The Strategic Foundation
Get these right and the rest follows. As Richard Rumelt says: good strategy is diagnosis before prescription.
What is the main business/product/service end goal? How can we sell more?
Which customer or market segment offers the best opportunity for sales growth? Bring these people to life in a way that leads creatives to understand and like them.
'Do' means 'do': what change in actual behaviour are we looking to bring about? (Don't just write 'Buy more'!) Be specific: think about what an individual actually does now when buying and what we need them to do in future.
List any insights here. What core thought will lead to a highly creative solution?
More buyers, or more frequent buying, or brand switching, or higher spend per buyer, or what?
Creative Direction
Help the creative team understand what to make and why it matters. Feel, don't just think.
Product facts are not usually decisive when people choose between brands, but if they are, list them here.
Emotive campaigns work better and sell more. What emotional response are we looking for? (Avoid cliches like 'friendly', 'trusted', etc.)
What can we provide them that they will talk about, share, or find useful?
Which channels will best reach and influence our audience? (Think beyond just communication channels.)
Logistics & Timelines
The practical bits. Keep them honest.
Are there any immovable client 'Must have' or 'Never do' that the creatives should know about?