The purpose of this exercise was to analyse three illustration/design briefs to identify what the client wants and how they would judge a successful outcome.
Key words from the brief:
- Do these briefs provide all the information you need?
- If not, what questions would you ask the client?
- Where would you place these briefs on the open – closed spectrum?
Brief 1 – The Culture Show (BBC2)
What the client wants
‘Must Have’ requirements
- An opening credit sequence for The Culture Show that will surprise, inspire and challenge viewers.
- Tone of voice – Forward looking, stylish, confident and witty.
- Something that appeals to the core audience and frames The Culture Show.
- From the first second it must signal that The Culture Show is an innovative show that respects its viewers’ intelligence and rewards them with well-crafted, expert, thought-provoking content.
- The output will be one or more 20-second opening credit sequences.
- The BBC Producers’ guidelines will need to be adhered to in terms of subject matter – no nudity, sex, smoking or drug references.
- The core audience: Young, discerning metropolitan minded 25–44 year olds who have a genuine love of culture.
‘Should Have’ requirements
- The titles should reference in some way the different disciplines covered in the programme such as fashion, art, architecture, music, film and TV.
Outcomes/success criteria
- The titles will build the show’s reputation as a cutting-edge art programme (it’s not clear how this is measured).
Questions/clarifications
Additional information required
We need copies of:
- BBC2 style guides/branding guidelines.
- The Culture Show style guides – logo/use of fonts.
- A sample contract.
- The key delivery dates we need to be aware of and/or a project plan.
- The first target transmission date.
- The key contacts within the production team that we should be liaising with, what are their roles and how can we access them?
- Project/Production Manager
- Producer
- Director
- PA
Questions
- Are we pitching for this work or can we assume we have been given the work?
- Can you give us some idea of the budget you have for the title sequence?
- What are the current viewing figures for The Culture Show?
- How will you measure the success of the title sequence in having a positive impact on the show’s reputation as a cutting edge arts programme?
- Does the title sequence design need to consider any other on screen graphic requirements? Lower thirds/DOGs (digital on-screen graphics), end credit sequence etc. If not are these additional requirements?
- What platforms do we need to design for?
- What are the delivery format(s)?
- Where do you do your Post Production?
- If we produce more than one title sequence, how will these be used?
- Can you share any data relating to the core audience; likes/dislikes, gender split, age split, income range etc.
- Do you have examples of what good looks like and why you think this?
- How and when do you want to see progress?
- Who and how will the work be signed off?
Brief 2 – Create your vision of future communications (Orange – now rebranded as EE)
What the client wants
Must have requirements
- Target audience: All existing and potential customers of Orange.
- Output: Illustration
- Create for us your vision of communications in three to five years time
- Create something tangible, relating to products and physical technology.
- Something emotional that shows how you think people will feel about communications, and the way that they can communicate with those around them.
Success criteria
- To answer the question (for our customers): So, what’s next in the world of communications?
- To align to the Orange corporate vision: To simplify things in a world of confusing new technology.
Questions/clarifications
Additional information required
We need copies of:
- Orange style guides/branding guidelines.
- A sample contract.
- Any key delivery dates we need to be aware of and/or project plan.
- Key contacts within the project team that we should be liaising with, what are their roles and how can we access them?
- Project/Production Manager
- Design Lead
- Marketing Lead
- etc…
Questions
- Are we pitching for this work or can we assume we have been given the work?
- Can you give us some idea of the budget you have for the illustrations?
- Is this part of a wider marketing campaign? Is there a broader context we need to consider?
- What technologies do you think your customers will be using in the next 5-years?
- Can you share any research you have that could inform our designs?
- Who are the target customers for this illustration?
- Can you provide us with any customer research you have that is relevant to this assignment?
- How will the design be used?
- Platforms e.g. native mobile, internet browser, print, television etc.
- Dimensions
- Resolution(s)
- Format(s)
- Use of colour
- Are there any accessibility considerations?
- How and when do you want to see progress?
- Who and how will the work be signed off?
Brief 3 – Sainsbury’s shopping bags (Sainsbury’s)
What the client wants
Must have requirements
- Create a piece of design or illustration for a limited edition range of Sainsbury’s shopping bags.
- The illustration must be based on one of the three themes that are central to Sainsbury’s business:
- Be the best for food and health
- Show respect for our environment
- Source with integrity
- Dimensions: The bag dimensions are 390mm high and 450mm wide. So your artwork should fit within such a canvas.
- Color: There are no colour limitations at all.
- Branding: Sainsbury’s branding will be applied to the side gussets, so your design will dominate both main faces of the bag.
Success criteria
- It is unclear what the outcome Sainsbury’s want to achieve through the new limited edition range of shopping bags. This is a point for clarification.
Questions/clarifications
Additional information required
We need copies of:
- Sainsbury’s style guides/branding guidelines.
- A sample contract.
- Print specification i.e. Delivery format(s), how the printers would like the artwork presented etc.
- Any key delivery dates we need to be aware of and/or project plan.
- Key contacts within the project team that we should be liaising with, what are their roles and how can we access them:
- Project/Production Manager
- Design Lead
- Marketing Lead
- etc…
Questions
- Are we pitching for this work or can we assume we have been given the work?
- Can you give us some idea of the budget you have for the illustrations?
- Can you provide us with any customer research you have that is relevant to this assignment?
- What outcome or change do you want to achieve through the new limited edition range of shopping bags? e.g. to build awareness of the business themes.
- Do you know which printers will be manufacturing the bags?
- What materials will be used in the bag construction i.e. are these plastic bags/reusable bags or other?
- Do you have examples of what good looks like and why you think this?
- How and when do you want to see progress?
- Who and how will the work be signed off?
Are these briefs open or closed?
Brief 1 The Culture Show is a fairly closed brief in that the BBC have provided a lot of information about the content they’d like to see, the audience and tone of voice. However they also go on to say that “it’s down to you how you creatively go about this”. This apparent contradiction (we know what we want but leave it completely up to you), should ring alarm bells and extra care should be taken to get a clearer idea of what they think good looks like and to take them on the creative journey so they have ‘skin-in-the-game’. Clarity on the number of review-and-amend cycles and who signs-off the final designs as complete is also particularly important.
Brief 2 Create your vision of future communications is an open brief. The brief states some very broad objectives and creative requirements. This feels like a marketing brief; a bit fluffy. This assignment probably needs good/close client relationship management to help take them through and make them feel part of the process.
Brief 3 Sainsbury’s shopping bags is a closed brief. The brief is short, sharp and clear. Although there are a few open questions about exact delivery formats, this feels like a well trodden and well understood path without too many surprises. The approach here should be to be really clear on when and how they want the illustrations and make sure the process is managed professionally and the work is of a high quality.
Illustration 