The template
The structure to copy and adapt
- Brand & productRequired[Brand] - [product line or SKU], [single sharp differentiator]. Sample: 'Greenline Supplements - electrolyte powder with 3x mainstream sodium, third-party tested.'
- GoalRequired[Acquisition / retention / launch / reactivation / awareness]. [Concrete metric and time window]. Sample: 'Cold acquisition on Meta. 1,500 starter purchases this quarter at CAC below $30.'
- AudienceRequired[Behavioral cut] who currently [substitute they use today] and [trigger / frustration]. Sample: 'Endurance athletes training 5+ hours/week currently using Liquid IV or LMNT.'
- AngleRequired[One sentence: the single sharp lens on the product]. Sample: 'Higher sodium ratio than mainstream alternatives - built for actual endurance, not casual hydration.'
- Hook archetypeRequired[Named archetype]. [Specific direction for the first 3 seconds]. Sample: 'Problem→solution. Open on mile-18 pain. Product reveal by 0:04.'
- Do-notsRequired[3-5 explicit exclusions]. Sample: 'No price-led hook. No bottle-shot static. No founder-to-camera. No discount as the lede. No generic hydration-importance copy.'
- Deliverables (optional)[Concrete formats and counts]. Sample: '10 video variants: 5 hooks × 2 ratios (4:5, 9:16) × 2 cuts (15s, 30s). Plus 4 static 1:1 fallbacks.'
- Timeline (optional)Brief to first review: [X days]. First review to finals: [Y days]. Finals to launch: [Z days]. Sample: '5 + 4 + 2 working days = 11 days from brief lock to launch.'
Filled-in examples
See the template in use
Pre-filled sample - DTC supplements (the master template) · DTC supplements
- Brand & productGreenline Supplements - premium electrolyte powder, 1.2g sodium per serving (3x mainstream category), third-party tested, no artificial dyes.
- GoalCold acquisition on Meta. 1,500 starter-bundle purchases ($45 AOV) this quarter at CAC below $30. Subscription-attach target: 22%+ on first order.
- AudienceEndurance athletes 28-45 training 5+ hours/week. Currently using Liquid IV, LMNT, or DripDrop. Active in cycling, running, triathlon Strava clubs.
- AngleHigher sodium ratio than mainstream alternatives - built for actual endurance, not casual hydration.
- Hook archetypeProblem→solution. Open on mile-18 pain or mid-marathon bonk. Product reveal by 0:04. Single creator on camera, lifestyle context, no studio.
- Do-notsNo price-led hook. No bottle-shot static. No founder-to-camera. No 'hydration is important' generic copy. No discount as the lede.
- Deliverables10 video variants total: 5 hook variants × 2 ratios (4:5, 9:16) × 2 cuts (15s, 30s). Plus 4 static 1:1 fallbacks.
- TimelineBrief to first review: 5 working days. First review to finals: 4 working days. Finals to launch: 2 working days. Total: 11 working days.
Shuttergen
Skip the sample. Generate the brief..
Shuttergen reads your brand and category, then generates a sample-quality brief in 30 seconds - pre-filled with the audience, angle, archetype, and do-nots specific to your niche. Faster than editing over a sample.
How a sample template is different from a blank template
A blank template gives you eight headers and a lot of whitespace. A sample template gives you the same eight headers with a worked example pre-filled in italic placeholder text, so you edit the deltas instead of starting from zero. The blank-page resistance is the single biggest reason briefs get skipped; the sample template removes that resistance.
The workflow with a sample template: download it, paste it into your editor of choice, replace the sample content section by section. The structure is already correct - you're just swapping in your own brand, audience cut, angle, archetype, and do-nots. The brief that takes 45 minutes to write from blank takes 12 minutes to write from a sample.
Use the sample as a quality benchmark, not boilerplate. When you replace the sample audience line ('endurance athletes training 5+ hours/week using Liquid IV') with your own, make sure your version is at the same resolution - behavioral, specific, naming the substitute. The sample is what you're calibrating against, not what you're copying.
Skip the sample. Generate the brief.. Shuttergen reads your brand and category, then generates a sample-quality brief in 30 seconds - pre-filled with the audience, angle, archetype, and do-nots specific to your niche. Faster than editing over a sample.
Three filled-in versions to choose from
The pre-filled sample above is DTC supplements. We've included two more samples - B2B SaaS and DTC apparel launch - so you can pick the one structurally closest to your campaign and edit from there.
Pick by format and funnel stage, not by industry. The DTC supplement sample fits any direct-response paid social campaign. The B2B SaaS sample fits any narrative-led B2B campaign regardless of vertical. The DTC apparel launch sample fits any multi-creator launch.
Replace the content; preserve the structure. The structural choices - behavioral audience, single-sentence angle, named hook archetype, 3-5 explicit do-nots - transfer across industries. The specific words don't.
Internal: for blank-template downloads in specific formats, see creative brief template word, creative brief template google docs, and creative brief template pdf.
The quality test for your filled-in brief
After you've edited the sample template with your own content, run the 5-minute test before locking the brief. Hand it to someone not on the campaign. Three questions: (1) Can they describe in one sentence what the ad should be about? (2) Can they name three things the ad should NOT do? (3) Can they tell you who the audience is in behavioral terms (not demographics)? If yes to all three, ship the brief. If no, iterate.
The most common failure mode is replacing the sample with content that's looser than the sample. The audience drifts from 'endurance athletes training 5+ hours/week' to 'fitness-minded consumers.' The angle drifts from one sentence to three. The do-nots drift from 'no bottle-shot static' to 'follow brand guidelines.' Hold the resolution; the sample shows you what tight looks like.
Internal: see what makes a good creative brief for the full quality property breakdown.
FAQ
Frequently asked
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Related
Keep reading
Resource
Sample creative brief
The annotated sample brief explained.
Resource
Creative brief template
The blank full-format template.
Resource
Free creative brief template
Free, no email gate, no signup.
Resource
Creative brief examples
More filled-in briefs across industries.
Research
Creative Brief Builder
Shuttergen brief workflow.
Skip the sample. Generate the brief..
Shuttergen reads your brand and category, then generates a sample-quality brief in 30 seconds - pre-filled with the audience, angle, archetype, and do-nots specific to your niche. Faster than editing over a sample.