<!-- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT -->
<!-- SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025-2026 Marcus Quinn -->

## Creative Brief Templates

### Standard Creative Brief

```text
PROJECT: [Name]  |  DATE: [Date]  |  REQUESTER: [Name]  |  DUE: [Date]

1. OBJECTIVE: e.g. "Drive free trial signups for PM software"
2. TARGET AUDIENCE: Demographics + psychographics + pain points
3. KEY MESSAGE (one thing): e.g. "Manage all projects without scattered-tool chaos"
4. SUPPORTING MESSAGES (2-3): integrations / rating / trial offer
5. TONE: Professional/Casual · Serious/Playful · Authoritative/Friendly
6. FORMAT: Image | Video [length] | Carousel [cards] | Story | Reel
7. PLATFORM: Facebook/Instagram | Google | TikTok | YouTube | LinkedIn
8. SPECS: Aspect ratio · Dimensions · File format · Max size · Length
9. MUST-HAVES: Logo · Product shot · Copy/tagline · Legal · Offer · CTA
10. BRAND: Colors · Fonts · Logo usage · Imagery style · Avoid list
11. INSPIRATION: LOVE: [URLs]  |  AVOID: [URLs]
12. CTA: e.g. "Start Free Trial"
13. SUCCESS METRICS: Primary: CPA <$50  |  Secondary: CTR >2%, hook rate >50%
14. BUDGET/TIMELINE: $___  |  Due: [Date]  |  Revisions: [N]
15. APPROVAL: 1. [Name]  2. [Name]
```

### Video Brief

```text
PROJECT: [Name]  |  LENGTH: [15s/30s/60s]  |  PLATFORM: [Platform]
OBJECTIVE / TARGET AUDIENCE

STRUCTURE:
  [0-3s]   HOOK: scroll-stopping visual/verbal
  [3-10s]  PROBLEM: pain point
  [10-25s] SOLUTION: product demo
  [25-40s] PROOF: testimonial + rating
  [40-45s] CTA: desired action

STYLE: UGC | Professional | Hybrid | Animation | Screen recording
VISUAL: Setting · People · Props · B-roll
AUDIO: Music · Voiceover tone · Captions
DELIVERABLES: Final + raw + multiple lengths (16:9 / 9:16 / 1:1 / 4:5)
REVISIONS: [N]  |  DEADLINE: [Date]  |  BUDGET: $___
```

### UGC Creator Brief

```text
Hi [CREATOR]! Thanks for working with us on [BRAND].

PRODUCT (2-3 sentences): what it is, key differentiator, ingredients/features
TARGET VIEWER: demographics + struggle + what they've tried
GOAL: e.g. "Get viewers to try [Product] via authentic experience"

STRUCTURE (40-45s):
  [0-3s]   HOOK: relatable problem or surprising statement
  [3-10s]  YOUR STORY: struggle before product
  [10-25s] DISCOVERY: how you found it, first impressions
  [25-40s] RESULTS: specific ("fell asleep in 20 min first night")
  [40-45s] RECOMMENDATION: why others should try it

FILMING: Vertical 9:16 · natural light · eye level · casual setting
DELIVERY: Talk TO camera like FaceTiming a friend. Not scripted.
DO: specific details, authentic, genuine  |  DON'T: scripted, medical claims
TAKES: 3-5 full takes + b-roll of product

DELIVERABLES: All raw footage, 9:16, clear audio, 40-45s edited
COMPENSATION: $[Amount]  |  Usage: [Paid/Organic/Both]  |  DEADLINE: [Date]
```

### Quick Performance Brief

```text
CAMPAIGN: [Name]  |  OBJECTIVE: [Goal + KPI]  |  PLATFORM: [Where]  |  AUDIENCE: [Who]
HOOK: [First 3s direction]  |  BODY: [Key points]  |  CTA: [Action]
SPECS: Format · Size · Length · Due  |  INSPIRATION: [Links]  |  METRICS: [Target]
```

**DO:** Be specific · Include visual examples · Define success metrics · Allow creative freedom. **DON'T:** Leave sections blank · Skip the "why" · Forget specs · Set unrealistic timelines.

---

## Competitor Ad Analysis

| Tool | Cost | Use |
|------|------|-----|
| Facebook Ad Library | Free | All active FB/IG ads. 3+ months running = likely winner |
| Google Ads Transparency | Free | Display/video only (not search) |
| SpyFu / SEMrush / Ahrefs | Paid | Search ads, keywords, bid data, historical copy, spend estimates |
| AdEspresso / Foreplay | Paid | Curated libraries, performance indicators, creative trends |

### Analysis Framework

```text
BASIC: Competitor | Date | Platform | Format | Still running?
CREATIVE: Hook | Value prop | Offer | Social proof | CTA | Visual style | Length
MESSAGING: Angle | Emotional trigger | Target audience | Differentiation
INSIGHTS: What to learn | How to do better | Gaps they're leaving
```

### Differentiation

Three layers: **Commoditized** (say it better) · **Gaps** (own it) · **Unique strengths** (lead with it).

