ad-creative-brief

name	ad-creative-brief
description	Creates detailed ad creative briefs with visual direction, copy variants, dimensions, and platform specifications. Use when producing ads for any paid media channel.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob
metadata	{"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"}

Ad Creative Brief

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Create a detailed creative brief for ad production (images, video, or carousel)
• Write multiple copy variations for different platforms and formats
• Define visual direction, dimensions, and brand guidelines for ad assets
• Brief a designer, videographer, or AI image tool on ad creative requirements

DO NOT use this skill for campaign strategy, audience targeting, or budget planning. This is specifically for the creative assets — what the ad looks, sounds, and reads like.

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Core Principle

GREAT AD CREATIVE STOPS THE SCROLL IN UNDER 2 SECONDS — EVERY ELEMENT (IMAGE, HEADLINE, COPY, CTA) MUST WORK TOGETHER TO DELIVER ONE CLEAR MESSAGE THAT COMPELS ACTION.

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Phase 1: Brief

Required Inputs

Input	What to Ask	Default
Product/offer	"What are you advertising?"	No default — must be provided
Platforms	"Where will these ads run? (Facebook, Instagram, Google, TikTok, YouTube)"	Facebook + Instagram
Objective	"What should the ad achieve? (clicks, leads, sales, awareness)"	Conversions
Target audience	"Who is this ad for? Be specific."	No default — must be provided
Brand guidelines	"Do you have brand colors, fonts, or style rules?"	No formal guidelines
Number of variations	"How many creative versions do you need?"	3-5 variations
Format	"Static images, video, carousel, or all?"	Static images + video

GATE: Confirm before building creative briefs.

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Phase 2: Creative Strategy

Messaging Angles

Define 3-5 messaging angles to test:

## Creative Angles

**Angle 1: Problem-Solution**
Message: "[Pain point they experience] → [Your product fixes it]"
Emotion: Relief, frustration → resolution

**Angle 2: Social Proof**
Message: "[X customers / specific result] achieved with [product]"
Emotion: Trust, FOMO

**Angle 3: Benefit-First**
Message: "[Specific outcome they want] — here's how"
Emotion: Desire, aspiration

**Angle 4: Objection Buster**
Message: "Think [product] isn't for you? Here's why you're wrong."
Emotion: Curiosity, reconsideration

**Angle 5: Urgency/Offer**
Message: "[Discount/bonus] available for [limited time]"
Emotion: Urgency, opportunity

Format Selection

## Formats to Produce

| Format | Platform | Dimensions | Use Case |
|--------|----------|-----------|----------|
| Static square | FB/IG feed | 1080x1080 | Primary format |
| Static vertical | IG Stories/Reels | 1080x1920 | Story placements |
| Static horizontal | Facebook feed | 1200x628 | FB-specific |
| Video (15-30s) | FB/IG/TikTok | 1080x1080 + 1080x1920 | Highest engagement |
| Carousel (3-5 cards) | FB/IG feed | 1080x1080 per card | Story-driven ads |

GATE: Approve angles and formats before writing detailed briefs.

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Phase 3: Creative Briefs

Static Image Brief Template

## Creative Brief: [Angle Name]

**Concept:** [One sentence describing the visual idea]
**Dimensions:** [1080x1080 / 1080x1920 / 1200x628]

**Visual Direction:**
- Background: [Color/image/gradient]
- Main visual: [Product shot / lifestyle / graphic / screenshot]
- Text overlay: [3-7 words, large readable font]
- Logo placement: [Top-left corner, subtle]
- Color palette: [Primary, secondary, accent]

**Copy:**
- Text overlay on image: "[Short hook — 3-7 words]"
- Primary text (below image): "[2-3 sentences. Hook. Benefit. CTA.]"
- Headline: "[30-40 chars]"
- CTA button: [Learn More / Shop Now / Sign Up]

**Do's:**
- High contrast text over image (readable at small size)
- One focal point per image
- Faces and people increase engagement

**Don'ts:**
- No more than 20% text on image (Meta guideline)
- No cluttered layouts
- No small, illegible text

Video Brief Template

## Video Brief: [Angle Name]

**Length:** [15 / 30 / 60] seconds
**Dimensions:** [1080x1080 + 1080x1920]
**Style:** [Talking head / B-roll montage / Animation / Screen recording]

**Script/Storyboard:**

**Hook (0-3 seconds):**
Visual: [Bold text or surprising visual]
Audio/text: "[Question or statement that stops the scroll]"

**Problem (3-8 seconds):**
Visual: [Show the frustration or pain point]
Audio/text: "[Agitate the problem]"

**Solution (8-20 seconds):**
Visual: [Show the product in action]
Audio/text: "[How the product solves it + key benefit]"

**Proof (20-25 seconds):**
Visual: [Testimonial, results, or social proof]
Audio/text: "[Specific result or quote]"

**CTA (25-30 seconds):**
Visual: [Product + CTA text overlay]
Audio/text: "[Clear instruction: Visit, sign up, shop now]"

**Music/Sound:** [Upbeat / Calm / Trending audio]
**Captions:** Always on (80% of video is watched without sound)

Carousel Brief Template

## Carousel Brief: [Angle Name]

**Number of cards:** [3-5]

**Card 1 (Hook):** [Eye-catching image + hook headline]
**Card 2 (Problem):** [Pain point or "before" state]
**Card 3 (Solution):** [Product introduction]
**Card 4 (Proof):** [Result or testimonial]
**Card 5 (CTA):** [Clear call to action + offer]

Each card: 1080x1080, consistent visual style, text readable at mobile size

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Phase 4: Polish

1. Platform-Specific Notes

Document any platform requirements:

• Meta: 20% text rule (guideline, not hard limit), video auto-plays without sound
• Google Display: stricter formatting, multiple required sizes
• TikTok: organic-feeling creative outperforms polished ads
• YouTube: first 5 seconds must hook before the skip button

2. Production Checklist

• All dimensions produced for each format
• Copy variations written for each angle
• Brand colors and fonts applied consistently
• Files named with clear convention (angle_format_dimension)
• Mobile preview checked for readability
• Video captions added

3. Testing Matrix

## A/B Test Plan

| Test | Variable | Version A | Version B |
|------|----------|----------|----------|
| 1 | Image style | Product shot | Lifestyle photo |
| 2 | Headline | Problem-focused | Benefit-focused |
| 3 | Format | Static image | Video |
| 4 | CTA | "Learn More" | "Shop Now" |

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Anti-Patterns

• Designing for desktop first — 80%+ of social media ads are seen on mobile. Design for small screens first.
• Too much text on images — cluttered ads get scrolled past. One message, one visual, one CTA.
• Generic stock photos — authentic, real photos and videos outperform polished stock imagery on social platforms.
• No hook in the first 2 seconds — if the visual or headline doesn't grab attention instantly, the ad fails.
• Same creative for every platform — what works on Facebook may not work on TikTok. Adapt the format and style.

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Recovery

• No brand guidelines: Define basic elements now — pick 2-3 colors, one font, and a logo placement. Consistency matters more than perfection.
• No design skills or tools: Use Canva templates for static ads, CapCut for video editing. Both are free and sufficient for most ad creative.
• All creatives performing poorly: The offer or audience may be the problem, not the creative. Test a new angle before producing more of the same.
• User needs ads quickly: Start with 2 static images (problem-solution and social proof angles) at 1080x1080. Expand formats after testing.