Creative Brief Workshop

Workshop to help Brand Leaders write a Creative
Brief to help guide your brand’s marketing execution
Turn your Brand Communications
Strategy into a Creative Brief

We make brands stronger.
We make brand leaders smarter.
Define
the
Brand
Think
Strategically
Big
Idea
At Beloved Brands, we use a branding approach
Vision Analysis
Key Issues
Strategies
Execution
• Advertising
• In-Store
• Innovation
• Consumers
• Category
• Channels
• Competitors
• Brand
Values, Goals
• Experience
Brand Plan
Create Brand Plans
Inspire
creative
execution
Analyze
performance
Sm
art
Creative
Ideas

Training Workshop
Creative Briefs
The Creative Brief frames the strategy and positioning so your Agency
can creatively express the brand promise through communication.
• Marketing Execution must impact the brand’s consumers in a way that puts your
brand in a stronger business position. The Creative Brief is the bridge between the
brand strategy and the execution.
• Through our Brand Positioning workshop, you will have all the homework on the
brand needed to set up the transformation into a succinct 1-page Creative Brief that
will focus, inspire and challenge a creative team to make great work.
• The hands-on Creative Brief workshop explores best in class methods for writing the
brief’s objective, target market, consumer insights, main message stimulus and the
desired consumer response.
• Brand Leaders walk away from the session with a ready-to-execute Creative Brief.

We make brands better.
We make brand leaders better.
The role of a Brand is to create a tight bond with
your consumers, that will lead to a power and proﬁt
beyond what the product alone could ever achieve.

Creative Execution must amplify your brand
story and brand positioning so that your
brand stands out in the cluttered marketplace,
connecting with your most cherished
consumers so they will see, think, act or feel
differently about your brand than before they
saw the message. The end goal must be to
create a lasting love with consumers.

Media is a business investment that
showcases your creative execution of your
brand story, at points in your most desired
consumer’s life where they are most
willing to engage in your brand story. It
only pays back if the media tightens the
bond with consumers and puts your brand
on a pathway to becoming more powerful
and proﬁtable in the future.

Promise Brand Story Innovation Purchase Moment Experience
Big
Idea
Brand
Positioning
Advertising and
Communication
Product
Development
Selling and
Retail
Operations
and Culture
Consumer
The
Brand
Innovation drives ideas, concepts,
testing, launches through system.Build culture to support
consumer experience
creating a brand credo
with purpose, values,
service behaviors.
2
4
3
1
CREATIVE(BRIEF((
1.""Why(Are(We(Adver3sing(
Drive&trial&of&the&new&Grays&Cookies&as&“The&Healthy&Choice&to&Snacking”&brand&posi>oning.&&&
2.#What’s(the(Consumer(Problem(We(are(Addressing(
I’m&always&watching&what&I&eat.&&And&then&BAM,&I&see&a&cookie&and&I’m&done.&&As&much&as&I&look&aHer&
myself,&I&s>ll&like&to&sneak&a&cookie&now&and&then.&&"
3.((Who(are(you(talking(to?(
“Proac>ve&Preventers”.&Suburban&working&women,&35L40,&&who&are&willing&to&do&whatever&it&takes&to&
stay&healthy.&&They&run,&workout&and&eat&right.&For&many,&Food&can&be&a&bit&of&a&stressLreliever&and&
escape&even&for&people&who&watch&what&they&eat.&&&&"
4.((Consumer(Insights(
L&“I&have&tremendous&willLpower.&&I&work&out&3x&a&week,&watch&what&I&eat&and&maintain&my&figure.&&But&
we&all&have&weaknesses&and&cookies&are&mine.&&I&just&wish&they&were&less&bad&for&you”&
L&&“I&read&labels&of&everything&I&eat.&&I&s>ck&to&1500&calories&per&day,&and&will&find&my&own&ways&to&
achieve&that&balance.&&&If&I&eat&a&400&calorie&cookie,&it&may&mean&giving&something&up.”&
5.(What(does(our(consumer(think(now?(
I’ve&never&heard&of&Grays&Cookies.&&But&I’d&likely&need&to&try&it&and&see&if&I&like&it.&&If&it&really&does&taste&
that&good,&it’s&something&I&might&consider&as&a&snack.&&&
6.((What(do(you(want(your(consumer(to(think/feel/do?((Desired(Response)(
We&want&them&to&try&Grays&and&see&if&they&like&the&great&taste.&&"
7.((What(should(we(tell(them?((S3mulus:((benefit)(
With&Grays&Cookies&you&can&s>ll&have&a&great&tas>ng&cookie&without&the&guilt,&so&you&can&stay&in&
control&of&your&health.&&
8.((Why(should(they(believe(us?(
In&blind&taste&tests,&Grays&Cookies&matched&the&market&leaders&on&taste,&but&only&has&100&calories&and&
2g&of&fat.&&In&a&12&week&study,&consumers&using&Grays&once&a&night&as&a&desert&were&able&to&lose&5lbs.&&&
9.((Brand(Posi3oning(Statement(
For&“Proac>ve&Preventers”,&Women&30L45,&Grays&Cookies&are&the&best&tas>ng&yet&guiltLfree&pleasure#
so&you&can&stay&in&control&of&your&healthy&lifestyle.&&That’s&because&Grays&combines&the&great&taste&in&a&
low&fat&and&calorie&sensible&cookie.&In&blind&taste&tests,&Grays&Cookies&matched&the&market&leaders&on&
taste,&but&only&has&100&calories&and&2g&of&fat.&&In&a&12&week&study,&consumers&using&Grays&once&a&night&
as&a&desert&were&able&to&lose&5lbs.&&&
10.((Tone(and(Manner(
Successful,&Mo>vated,&Reliable,&In&Control,&Natural.&
11.((Media(Op3ons(
Main&crea>ve&will&be&in&specialty&health&magazines,&event&OOH&signage&and&inLstore.&&Want&to&carry&
the&idea&into&digital,&social&media&and&a&microsite.&&&
12.((Mandatories(
The&line:&“best&tas>ng&yet&guiltLfree&pleasure”&is&on&the&packaging.&25%&of&Print&must&carry&the&Whole&
Foods&logo&as&part&of&our&lis>ng&agreement&and&include&the&Legal&disclaimer&on&the&taste&test&and&the&
12&week&study.&&&
Brief focuses creative &
media decisions on
positioning & strategy
5
Influence purchase moment
through channels, e-commerce,
selling and merchandising
At Beloved Brands, we promise to
make your brand stronger and your
brand leaders smarter.
We believe big ideas, focus and
passion matter, because the more
loved a brand is by consumers, the
more powerful and profitable that
brand will be.
We will challenge you to think
different, because the thinking that got
here may not get you to the next level.
Our Credo
Align execution to
focus on moving
consumers
through stages of
the buying system
Consumers connect with Big Idea
through 5 supporting touch-points
Consider
Satisfied
Buy
Search
Fan
Loyal
Repeat
Aware
6
The role of any marketing execution is to tighten the
bond with your consumers to drive brand growth
Marketing
Execution

Creative Brief
Workshop Agenda
The role of a brand and how the positioning and
strategy set up the Creative Brief
Writing the Brand Communications Strategy that
sets up the Creative brief
The good and bad of a writing a Creative Brief
1
2
3

1
The role of a creative brief
The role of a beloved brand is to create a
bond, power and proﬁt beyond what the
product alone could achieve.

Find the magic in the execution of a brand
All of our work is done through other people. Our greatness as a Brand Leader has to
come from the experts we engage, so they will be inspired to reach for their own
greatness and apply it on our brand. Brand Management has been built on a hub-and-
spoke system, with a team of experts surrounding the generalist Brand Leader. When
I see Brand Managers of today doing stuff, I feel sorry for them. They are lost. Brand
Leaders are not designed to be experts in marketing communications, experts in
product innovation and experts in selling the product. You are trained to be a
generalist, knowing enough to make decisions, but not enough to actually do the work.
Find strength being the least knowledgeable person in every room you enter.

Time to step back and let the creativity unfold
It is okay to know exactly what you want, but you should never know until the
moment you see it. As the client, I like to think of marketing execution like the
perfect gift that you never thought to buy yourself. How we engage our experts can
either inspire greatness or crush the spirit of creativity. Experts would prefer to be
pushed than held back. The last thing experts want is to be asked for their expertise
and then told exactly what to do. There is a fine line between rolling up the sleeves
to work alongside the experts and pushing the experts out of the way. It is time to
step back and assume your true role as the Brand Leader. It is a unique skill to be
able to inspire, challenge, question, direct and decide, without any expertise at all.
Brand Leaders need to rediscover the lost art of doing nothing.