| Competitor Says | You Say |
|-----------------|---------|
| "Easy to use" | "So easy your team will actually use it -- 4.9-star rating" |
| "Manage projects" | "Manage projects without the chaos -- everything in one view" |
| "Try free" | "Try free 60 days, no credit card, cancel anytime" |

### Monthly Audit (1-2h, first Monday)

1. **Research (30m):** FB Ad Library + Google Transparency, screenshot new ads
2. **Document (30m):** Swipe file by competitor+date, track long-running ads
3. **Analyze (30m):** Cross-competitor trends, messaging gaps, new offers
4. **Act (30m):** 3-5 test concepts, update positioning

**Track:** Competitor · Date · Platform · Format · Hook · Message · Offer · CTA · Screenshot · Status · Months running · Our response. **Ethics:** Research and get inspired -- never copy verbatim, steal assets, or imitate brand.

**Insights to action examples:** Competitor UGC running 6+ months -> create 5 UGC ads, same format, our messaging. All competitors feature-focused -> own "easy onboarding" with "setup in 5 min" series. Competitor running 40% discounts -> position as premium or test offer vs. value messaging.

---

## Seasonal & Trending Creative

| Quarter | Key Events |
|---------|------------|
| Q1 | New Year's · Valentine's · Spring Break · Super Bowl · St. Patrick's |
| Q2 | Easter · Mother's Day · Father's Day · Summer · Graduation · Pride |
| Q3 | Independence Day · Prime Day · Back to School · Labor Day |
| Q4 | Halloween · Black Friday/Cyber Monday · Thanksgiving · Christmas · NYE |

**Timeline:** 6-8w concept -> 4-6w production -> 2-4w launch -> monitor -> analyze. **Budget:** Evergreen 60-70% + Seasonal 30-40%. **Fit test:** Seasonal angle must make sense for product. Good: "New Year, New Workspace -- 40% Off." Bad: "Happy Halloween! Buy Our B2B SaaS!"

**Examples:** BFCM: bold text, countdown timers, urgency. New Year: before/after, resolution angle. Valentine's: gift or self-love angle + delivery deadline. Back to School: organization-focused, parent relief or student discount.

### Trending Creative

**Lifecycles:** Viral meme 3-7d · Platform trend 2-4w · Cultural event 1-2w · News 1-3d (or avoid). **Process:** Spot early -> 24-48h turnaround -> launch while relevant -> kill when trend dies.

**Fit check:** Aligns with brand? Relevant to audience? Adds value? Safe? Any NO -> skip. **Newsjacking:** Only positive/industry-relevant/non-controversial. Never tragedies or political topics.

---

## Retargeting Creative Strategy

| Segment | Who | Window | Strategy | Example |
|---------|-----|--------|----------|---------|
| Site Visitors | Visited, didn't convert | 1-30d | Remind, address objections, social proof | "Still thinking about it?" |
| Engaged Visitors | Multiple pages, 2+ min, video watched | 1-14d | Differentiation, stronger offers, case studies | "You spent 5 min on [Product]. Here's why 10K+ chose us." |
| Cart Abandoners | Added to cart, didn't buy | 1-7d | Final objections, time-limited discount, urgency | "You left [Product] in your cart! Save 10% in next 24h." |
| Past Customers | Already purchased | Varies | Reorder, upsell/cross-sell, loyalty, referral | "Customers who bought A love B -- 30% off." |

**Best practices:** (1) Acknowledge the relationship -- "Welcome back!" not "Discover our product!" (2) Dynamic creative -- show products they viewed (FB Dynamic Product Ads, Google Dynamic Remarketing). (3) Progressive messaging -- Day 1-3: features -> Day 4-7: testimonials -> Day 8-14: 15% off -> Day 15-30: 20% off. (4) Objections by segment -- Site visitors: ROI/testimonials · Cart abandoners: discount/free shipping · Past customers: new products. (5) Offer escalation -- Week 1: no offer -> Week 2: 10% -> Week 3: 20% -> Week 4+: 30% + bonus. Don't train them to wait. (6) Frequency caps -- Site visitors: 3-4/day · Engaged: 4-5/day · Cart abandoners: 5-6/day first 48h. Max window: 30-90 days. Exclude converters immediately.

**Creative formulas:** Reminder + Social Proof (reminder -> proof -> CTA) · Objection Handling (hesitation -> address -> proof -> reduce risk) · Urgency/Scarcity (delay -> urgency -> consequence -> CTA) · Value Stack (product -> everything included -> value vs. price -> CTA) · Comparison (research -> differentiation -> social proof).

**Benchmarks:** All retargeting segments see 2-4x higher CTR and 30-50% lower CPA vs cold. Conv. rates: Cart Abandoners 10-30%, Engaged Visitors 5-15%, Site Visitors 2-8%.

