The Brief Bros.
The Brief Bros. is a video podcast about creative briefs, briefing and advertising. It’s hosted by Howard Ibach, former copywriter and creative director and author of two books on the creative brief, and Henry Gomez, an ad agency strategist with 28 years of experience.
Wed, April 23, 2025
216: Evaluating ideas is hard
Our friends at BetterBriefs , Pieter-Paul von Weiler and Matt Davies have delivered more scathing survey results. This time on the subject of evaluating creative ideas presented by agencies to clients. Why are ideas so difficult to judge? Why have rounds of creative presentation grown from an average of three to five before clients sign off? Henry Gomez and I share one juicy survey result from the lot and break it down for you. it's a sad situation, and it's both not surprising and shocking. We discuss.
Wed, April 16, 2025
215: SXSW teaching star
Kit Altin is chief strategy officer at The Gate London . And she made a splash last year at Austin's SXSW with queues round the block waiting for her workshop. She was so popular, she was invited back last month. And she's now a fixture at the annual festival that celebrates tech, film and music. Kit joins Henry Gomez and me to talk about her journey from journalist to copywriter to strategist and renowned creative educator.
Wed, April 09, 2025
214: Eight hours to write a brief?
You're given only eight hours to write a creative brief. What now? According to our guest, Dan Carlton , it's not a common event, but it's not rare either. Dan is the CEO and founding partner of The Paragraph Project , a company that develops "human-centered strategies" for marketers and agencies alike. And he's created an online training for strategists in a pinch for a quick-turn brief. It's an hour-by-hour structured training to move from blank page to a finished brief. He's even offering Brief Bros. viewers a 50% coupon to try his "8 Hour Creative Brief." Use this link and the code BRIEFBROS: planneru.gumroad.com/l/eighthourcreativebrief
Wed, April 02, 2025
213: Inside look at podcasting
Meet Kevin Le , content creator and podcast producer. A chance encounter on a business flight led to a three-hour non-stop conversation. And in invitation to join me on The Brief Bros . Kevin's enthusiasm for podcasting is infectious. And his deep experience opened my eyes. And since so many of Henry Gomez 's and my colleagues are dabbling in podcasting, this was an ideal time to delve into the topic. As you'll discover, Kevin will open your eyes too. Which online tools work best for podcasters? How do you record, edit, and reformat your podcasts? Kevin answers these questions and offers so much more.
Wed, March 26, 2025
212: Creative-Strategist tension
Henry Gomez and I return to discuss an important "nuts 'n bolts" topic: why is there tension between strategtists and creatives? Alex Morris joined us a few months ago to share results from his own informal survey on this topic. But Henry and I decided it merited further exploration. When the relationship works, the results are magic. When it doesn't, the work suffers. Henry and I share our thoughts on how to foster this important partnership. Creatives and strategists, pull up a chair.
Wed, March 19, 2025
211: Can AI help clients write better briefs for their agencies?
Henry Gomez and I welcome Fab Nolan and Adam Green from 99Ravens.ai this week. 99Ravens is a new company in Toronto. And it makes a big promise: to improve the quality of client briefs to their ad agency clients. How? By using its AI-trained tool. Fab and Adam explain how it works and why they deliver on their promise. And they provided us with a demonstration video . It's a fascinating and provocative topic certain to generate discussion. And today, we get it started.
Wed, March 12, 2025
210: Emerging Talent Series continued
Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communications student Alex Chrislu joins us today. She graduates in May and as you'll soon discover, she explodes with enthusiasm and confidence. And it's not hard to picture her in a senior leadership role in a short time. Henry Gomez and I revel in meeting young talent like Alex. For all the oldsters we talk to who lament our industry's future, the Alex Chrislus of the world inspire us and give us hope. So sit back and watch as this young woman draws a clear picture of her own future. And, we hope, for the ad business as well.
Wed, March 05, 2025
209: Why do agencies rewrite the brief?
Henry Gomez and I return with a Nuts 'n Bolts episode. Today we share with you a paper written in 2010. It's authored by Merry Baskin, a member of the World Advertising Research Center (WARC). And she writes on writing the agency brief. As Henry points out, this is the topic that triggered a debate between the two of us. The debate that motivated us to launch The Brief Bros. Baskin's paper may be 15 years old, but the topic is as relevant today as ever.
Wed, February 26, 2025
208: Whither "Get, to, by"?
Uri Baruchin joins Henry Gomez and me for the final segment of our conversation about frameworks. And today we tackle a brief construct designed to simplify and clarify. Yet too often practitioners flub it. Why? Uri tells us. But he's just getting warmed up. What is the biggest cost of AI? You've heard many pundits pontificate. But Uri's answer may surprise you. All this and more.
Wed, February 19, 2025
207: Why brand frameworks fail
Our friend Uri Baruchin returns for a two-part conversation. When he joined Henry Gomez and me three weeks ago , we simply ran out of time. It happens. Today, we asked him to expand on a thought: why have brand platforms failed us? It's a master class in strategy. Part 2 is next week.
Wed, February 12, 2025
206: Reid Holmes on Appreciated Branding
Henry Gome z and I welcome back our friend Reid Holmes . And together, we celebrate the publication of his book Appreciated Branding . It's an enlightening and provocative examination of how to make mature brands, in Reid's words, "irreplaceable." His prescriptions for brands, according to reviewers, are timely and humane. We begin our chat with a little time travel. We revisit Reid's days leading the creative department at the now-defunct Campbell Mithun in Minneapolis. That's where I met and went to work for Reid. And he shares with us the thinking behind the award-winning campaign for H&R Block, "I got people." Join us as we explore Reid's invaluable lessons for brands.
Wed, February 05, 2025
205: Adeola Mosanya, Creatives Accountant
We work hard as creatives, strategists and brand advocates. So when it comes to organizing our finances and paying taxes, how many of us are as buttoned-up with the numbers as we are with ideas? This week, we thought we'd pause for a moment and talk dollars and sense. And introduce you to a numbers person who knows creatives, Adeola Mosanya, Founder and CEO of Creatives Accoun t. She is a creative herself, but also dedicates her professional life to helping other creatives with tax prep. And since tax time is closer than you think, The Brief Bros. is happy to welcome Adeola, who is also my accountant. I chose her precisely because she knows and works with other creatives like me. In advertising as well as other creative professions. She's located in Houston, but works with clients all across the US. Pay attention. You might learn something. And a special offer: a free online class for anyone thinking about starting their own business.
Wed, January 29, 2025
204: Uri Baruchin, strategy philosopher
Thanks to our friend and a former gues t, Baiba Matisone , Henry Gomez and I introduce you to Uri Baruchin. Uri is a consulting strategist in London with more than 20 years of agency and brand experience under his belt. And he has more than a few things to say about our industry as he looks back on his career. He is unflinching in his critiques. And grounded in an eruidition most of us should envy. So sit back and listen to a philosopher strategist share his thoughts basic strateg frameworks that have failed us. Fortunately, this is only Part 1. We have invited Uri back to dive even deeper into his prognoses and predictions.
Wed, January 22, 2025
203: Two ad students talk shop.
With special thanks to our friend Marc Lewis , dean of the venerable SCA in London , we present Louie Scott (AD) and Giorgia La Vecchia (CW). Marc recommended both these young people who are deep into SCA's portfolio development classes. Louie's path appears like a long and winding road. Giorgia thought she found a creative outlet in the art world. Find out how they arrived, instead, in Ad Land. They joined Henry Gomez and me this week to share their experiences. And talk about their career aspirations. Young and ambitious creatives, pay attention. Like other UK and US-based students who've joined us, these young talents can enlighten you on how to find a dynamic career in advertising.