Managing Creative development process
Focused Brief
Brief creates the box the
ad must play. Need
objective, insights, desired
response, benefit, RTB.
Strategy Pre Work
Build Insights, create Big
Idea and lay out a Brand
Concept, Advertising
Communications Plan.
Tissue Session
Use when you don’t have
a campaign. Be open to
new ways of looking at
your brand. Focus on big
ideas, push for better.
Creative
Expectations
Meet creative team
to convey your
vision, strategy,
inspire and focus.
Creative Meeting
Be positive, focus only on big
picture, give direction, make
decisions. No solutions. No
Details. Are you inspiring?
Feedback Memo
Details, challenges but
without giving specific
solutions. Use feedback
to create a new box.
Management Check In:
Keep your boss aware,
sell-in where needed.
Ad Testing
Use testing to confirm
your pick, not make
your decision.
Gain Approval
Sell in the Ad. Be
ready to fight resisters
to make it happen.
Production
Manage the Tone to fit
the brand. Always, get
more than you need
Post Production
Talk directly with and
leverage every expert
The biggest challenge for most Brand Leaders
is to stay focused on your vision at every
stage, always inspire and yet challenge
1
6
7
4
5
3
2
8
9
10
Process
Graphic

Give more
freedom on
execution
Control
the brand
strategy
Brand leaders always want options, so
they write a big wide brief with many
“strategic” options. But really, you want
“creative” options, not strategic options.
You should write a very tight brief, based
on the strategy you decided on, before you
even wrote the brief. Slow down and let
your strategic thinking prevail.
Brand leaders try to control the outcome of
the creative process so they write a long list
of mandatories in the brief, they try to steer
the type of advertising they want to see, or
don’t want to see. You should allow the
creative process to unfold, as you always
hold the power of decision. Go faster with
your instincts to not over-think great ideas.

Advertising people are more “in
the box” problem solvers, than
they are blue sky thinkers.
• Creative people are motivated by the
challenge of the problem, more than
the execution of a simple solution.
Give them a problem.
• The role of the brief is to create the
right box, enough room to move, but
enough direction that defines the
problem.
THE BOX
The role of a creative brief is to “create the right box”
The smaller the brief, the bigger the idea will be.

1. Your Solutions: They find it demotivating to be
asked for their expertise (solving problems) and then
not utilized (given the answer)
2. A blank canvas: They prefer a problem to solve, not
a wide open request for options.
3. An unclear problem: They need focus in order to
deliver great work for you.
4. Long list of Mandatories: A tangled weave of
mandatories that almost write the ad itself, yet trap
the creative team from doing anything breakthrough,
surprising or spectacular.
What creative people don’t want from their client
Don’t be the over-directive type of brand leader

A good brief should be brief, not long!
Good briefs should have:
• one objective
• one desired consumer response
• one target tightly defined
• one main benefit
• two main reasons to believe
Avoid the “Just in Case” List
Take your pen and stroke a few
things off your creative brief!

1. The creative team: The obvious choice, but a mistake if you think the only choice. A
good brief should focus the creative team on a tight problem.
2. The boss of the brand team: Brief allows them to understand the intentions of the
work, from a strategic and positioning view, making it easier for them to approve the
work. The brief is part of the managing your boss.
3. Main agency plus any related agencies, keeping all the work aligned and focused. It
should allow every part of the marketing execution to support the main creative idea
4. The next management team, after the current one, helping to build longevity of a
campaign and consistency in the brand positioning.
5. You, so that even within the project you can stay focused on the strategy before you
see the creative. controls the brand manager from changing their mind or adding things.
Who is the audience for your creative brief?

Stop thinking that Advertising is like a bulletin board
where you can pin up one more message
Works
Fast
Longer
lasting
Taste
great
Savesmoney
All natural
ingredients
Guaranteedor yourmoney back
Provenscience
• Somehow Marketers have
convinced themselves that they
can keep jamming one more
message into their ad.
• The consumer’s brain does not
work that way. They see 5,000
brand messages a day. They may
engage in 5-10 a day. When they
see your cluttered messy bulletin
board, their brain naturally rejects
and moves on.
• Not only are you not getting your
last message through, you are not
getting any messages through.
Think of Advertising like standing on top of a mountain and just
yelling one thing. It is very hard to yell a long message.

1. See if the strategy can be executed. Develop a testable brand concept with with rational and
emotional benefits, plus support points that you know are actually motivating.
2. Tighten your brief as much as you can. Narrow the target and add engaging insights that tell
their story. Focus on the desired consumer response before deciding what your brand should
say. Focus on one benefit and one message.
3. Make it personal. Meet the creative team before the first creative meeting to connect, align
them with your vision and inspire them to push for great work.
4. Lower the pressure. Hold casual tissue sessions to narrow solutions before going to scripts.
5. Stay big picture at creative meetings. Avoid getting into little details. Do that after the meeting.
When giving direction, avoid giving your own solutions and but rather try to create a “new box”
for the creative team to figure out the solutions.
6. Take creative risks. Build your career by being the brand that will stand out by being different..
7. Manage your boss at every stage. Early on, sell them, on your vision what you want. Then be
willing to fight for great work at every step of the process.
8. Try to be one of your agency’s favorite clients. Be the client that they “want to” work on your
brand instead of being the one they “have to” work on your business. It really matters.
8 little secrets to help Brand Leaders get better
execution on their brand

2
Writing the Brand
Communications Strategy
that sets up the Creative brief
The 7 questions that make up a
Marketing Execution Strategy

Who is in the consumer target?
(Who is the most motivated to buy what you do?)
What are we are selling?
(What is your main benefit (rational/emotional)?)
Why should they believe us?
(Support points to back up what you say)
What is your organizing Big Idea?
(What is the Soul or Essence for the brand?)
What do we need the advertising to do?
(Strategic Choices)
What do want people to think, feel or do?
(Desired Response)
Where will you deliver the message?
(Media Plan)
1
Positioning
Brand Plan
The 7 questions of a Brand Communications Strategy
2
3
4
5
6
7

We summarize our great work into a Consumer
Target Profile that can be used in everything we do
Target Name Pro-Active Preventers
Target
Description
• Suburban working women, 35-40, who are willing to do whatever it takes to stay healthy.
They run, workout and eat right. For many, Food can be a bit of a stress-reliever and escape.
Their needs • Great tasting food, satisfy craving, healthy choices, maintain weight.
Their enemy • Guilt, failure, out of control diet, temptation.
Insights that
tell their story
• “I have tremendous will-power. I work out 3x a week, watch what I eat to maintain my figure.
But we all have weaknesses and cookies are mine. I just wish they were less bad for you”
• “I read labels of everything I eat. I stick to 1500 calories per day, and will find my own ways
to achieve that balance.”
What do they
think now?
• I have only recently heard of Gray’s Cookies. I’ve tried them a few times and did like them. I
wouldn’t say I use them all the time.
How are they
buying?
• Most have been influenced by friends who have tried. Those who are buying, still do so less
frequently than their normal favorite cookies. The household has yet to adopt the product.
The mom uses it when she’s trying to diet.
We want them
to think/feel/do
• See: Get noticed so consumers are aware of Gray’s, see it on shelf, see actual product.
• Think: Gray’s might be a healthy alternative to my favorite cookies.
• Do: Try Grays to see if they like the great taste.
• Feel: Feel more in control with Gray’s as part of their routine, feeling less guilt.
• Whisper: Tell their friends they love Gray’s, and share the success they are having.
Target
Market

Consumer Benefits Ladder worksheet
Target: “Proactive Preventers”. Suburban working women, 35-40,
who are willing to do whatever it takes to stay healthy. They run,
workout and eat right. For many, food can be a bit of a stress-
reliever and an escape.
Needs: Great taste, satisfy craving, healthy, maintain weight.
Consumer Enemy: Guilt, failure, out of control diet, temptation.
Insights: 1) “I have tremendous will-power. I work out 3x a week,
watch what I eat and maintain my figure. But we all have
weaknesses and cookies are mine. I just wish they were less bad
for you” 2) “I read labels of everything I eat. I stick to 1500 calories
per day, and will find my own ways to achieve that balance.”
Emotional Benefits: 1) I feel in control of my health. 2) I feel
more confident in my diet. 3) I feel more knowledgeable about
what I am putting in my body.
Functional Benefits: 1) I get a great tasting cookie, as good as
my current cookie 2) I get a low calorie snack to make my diet
easier. 3) I can eat this when I’m hungry.
Features: 1) In blind taste tests, Grays matched the market
leaders on taste, but only has 100 calories and 2g of fat. 2) In a
12 week study, consumers using Grays once a night as a desert
were able to lose 5 pounds. 3) All natural ingredients.
Consumer
Beneﬁt

