August 26, 2026
What a Good Brief Looks Like for a Brand Video
Whether it's a short social clip or a longer brand film, the same handful of things separate a brief that gets you exactly what you needed from one that leads to a round of "this isn't quite it." A good brief isn't longer — it's clearer about the things that actually matter.
What's genuinely worth including
- The goal, in one sentence. Are you trying to build awareness, explain a product, drive a specific action, or support a launch? Every creative decision downstream depends on this.
- Who it's actually for. A video for existing customers reads differently than one meant to introduce your brand to people who've never heard of it.
- Where it will run. A vertical video meant for Stories has different pacing and framing needs than one meant for a website homepage or a TV screen.
- The feeling you want people to walk away with. Two or three reference words — energetic, calm, premium, playful — do more work than a page of adjectives.
- Non-negotiables. Brand colors, a tagline that must appear, a legal disclaimer, a specific product shot — anything that absolutely has to be in the final piece.
- Examples of what you like (and don't). A couple of reference videos, even from other brands, communicate tone faster than a written description ever could.
What's safe to leave to the creative team
The exact shot list, the specific transitions, the precise music choice, the shade of a color within your palette — these are the details a good production team should be trusted to work out, based on the direction you've given. Over-specifying every detail often narrows the result more than it improves it.
The one habit that improves every brief
Before sending a brief, read it as if you knew nothing about the project, and ask: could two different people interpret this in two very different ways? If yes, that's the part worth clarifying before the brief goes out, not after the first draft comes back.
If you'd like help shaping a brief for your next video — or would rather just tell us what you need and let us handle the rest — get in touch.