Creative brief examples: 5 filled-in briefs across industries and formats

The template

The structure to copy and adapt

GoalRequired
One sentence. The campaign's single outcome.
AudienceRequired
1-2 sentences. Behavioral, specific, not demographic.
AngleRequired
1-2 sentences. The single sharp lens on the product.
Hook archetypeRequired
Named. Problem→solution, day-in-the-life, etc.
Do-notsRequired
3-5 explicit constraints.
References
5-10 reference URLs (omitted in examples below).

Filled-in examples

See the template in use

DTC supplement acquisition (Meta paid social) · DTC ecommerce

GoalCold acquisition. Drive 1,500 starter-bundle purchases this quarter at CAC under $30.
AudienceEndurance athletes 28-45 training 5+ hours/week, currently using Liquid IV or LMNT. Active in cycling, running, triathlon communities online.
AngleHigher sodium ratio than mainstream alternatives - built for actual endurance, not casual hydration. Third-party tested for purity.
Hook archetypeProblem→solution. Open on mile-18 pain (cycling) or mid-marathon bonk (running). Product reveal by 0:04.
Do-notsNo price-led hook. No bottle-shot static. No founder-to-camera. No 'hydration is important' generic copy. No DSHEA-non-compliant supplement claims.

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What separates good brief examples from generic ones

The five examples above all share three properties that distinguish them from generic 'creative brief templates' floating around the internet: behavioral audiences (not demographic), named hook archetypes (not vague descriptors), and explicit do-nots (the most underused section in average briefs).

Behavioral audiences: 'endurance athletes training 5+ hours/week using Liquid IV' beats 'males 25-45 interested in fitness'. The behavioral cut is what makes the rest of the brief specific. Demographic audiences cascade into generic everything.

Named hook archetypes: 'problem→solution' beats 'engaging hook'. 'Thought leader ad with first-person narrative' beats 'professional tone'. The naming gives the receiver (editor, AI tool, freelancer) a structural template they can execute against.

Explicit do-nots: every example above includes 3-5 specific exclusions. The negative space generates distinctive work; the absence of do-nots is the single biggest predictor of generic creative output.

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How to adapt these examples to your campaign

Pick the example structurally closest to your campaign - same format and funnel stage, not necessarily same industry. The DTC supplement brief structure works for any direct-response paid social campaign. The B2B SaaS thought leader brief works for any narrative-led B2B campaign regardless of vertical.

Replace the content; preserve the structure. The structural choices (behavioral audience, named archetype, explicit do-nots) transfer. The specific words don't.

Run the 5-minute test on your filled brief. Hand it to someone not on the campaign. Can they describe in one sentence what the ad should be about? Can they name 3 things the ad should NOT do? If yes, ship. If no, iterate.

Internal: creative-brief-template, creative-brief, how-to-write-a-creative-brief.

FAQ

Frequently asked

What does a creative brief example look like?

See the 5 examples above - DTC supplement, B2B SaaS, beauty/TikTok, video cross-platform, holiday seasonal. Each follows the same 5-required-component structure (goal, audience, angle, hook, do-nots) with industry-specific content.

How long should a creative brief example be?

Each example above is roughly half a page when rendered as a full doc. Real briefs run 1-2 pages including references and timeline. Longer than 2 pages signals indecision, not thoroughness.

Are these creative brief examples real campaigns?

Structurally yes, anonymized brands. The audience cuts, angles, and do-nots reflect real briefs we've seen produce strong creative. Adapt the structure; replace the specifics with your own.

How do I choose which creative brief example to copy?

Match by format and funnel stage, not by industry. DTC paid social → DTC supplement example. B2B narrative → B2B SaaS example. Multi-creator launch → beauty TikTok example. Cross-platform video → video brief example.

Can I download these creative brief examples?

Yes - click any example tab above and hit 'Download .md' to grab the markdown file. Each example is downloadable individually.

What's the difference between a creative brief example and a creative brief template?

An example is filled-in content following a structure. A template is the structure itself (empty sections). Use templates to build your brief; reference examples to calibrate the specificity of each section. See creative-brief-template.

Keep reading

Resource

Creative brief template

Copy-ready template structure.

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Creative brief

Interactive brief builder.

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Best creative brief examples

More example briefs.

Resource

Good creative brief examples

Quality-focused examples.

Research

Creative Brief Builder

Shuttergen brief workflow.

Stop adapting examples. Generate your own brief.

Shuttergen takes your brand and category, reads the winners in your niche, and generates a brief specific to your campaign - structure-correct and content-specific from the first draft.

Generate a brief free Try the live builder →