Flori / Templates

Creative brief template for freelancers and agencies

By the Flori team · Published 2026-10-28 · Updated 2026-10-29

A creative brief is a one-page document that tells a designer, writer or video maker what to make, for whom, and why. It states the goal, the audience, the single message, the deliverables, the budget and who approves. Write it before creative work starts and get the client to confirm it, so feedback later is measured against the brief.

The template

Copy the numbered sections into a doc and replace the brackets. Aim for one page. If a section runs long, you have not decided yet.

1. Project name and owner: [Project name], for [Client name]. Client approver: [Name]. Creative lead: [Name].
2. Background: [Two or three sentences: who the client is and what happened that makes this project necessary.]
3. Goal: [The one result this work must achieve, with a number or date if possible, for example "500 newsletter sign-ups by 31 January".]
4. Audience: [Who we are talking to: role, situation, what they care about, what they already believe about the client.]
5. Key message: [One sentence. If the audience remembers only this, the work succeeded.]
6. Proof or reasons to believe: [Facts, results, testimonials or features that back up the message.]
7. Tone and style: [Three adjectives, plus what to avoid. Link two or three reference examples with a note on what you like about each.]
8. Deliverables: [Every item, with size, format and where it will be used, for example "Three Instagram posts, 1080 by 1350, static".]
9. Mandatories: [Logo, legal lines, brand colors, words that must appear or must not appear.]
10. Budget: [Fee or ceiling, and whether it includes stock, fonts, printing or ad spend.]
11. Timeline: [First draft date, feedback window, final delivery date, launch date.]
12. Approval process: [Who gives feedback, in what form, how many revision rounds are included.]

The same brief as a table

Use this version when you want a client to fill it in themselves, for example in a form or shared doc.

What does a completed creative brief look like?

A completed creative brief sets out the goal, audience, key message, deliverables, budget, timeline and approvals for a specific project.

A freelance designer, Priya, gets this brief from a small bakery.

1. Project name and owner: Wedding tasting campaign for Northwind Bakery. Client approver: Dana Cole. Creative lead: Priya.
2. Background: Northwind has made wedding cakes by word of mouth for six years and wants a way for couples to book tastings online.
3. Goal: 200 tasting bookings between 1 November and 15 December.
4. Audience: Couples within 40 miles planning a wedding in the next 12 months, who have not yet picked a cake supplier.
5. Key message: Taste your wedding cake before you decide.
6. Proof: 140 weddings served; 4.9 average rating across 62 reviews; every cake baked in-house.
7. Tone and style: Warm, direct, a little playful; not fancy or formal. References: the two linked bakery sites with plain, photo-led layouts.
8. Deliverables: One landing page with a booking button; two email templates; three Instagram posts at 1080 by 1350.
9. Mandatories: Existing logo and green palette; the phrase "baked in-house"; no discount language.
10. Budget: 3,000 USD, stock photography included.
11. Timeline: Concepts 12 November; feedback within three business days; final 1 December; campaign starts 3 December.
12. Approval process: Dana approves everything; two revision rounds included.

How do I use a creative brief template?

Write a creative brief from a client conversation, confirm the brief with the client and choose one main goal.

1. Write it from a client conversation, then send it back for confirmation. A brief the client did not read is not a brief.
2. Pick one goal. If the client lists four, ask which one wins when they conflict.
3. Write the audience as a person, not a demographic. "Couples planning a wedding" beats "adults 25 to 40".
4. Keep the key message to one sentence. Two messages is zero messages.
5. Attach references. Examples of work the client likes save more time than adjectives.
6. Set the feedback rules. State how many rounds are included and who speaks for the client.
7. Common mistakes: a goal like "raise awareness" with no measure; no named approver; deliverables without sizes or formats; changing the goal mid-project without updating the brief.

When a brief changes, update the document and tell the client the date and price impact. That habit is the simplest defense against scope creep. Freelancers who work alone can keep the brief to the first eight sections; see more on the freelancers page.

How can I keep a creative brief with the project in Flori?

In Flori, a creative brief can live as a document linked to the project and client, with deliverables turned into tasks.

Store the confirmed brief where the work lives. In Flori, the brief can be a doc linked to the project and the client, and each deliverable in section 8 can become a task with an owner and a due date. An assistant such as Claude or ChatGPT, connected to your Flori workspace, can draft the brief from your discovery-call notes or the deal record, and you can request submission for review before using the draft.

Flori does not do e-signatures or approvals by signature on documents. If your client must sign off formally, use your usual signing tool and attach the result. For the steps after the brief is agreed, use the client onboarding template.

FAQ

What is a creative brief? A creative brief is a short document that explains what creative work is needed, why, and for whom. It states the goal, audience, key message, deliverables, budget, timeline and approval process, so everyone involved judges the finished work against the same agreed starting point.

What should a creative brief include? Include the project name, background, one measurable goal, the audience, a single key message, proof points, tone, deliverables with formats, mandatories, budget, timeline and approval process. Keep it to a page. Anything that does not change what the creator makes can be left out.

Who writes the creative brief, the client or the agency? Usually the agency or freelancer writes it after a discovery conversation, because they know what creators need. The client then reviews and confirms it. If the client writes it, check it against the template and ask questions about any vague goal or missing approver.

How long should a creative brief be? One page is the target, and two is the limit. A long brief usually hides undecided points. If a section is hard to fill in, that is a question to ask the client, not a reason to add more text.

What is the difference between a creative brief and a project brief? A creative brief focuses on the message, audience and tone for creative work. A project brief covers wider logistics such as scope, resources and risks. For small teams one document often does both: use the creative brief sections and add a timeline and budget.

Can Flori send my brief to the client for signature? No. Flori does not do e-signatures. You can store the brief as a doc linked to the project and client, and share it by your usual method. A client page, on Core and above, can show them the parts you choose to publish.