### Common Retargeting Mistakes

| Mistake | Fix |
|---------|-----|
| Too broad (all homepage visitors) | Segment by intent (product viewers > blog readers) |
| Same ad forever | Creative rotation + progressive messaging |
| No frequency cap | Cap 3-5x/day, rotate creative |
| Same offer as cold traffic | Stronger offers for warm audience |
| Not excluding converters | Exclude conversion event audience |
| Retargeting too long (180 days) | 30-60 days for most products |

---

## Ad Fatigue Prevention

**Symptoms:** CTR down >20% WoW · CPA up >25% · Frequency >5 · Relevance score dropping · "I keep seeing this ad!" comments. **Onset:** Cold 7-14d · Warm 14-30d · Small audience (<50K) faster · Large (>1M) slower.

### Prevention

**5-Creative Minimum:** 1 control + 2 iterations + 2 new concepts. Weekly: add 2-3 new, remove bottom 2, keep 5-7 active.
**Iterate vs. New Concept:** Iterate (change ONE element) when performing well but frequency rising: different creator, hook, text, length, visual style. New concept when fatiguing badly or reaching new segment: expert endorsement, demo, results montage, comparison, educational.
**Frequency Caps:** Cold 4-5/week · Warm 6-8/week · Hot 8-10/week. Triggers: >4 + declining CTR -> add creatives · >6 + rising CPA -> expand audience · >8 -> pause and refresh.
**Creative Lifespan:** Day 1-14 launch -> Day 15-30 peak -> Day 31-45 optimal ROI -> Day 46+ decline. At day 30: launch replacement. At day 60: retire.
**Hook Swapping (video):** Keep body (3-60s), swap first 3s. Film 5-10 hooks, test as separate ads.
**Platform Diversification:** FB/IG 60% · Google 20% · TikTok/LinkedIn/YouTube 20%.
**Fatigue-Resistant Tactics:** Evergreen angles · Modular video (10 hooks x 3 bodies x 5 CTAs = 150 combos) · Platform DCO for auto-rotation · Sequential messaging (each impression feels new).

### Severity Response

| Severity | Symptoms | Action |
|----------|----------|--------|
| Light | CTR down 10-20%, frequency 4-5 | Add 2 creatives, expand audience 20% |
| Moderate | CTR down 20-30%, CPA up 15-25%, frequency 5-7 | Add 3-5 creatives + audience expansion, pause 48-72h |
| Severe | CTR down 30%+, CPA up 25%+, frequency 7+ | Kill immediately, launch 5+ replacements |

**Production volume:** $10K/mo -> 20-30 creatives · $50K -> 50-100 · $200K+ -> 100-200+. Mix: UGC 10-20 creators x 2-3 videos ($100-300/video) · In-house 30-50/month · Agency 20-40/month ($5K-20K) · Hybrid.

---

## Thumbnail Design

**1-second rule:** Viewer decides instantly. Need: visual intrigue · emotional trigger · curiosity gap · contrast · clarity at small size.

**Faces:** Close-up 40-60% of frame, exaggerated expressions, direct eye contact. Avoid tiny/neutral/looking-away. **Emotions:** Shock -> results · Excitement -> wins · Curiosity -> teasers · Frustration -> problems · Happy -> tutorials.

**Text:** 3-6 words max · bold fonts (Impact, Montserrat Bold, Bebas Neue) · high contrast · never cover face. **Formulas:** "$10K in 30 Days" · "How I [Result]" · "[A] vs. [B]" · "Don't [Mistake]" · "Why [Surprising Fact]?"

**Color pairs:** Black+White · Yellow+Black · Red+White · Blue+Orange · Purple+Yellow. **Avoid:** Yellow+White · Light blue+Light green · Dark blue+Black.

### Platform Specs & Templates

| Platform | Specs | Notes |
|----------|-------|-------|
| YouTube | 1280x720 min, 16:9, <2MB, JPG/PNG | 3-6 words, face 40-60%, max 3 elements |
| FB/IG Feed | 1080x1080 (sq), 1920x1080 (land) | Assume sound-off, larger text for mobile |
| Stories/Reels | 1080x1920 | Text in middle third, avoid top/bottom 250px |
| TikTok/Shorts | 9:16 only | First frame = thumbnail, start with hook visual |

| Template | Layout | Best For |
|----------|--------|----------|
| Face + Text | Face 50% one side, 3-6 word text opposite | Personal brand, testimonials |
| Split Screen | Left: Before/A · Right: After/B · "VS" center | Comparisons, transformations |
| Text-Dominant | Bold color bg, text 60-70%, small icon 20-30% | Listicles, quick tips |
| Over-the-Shoulder | Person looking at screen, arrow to key element | Tutorials, reviews |
| Reaction | Large expressive face + result text | Results, surprising facts |

### Common Thumbnail Mistakes

| Mistake | Fix |
|---------|-----|
| Tiny text | Increase size, reduce word count, test at display size |
| Too cluttered | Max 3 elements (face + text + one other) |
| Low contrast | Add stroke/outline, change bg or text color |
| Generic stock photos | Custom or authentic images |
| No human element | Add face with emotion (exception: product demos) |
| Inconsistent branding | Establish template (fonts, colors, layout) and maintain |

**Advanced:** Series branding (consistent template = recognition) · Curiosity gaps (blurred areas, partial info) · Social proof in thumbnail ("1M+ Views") · Negative space (less is more) · Movement suggestion (motion blur, mid-action pose).
