- Post-campaign review records evidence, limits and the next decision.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a campaign brief be?
Long enough to remove important ambiguity and short enough for every contributor to use. Two to four focused pages often work better than a long deck.
Who should approve the brief?
The business owner of the outcome and the person accountable for campaign strategy should approve it before production.
Should the brief include channels?
Yes, after the audience, problem and communication job are clear. Channels should have distinct roles rather than repeat the same asset everywhere.
Sources and further reading
External claims are linked to their original or authoritative owner. Recommendations are Maqtrix's interpretation and should be tested against the business context.
- IPA. The Long and the Short of It — presentation. Accessed September 13, 2026.
- Google Analytics Help. Attribution settings. Accessed September 13, 2026.
- IAB and IAB Europe. Guidelines for Incremental Measurement in Commerce Media. Accessed September 13, 2026.