Wed, January 15, 2025
202: The perils of agency search
Our friend Vivek Kuchibhotla returns to talk about the challenges brands face when they search for a new ad agency. He's a veteran of Leo Burnett, where he worked on Proctor & Gamble, first in Venezuela, then Hong Kong, finally in Chicago. He was then put to work on the global MacDonald's business. Vivek is also on the faculty of the Association of National Advertisers. He teaches a variety of workshops on agency search and managing agency/client relationships. Henry Gomez and I are thrilled to bring back an experienced advertising professional to talk about the intricacies of the agency world too many of us know little about.
Wed, January 08, 2025
201: Howard's Single-Minded Proposition webinar
Henry Gomez chats me up today about my latest training, a 90-minute webinar on writing the Single-Minded Proposition. It's one week from today, Wednesay, January 15. Today, I give you highlights of the webinar's take-aways. The training consists of 60 minutes of insights into real SMPs on real briefs, plus 30 minutes of discussion and Q&A with me. Writing the SMP is a challenge no matter how long you've been writing briefs. It tends to cause paralysis by analysis. So in this 10-minute episode, I'll give you a quick tour of what we'll do. Sign up today. Only 25 seats available. Fee is only $89.
Wed, January 01, 2025
200: Bob Hoffman
Henry Gomez and I welcome back an old friend, Bob Hoffman . He's here to talk about his new book, The Three Word Brief . It's an incisive and n0-holds-barred examination of the ad business and marketing. When Bob speaks, people listen. And on his third visit with us, he has much to say. From the flaws in the agency world to fraud in digital adveriting to frustations with marketing and marketers, Bob's new book and today's discussion will get your 2025 off to a rousing start. Reminder: For a 90-minute live webinar on writing the single-minded proposition contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com .
Wed, December 25, 2024
199: Is GeorgeCo LLC really a Delaware company?
Finally, and at long last, George Tannenbaum answers the question on everyone's mind: Is GeorgeCo LLC really a Delaware company? He talks about much more than that, of course. Henry Gomez and I delight in the return of our friend. He's our holiday present to all of you. Consider this our joint thank you for your support over the last year. And the previous three years as well. George joins us on Episode #199. Reminder: For a 90-minute live webinar on writing the single-minded proposition contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com .
Wed, December 18, 2024
198: Alex Morris on the tension between strategy and creative
Our guest, Alex Morris , is a freelance strategy consultant who authored a study Creatives on Strategy: Looking Outside Ourselves to Define What Strategy Offers. It is a survey of creatives' thoughts about strategy. And it's the topic of our discussion today. Alex is a strategist of high regard, as evidenced by the comments from his colleagues. “Alex Morris is every creative’s dream strategist," noted Heather McTavish, ECD of Virtue. "All in. No bullshit. Smart as all get out. Kinder than anyone you know. Extremely collaborative and on the money.” So it is refreshing that what he uncovered in this survey pulls no punches. And offers all of us, creatives and strategists a like, a keen window into our working relationship. And makes for excellent conversation. Henry Gomez and I share with you excerpts from the survey. And we talk at length about the natural tension between the two camps who are, after all, on the same side. Reminder: For a 90-minute live webinar on writing the single-minded proposition contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com .
Wed, December 11, 2024
197: Ed Tsue—the brief is dead!
Ed Tsue , Global CSO at Media Futures Group, a respected and admired strategist in our industry, tells us that the Creative Brief is Dead . Today on The Brief Bros., he defends and expands on his position, first posited in his Medium newsletter a year ago. And thanks to last week's guest Ed Cotton , who reposted Ed Tsue's musings on his blog, Provoke, we found it. And then decided to bring Ed Tsue on to talk about it. It's a lively but never heated discussion, with more than a little push-back from both sides. And I think it's safe to say, both Ed and I learned a few things from each other. Sadly, my buddy Henry Gomez was traveling for work and couldn't join us. Reminder: For a 90-minute live webinar on writing the single-minded proposition contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com .
Wed, December 04, 2024
196: Ed Cotton's creative brief provocations
When he launched his Substack blog Provoke six months ago, strategist Ed Cotton had a clear goal. He decided to post excerpts from and links to his favorite LinkedIn articles. But he didn't stop there. When a topic struck his fancy, he looked beyond LinkedIn and created a curio box of goodies. Most are strategy related. But his interests reflect the curiosity of a good strategist. Attention, demographics, insights, AI, writing. And then there's the Arctic and food. He even posted on spies and spying. And of course the creative brief . For brief nerds like Henry Gomez and me, this particular post was catnip. And its links to the writing of others with similar interests piqued our interest. We've reached out to some of them. A few will be guests in the coming weeks and months. Today, we probe the curious mind of Ed Cotton, a British transplant with tenure at McCann-Erickson and Lowe. And on major brands like Converse, MINI and Priceline. Reminder: For a 90-minute live webinar on writing the single-minded proposition contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com .
Wed, November 27, 2024
195: Writer Derek Walker——shunned by agencies, embraced by brands
It's a too-familiar story. Derek Walker, copywriter and agency founder, came to advertising via journalism. When he graduated, he couldn't find work in ad agencies. Instead, he cut his teeth in corporate America. Radio Shack, for one, where as in-house ACD, he worked on the Howie & Teri television spots. As he tells it, his grounding on the client side helped him immeasurably. And gave him a career boost when he eventually got hired by agencies. Including stints at Cramer-Krasselt in Milwaukee and Chiat\Day. Derek's story is inspiration for aspiring copywriters and art directors. If you want a deep knowledge of brands, he tells us, you could hardly do better than to start your career working for a brand. Reminder: For a 90-minute live webinar on writing the single-minded proposition contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com .
Tue, November 19, 2024
194: Christopher Owens, Part 2
Part 2 with Christopher Owens , head of brand strategy at TRG , formerly The Richards Group. Today, Christopher continues to share his passion for strategy. He talks at length about the dangers of short-term thinking on building brands. Then he addresses the turn away information-driven creative back to creativity and story-telling to make emotional connections. He also tells us about his leadership style, and much more. Christopher's impact on our industry is broad and deep. He has been the Miami Ad School's Program Lead of Strategy Bootcamp for many years. Reminder: For a 90-minute live webinar and customized corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com .
Wed, November 13, 2024
193: Christopher Owens, Part 1
Our guest this week is the man who put us in touch with the author of the famous Kiwi shoe polish creative brief. Christopher Owens , head of brand strategy at TRG , formerly The Richards Group, hired Sarah Walker-Hall. He reached out to us years ago and asked if we wanted to meet this strategist. And that led to a two-part interview on The Brief Bros. Today, Christopher joins us for a two-part interview of his own. He talks about his origins, from his early interests in jazz and architecture to his fledgling beginnings in a small Dallas agency, Gleason/Calise. His leadership at TRG spans two decades, and include Effie-awarding-winning work on GameStop, Patron and Sub-Zero. (He generously donated three creative briefs for these brands to the Creative Brief Archive .) This is a deep dive conversation about strategy and his commitment to training new generations of strategists. For many years, Christopher has been the Miami Ad School's Program Lead of Strategy Bootcamp . Part 2 airs next week. Reminder: For a 90-minute live webinar and customized corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, November 06, 2024
192: Coach Rob Schwartz, Part 2
The second part of our conversation with TBWA Worldwide's Rob Schwartz . Today, guest-host David Moore and I talk with Rob about the heroes among strategists. The story behind the full-page ad for TBWA\Chiat\Day NY's move. What's the way forward for our industry? Is advertising creatively rewarding? And more. Reminder: For a 90-minute live webinar and customized corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, October 30, 2024
191: Coach Rob Schwartz, Part 1
Creative Director. Executive Creative Director. Chief Creative Officer. CEO. Chair. And now Certified Coach. All the aforementioned at TBWA\Worldwide. First in Los Angeles , then in New York . Rob Schwartz has worn many hats in his illustrious career. He was even my boss at Team One Advertising in the late 90s before he moved on to TBWA\Chiat\Day. And today, he is our guest for Part 1 of a two-part conversation. We covered many topics: Rob's career path—did you know he was almost a lawyer? We talked about how to determine a good idea. The importance if clarity and simplicity in an idea. What is a good creative brief? How he finds and hires good people. Watch and listen to a master leader, teacher and coach share his insights on more than two decades of shepherding great brands for great agencies. Plus a special thanks to David Moore for pinch hitting for Henry Gome z who did his best to avoid Hurricane Milton. Reminder: For a 90-minute live webinar and customized corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, October 23, 2024
190: Nick Cohen talks about Honest!