Delicious, low carb, low
calorie cookies that help
controls hunger and replace
their favorite cookie.
Products & Services Consumer Reputation
The fresh face in the cookie
aisle, known equally for health
as it is the great taste.
Brand Role
Healthy doesn’t have to taste
bad. We need to make
healthy, low carb cookies that
never settles on taste.
Internal Beacon
Gray’s is the helping hand that allows
people to control their cravings and
maintain their weight.
Dietitians and fitness
coaches see Grays as a
healthy snack, for a low
carb low calorie diet.
Influencer Reputation
Grays are the
best tasting yet
guilt free pleasure
so you can stay in
control of your
health.
Tool to help define the Big Idea for your brand
Big Idea
Map

The consumer’s ﬁrst
interaction with a
brand will be with a
big idea that delivers
the Brand Promise
The big
idea must
motivate
consumers
think, feel
and move
towards the
Purchase
Moment
Surpising
Innovation builds
from the big idea to
keep up to trends,
satisfy a broader
array of needs and
stay ahead of
competitors
Happy experiences
must over-deliver the
original promise of the
big idea. Every happy
purchase tightens the
bond and spread the
brand love to others.
The Brand Story must use the big idea
to entice consumers to think, feel and
act in ways that will beneﬁt the brand.
GRAYS
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
2
5
1
3
4
Consumer
GRAYS
Lemon creme
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
GRAYS
Peanut Butter
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
GRAYS
Ginger Bread
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
GRAYS
Cranberry Time
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
interaction with a
the Brand Promise
Purchase Moment
Innovation
Experience
The consumer may
engage in the big idea
through the telling of
the Brand Story
GRAYS
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
2
5
1
3
4
Grays Cookies were
created with a bit of luck
Gray’s Cookies is based
on a 40-year-old family
recipe that had been used
for years in a local coffee
shop in Stowe Vermont.
Gray’s was a local favorite
and even among tourists,
famous for it’s Chocolate
Chip and Peanut Butter
flavors. No one realized it
was also a healthy treat—
low fat, low calories.
A taste of guilt
free pleasure
Consumer
GRAYS
Lemon creme
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
GRAYS
Peanut Butter
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
GRAYS
Ginger Bread
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
GRAYS
Cranberry Time
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
interaction with a
the Brand Promise
Purchase Moment
Innovation
Experience
The consumer may
engage in the big idea
through the telling of
the Brand Story
GRAYS
Guilt free pleasure
gourmet cookies
2
5
1
3
4
A consumer engages a brand at 5 main touch-points
Old school marketing engaged consumers in a relatively orderly and linear way
Big Idea
Map

Those 5 main touch-points are non-linear and random,
within a confusing and cluttered marketplace
Purchase
Moment
Brand
Story
Innovation
Surprise
Competitive
messages
Consumer
Brand
Promise
Without an organizing big idea, the brand is at risk of showing up
as a complete mess within the cluttered mess of the market
The
Brand
Inﬂuential
Voices
Happy
Experiences
Ubiquitous
connections
Experiences
beyond products
Big Idea
Map

Take control of your
weight by replacing
your favorite snack
with Grays.
Real life stories that
show women living
“All the pleasure.
None of the guilt.”
We never sacriﬁce
on taste so you won’t
have to sacriﬁce
your cookie.
Interrupt purchase
routine to set up
Grays as the better
alternative.
Celebrate weight
loss results to
empower you to stay
in control.
Consumer
Brand
Brand
Promise
Brand
Story
Happy
Experiences
Purchase
Moment
Innovation
Surprise
Positioning Advertising and
Communication
Product
Development
Selling and
Retail
Operations
and Culture
The big idea aligns everything you do around
the 5 consumer touch-points
Grays are the
best tasting yet
guilt free pleasure
so you can stay in
control of your
health.
Big Idea
Map

Indifferent
Love It
Like It
Beloved
Unknown
Where your brand sits on on the Brand Love Curve
should guide your brand’s next strategic move
Get noticed so
consumers
see the brand
in a crowd
Establish brand
positioning in the
consumer’s mind
Magical experiences
that inspire brand
lovers to inﬂuence
their friends
Tighten bond
with your most
loyal brand lovers
Build a trusted
following with
each happy
purchase
Brand
Strategy

Take the strategy from your brand plan.
Strategic Objective:
• Gain new “proactive preventers” by advertising Gray’s “stay in control” positioning, moving consumers
from consideration to trial and drive Gray’s market share
Goals:
• Increase penetration from 10% to 12%, specifically up from 15% to 20% with the core target. Monitor
usage frequency among the most loyal to ensure it stays steady.
Tactical Program:
• Ensure all programs target the “Proactive Preventer” target, who is 35-40 female, who work out 3x a week.
• Use “guilt free treat” message across advertising, packaging, in-store and events, which has tested as the
most motivating and own-able message for Gray’s.
• Recommend a balanced consumer marketing mix of advertising to drive positioning and sampling to drive
trial. More details are outlined on the next strategy.
Watch out:
• At this point, we believe the product taste and consumer habits around healthy eating can help drive
frequency of use.
Brand
Strategy
Drive trial by advertising Gray’s “stay in control” positioning

Start with “what do
we want our
consumer to see,
think, do, feel or
influence?”
Only after you know
what you expect from
consumers can you
answer “What should
we tell them?”
2
1
Desired
Response
Start with the desired response, coming from the
strategy, and then decide what to say.
Consumer

Get Consumers
to THINK differently
about your brand
Drive ACTION to
get consumers to
buy and create a
following.
Get Current Loyal
users to connect
emotionally and
LOVE you more
Create outspoken
loyal fans to whisper
to their friends on
your behalf
Stand out so
consumers NOTICE
the brand in a
crowd market place
Where your brand sits on the Brand Love Curve
should focus your team’s marketing execution focus
Think Buy InfluenceSee Feel
Head Feet Heart SharingEyes
BelovedIndifferent Like It Love ItUnknown
Desired
Response

Media Decision Making Model
Low Blowfish plan,
so brand appears big to
a narrow audience
What is the budget size?
Medium Selective
plan, to specific targets
at specific touch-points.
High Mass plan,
to drive awareness
to purchase.
How tightly connected is your
brand with your consumer?
Where will consumers engage?
Where on brand funnel will
you exert impact?
What is your core strength?
Product
Show why
you are
better
Story
Tell what
makes you
different
Price
Call to action
to drive high
volume
Experience
Prove how
people are
better
What is the best media that
delivers the Creative?
Match your media to the
part of the consumer’s
life where they will
watch, listen, learn,
engage, decide and act
Where on the path to purchase
will you focus your media?
Communicate
Stickiness
Attention
Branding
A
B
C
S
Set a range of media options, then make sure
the media fits up to deliver the creative.
1
6 45
32
See Think Buy Feel Share
What is your desired strategic
focus of your advertising?
Consider
Satisfied
Buy
Search
Fan
Loyal
Repeat
Aware BelovedIndifferent Like It Love ItUnknown
Match your media to your strengths
Media
Strategy

Strategic Questions on Media
1.What is budget size?
• Brand proﬁt situation and the size of the business
• Past media ROI projected forward
• Impact of current advertising results
• Future investment opportunities or future threats to battle
• What is the degree of competitive pressure?
2.What is brand’s core strength?
• Whether you are a story-led, product-led, experience-led or price-led impacts the main message.
3.Where will your consumers engage?
• Who is your target consumer?
• Adjacent or related products/services.
• What part of the consumer’s life where they will watch, listen, learn, engage, decide and act?
• Align with day-in-the-life, moments during the week or year, and life moments.
4.How tightly connected is your brand with your consumer?
• Where does your brand sit on the brand love curve?
• What is the communication focus: to see, think, buy, feel or inﬂuence?
5.Where should the focus of the brand funnel?
• Focus on awareness, consideration, search, buy, satisfy, repeat, loyal or fans.
• Match up to the communication focus of the strategy.
6.What is the best media option that delivers the creative execution?
• The big idea should drive the creative idea.
• ABC’S: Attention, Branding, Communication and Stickiness
• Test creative execution options against media choices to see which works best.
Media
Strategy

