How Should A Client Brief The Agency?

And after that, how should they evaluate and/or pick the creative / idea?

In the past, I've shared a thought or two on how I'd like to see clients engage their agencies or give their agencies more room, and many of you have concurred and/or shared your views on why it's not happening. Some of those thoughts revolved around changes needing to take place on the client side.

Well, here's a legitimate opportunity to let some real clients know how you want to engage with them ...

A very good friend who manages all agency relationships for a well known (U.S.) national advertiser emailed me recently with a request for information.

His request went something like this ...

"I have been asked to put a presentation on [to the marketing & sales department] for how to write a good brief [to the agency] and then how to pick or guide good creative. Do you have anything you have done or seen that you can send my way or give me a link to?"

I've been busier than I'd like to be lately and so I didn't yet get back to him with anything too concrete. In an effort to make up for that, and to get back into writing regularly here, I thought I'd put his request here and let all of you share your smart thoughts with him in the comments.

I've alerted him to this post, so he will be tracking to see what's being shared. Maybe he'll even chime in in the comments with questions for more information on something you wrote. At any rate, it's a chance for you to show him how we'd like to change things that are not working any longer and keep some things that are when it comes to the client / agency relationship.

Thanks in advance for your thoughtful comments ...

[image credit: Flickr // Oberazzi]