Part memoir, part textbook for all creative entrepreneurs, Nick Cohen 's Honest! A True Story of a Ridiculous Attempt to Make Advertising More Truthful is a must read. It's fun, funny, and an improbable tale of 15 years of creative genius and ground-breaking work. And it's the unforgettable story about the founding of a brilliant shop, Mad Dogs & Englishmen , almost twenty years after its demise. Henry Gomez and I delight in reminiscing with Nick about his experiences, the lessons he learned, the people he knew and worked with (including a past guest on our show, Robin Hafitz ), the story behind the story of Honest! and more. Sit back with your fave beverage and some popcorn. Because this is a fun conversation. Reminder: For a 90-minute live webinar and customized corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, October 16, 2024
189: Road to Hell author Nick Asbury
What do you get when you combine erudition, deep research, and a copywriter's dexterous poise with a sentence? You get The Road to Hell: How Purpose Leads to a Worse World. Our guest on The Brief Bros. this week, Nick Asbury , tackles a timely and provocative subject, purpose. And Henry Gomez and I take a stroll down this road with Nick and we dissect the strange and often disconcerting purpose behind purpose. Here's a key line from his book, "Purpose is a deadening force that conscripts creativity towards political ends. That way, a lot of bad art lies." Whether you agree or disagree with the subject of Nick's absorbing and easy read, our discussion shines bright lights on what marketers are doing today. Nick offers a studious and enlightening take on the argument. And lays purpose out for the count in no uncertain terms. It's a highly recommended book. Reminder: For a 90-minute live webinar and customized corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, October 09, 2024
188: Creatives talk shop, Part 2
Join us for Part 2 of our first-ever all-creative panel discussion. We continue our talk about our industry, the state of creativity, and the role of AI. Co-host David Moore , who sits in for the traveling Henry Gomez , and I join seven of our friends and colleagues: Gene Payne in Chicago, Nic York-Bogen in LA, Monique Thomas in Minneapolis, Sara Rosinsky in Colorado, Lisa Lorraine in Lincoln, NE, Michael Rushing in LA and Derek Walker in South Carolina. They are writers, art directors and creative directors who work in the agency world and on the client side. Reminder: For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, October 02, 2024
187: Creatives talk shop, Part 1
In a first for the Brief Bros., we've assembled a panel of seven advertising creatives to talk about our industry, the state of creativity, and the role of AI. The discussion was so lively and robust, we talked for more than two hours. Today's episode is Part 1. Part 2 airs next Wednesday. Joining me and my friend and reliable substitute co-host David Moore , who sits in for the traveling Henry Gomez, we're proud to introduce our viewers to: Gene Payne in Chicago, Nic York-Bogen in LA, Monique Thomas in Minneapolis, Sara Rosinsky in Colorado, Lisa Lorraine in Lincoln, NE, Michael Rushing in LA and Derek Walker in South Carolina. They are writers, art directors and creative directors who work in the agency world and on the client side. Three are old friends of mine and four are friends of David's. We had such a good time, we plan to do this again. Reminder: For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, September 25, 2024
186: Meet advertising and literary sleuth Tim Maleeny.
A good strategist can walk a mile in the shoes of the customer. And a good novelist must do the same, except in the shoes of many characters. Henry Gomez and I are excited to introduce you to a practitioner of both skills—strategy and novel writing. His name is Tim Maleeny and he is the chief strategist and innovation officer at Havas in New York City. Tim has won awards in both his fields, advertising and mystery writing. Hanging the Devil , a Cape Weather Mystery series, is out now. He's worked at R/GA, Ogivly and Hal Riney. And he's a techie and lives among too many books, or so he claims. In our conversation, Tim, Henry and I covered creative briefs, the most awarded ad campaigns in recent memory, what he's learned from the legends he's worked with. And more. Break out the popcorn for this one. Reminder: For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, September 18, 2024
185: Cameron Day, mentor to the mentors.
He's the first to appear on The Brief Bros. three times. And we're delighted and privileged to have him back. Cameron Day joins Henry Gomez and me today to talk about his new book, Stones & Sticks . It's the third book in his trilogy The Advertising Survival Guide : Stage Three: The Highest Altitudes of Your Career. Listen to a professional describe what it takes to join the highest ranks in our industry. Cam joined us twice before, each time to discuss the first two books: Chew With Your Mind Open ( Episode 52 ) and Spittin' Chiclets ( Episode 96 ). Our friend George Tannenbaum summarized the importance of these guide books best when he wrote, "Ever wonder who mentors the mentors?" Reminder: For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, September 11, 2024
184: Brand Manifesto head librarian Lonnie Elliott
Creative briefs are a vital element in advertising, but so are brand manifestos. Our guest today is Lonnie Elliot t, creative lead at Meta, and the founder of Manifestowriting.com. Lonnie shares with Henry Gomez and me examples of great manifestos, some of which you may recognize. And he talks about his plans to expand his growing collection of manifestos. You might call him the head librarian of this excellent collection. It's well worth your time to review and study. And watch this episode. Reminder: For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, September 04, 2024
183: Stacy Janicki, fresh leadership at legacy Carmichael Lynch.
Four months ago, Carmichael Lynch in Minneapolis created the postion of Chief Operating Officer. They created it with one person in mind, our guest today on The Brief Bros.: Stacy Janicki . A legacy advertising agency needs a great leader, and CL found it in Stacy. Join Henry Gomez and me as we chat with this dynamic and laid-back personality. CL's mantra is "Come Together. Stand Apart." Stacy reveals how this philosophy works. First she gives us a tour of the brands and award-winning work from CL. Including Subaru and Bush Beans . She also talks about the importance of briefs and briefing. And she shares with us how to build teams within the agency. Reminder: For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, August 28, 2024
182: Luckett Vanguard, mischievious strategic planner at FCB.
Luckett Vanguard oozes all the qualities you want in a strategic planner: curiosity, gregariousness, passion, the team player. FCB in Chicago hired him a year ago from the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Comm. Kudos to our friend Mark Jenson for the rec! And already he's made his mark. Henry Gomez and I quizzed him on the unusual path he took first to Hubbard, then to his first job at FCB. Luckett had a few years of life experience under his belt and he tells us how this played to his advantage. Today Luckett joins us in our New and Emerging Talent series. We love to meet young pros in our industry and get a sense of who our future leaders will be. You'll be impressed by this young man. Reminder: For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, August 21, 2024
181: Meet an account planning pioneer, Robin Hafitz.
She was a founding partner at Mad Dogs & Englishmen in New York (thank you Dave Dye for your encyclopedic memory!). And today, she runs her own strategy consulting firm, Open Mind Strategy . Henry Gomez and I are thrilled to welcome Robin Hafitz to a sit-down chat on The Brief Bros. Robin was one of the first five American practitioners of account planning, what we now call strategy. And she has some stories to share about those early days. But this is more than a trip down memory lane. Robin shares her insights on insights, briefs, brands and clients. And her working relationship with her co-founding partner, Nick Cohen. Reminder: For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, August 14, 2024
180: A Director of Brand Experience on building a brand.