Consider
Aware
Fan
Loyal
Repeat
Satisfied
Buy
Search
Awareness Ads
Invest in mass media to
establish position in
consumer’s mind
PR/Content/SEO
Use information to teach
those seeking to learn more
pre decisions
Retail/Home Page
Close the deal by separating
your brand from the
competitors at the last minute
during purchase moment.
Post Purchase Help
Create experience to re-enforce
promise, after sales help for new
users to get the most from the brand.
Love those who
love you most
Surprise & delight rewards
to drive ritual among your
most loyal users
Use emotions to
build frequency
Using reasons for usage
to turn into routine.
Leverage emotional bond
Drive repeat
Turn trial into an experience,
reward happy customers,
emotionally re-enforce reasons
purchase makes sense
Outspoken Army
Create club, leverage loyalists to
influence friends, especially
through social media
Use media choices to move consumers to see, think, do,
feel or influence as they move through the brand funnel
Consumer
Media
Strategy

I want to
escape
I want to
connect with
others
I want to be
smarter
I want to
express
myself
I want to
buy things
I want to
control the
variables
I want to go
somewhere
I want to
stay aware
Optimism
Stay in
control
Feel
comfortable
Feel
myself
Feel
liked
Feel
free
Get
noticed
Knowledge
How the context of media matters to your
brand’s creative placement
I want to
escape
I want to
connect with
others
I want to be
smarter
I want to
express
myself
I want to
buy things
I want to
control the
variables
I want to go
somewhere
I want to
stay aware
How consumers use media
their and related mood state
How media choices match
up to those needs
Media
Strategy

Consumer
Make brand newsworthy
to help decisions. Enlist
lovers as advocates to
influence others.
Tell your brand story
in own-able,
breakthrough,
motivating way.
Help consumers make
smarter decisions using
knowledge, influence to
close the sale.
Partner with channels or
adjacent partners to
manage consumer
through purchase cycle.
Big
Idea
The
Brand
To ensure consistency in the marketing execution,
everything should line up underneath the big idea
Media
Strategy
Paid Media Earned Media Shared MediaOwned Media

Brand Communications Plan
Strategy:
• Use awareness to drive trial of the new Grays Cookies as “The Healthy Choice to Snacking” brand
positioning. Increase penetration from 10% to 12%, specifically up from 15% to 20% with the core target.
Target Market:
• “Proactive Preventers”. Suburban working women, 35-40, who do whatever it takes to stay healthy.
Main Benefit:
• Guilt free cookie that tastes so good that you can stay in control of your health.
Support Points:
• In blind taste tests, Gray’s matched the leaders on taste, but only 100 calories and 3g of net carbs.
• In a 12-week study, consumers using Gray’s once a night as a desert were able to lose 5-10 pounds.
Big Idea:
• Grays are the best tasting yet guilt free pleasure.
What do we want consumers to think, do or feel? Desired Response:
• Try Grays to see if they like the great taste.
Media Options
• Main creative will be TV 15-second spot, with specialty health magazines, event signage and in-store
sampling. Want to carry the idea into digital, social media and a microsite.

Creative Brief
1. Why are we Advertising?
2. What’s the consumer problem we
are addressing?
3. Who are you talking to?
4. Consumer Insights
5. What does our consumer think now?
6. What do you want your consumer to
see/think/feel/do?
7. What should we tell them?
8. Why should they believe us?
9. Brand Positioning Statement
10.Tone and Manner
11.Media Options
12.Mandatories
1
6
2
3
4
5
7
1
1
1
5
5
2
1 4
4
4
31 2
7
3
5
6
6
4
6
Transforming your work in to a Creative Brief
Process
Graphic
Who is in the consumer target?
(Who is the most motivated to buy what you do?)
What are we are selling?
(What is your main benefit (rational/emotional)?)
(Support points to back up what you say)
What is your organizing Big Idea?
(What is the Soul or DNA for the brand?)
What do we need the advertising to do?
(Strategic Choices)
What do want people to think, feel or do?
(Desired Response)
Where will you deliver the message?
(Media Plan)
Brand Communications Strategy

A well written creative brief takes
everything you know about the
brand and strategically desire, and
distills it down to 1 page.
And the main brief should drive
every other brief within your brand,
giving you consistency from the core
of the Brand’s communication
strategy.
A good brief should be…
BRIEF!
Creative Brief
1. Why are we Advertising
Drive trial of Gray’s Cookies by positioning it as ‘The good tasting healthy cookie’.
2. What’s the consumer problem we are addressing
Consumers struggle to fight off the temptation of cookies and the guilt when they cheat.
3. Who are we talking to?
“Proactive Preventers”. Suburban working moms, 35-40, who are willing to do whatever it
takes to stay healthy. They run, workout and eat right. For many, food can be a stress-reliever
and escape even for people who watch what they eat. They feel guilty when they cheat.
4. Consumer Insights
The consumer insight is, “I have tremendous will-power. I work out 3x a week, watch what I
eat and try to maintain my figure. But we all have weaknesses and cookies are mine. I just
wish they were less bad for you. I feel guilty when I cheat.”
5. What does our consumer think now?
I have never heard of Grays Cookies. But I would likely need to try it first to see if I like it. If it
really does taste that good, it’s something I might consider as a snack.
6. What do we want your consumer to think/feel/do? (desired response)
We want them to TRY Grays and believe the great taste will win them over.
7. What should we tell consumers? (stimulus: benefit)
Gray’s Cookies is great tasting cookie without the guilt.
8. Why should consumers believe us?
In blind taste tests, Grays Cookies matched the market leaders on taste, but only has 100
calories and 2g of fat. In a 12 week study, consumers using Grays once a night as a desert
were able to lose 5lbs.
9. Brand Positioning Statement
For the healthy proactive preventers, who want to do more for their health, Gray’s is a guilt
free cookie that tastes so good that you can stay in control of your health. That’s because in
blind taste tests, Gray’s matched the leaders on taste, but only 100 calories and 3g of carbs.
In a 12-week study, consumers using Gray’s once a night as a desert were able to lose 5-10
pounds.
10. Tone and Manner
A safe choice to stay in control. An honest and down to earth choice.
11. Media Options
Main creative will be 30 sec TV ad, supported by event signage and in-store display. Want to
carry the idea into digital, social media and build a microsite.
12. Mandatories
The line: “best tasting yet guilt-free pleasure” is on our packaging. At least 25% of print must
carry the Whole Foods logo as part of our listing agreement. Include the legal disclaimer on
the taste test study.

3
The good and bad of a
writing a Creative Brief
Looking at every element of the Creative
Brief, outlining common mistakes and
how to ﬁx them.

Smart briefs have one very clear objective. Ugly
briefs try to do too many things in one brief.
I see too many briefs that have both penetration and usage frequency as one
objective. Stop this. Those are TWO STRATEGIES that leads you to two targets, two
objectives, two messages and possibly two different media options. Your creative
people will come back with one ad that does penetration and one for frequency.
An ugly unfocused Brief
Why are we advertising?
Drive trial of Grays Cookies stealing
from mainstream competitors and
AND get current users to use more
often.
A smart focused Brief
Why are we advertising?
Drive trial of Grays Cookies by
positioning it as “The good tasting
Healthy cookie”
Advertising
Objective

Strategic flaw of most brand plans
is trying to drive penetration &
usage frequency at the same time.
Penetration Strategy gets
someone with very little
experience with your brand to
likely consider dropping their
current brand to try you once
and see if they like it.
Usage Frequency Strategy
gets someone who knows
your brand to change their
behavior in relationship to
your brand, either changing
their current life routine or
substituting your brand into a
higher share of the occasions.

The best ads are rooted in consumer insights so you can connect and move the
consumer in a way that benefits your brand. I recommend that you start with the
consumers enemy—every product started by solving a problem, but the best brands
fight off an enemy in the consumers life.
An ugly product driven Brief
What’s the consumer problem we
are addressing?
Gray’s market share is still relatively
small, held back by low awareness
and trial and the product usage is not
on par with the category.
A smart consumer driven Brief
What’s the consumer problem we are
addressing?
Consumers struggle to fight off the
temptation of cookies and the guilt
when they cheat.
The brief should focus on the consumer
problem, not the product problem
Consumer
Problem

An ugly broad target Brief
Who are we talking to?
18-50 year olds, current
customers, new customers and
employees. They shop at
Grocery, Drug and some Mass.
They use 14.7 cookies a month.
A smart and highly targeted Brief
Who are we talking to?
“Proactive Preventers”. Suburban working
moms, 35-40, who are willing to do whatever it
takes to stay healthy. They run, workout and
eat right. For them, food is a stress-reliever
and escape even for people who watch what
they eat. They feel guilty when they cheat.
Having a 20 year age gap is too wide—your creative people will give you one ad for 25
year olds and one for 50 year olds. You want CREATIVE options, not STRATEGIC
options. We recommend a maximum 5 year age gap to give your ad focus. Also, going
after current and new users is unfocused.
Smart briefs have a highly focused target market.
Ugly briefs target everyone “just in case”
Consumer
Target

