Use a content brief to tell the creator what to make after the commercial and legal terms are clear. The brief should protect the campaign's facts and non-negotiables while leaving room for the creator's natural delivery.
Legal note: This is a general educational template, not legal advice. Creally does not review or approve your legal terms and cannot confirm that they fit your jurisdiction, campaign, worker classification, tax position, or privacy obligations. Ask your legal team to adapt and approve the agreement before use.
What belongs in the brief
A useful brief answers four questions: what must the audience understand, what must the creator show or say, what may the creator decide, and how will the team review the work. It should not introduce a new fee, usage right, posting obligation, or exclusivity term that was not agreed in the offer and contract.
Use the right level of brief
Brief level | What stays inside | When to use it |
Evergreen brand brief | Brand voice, visual rules, logo use, prohibited claims, standard disclosures. | Reuse across campaigns and update when brand rules change. |
Campaign brief | Objective, audience, product, offer, message, CTA, timeline, and campaign references. | Create once for each campaign. |
Asset brief | One concept, hook options, structure, shot list, technical specs, and due date. | Attach one section for each distinct deliverable. |
Creator Brief Template
1 Campaign overview
Campaign: [Campaign name]
Brand and product: [Brand, product, version, market]
Objective: [One business or communication objective]
Success signal: [What a strong asset should make the viewer do or understand]
2 Audience
Primary audience: [Who they are and the situation they are in]
Problem or motivation: [The relevant need, friction, or desire]
Current belief: [What they may think before watching]
3 Product truth and message
One takeaway: [The single message the viewer should remember]
Approved product facts: [Only verified features, benefits, prices, dates, or proof points]
Personal experience: [What the creator can truthfully demonstrate or describe]
Call to action: [One primary CTA and destination]
4 Creative concept
Concept: [Short description of the story or use case]
Tone: [Natural, direct, playful, expert, calm, other]
Creator freedom: [What the creator may change in the hook, wording, setting, or delivery]
Non negotiables : [What must appear or be said exactly]
5 Suggested UGC video structure
Timing | Purpose | Direction |
0 to 3 seconds | Hook | Show the problem, result, product, or surprising detail immediately. |
3 to 10 seconds | Context | Make the audience and use case recognizable without a long introduction. |
10 to 22 seconds | Demo or proof | Show how the product works and use only approved claims. |
22 to 30 seconds | CTA | Give one clear next action. End cleanly so the brand can create cutdowns. |
6 Hook and shot list
Hook options: [Provide 2 to 4 directions, not ten scripted variations]
[Required opening shot]
[Product in use or screen recording]
[Close-up, texture, packaging, result, or feature detail]
[Creator speaking to camera]
[Ending frame and CTA]
B-roll: [List reusable shots and minimum clip length]
Audio: [Direct voice, voiceover, approved music, clean room tone, other]
7 Do and do not
Do: [Show the product early; use natural delivery; keep labels legible; other requirements]
Do not: [Show competitor logos; use filters that alter the product; mention unapproved claims; other restrictions]
References: [Links or attachments that show direction, not content to copy]
8 Deliverables and technical specs
[Number] edited videos, [length], [aspect ratio], [resolution], [file format]
[Number] hook variants, [number] CTA variants, [number] thumbnail or caption options
Raw footage [required / not required] and source files [required / not required]
No watermark, beauty filter, unlicensed music, visible third-party logo, or burned-in caption unless approved
File naming and delivery location [instructions]
9 Posting and disclosure
If no creator post is required, write: Content production only. The creator will deliver files to the brand and will not publish them unless separately agreed.
If a creator post is required, add the platform, account, format, live date, minimum live period, tags, links or codes, reporting, and disclosure wording. Use the platform's paid partnership or commercial content tool where required, in addition to a clear disclosure that viewers can see and understand.
10 Review and timeline
Product or access provided [date]
Creator questions due [date]
Concept or script approval [required / not required; due date]
First draft due [date]
Brand feedback due within [number] business days
Included revisions [number]; final files due [date]
Brand approval owner [name and contact]
Brief check before production
[ ] The brief has one objective, one primary audience, one takeaway, and one primary CTA.
[ ] Every product claim is approved and supported. The creator is not asked to claim an experience they did not have.
[ ] Must-have requirements are separated from flexible creative choices.
[ ] The deliverables and dates match the accepted offer and signed agreement.
[ ] The shot list and technical specs are complete enough to avoid a preventable reshoot.
[ ] One owner will send consolidated feedback within the stated review window.
Keep the brief useful
Give the creator a clear target, not a page of interchangeable adjectives. A reference should explain framing, pace, or structure; it should not ask the creator to copy another person's work. If feedback changes the agreed scope, return to the offer and agreement before requesting the change.
Review the first draft
Check the draft against the must-have requirements and approved claims before commenting on taste.
Send one consolidated feedback list from one owner.
Label each request as a correction, an included revision, or a scope change.
Approve the final files in writing and store the approved version with the campaign record.