Henry Gomez and I welcome Mack Saunders , the director of brand experience for The Annex , a boutique hotel in Toronto. Mack's background and perspective on branding came to my attention when I met him at The Annex on a recent trip to Ontario. Fans of The Brief Bros. will be intrigued by the challenges he has faced in his role. And the intrepid manner in which he overcame these challenges. He also shared with us news about the imminent opening of their newest properety, The Annex Palm Springs. Reminder: For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, August 07, 2024
179: A master brief writer on briefs.
Lance Saunders , strategic consultant and an adjunct professor at York University in Toronto, returns to The Brief Bros. to talk about the inaugural essay he contributed to my blog titled, "Beyond The Brief." It's all in celebration of the recent addition of more than 50 briefs to the Creative Brief Archive , a repository of finished briefs available free to anyone who signs up. The Archive now has about 80 creative briefs, written by both professional brief writers and student brief writers. It's a growing collection, and I ask you to spread the word. I'm also looking for more, more and more creative briefs to add to this collection. I am not playing gate keeper: All briefs are welcome because all briefs can teach us something. Reminder: For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, July 31, 2024
178: Vasanth Seshadri, a creative voice from Singapore.
Our guest this week is Vasanth Seshadri . He is the founder and creative director of The Sunnyside , a virtual ad agency in Singapore. Vasanth's story will resonate with creatives everywhere. The route he took from newbie copywriter to the founding of his own shop covers a journey of thousands of miles and tenures with many legacy agencies. Including Wunderman, BBDO/NY, Edelman and JWT. The experiences and the advice he shares are priceless and fascinating. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, July 24, 2024
177: AI for Advertising, taught by Ross Patrick.
Say "AI" to anyone in our industry, and it will likely cause a wince, a pucker, even a laugh. And probably a few other reactions. Say it to our guest, Ross Patrick , Creative Lead and Director of Advertising at Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and you'll be in for a passionate discourse on the technology's many benefits. That's why Henry Gomez and I wanted him on The Brief Bros. Not only have he and his students embraced the tool, they are doing fascinating and exciting things with it. Which Ross is eager to share with us today. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, July 17, 2024
176: The creativity beat with AdAge's Tim Nudd
Henry Gomez and I welcome Tim Nudd , a journalist who covers creativity for AdAge . Tim was the host and narrator of a popular podcast called Tagline , sponsored by Muse by Clio. It was a feast of backstories and wonderful anecdotes about some of the most iconic ad campaigns produced by our industry. Henry and I talk at length with Tim about his role at Tagline, how he got it started, and what it took to put the episodes together. Tim pulls the curtain back for us and it's a fun peek inside. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, July 10, 2024
175: Jon Steel, author of Truth, Lies & Advertising.
Jon Steel 's book, Truth, Lies & Advertising is the bible for strategy, creative briefs and what makes great creative campaigns. Now in its 26th year, it remains fresh and relevant, even if the advertising referenced in it are from the 20th Century. His thinking proves that new and shiny pales against fundamentals and fundamental truths. Henry Gomez and I are proud and delighted that Jon chose to be with us this week. We delved deep into his thinking about this book. And we asked him about his early days, first with Stanley Pollitt at BMP in London, later as the first director of planning at Goodby Silverstein in San Francisco. There he worked on iconic brands including "got milk?" Sega, Nike and others. Jon's influence on these and other brilliant creative campaigns resonates today. In our wide-ranging conversation, Jon reflects on his early influences, the challenges of being the first account planner at Goodby, his thoughts on his book today, and more. It's a one-hour master class from a master strategist. Don't miss it. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, July 03, 2024
174: Two ad students on the rigors of London's SCA.
One of them did a trumpet solo and she doesn't play trumpet. The other did six minutes of stand-up comedy and she isn't a comedian. No, they weren't auditioning for Britain's Got Talent. In a return to our New and Emerging Talent series, Henry Gomez and I talk to two current ad students at London's famed School of Communication Arts —the most awarded ad school in the world. Led by our friend Marc Lewis , this fertile training ground nurtures and mentors the next gen of ad professionals. Today we introduce you to Carlota Di Liscia and Emily Bowler . They are finishing up their year-long adventure at SCA and have partned as a writer/AD team. They will share with us the trials and tribulations they've thoroughly relished. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, June 26, 2024
173: Ghost wants to make clients famous, not themselves.
In a first for Henry Gomez and me, The Brief Bros. hosts three...ghosts. You'll hear them, but you won't see them. That's because they prefer to let their creative work speak for itself on behalf of their clients. And that's their story. Which we are transparently delighted to share with you. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Tue, June 18, 2024
172: Young ad pros get to predict Cannes winners
Henry Gomez and I bring you two young advertising talents who started The Loudest Roar last year, which they call the "Cannes Lion Fantasy League." It's an online communmity for young professionals to predict the winners at Cannes , and it's growing in popularity worldwide. We're delighted to welcome Chirag Khushalani and Samita Balakrishnan , two strategists both of whom are from India. Chirag lives and works in Dubai, while Samita is in India. She grew up in an indigenous community, the Badagas, in southern India. The Loudest Roar is the brainchild of Chirag. Last year, it its first outing, over 300 creatives around the globe weighed in with their predictions. He'll tell you more about that in this episode. There's still time to make your prediction. So watch and marvel at what Chirag, Samita and others have assembled to draw more young ad professionals to perhaps the most well-known creative festival in advertising. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, June 12, 2024
171: Freelance copywriter Ashley Rutstein carved a niche on TikTok
Meet the host of Stuff About Advertising Ashley Rutstein . She's a freelance copywriter, social media verteran, and the star of her own TikTok page where she talks about, well, Stuff About Advertising . And Henry Gomez and I had a fun and enlightening conversation with her. So many brands want to be on TikTok, but did you know the space is wide open for creatives to show off their wares and talents? Ashley presents one of her videos and shares with us how she found her way to TikTok. Surprisingly, she a lot of freelance work comes to her from her posts on TikTok. Are you missing an opportunity? Watch today and find out. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, June 05, 2024
170: Can AI measure the emotions advertising creative evokes? Yes, according to DAIVID.
This week Henry Gomez and I introduce you to the founder of DAIVID , Ian Forrester . Ian is the brains behind an AI tool that measures the effectiveness of ad creative by pinpointing which of 39 emotions a piece of creative evokes. Yeah, we know—another bogus way to test creative, right? Don't be so quick to judge. Ian demonstrates for us why this tool is different. And, intriguingly, why it can help you review and revise your brief based on its results. When creatives complain about testing that kills creative, Ian argues that his AI tool points the way at giving better direction, not solutions. Are you ready to have your mind changed? Watch today's episode. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, May 29, 2024
169: The Howard Gossage Show with Steve Harrison and Dave Dye.
Two advertising industry giants join us today to talk about their new book, The Howard Gossage Show . Both Steve Harrison and Dave Dye have talked to us before. But today they arrive together as co-authors of a book as big as its subject matter. And a necessary teaching tool for all of us in the ad game. Sitting in for the traveling Henry Gomez , our friend David Moore matches his enclyclopedic knowledge of the industry with Dave Dye's. And our conversation covers Howard Gossage, brand history, where we have lost our way as brand guardians, and more. Steve and Dave are lightning rods for a topic that should not be controversial: do we still care about selling products? Don't miss this episode. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, May 22, 2024
168: Meet your new favorite intern.
You need chutzpah to land an internship in our industry. Spell it any way you like, you gotta get the decision-maker's attention. Which is why Henry Gomez and I are so delighted to introduce you to Kristina Olsen Pinjusic, a.k.a. "The Kristina," your new favorite intern. She displayed enviable intrepidity and gutsiness and used LinkedIn to announce her intentions. And it blew up her feed. Kristina is a graduate student at CCNY's Branding and Integrated Communications program, and she's here to tell you her amazing story. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, May 15, 2024
167: Meet Todd Turner, creator of laugh-out-loud creative training tool, Wash-A-Pig.