A big wide creative brief gives up
strategic control over the advertising
A good brief should set
up “creative” options,
but never allow more
“strategic” options

A bad “stats driven” Brief
Consumer Insights
Gray’s product taste drives high trial
(50%) compared to other new launches
(32%). Consumers use Gray’s 9.8 times
per month compared to the category
leader at 18.3 times per month.
An insights driven Brief
Consumer Insights
“I have tremendous will-power. I work out
3x a week, watch what I eat and try to
maintain my figure. But we all have
weaknesses and cookies are mine. I just
wish they were less bad for you. I feel
guilty when I cheat.”
The smart brief frames the consumer insights with the word “I” that forces you to get into
their shoes and put the insight in quotes that forces you to use their voice. These
insights add more depth to the story of the consumer so the creative team can build
stories that connect with your consumer. . The best ads are those where you can almost
see the insight shining through the work.
Smart briefs use consumer insights to
bring the consumer to life.
Consumer
Insights

A bad Brief
What does the consumer currently think?
Gray’s only has 35% awareness and 9%
penetration. Over 42% of consumers say
they like the taste. However, they only eat
Grays 3.6x per month.
A Better Brief
What does the consumer currently think?
While Gray’s Cookies have achieved a
growing small base of brand fans, most
consumers are unfamiliar with the brand and
have yet to try Gray’s. Those who love it,
describe Gray’s as “The fresh face in the
cookie aisle, known equally for health as it is
the great taste.”
The smart brief provides a very clear statement of how the consumer currently sees
the brand, and provides a bridge from the overall brand strategy found in the Brand
Plan to objective of the brief, while setting up a desired response in the next
question. The ugly brief throws out random data without any effective conclusions.
The creative teams would likely just ignore these types of meaningless statements.
Because the best Advertising must move the
consumer, we must lay out the starting point.
What do they
think now?

Ugly convoluted brief tries to
do everything:
What is the Desired Consumer
Response?
We want them to THINK that Grays are
unique. We want them to FEEL they can
stay in control. And we want them to TRY
Grays and see if they like them.
A smarter and focused Brief
What is the Desired Consumer
Response?
We want them to TRY Grays and
believe the great taste will win them
over.
You should choose ONE of think, feel or act, not a combination. The best
advertising can only move one body part at a time—so you have to decide, or else
your creative team will show you creative options for each of these strategies and
you will be randomly choosing your favorite ad not the ad that is on strategy.
Good advertising can only get the consumer to do one
at a time: see, think, feel and do.
Desired
Response

An ugly feature oriented Brief
What should we tell them?
(Stimulus: benefit)
Grays Cookies are the perfect modern
cookie, only 100 calories and less than 2g
of Fat. For those looking to lose weight, the
American Dietician Society recommends
adding Gray’s to your diet. You can find
Gray’s at all leading grocery stores.
A smart benefit focused Brief
What should we tell them?
(Stimulus: benefit)
With Grays Cookies you can still have
a great tasting cookie without the
guilt.
Focus your main message stimulus on what consumers get (functional benefit) or how
it makes consumers feel (emotional). Also, narrow down to one thing, not a laundry.
The ugly brief lists out product features as the main message. It is a marketing myth to
believe that if you tell the consumer a lot of things, at least they will hear something. I
believe if you tell them too much, they will shut you out and not hear anything.
Smart briefs focus on the consumer benefits, while
ugly briefs focus only on the product features.
Main
Message

Mathematical argument for
your brand’s BIG IDEA to
be a single message
The probability of success (P) is directly linked to
the inverse of the number of messages (M) you have
in your brand communication.
P =
1
2m
_

Reality holds true in Ipsos tracking.
After 1000 GRPs
Main message recall: 50%
Secondary message recall: 25%
Third message recall: 12.5%
Reality Check on your logic: If the consumer sees
5,000 ads a day, and engages in about 5 per day,
why would you ever want to give them too many
messages once you have their attention.

Ugly brief has random support
points
Gray’s Cookies are the recommended by
doctors and pharmacists. Plenty of before
and after photos and consumer
comments. Over 70% of consumers
prefer Gray’s to Dad’s. Gray’s cookies
have been made in America since 1963,
containing all natural ingredients. No
other brand beats Gray’s on fiber content.
Smart brief uses the support to
close off potential logic gaps
• In blind taste tests, Grays Cookies
matched market leaders on taste, but
only has 100 calories and 2g of fat.
• In a 12-week study, consumers using
Grays once a night as a desert were
able to lose 5lbs.
Smart briefs focus on support points relative to the benefit, while ugly throw out
random claims. The smart brief looks at the main benefit and assesses the potential
gaps in the logic, listening to potential doubts consumers may have. The ugly brief
uses random claims that have little to do with the strategy or the main message. These
claims will create a potential mess if brought into one piece of creative.
Smart briefs use support points to close off any gaps
around main message, not introduce something new
Support
Points

Ugly brief selects random
emotional tones
What is the tone and manner of the
brand?
Optimistic, smart, down-to-earth, trusted,
knowledgeable and yet friendly.
Smart brief uses tones that
match up with where you play
What is the tone and manner of the
brand?
A safe choice to stay in control. An
honest and down-to-earth choice.
The tone and manner should not just be a random guess, but a match up with the
potential emotional space that your brand will own and win with. Gray’s is trying to win
the “Stay in Control” emotional space. If you go back to the emotional benefit zones,
you will see other support emotions such as “safe”. The emotional space beside
“control” brings in other emotions such as honest and down-to earth. It seems half the
briefs say, “Smart, trusted, reliable and friendly.” If you refer back to the emotional
cheat sheet in the positioning chapter, you will see that those are four distinct
emotional zones, which could cause your brand to appear schizophrenic in tone.
Smart brands understand the emotional tone and
manner they choose to own.
Tone and
Manner

Curious for knowledgeSense of
optimism
Stay in
control
Feel
comfortable
Feel
myself
Motivated
Special
Successful
Inspired
Interesting
Alive
Cool
Playful
Popular
Trendy
Like-able
Friendly Intimate
Happy
Easy-
going
Nurtured
Compassion
Down-to--earth
Relaxed
Honest
Family
Trust
Safe
Respect
Reliable
Informed
Wisdom Smarter
Competent
Feel liked
Feel free
Get
noticed
Excited
Emotional benefit cheat sheet
Consumer
Values
Exhilarating
8 emotional zones with 40 total emotional beneﬁts
Hotspex
Tone and
Manner

Ugly media “laundry list” brief:
What is the media choice?
TV, 30 second and 15 second. Include 5-
second tag for promotions. Print includes
magazine and newspaper. Need
separate display headers for Walmart.
Need to work Facebook, Twitter and
Instagram campaign. Must be able to
use video on our website and YouTube
channel.
Smart brief uses media guidelines:
What is the media choice?
Main creative will be 30 sec TV ad, supported
by event signage and in-store display. Want to
carry the idea into digital, social media and
build a microsite.
Ask to see each creative idea presented through a 30-second TV, a simple billboard and
a long print ad. This will allow you to see how each advertising idea could play out
across almost every possible media type.
Smart brands understand the emotional tone and
manner they choose to own.
Media
Choices

Long Copy
Print
Ask to see the creative idea expressed as a 30 sec video,
long copy print and billboard versions for each creative idea
When you ask for…
Billboard
• TV (15s, 30s, 60s)
• Movie Theatre Ads
30/60 second
video
It can be re-purposed to…
• Newspaper/magazine
• Social Media content
• Outdoor Billboard
• Digital Billboard
Seeing how each creative idea plays out in the 3 core media options
allows you to see which media might fit best for that creative idea.
• Viral Video
• Website video
• Website information
• PR/website, brochure
• In-store display sign
• Magazine back cover
Media
Choices

Smart briefs have few mandatories, while ugly briefs use mandatories to steer the creative
outcome. Marketers use mandatories to attempt to control the final outcome with a
prescriptive list that backs the agency into a creative corner. To tick off each mandatory, it
creates a messy, ugly “Frankenstein” ad that tries to piece everything together.
A bad prescriptive brief attempts to
control the creative process
Mandatories
• Avoid humor, as a sarcastic tone will not
work with our target market.
• Preference is for real customer testimonials
supported by before/after with our 90-day
guarantee tagged on.
• Ensure brand shown in first seven
seconds.
• Use ‘Snookie’ as our spokesperson.
• Ad setting in pharmacy will add credibility
Good attempt to give freedom
to the creative
Mandatories
• The line: “best tasting yet guilt-free
pleasure” is on our packaging
• 25% of Print must carry the Whole
Foods logo as part of our listing
agreement
• Include the Legal disclaimer on the
taste test and the 12 week study.
Don’t cheat the brief with a long list of mandatories
that try to steer or control the creative outcome.
Mandatories