Todd Turner is a talented graphic designer who's carved out a fun niche in Out of Home. Lately, he's formed a partnership with Richard Molinaro called Up to Something in North Carolina. Todd and Richard create unforgettable OOH for brands, agencies and media companies. But it's Todd's side gig that grabbed our attention. Henry Gomez and I talked to Todd about his crazy fun and powerfully effective training tool called...Wash-a-Pig. What's a graphic designer doing concocting a cool concepting tool for copywriters? Well, we're glad you asked. Because Todd shared his story in this week's episode. You'll hoot and spit out your milk 'cause it's a provative device to rev up your creative juices. And Todd tells us how it all got started. Don't miss this fun conversation. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, May 08, 2024
166: These women routinely save the day.
No Single Individual is a unique business model. It is a company of woment strategists who work for legacy shops like Deutsch NY, FCB NY and TBWA\Chiat Day LA. Founded by Christine Olivas in 2021, No Single Individual is an "all-freelance firm [that] provides ancillary strategy and account teams to agencies across the globe, from the industry’s biggest names to hyper-local creative shops," according to its LinkedIn profile. In other words, when agencies struggle with impossible assignments, Christine and her colleagues swoop in as last-minute heroes. Henry Gomez and I also met Cynthia Abad-Mancheno, one of Christine's colleagues. And we had an in-depth conversation about how they started, the nature of their work, and their thoughts on strategy and the industry. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, May 01, 2024
165: Ten traits of a strategist.
My co-host Henry Gomez stays connected with other strategtists, especially on LinkedIn. He received an email recently from Mark Pollard, author of Strategy Is Your Words, and a well-known and respected strategist and strategy coach. Mark had compiled a list of the top ten traits he thought all strategists shared. My buddy Henry saw a similarity between these ten traits and some things he and I talked about on our first episode of The Brief Bros. So Henry and I thought this would be a great topic for a "Nuts 'n Bolts" episode, which we haven't featured in quite a while. We each chose two of Mark's ten traits and shared our thoughts. Tune in. You'll love this one. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, April 24, 2024
164: Elizabeth Gordon, GS&P's newest young and restless account manager.
Henry Gomez and I relish every chance we get to feature a young advertising talent who is already shaking things up. This week we continue our series of interviews with recent grads of US and UK advertising programs. Allow us to introduce you to Elizabeth Gordon. Elizabeth is a 2023 grad of the U of Minn's Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communications. And she came recommended to us by our friend and occasional substitute co-host, Mark Jenson, senior lecturer at Hubbard. Elizabeth landed her gig at Goodby Silverstein & Partners in September 2023 as an account coordinator. Last month, six months on the job, she was promoted to assistant account manager. She puts the lie to those in our profession who lament the decline of our industry. And if you have any doubts, watch this episode. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, April 17, 2024
163: Are you creative director material?
Most creatives aspire to become creative director one day. And most creatives believe they have the chops to lead a creative department. But making the leap from art director or copywriter into a leadership role takes more than a promotion. Our guest this week is an old friend, TJ Bennett, owner and creative director at The Pudding Factory. He's back to talk about his coaching practice to help aspiring creatives make that leap to creative directorship successfully and with confidence. Henry Gomez and I devote the entire episode to TJ's experience and philosophy. If becoming a CD is your ambition, you want to meet and talk to TJ. So don't miss this episode. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, April 10, 2024
162: Master storyteller Neal Foard, Part 2
Join Henry Gomez and me for Part 2 of our conversation with a master of the artform, Neal Foard. He tells us more about his new online, self-directed tutorials at Storyfire to help you practice and polish your own stories. So sit back, grab a bowl of popcorn and take it all in. This is good, old-fashioned entertainment. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, April 03, 2024
161: Neal Foard, master storyteller, Part 1
For 30-odd years, Neal Foard was an advertising copywriter and creative director, working on major brands like Toyota. Then he morphed into what I call the Garrisoin Keillor of the Internet. He's a storyteller extraordinare, whose mellifluous voice is part velvet fog, part maple syrup. With thousands of presentations under his belt, Neal stands in front of a black screen and shares his life experiences every week, with a single goal in mind: remind us that life is so much easier when people like you (his words, not mine). This week Henry Gomez and I are proud to give him our platform not once, but twice, so that he can tell us about himself, his beginnings and his new project called Storyfire. I took this course and loved every second—and learned plenty. Do yourself a favor and watch this week and next and then sign up for his self-directed course. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, March 27, 2024
160: An industry training expert shares his insights.
Mark Liebert leads the Marketing Training & Development Center at the ANA. His team of dedicated professionals connect subject-matter experts with ANA members to enhance their marketing and advertising skills. Since the beginning of our podcast, Henry Gomez and I have revisited the subject of training many times. So today, we meet an experienced trainer in his own right, and also an exceptional leader with the largest client-side brand trade group on the planet. If anyone can shed light on the state of our industry's training, Mark is our man. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, March 20, 2024
159: Should a brief ask "What is the strategy"?
It seems like an obvious question: What is the strategy? But even asking it opens a can of worms. What do you mean by "strategy"? Then you can ask, why do so few briefs ask this question? This week, Henry Gomez and I tackle the conundrum of what role strategy plays in writing a creative brief and whether the question belongs on the brief. For one-on-one, small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, March 13, 2024
158: Let's get real about AI.
Henry Gomez and I decided to take a breather and talk about AI. No panic. No exaggeration. No gloom and doom. Just the real stuff. It's here and it ain't goin' away. What's its role in advertising creative? In the creative brief? This is only the first of what we both think will be many conversations. But after insightful chats with two guests, Tim Brunelle and Sherry Horowitz, both experts in AI, we needed to take stock. Let us know what you think. For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, March 06, 2024
157: A manifesto for Avis, or is it?
What is a manifesto? Is it a creative brief? Or like a creative brief? And how does a so-called "manifesto" help us understand a brand? These are some of the questions Henry Gomez and I discuss today on The Brief Bros. We review and dissect one of seventeen brand manifestos, this one for Avis, posted on LinkedIn recently by Lonnie Elliot.
Wed, February 28, 2024
156: Recent grads prove young people embrace our industry.
Who says the advertising industry can't attract ambitious young talent? Not our guests this week on The Brief Bros. We welcome Anna Clayden and Hope Whitehead, art director and copywriter respectively. They teamed up while studying at London's premier School of Communication Arts. They join Henry Gomez and me to shed bright light on the rigors of SCA and where it has led them. And they share a special announcement as well—their first full-time gig at a London agency! For small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at https://creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, February 21, 2024
155: Strategy trainer Julian Cole offers surprises on writing briefs.
Writing a great brief depends on more than great writing. Agency vet and Strategy Finishing School founder Julian Cole joins Henry Gomez and me in an insider's look at briefs. You'll learn something new after this week's episode of The Brief Bros. For example, did you know that an "artist" and a "detective" creative director respond differently to the same brief? This is only one insight Julian shares in our discussion. We only scratched the surface with Julian, whose work with agencies around the globe is in demand. And we promise to bring him back to continue our conversation.
Wed, February 14, 2024
154: An insider's look at AI.
Love it or hate it, AI is here to stay. But like all new toys, what we don't understand tends to scare us. So this week, The Brief Bros. invited Sherry Horowitz, the self-described AI Conjurer, to talk about the intricacies of creating imagery with AI using language prompts. Her deep knowledge revealed how hard it is to use AI to its fullest. And why AI is also so powerful. There is much more to learn, but Sherry shed light on possibilities. This is a conversation you cannot miss.
Wed, February 07, 2024
153: Conflict helps us overcome creative hurdles.
We welcome the creative chairman of BBDO/Singapore, Tay Guan Hin, to this week's episode of The Brief Bros. Henry Gomez and I asked Guan about his career in art and graphic design. Guan revealed a common thread among many creatives: his parents had other plans for him. But his passions led him to advertising anyway. His new book Collide: Embracing Conflict to Boost Creativity, demonstrates how thirty years in advertising gave him a unique insight on creativity. And he shows readers how to use conflict to unleash more powerful ideas for brands.
Wed, January 31, 2024
152: Marketing brief vs creative brief
This week, Henry Gomez and I discuss a video posted by Julian Cole, a link to which we included below. He explains the differences between a marketing and a creative brief. Julian is a noted strategist, teacher and mentor to young strategists. And we have invited him to be a guest on The Brief Bros in the coming weeks. Henry and I dissect and expand on his thinking. The training I offer on brief writing focuses primarily on marketers. Henry's ad agency work focuses on the needs of his creatives. So we come to these documents with unique and differing perspectives. And you'll enjoy our lively discussion. Julian Cole on Marketing versus Creative Brief video. For training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, January 24, 2024
151: Ben Levy shows us how to present creative like a pro, Part 2
In Part 2 of our conversation with Ben Levy, creative director and presentation coach at SellItGreat.com, Henry Gomez and I ask Ben about "nuts 'n bolts" problems all presenters face. This is a fascinating and enlightening conversation you don't want to miss. For one-on-one, small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, January 17, 2024
150: Ben Levy shows us how to present creative like a pro.
Presentation Coach Ben Levy has made just about every mistake you can imagine as a presenter of creative work. And he'll show you how you can avoid them in his training on creative presentations. This week on The Brief Bros., Ben is our guest in a two-part episode. He is the founder and Head Coach at SellItGreat.com, and he shares his experience, his research and his practical advice to help creatives overcome hurdles that get in the way of selling the work they believe in. Part 2 next week. For one-on-one, small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at https://creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, January 10, 2024
149: Write better creative briefs with Howard’s workshops.
From the "Shameless Commerce Division" of The Brief Bros. (no apologies to Car Talk's Click & Clack), today Henry Gomez quizzes me about my creative brief workshops, my promise to attendees who want to learn how to write better briefs, my teaching philosophy and how I got started. You can get the details at creativebriefworkshops.com. Batteries not included, no assembly required, not available in stores. For one-on-one, small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at https://creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, January 03, 2024
148: The best of The Brief Bros. in 2023.
As our first episode of the New Year, Henry Gomez and I review 2023 and talk about what stood out for us on The Brief Bros. Amazingly enough, Henry and I wrapped up our third year together! And we still like each other! Enjoy this conversation as we share our thoughts on what mattered most in our on-going conversation about briefs, briefing and advertising. Till next time! Bye-bye! For one-on-one, small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, December 27, 2023
147: Tim Brunelle builds a creative brief coach with ChatGPT
This week on The Brief Bros. Henry Gomez and I review and discuss a tool created by a friend and past guest, Tim Brunelle, called the Creative Brief Coach. ChatGPT is everywhere, causing either havoc or joy depending on your point of view. Tim's tool is a worthy topic because he laid out the details of its development, and gave Henry and me an argument to follow and debate. Join us as we dissect Tim's contributions. For one-on-one, small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, December 20, 2023
146: Reviewing a creative brief for Tango carbonated soft drink.
Henry Gomez and I review an undated creative brief for the UK's famous soft drink Tango, ad agency unknown (if you're privy to the info, please share in the comments section). I featured this brief in my first book on the creative brief, and I included it in my rotating list of briefs for my creative brief workshops, but I have not used it in many years. Henry and I share our thoughts and I see new opportunities for it as a training tool. For one-on-one, small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, December 13, 2023
145: Reviewing a creative brief for the BBC’s coverage of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens
In our ongoing series, Henry Gomez and I review a creative brief written by a London-based agency for its client, BBC. The brief was written to create a new campaign to promote the BBC's on-air coverage of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. We even have creative so you can ask yourself if the work answers the brief. For one-on-one, small group and corporate training in writing inspiring creative briefs, contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com for availability.
Wed, December 06, 2023
144: A conversation with Gabi Kinney, senior strategist at Broadhead in Minneapolis
Gabi Kinney joins Henry Gomez and me this week in a continuation of our series on young talent in our industry. Gabi is a recent grad of the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the U of Minnesota, a familiar name to anyone who follow The Brief Bros. This young woman is blazing a powerful path for herself at Broadhead and we delight in quizzing her about her career trajectory. If you want to hear some insightful and astute advice on managing your career, don't miss this conversation.
Wed, November 29, 2023
143: A collaboration between Tom Fishburne, IPA and BetterBriefs.com
Kudos to our friends Matt Davies and Pieter-Paul von Weiler, past guests on The Brief Bros., for their partnership with the Marketoonist Tom Fishburne and the Institute for Practitioners of Advertising (IPA), the oldest professional organization in our industry. They've assembled a Compendium of brilliantly drawn cartoons that reflect their global survey on creative briefs, published in 2021, and is available to you at betterbriefs.com. Henry Gomez and I selected one of Tom's fun cartoons to discuss on today's episode. The topic is vital and too often overlooked: reviewing creative work. It's also a great tease to encourage all of you to download the new Compendium assembled by Matt and PP.
Wed, November 22, 2023
142: Reviewing a creative brief for Iceland Frozen Markets by hhcl/red cell, London
Today, Henry Gomez and I examine a creative brief for a popular frozen foods grocery story in the UK, Iceland. We love briefs for everyday products and services because these are the "widgets" advertising professionals cut their teeth on, creatively and strategically. That they are "everyday" things makes them real and necessary, but also challenges brief writers to find a clever and strategically sound pathway to a good creative solution. This brief, written by strategists at London's hhcl/red cell, does exactly that, briefly, succinctly, and, well, cleverly. Watch and find out for yourself.
Wed, November 15, 2023
141: A conversation with Tyrese Leverty, brand planner at Carmichael Lynch.
Henry Gomez and I have added a new series to The Brief Bros.: Conversations with recent college grad about their new careers. Today, we are proud to present Tyrese Leverty, a recent grad from the University of Minnesota's Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communications. He was recommended to us by our old friend Mark Jenson, a venerable instructor at Hubbard. Tyrese is a brand planner and he shares his experiences in his evolving role at Carmichael Lynch.
Wed, November 08, 2023
140: The iconic Uncle Sam.
Did you know that the famous poster of Uncle Sam pointing his finger and declaring, "I want you..." is more than 100 years old? Henry Gomez and I stumbled across this iconic image as we searched for old ads to discuss, and we decided it warranted an episode of its own. We have good reasons, too. Tune in and find out.
Wed, November 01, 2023
139: We reverse-engineer an ad from Band-Aid and write a creative brief.
Henry Gomez and I look closely at a clever ad from Johnson & Johnson's Band-Aid brand of band aids and together we discuss what we see and voila! We write a brief. And we post the brief within the episode for your viewing enjoyment (not available in stores). Henry and I urge all ad folk to practice this bit of thought exercise everyday to keep your brief-writing skills sharp.
Wed, October 25, 2023
138: Our best look at a Best Buy brief from CPB.
Another shout-out to Baiba Matisone whose Creative Brief Bank provided the impetus for today's episode of #thebriefbros. It's a Crispen Porter Bogusky brief for Best Buy. Henry Gomez and I have always admired the agency's work, but do we love this brief? Watch and find out!
Wed, October 18, 2023
137: Gameboy brief
Henry Gomez and I do a deep-dive into a creative brief written by someone affiliated with the One Show. It's for a competition among "Young Gun" creative teams with a prize attached, a free Gameboy. Henry and I examine this brief and share with you our thoughts. It's another in a series we love to do where we look closely at a real brief. Thanks again to our friend Baiba Matisone, who posted this brief on her Creative Brief Bank.
Wed, October 11, 2023
136: Reviewing a creative brief by FCB for Dodge.