What looks like a smarter Creative Brief to you?
Target the people most motivated by
what you do best
Use what we stand for to show
consumers what they get from us
• Spreading your resources against a target so broad, everyone will think you message is for someone else.
• Consumers don’t care what you do, they selfishly and rightfully so care about what they get.
• Trying to drive trial and usage at the same time will leave consumers confused as to what to think, do or feel.
• With so many messages, people won’t know what you stand for, and you’ll never get a reputation for anything.
• Consumers hear 7000 efficiently placed messages a day, and quickly reject boring messages all day long.
They likely will connect and engage with 5 messages a day. Will it be yours?
Trying to be everything to anyone, makes you nothing to everyone
Focus on getting consumers to do only
one thing at a time: think, feel or do
Use the creative work to tell the brand
story in a way we love and believe in
Connect with our target where they are
most likely to engage with our brand story
Target competitive users most desirable
to us, while maintaining our base
Tell what we do, so that it makes us
appear the best in the category
Get new users to buy and current users
to use more at the same time.
Make sure we get all our key messages
into the creative
Use efficient media options that provides
us with the highest ROI
A B
Consumer centric brief Brand centric brief

Sometimes when you too
fast, it takes too long.
When you do a phone call brief, things tend to spin out of control.
Either on the creative side who must create something great out of
nothing or on senior management who must approve the ad to
which they are unsure of the intent.

When you don’t have much time, it doesn’t mean you
avoid writing a brief, it just means using The Mini Brief
The Mini Brief
Objective
Launch new Facebook page to drive trial among
a younger audience.
Target
“Proactive Preventers”, women 35-40, live a
healthy lifestyle but still cheat once in a while.
Consumer Insights
“Cookies are my weakness, the enemy of my
diet, but I love them”
Desired Response
We want consumers to try Grays and experience
the unbelievable taste.
What We’ll Tell Them
Grays Cookies are the best tasting yet guilt-free
pleasure so you can stay in control of your health.
You have to try it to believe it.
When the core of your master
brand brief is complete, then
the mini brief is really easy
and should take 15-20
minutes to complete. You are
just borrowing elements or
scaling them differently. The
effort could save you hours of
time either on creative side or
management approval.

Summary of Learning on Creative Brief
• To set up the creative brief, we start by doing our homework to lay out seven key questions. 1)
Who is in the consumer target? 2) What are we are selling? 3) Why should they believe us? 4)
What’s the long range feeling the brand evokes? 5) What do we want the advertising to do for
the brand? 6) What do want people to think, feel or do? 7) Where will you deliver the message
• A well written creative brief takes everything you know about the brand and strategically
desire, and distills it down to 1 page that would include 1) What is the objective? 2) What’s the
consumer problem we are addressing? 3) Who are you talking to? 4) Consumer Insights 5)
What does our consumer think now? 6) What do you want your consumer to think/feel/do? 7)
What should we tell them? 8) Why should they believe us? 9) Brand Positioning Statement. 10)
Tone and Manner. 11) Media Options and 12) Mandatories.
• The best creative briefs should have: one objective, one desired consumer response, one
target tightly defined, one main benefit and two main reasons to believe
• Brand leaders should control the strategy but give freedom on marketing execution. Brand
Leaders always want options, so they write a big wide brief with many strategics options. But
really, you want “creative” options, not strategic options. You should write a very tight brief,
based on the strategy you decided on, before you even wrote the brief. Brand leaders try to
control the outcome of the creative process so they write a long list of mandatories in the
brief, they try to steer the type of advertising they want to see, or don’t want to see. You should
allow the creative process to unfold, as you always hold the power of decision.

We will help you unleash
your full potential
Brand Coaching Services

Our role is to challenge you to think differently about
your future, so that you can realize your full potential.
TM

We lead a 360 assessment of your business, looking at the
marketplace, consumers, channels, competitors and the brand.
We help you define your brand, with a simple, unique, inspiring,
motivating and own-able Brand Positioning Statement.
We will create a Big Idea that will transform your brand’s soul into a
winning brand reputation.
We help you build a strategic Brand Plan that everyone who works on
the brand can follow
We coach on Marketing execution, helping to tighten the bond with
your consumers and drive brand growth
We will build a Brand Management training program, to unleash the
full potential of your Marketing team.
1
2
3
4
5
6
TM

We will lead a 360 brand assessment, looking at the
marketplace, consumers, channels, competitors and brand
Deep Dive
Review
Macro view of marketplace
looking at economic,
consumer, technology, trends.
Deﬁne consumer target,
looking at beliefs, buying habits,
growth trends and key insights.
2
5
1
3
4
Understand brand performance and
reputation. Use brand funnel, tracking
results, pricing analysis, distribution
gaps and ﬁnancial results.
Look at channel
performance,
customer
strategies,
distribution gaps,
merchandising
performance.
Dissect closest competitors by looking
at performance, positioning, innovation,
pricing, distribution and reputationSummarize the analysis into drivers and
inhibitors currently facing brand as well as
threats and opportunities for the future.
Drivers Inhibitors
Factors of strength or
inertia that accelerate
your brand’s growth.
Weaknesses or
friction slows brand
down, leak to fixi
Opportunities Threats
Changing consumer
needs, technologies,
channels, legal,
Competitor launch,
trade barriers,
customer preference.
6
Look at macro subsegments or formats
• Some different types of
macro views you want to
look at includes
performance of size,
format or benefit
segments. Look at the
channel performance at
the category level. You
can also look at macro
competitive market share
trends.
• With each chart, you are
looking for a break in the
data to tell a story on the
category.
0"
10"
20"
30"
40"
50"
60"
XL" Large"size" Mid"Size" Travel"size" Overall"
2012"
2013"
2014"
2015"
Healthy(
Whitening(
Freshening(
Repair(
0"
20"
40"
60"
80"
100"
120"
140"
Grocery" Drug" Mass" Club" Overall"
2012"
2013"
2014"
2015"
Size Formats Benefit Segment
Where sold Allergy Category $ Share
0.00%
5.00%
10.00%
15.00%
20.00%
25.00%
30.00%
35.00%
40.00%
45.00%
50.00%
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June
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ay
17
2003
July
12
2003
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ept06
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01
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27
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2004
June
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Jan
22
2005
M
ar20
2005
M
ay
14
205
Jul9
2005
S
ep
3
2005
O
ct29
2005
Reactine Benadryl Claritin Aerius Allegra Chlor-Tripolon C/L
Competitive Market Share
Category
Analysis
The Brand Funnel
Awareness
Familiar
Consider
Purchase
Repeat
Loyal
Unknown
Indifferent
Love It
Like It
Beloved
The Brand Love Curve
0
15
30
45
60
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Gray's Dad's Sue's Devonshire
Competitive market share performance
Customer scorecards
Customer A Scores
Overall Sales Dollars 39
Share of Category 11%
% dollar change +19.1%
Your Brand Share 33%
% change +3.3 points
Share Index 105
Your brand’s avg Price $6.33
% change +3.3%
Price Index 125
Share of Co-Op Ads 33%
% change +18%
Co Op Index 143
Share of Merch 25%
% change -2%
March Index 111
Customer scorecards
Customer A Scores
Overall Sales Dollars 39
Share of Category 11%
% dollar change +19.1%
Your Brand Share 33%
% change +3.3 points
Share Index 105
Your brand’s avg Price $6.33
% change +3.3%
Price Index 125
Share of Co-Op Ads 33%
% change +18%
Co Op Index 143
Share of Merch 25%
% change -2%
March Index 111
and versus other periods.
Pricing Differences by Channel
First, look at the average price and change versus year
for each channel. Match up the data to what the sales
colleagues are saying about the different prices for each ch
Depending on channel/brand, you should be looking at
deal pricing, % on deal and coop ad points. Compare ea
the channels and compare to prior years.
Food Drug Mass Club
Avg Price $6.55 $6.47 $6.62 $6.54
% change vya -6.4% -2% +3.1% -1.9%
Avg Price on Deal 5.99 6.59 5.29 5.49
% change vya +8.3% -12.3% +1.7% +2.7%
% on deal 32% 22% 38% 20%
+/- vya +7 pts +1 pt +10 pts -2 pts
A
B
We make
We make brand
Distribution gap analysis
Tops Kroger CVS Club A&P Safeway 7-1
Gray’s
8 ct Choc Chip
Gray’s
16 ct Choc
Chip
Gray’s
8 ct Mint Chip
Gray’s
16 ct Mint Chip
Gray’s
8 ct Lemon
W
We ma
Tops Kroger CVS Club A&P Safewa
Gray’s
8 ct Choc Chip
Gray’s
16 ct Choc
Chip
Gray’s
8 ct Mint Chip
Gray’s
16 ct Mint Chip
Gray’s
8 ct Lemon
W
We mak
Draw conclusions. Compare how you're doing in each channel
and versus other periods.
We
We make
Pricing Differences by Channel
First, look at the average price and change versus year ago,
for each channel. Match up the data to what the sales
colleagues are saying about the different prices for each channel.
Depending on channel/brand, you should be looking at the
deal pricing, % on deal and coop ad points. Compare each of
the channels and compare to prior years.
Food Drug Mass Club
Avg Price $6.55 $6.47 $6.62 $6.54
% change vya -6.4% -2% +3.1% -1.9%
Avg Price on Deal 5.99 6.59 5.29 5.49
% change vya +8.3% -12.3% +1.7% +2.7%
% on deal 32% 22% 38% 20%
+/- vya +7 pts +1 pt +10 pts -2 pts
A
A
B
B
We make brands stron
We make brand leaders sma
Gray’s
8 ct Choc Chip
Gray’s
16 ct Choc
Chip
Gray’s
8 ct Mint Chip
Gray’s
16 ct Mint Chip
Gray’s
8 ct Lemon
We make b
We make brand l
Gray’s
8 ct Choc Chip
Gray’s
16 ct Choc
Chip
Gray’s
8 ct Mint Chip
Gray’s
16 ct Mint Chip
Gray’s
8 ct Lemon
Program tracking shows how well you are
doing behind key marketing activities
• Program tracking or testing results
can compare how well the program
has done against key measures.
• You will also be able to get scores
that match up to the brand funnel
such as Awareness (aided,
unaided), purchase scores (share
of last 5 purchases) and purchase
intention.
Tracking Results Gray’s Norm
Aided Recall 38 62
Unaided Recall 30 46
Brand Recognition 10 23
Brand Link .33 .50
Main Message 64 60
Uniqueness 38 22
Purchase Intent 10 9
Ad Tracking
Brand
Analysis