First, special thanks to Baiba Matisone, who appeared on The Brief Bros., for posting this creative brief on her Creative Brief Bank. Henry Gomez and I did a top to bottom examination of this brief and shared our thoughts in this episode. We agreed...mostly. But even where we disagreed, we aligned on one thing: It's a great example of a single-page, well-written and inspiring document. Watch and learn!
Wed, October 04, 2023
135: Do creative briefs need to include deliverables?
Henry Gomez and I debate a seemingly mundane question: should a creative brief include deliverables or is that the creatives' job to recommend? Some of the finest briefs do not even ask the question. Others ask simply for the "Big Idea" while still others require every tactic. Where do you stand?
Wed, September 27, 2023
134: The Brief Bros discuss the famous Kiwi creative brief
Last week, we heard from Sarah Walker-Hall and her take on the brief she wrote for Kiwi shoe polish. This week, Henry Gomez and I discuss and dissect the brief ourselves. I weighed in with my high praise when Sarah and I spoke, and today I continue my rave but this time with a chance to hear Henry share his thoughts as well. We love this brief and you have much to learn from it.
Wed, September 20, 2023
133: A conversation with Sarah Walker-Hall, Part 2: Examining the Kiwi creative brief
Last week, we met Sarah Walker-Hall, brand strategy group head at TRG in Dallas. She is a veteran strategist whose skills and dexterity as a thinker can teach all brief writers how to write better briefs. Today, she and I dive deep into her award-winning brief for Kiwi shoe polish, the resulting campaign for which also won awards. Sarah will pull back the curtain and share with us how she wrote this brief, what she did to make it unique, and together, we talk about what makes this brief, all 127 words, such an extraordinary teaching tool. Henry and I will be back next week.
Wed, September 13, 2023
132: A conversation with Sarah Walker-Hall, author of the famous Kiwi creative brief
You could say I waited 20 years to meet and talk to Sarah Walker-Hall. She authored a creative brief I have read, admired, written about and taught from almost since I began my latest career as a brief-writing instructor. In the first of a two-part series, we meet this remarkable woman who began her career in branding and found her way to strategy and planning. She has worked three times for TRG, formerly The Richards Group, in Dallas. Next time, Sarah and I will share with you the brief I love to rave about for Kiwi shoe polish, dissect its magic and show you an example of the award-winning work it inspired. If you ever doubted that a brilliant brief existed, believe. (Henry apologizes for being on the road.)
Wed, September 06, 2023
131: A conversation with Jess Saunders and Roh Kerr, recent SCA/London grads
We've had wonderful conversation with Marc Lewis, dean of London's famed School of Communication Arts. Today, Henry Gomez and I talk to two of his recent graduates: Jess Saunders and Roh Kerr, about their experiences at SCA, how they teamed up as writer/AD partners. And then Henry and I put them through a test: we reviewed a famous TV spot from the 1970s for Samsonite luggage, the one with the gorilla, and together we did a reverse engineering exercise to figure out the creative brief. We put them through their paces and they came out swimmingly! Watch and enjoy.
Wed, August 30, 2023
69. Writing a creative brief, Part 3.
The final episode of our Hulu summer re-broadcast: Drum roll, please! Today we reveal our finished (draft) creative brief. Henry Gomez and Howard Ibach wrap up our exercise of writing a creative brief for Hulu. We’ll take you through every question on the brief and show you how Henry applied his thought-process to arrive at his final (draft) brief. We emphasize that it’s still a first draft because this is an exercise. We hope you have had as much fun watching our efforts unfold as we did brining our thinking to you. Happy brief writing!
Wed, August 23, 2023
68. Writing a creative brief, Part 2.
Part 2 of our Hulu brief writing summer re-broadcast: Henry Gomez and Howard Ibach continue the thinking process around writing a creative brief for Hulu. Henry has unearthed some juicy intel on Hulu right on its own website. He found Hulu brand guidelines, a treasure trove of insider goodies. We dig deeper and start to add initial ideas on sticky notes we placed around each box that we created on our Mural. At the end of our episode, it’s clear we are zeroing in on final thinking. Next time, we’ll reveal our brief!
Wed, August 16, 2023
67. Writing a creative brief, Part 1.
Henry Gomez and I are taking a short break in August, so we're re-broadcasting three popular episodes: our series on writing a creative brief for Hulu, a spec assignment prompted by viewers on LinkedIn. We'll see you again in September with new guests and new topics: Let the writing begin! Henry Gomez and Howard Ibach take the opening steps in the brief writing process, first with exploration and discussion. Henry shares the fruits of his research labor, and together we peel back the layers of the onion to learn more about Hulu. The work we do here pays huge dividends when we start to write our first draft. This is the heavy lifting all brief writers tackle, but if you love research and understanding people, this is fun.
Wed, August 09, 2023
130: George Tannenbaum inspires an episode.
Our friend George Tannenbaum wrote an essay on his Ad Aged blog recently that sparked our interest. It was called I'll Be Brief and it's a great read about, what else, the creative brief. And it got Henry Gomez and me thinking. And talking. Are our expectations of a brief overblown? George makes this claim, and Henry and I respond. We invite you to tune in.
Wed, August 02, 2023
129: Reverse engineering the brief for the classic BMW ”Ultimate Driving Machine” campaign.
If only we could see the actual brief. Henry Gomez and I give you the next best thing: our take in another reverse engineering exercise on this week's episode of The Brief Bros. for BMW's unforgettable print campaign. Watch as we take you through our thinking to arrive at what could be the brief.
Wed, July 26, 2023
128: Introducing the Creative Brief Archive.
The Brief Bros. co-host Howard Ibach proudly announces a new feature on his website, the Creative Brief Archive. It's a free repository of finished creative briefs written by ad agency strategists for real products. There's also a growing list of student-written creative briefs. The briefs are broken down by Agency and Brand. Simply register with your name and email address and you're in. There are no fees, no subscriptions. You can view briefs, download them, even comment. More goodies will be coming. If you have a completed brief you'd like to donate, please send them in!
Wed, July 19, 2023
127: Reverse engineering a brief from a classic Snickers Super Bowl spot.
You all remember this spot from the 2010 Super Bowl: Betty White stars in a Snickers spot that kicked off a brilliant campaign to reposition the popular candy bar. Henry Gomez and I dig in and write a brief simply by watching the spot. We call it a reverse engineering exercise, something all brief writers should practice. Join us in the fun.
Wed, July 12, 2023
126: Reverse engineer a brief from ”I’m a Mac” campaign for Apple.
Two, two, two mints in one: great creative from Apple in its classic spots for the I'm a Mac campaign, and our attempt to write the brief in a reverse-engineering exercise. Henry Gomez and I have a lot of fun in this week's episode as we revisit what Adweek called the best advertising campaign of the 2000s by TBWA\Chiat\Day. Play along and write the brief with us. It's a great skill tester.
Wed, July 05, 2023
125: A conversation with Berlin-based freelance strategist Baiba Matisone.
Joining Henry Gomez and me from Berlin, Baiba Matisone is a freelance strategist and creative brief devotee. She posted a list of blank creative brief templates that Henry and I surveyed on a recent episode, as well as completed briefs and thoughtful articles. The site, Creative Brief Bank, is well worth the visit. We talked to Baiba about her background, how a college professor shooed her away from her first love resulting in her fascination with strategy. To top it off, Baiba did a deep study of the brief templates she posted on her Creative Brief Bank and tells us what they all have in common. Heads up, brief writers!
Wed, June 28, 2023
124: What can we learn from a blank creative brief template?
Henry Gomez and I have preached the importance of insightful and inspiring "answers" on briefs to get the most from our creative partners. But what, if anything, can we learn as brief writers from a template? A blank template? Today, we examine a couple templates from legacy shops and discuss what we uncover.