Define a focused consumer
target profile with insights,
enemies and buying patterns.
Use our
Benefits
Ladder to
move from
features to
rational and
emotional
benefits
We will help you define your brand, with a simple, unique,
motivating and own-able Brand Positioning Statement.
2
5
1
Use our benefit cheat sheets to
understand the Functional and
Emotional benefits you can own.
3Benefits Ladder
4
Determine
your winning
zone, where
your brand is
better,
different or
cheaper.
Winning
positioning
statement that
is unique, own-
able motivating
to consumers
Brand
Positioning
Building a winning brand positioning statement
To
(Target)
• Healthy proactive preventers who want
to do more for their health, working
moms, who are 35-40 years old.
Gray’s is the
(Category)
• Tasty healthy cookie option
That is the
(Benefit)
• Guilt free cookie that tastes so good
that you can stay in control of your health
That’s
because
(Support Points)
• In blind taste tests, Gray’s matched the
leaders on taste, but only 100 calories
and 3g of net carbs.
• In a 12-week study, consumers using
Gray’s once a night as a desert were
able to lose 5-10 pounds.
1
2
3
4
Consumer Target
Product features
Functional benefits
Emotional benefits
Works
betterFunctional
Benefits
Simplify
Life
Make
Smarter Make
Healthier
Saves
money
Helps
family
Sensory
Appeal
Stay
Connected Experience
Seek
knowledgeFunctional
Benefits
Stay in
control
Feel
myself Feel
comfortable
Feel
optimistic
Feel
free
Get
noticed Feel
liked

Brand’s
Big Idea
We will help create a Big Idea that will transform your internal
brand soul into a winning external brand reputation.
The Big Idea helps
simplify the brand message
as an outward expression of
the inner Brand Soul
We make brands stro
We make brand leaders sm
Big
Idea
Brand
Positioning
Advertising and
Communication
Product
Development
Selling and
Retail
Operations
and Culture
Consumer
The
Brand
Big
Idea
Drive consistency using the brand’s Big Idea to show
up the same way at all 5 consumer touch-points
Consumers have 7
seconds to connect
with a brand’s Big Idea
A brand ﬁnds its equilibrium when the Big
Idea impacts a brand reputation to
perfectly match up to the Brand Soul
Soul Reputation=
Based on their personal
experiences, consumers
form a reputation they
spread to others.
1
2
3
4
5
=Big Idea
Brand
Soul
Consumer

2
4
31 Strategic questions to
help frame the key issues
5
We will help build a strategic Brand Plan that
everyone who works on the brand can follow
Drivers and inhibitors currently facing
brand. Risks and opportunities for future.
Deep dive review looks at every
potential area of the brand
• Market: Macro view, economic indicators,
consumer behavior, technology, political
• Consumer: Target, buying habits, trends,
consumer enemies, key insights
• Channels: growth channels, major
customers, available tools and programs
• Competitors: Performance, positioning,
innovation, pricing, distribution, perceptions.
• Brand: Funnel, reputation, tracking results,
pricing, distribution, ﬁnancial analysis.
Drivers Inhibitors
Factors of strength or
inertia that accelerate
your brand’s growth.
Weaknesses or
friction slows brand
down, leak to fixi
Opportunities Threats
Changing consumer
needs, technologies,
channels, legal,
Competitor launch,
trade barriers,
customer preference.
What is the core strength
your brand can win on?
How engaged are
consumers?
What is your current
competitive position?
How tightly connected is your
consumer to your brand?
What is the current business
situation your brand faces?
3
1
5
4
1. Where could we be?
2. Where are we?
3. Why are we here?
4. How can we get there?
5. What do we need to do?
Before getting started on your Brand Plan, map out your
strategic thinking by asking 5 simple strategic questions
Vision/Purpose/Goals
Situation Analysis
Key Issues
Strategies
Execute & Measure
Questions to ask Planning elements
1
2
3
4
5 6
Use “where are we” questions to uncover
answers that frame the overall brand plan.
Lay out
elements of
the Brand
Plan, on one
page and in
a formal
presentation
Brand
Plan
2
The Annual “Brand Plan On a Page”
Analysis Issues and Strategies Executional Plans
P&L forecast
• Sales $30,385
• Gross Margin $17,148
• GM % 56%
• Marketing Budget $8,850
• Contribution Margin $6,949
• CM% 23%
Drivers
• Taste drives a high conversion of Trial to
Purchase
• Strong Listings in Food Channels
• Exceptional brand health scores among Early
Adopters. Highly Beloved Brand among niche.
Inhibitors
• Low familiar yet to turn our sales into loyalty
• Awareness held back due to weak Advertising
• Low distribution at specialty stores. Poor
coverage.
• Low Purchase Frequency even among most
loyal.
Threats
• Launch of Mainstream cookie brands
(Pepperidge Farms and Nabisco).
• De-listing 2 weakest skus weaken in-store
presence
• Legal Challenge to tastes claims
Opportunities
• R&D has 5 new flavors in development.
• Sales Broker create gains at Specialty Stores
• Explore social media to convert loyal following.
Key Issues
1. What’s the priority choice for growth: find new
users or drive usage frequency among
loyalists?
2. Where should the investment/resources focus
and deployment be to drive our awareness
and share needs for Gray’s?
3. How will we defend Gray’s against the
proposed Q1 2014 ‘healthy cookie’ launches
from Pepperidge Farms and Nabisco?
Strategies
1. Continue to attract new users to Gray’s
2. Focus investment on driving awareness and
trial with new consumers and building a
presence at retail.
3. Build defense plan against new entrants that
defends with consumers and at store level.
Goals
• Increase penetration from 10% to 12%,
specifically up from 15% to 20% with the core
target. Monitor usage frequency among the
most loyal to ensure it stays steady.
• Increase awareness from 33% to 42%,
specifically up from 45% to 50% within the
core target. Drive trial from 15% to 20%. Focus
for sales is to close distribution gaps going
from 62% to 72%.
• Hold dollar share during competitive launches
and continue to grow 11% post launch gaining
up to 1.2% share. Target zero losses at shelf.
Advertising
• Use awareness to drive trial of the new Grays.
Target “Proactive Preventers”. Suburban
working women, 35-40.Main Message of “great
tasting cookie without the guilt, so you can stay
in control of your health”. Media includes 15
second TV, specialty health magazines, event
signage, digital and social media
Sampling
• Drive trial with In-store sampling at grocery,
Costco, health food stores and event sampling
at fitness, yoga, women’s networking, new
moms.
Distribution
• Support Q4 retail blitz with message focused
on holding shelf space during the competitive
launches. Q2 specialty blitz to grow distribution
at key specialty stores.
Innovation
• Launch two new flavours in Q4/15 & Q4/16.
Explore new diet claims, motivating and own-
able.
Competitive Defense Plan
• Pre Launch sales blitz to shore up all
distribution gaps. At launch, heavy
merchandising, locking up key ad dates,
BOGO. TV, print, coupons, in-store sampling.
• Use sales story that any new “healthy” cookies
should displace under-performing and
declining unhealthy cookies.
Brand Vision: To be the first ‘healthy cookie’ to generate the craving, popularity and sales of a mainstream cookie. $100 Million brand by 2020.
Forecast
Analysis
Brand Vision
Strategies
Execution
Key Issues
Goals
1
5
4
3
2
6
5

Big
Idea
Brand
Positioning
Advertising and
Communication
Product
Development
Selling and
Retail
Operations
and Culture
Consumer
The
Brand
Innovation drives ideas, concepts,
testing, launches through system.Build culture to support
consumer experience
creating a brand credo
with purpose, values,
service behaviors.
2
4
3
1
CREATIVE(BRIEF((
1.""Why(Are(We(Adver3sing(
Drive&trial&of&the&new&Grays&Cookies&as&“The&Healthy&Choice&to&Snacking”&brand&posi>oning.&&&
2.#What’s(the(Consumer(Problem(We(are(Addressing(
I’m&always&watching&what&I&eat.&&And&then&BAM,&I&see&a&cookie&and&I’m&done.&&As&much&as&I&look&aHer&
myself,&I&s>ll&like&to&sneak&a&cookie&now&and&then.&&"
3.((Who(are(you(talking(to?(
“Proac>ve&Preventers”.&Suburban&working&women,&35L40,&&who&are&willing&to&do&whatever&it&takes&to&
stay&healthy.&&They&run,&workout&and&eat&right.&For&many,&Food&can&be&a&bit&of&a&stressLreliever&and&
escape&even&for&people&who&watch&what&they&eat.&&&&"
4.((Consumer(Insights(
L&“I&have&tremendous&willLpower.&&I&work&out&3x&a&week,&watch&what&I&eat&and&maintain&my&figure.&&But&
we&all&have&weaknesses&and&cookies&are&mine.&&I&just&wish&they&were&less&bad&for&you”&
L&&“I&read&labels&of&everything&I&eat.&&I&s>ck&to&1500&calories&per&day,&and&will&find&my&own&ways&to&
achieve&that&balance.&&&If&I&eat&a&400&calorie&cookie,&it&may&mean&giving&something&up.”&
5.(What(does(our(consumer(think(now?(
I’ve&never&heard&of&Grays&Cookies.&&But&I’d&likely&need&to&try&it&and&see&if&I&like&it.&&If&it&really&does&taste&
that&good,&it’s&something&I&might&consider&as&a&snack.&&&
6.((What(do(you(want(your(consumer(to(think/feel/do?((Desired(Response)(
We&want&them&to&try&Grays&and&see&if&they&like&the&great&taste.&&"
7.((What(should(we(tell(them?((S3mulus:((benefit)(
With&Grays&Cookies&you&can&s>ll&have&a&great&tas>ng&cookie&without&the&guilt,&so&you&can&stay&in&
control&of&your&health.&&
8.((Why(should(they(believe(us?(
In&blind&taste&tests,&Grays&Cookies&matched&the&market&leaders&on&taste,&but&only&has&100&calories&and&
2g&of&fat.&&In&a&12&week&study,&consumers&using&Grays&once&a&night&as&a&desert&were&able&to&lose&5lbs.&&&
9.((Brand(Posi3oning(Statement(
For&“Proac>ve&Preventers”,&Women&30L45,&Grays&Cookies&are&the&best&tas>ng&yet&guiltLfree&pleasure#
so&you&can&stay&in&control&of&your&healthy&lifestyle.&&That’s&because&Grays&combines&the&great&taste&in&a&
low&fat&and&calorie&sensible&cookie.&In&blind&taste&tests,&Grays&Cookies&matched&the&market&leaders&on&
taste,&but&only&has&100&calories&and&2g&of&fat.&&In&a&12&week&study,&consumers&using&Grays&once&a&night&
as&a&desert&were&able&to&lose&5lbs.&&&
10.((Tone(and(Manner(
Successful,&Mo>vated,&Reliable,&In&Control,&Natural.&
11.((Media(Op3ons(
Main&crea>ve&will&be&in&specialty&health&magazines,&event&OOH&signage&and&inLstore.&&Want&to&carry&
the&idea&into&digital,&social&media&and&a&microsite.&&&
12.((Mandatories(
The&line:&“best&tas>ng&yet&guiltLfree&pleasure”&is&on&the&packaging.&25%&of&Print&must&carry&the&Whole&
Foods&logo&as&part&of&our&lis>ng&agreement&and&include&the&Legal&disclaimer&on&the&taste&test&and&the&
12&week&study.&&&
Brief focuses creative &
media decisions on
positioning & strategy
5
Influence purchase moment
through channels, e-commerce,
selling and merchandising
At Beloved Brands, we promise to
make your brand stronger and your
brand leaders smarter.
We believe big ideas, focus and
passion matter, because the more
loved a brand is by consumers, the
more powerful and profitable that
brand will be.
We will challenge you to think
different, because the thinking that got
here may not get you to the next level.
Our Credo
Align execution to
focus on moving
consumers
through stages of
the buying system
Consumers connect with Big Idea
through 5 supporting touch-points
Consider
Satisfied
Buy
Search
Fan
Loyal
Repeat
Aware
6
We coach on Marketing execution, helping to tighten
the bond with your consumers and drive brand growth
Marketing
Execution

We will build a Brand Management Training Program,
to unleash the full potential of your Marketing team.
Training
Program
Strategic Thinking
Brand Positioning
Brand Plans
Creative Briefs
Brand Analytics and the Business Review
Marketing Execution
Creating a Beloved Brand
Consumer Centricity
Managing your Marketing Career
1
2
6
4
5
3
7
8
9
Menu of training programs

Investing in your people pays off with smarter strategies,
amazing execution and stronger brand results
We will unleash the full potential of your people so you will
see a direct impact on your brand’s growth trajectory.
We will train your team on the
fundamentals of brand management
• Address gap on brand analytics and strategic
thinking, to ensure you end up with smarter
Brand Plans and Creative Briefs.
• Improve judgment and decision-making to
ensure your Marketing execution pays back.
• We can see first hand the impact that training has
on your team’s skills, motivations and behaviors.
• Our workshop style training provides an
immediate impact on their day-to-day jobs.

Graham spent 20 years in Brand Management leading some of the world’s most
beloved brands at Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer, General Mills and Coke, rising up to
VP Marketing. In his career, he has won numerous Advertising and Innovation awards.
Graham played a major role in helping Pfizer win Marketing Magazine’s
“Marketer of the Year” award.
Graham started Beloved Brands believing he could make brands stronger
and brand leaders smarter. Graham will challenge you and your team to think
differently and strategically. He leads workshops that will help define your
Brand Positioning Statement, create a Big Idea for your brand, and write
Brand Plans to motivate and focus everyone that works on the brand.
He will build Brand Management training programs that will help
unleash the full potential of your team, so your team can produce
exceptionally smart work that drives stronger brand results.
The Beloved Brands robust client roster has included the NFL
Players Association, Reebok. Acura, Shell, Jack Link’s, 3M,
Melitta, Capital One and Pfizer.
Graham Robertson at Beloved Brands
One of the voices of today’s Brand Leaders.

Graham Robertson at Beloved Brands
Significant career experience in Brand Management
Education
• MBA, Ivey School of Business, Western University, 1994
• Bachelor of Commerce, Carleton University, 1989
Work History
• President, 2009- Present
• VP Marketing, 2005-08
• Group Brand Director, 1999-2005
• Senior Brand Manager, 1997-99
• Associate Brand Manager, 1994-96
• Coca-Cola, Summer Marketing Intern, 1993
• Marketing Training Program, 1989-92

Do you want to get smarter
about Marketing?
Visit beloved-brands.com
Over 5 million views from Marketers getting smarter

We would love the opportunity to
help you unleash the full potential
of your brand and the full potential
of your team of brand leaders.
Graham Robertson • 416 885 3911 • graham@beloved-brands.com

Creative Brief Workshop

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