Wed, June 21, 2023
123: Let’s reverse engineer a creative brief for an Amazon TV spot.
Reverse engineering is a wonderfully effective training device to get brief writers into the right mind-set for writing a real brief. It's a thought exercise you can do everyday, probably in less than a minute. Today, Henry Gomez and I watch a :60 spot for Amazon Prime and then "reverse engineer" the spot and figure out the brief. We don't know everything the agency (Weiden + Kennedy) knows, nor what Amazon told them. But as ad pros, we know a thing or two and can make more than a few educated guesses. The bigger point it that, as an exercise, this is a great test of your critical thinking skills and hones your brief writing skills. Make this a regular part of your daily professional life, whether you write briefs, review them or work from them.
Wed, June 14, 2023
122: A conversation with Mark Tomblin and Michelle Lee, APG Canada
Our two guests from Account Planners Group Canada are Mark Tomblin , founder of Thinking Unstuck, and Michelle Lee, principal Uncommon Sense, who hold senior leadership positions with Canada's strategy organization. Henry Gomez and I dive deep into brief writing, brief training, and the industry's future with Mark and Michelle.
Wed, June 07, 2023
121: A creative brief for a cosmetic surgeon.
Henry Gomez knows more than most of us about the competitive world of cosmetic surgery. His dad is a practicing cosmetic surgeon, and Henry wrote a brief for him. This week, we examine Henry's efforts so you can see again how a professional tackles the challenges of a small budget project with a big challenge.
Tue, June 06, 2023
118: Another conversation with Marc Lewis, dean of the School of Communication Arts, London.
This week, Henry (http://henrylouisgomez.com) and I welcome back an old friend, Marc Lewis. He's the dean of the most successful independent advertising school on the planet, SCA, the School of Communication Arts in London. It is heralded as "The World's Most Awarded Ad School." Marc returns to share with us news about SCA's Creative Training (https://www.scacreativetraining.com) and to encourage ad folk on this side of the pond to take advantage of SCA's growing online resources. SCA, under Marc's leadership, is filling a void that legacy shops used to provide but sadly have abandoned. This is a key reason why The Brief Bros.'s has joined forces with SCA to provide easily accessible tools for new advertising talent. Please join us in a wide-ranging discussion.
Wed, May 31, 2023
120: A brief for Delta Airlines.
Henry and I discuss another brief written by Henry for a pitch he and his agency did not win. But the brief itself, for Delta Airlines, is instructive and we take you through it step by step. Since finding complete briefs is a challenge, this brief presents us with a wonderful opportunity to share our thinking. Watch and learn...and share your thoughts if you wish!
Wed, May 24, 2023
119: Brief tips for marketers.
Henry Gomez, strategist and brief writer extraordinaire, and I talk about four mistakes marketers fall prey to when they write briefs. And we offer avenues to avoid these mistakes with better, clearer thinking. These aren't the only roadblocks marketers face, but they are biggies. Watch and then be honest: have you ever slipped up and done one or more?
Wed, May 17, 2023
118: Another conversation with Marc Lewis, dean of the School of Communication Arts, London
This week, Henry and I welcome back an old friend, Marc Lewis. He's the dean of the most successful independent advertising school on the planet, SCA, the School of Communication Arts in London. It is heralded as "The World's Most Awarded Ad School." Marc returns to share with us news about SCA's Creative Training and to encourage ad folk on this side of the pond to take advantage of SCA's growing online resources. SCA, under Marc's leadership, is filling a void that legacy shops used to provide but sadly have abandoned. This is a key reason why The Brief Bros.'s has joined forces with SCA to provide easily accessible tools for new advertising talent. Please join us in a wide-ranging discussion.
Wed, May 10, 2023
117: A conversation with Jim Melzer, creative director and brief devotee
Jim Melzer comes to us this week on The Brief Bros. from Santa Fe, NM. He represents a segment of our industry we have not explored and that makes Jim a unique guest. Jim has been a copywriter and creative director at legacy shops in Minneapolis including Colle McVoy, Miller Meester, Martin Williams and Clarity Coverdale, among others. His specialty: agriculture. And a close examination of his resume and portfolio reveals an astute creative mind driven by strategy and ideas, and a respect for a well-written creative brief. Jim's work is proof that brands vital to and cherished by our ag industry in the heart of this country value and demand great thinking. And if you can find a way to have fun communicating the benefits of an insecticide, you can solve any problem. A lesson we can all appreciate. This was a memorable conversation.
Wed, May 03, 2023
116: A conversation with a legend, Ernie Schenck, Part 3
Guest host Mark Jenson and I wrap up our three-part conversation with Ernie Schenck in today's episode. Ernie shares his thoughts on AI, the origins of his newsletter, Strange Alchemy and other insights on our industry. Our thanks to Ernie for giving us and you his time, his wisdom and his devotion to a profession we love and sometimes are angry with. And thanks as well to Mark for pinch hitting for my partner Henry Gomez.
Wed, April 26, 2023
115: A conversation with a legend: Ernie Schenck, Part 2
Guest host Mark Jenson and I continue our chat with writer, creative director and legend Ernie Schenck in Part 2. Stay tuned for Part 3 next week!
Wed, April 19, 2023
114: A conversation with a legend: Ernie Schenck, Part 1
In the first of three in-depth conversations, The Brief Bros. welcome a national treasure and a creative legend, Mr. Ernie Schenck. He has founded two ad agencies, won countless awards, and is a prolific writer and commentator for CA and lately his own newsletter on Substack, Strange Alchemy. Pinch-hitting for a traveling Henry Gomez is a past guest himself, Mark Jenson, lecturer at the U of Minnesota's Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Mark and I bask in the glow of Ernie's insights and wisdom on creativity, the brief, brands and AI, among other topics. Stay tuned because the conversation continues over the next two weeks.
Wed, April 12, 2023
113: Let’s dissect a creative brief for Cleveland Clinic Florida.
My partner and co-host Henry Gomez offers up a brief he wrote for the Cleveland Clinic Florida when he was a relative newbie as a strategist, and shares some of the creative it produced. This is an excellent exercise we should all do from time to time with a brief from our past. I tip my hat to Henry for sharing his thinking.
Wed, April 05, 2023
112: A conversation with Jason Swenk, host of the Smart Agency Master Class podcast
Henry and I welcome Jason Swenk who started an agency "by accident" in his words, and turned his love for the hustle, effective systems and problem solving into a wildly successful consulting business that takes ad agency owners to a new level of leadership and vision. His podcast, Smart Agency Master Class, is a must-watch. We're operating in thinner air than usual because Jason's insights for ad agency CEOs have relevance for freelancers and smaller creative shops. Pay attention. You will learn something new. We did.
Wed, March 29, 2023
111: A conversation with TJ Bennett, owner of The Pudding Factory, Phoenix
TJ Bennett is a creative veteran with agency experience on both coasts who now makes his home in Phoenix. He runs a virtual creative shop called The Pudding Factory and, like Henry and me, is nerdy about creative briefs. This was a fun conversation. TJ definitely joins the small but growing ranks of Brief Bros. brothers. I'm certain he'll be back even if we have to make a lame excuse to invite him.
Wed, March 22, 2023
110: Lessons from a presentation post-mortem.
How often do you "look in the mirror" after a big presentation? A critical self-assessment may be painful but it's also liberating. In today's episode, Henry Gomez dusts off a "no holds barred" post-mortem of a presentation delivered many years ago that failed to win the project. It's like one of those candid emails you write but then never hit "send." We, on the other hand, are beneficiaries of Henry's never-shared candor. We offer it up to you today as an example of valuable lessons learned, and also to encourage you to learn from your mistakes. Failure is the best teacher.
Wed, March 15, 2023
109: Campbell’s Soup packaging rebrand
Continuing with our ongoing interest in brands and rebranding, Henry Gomez and I share a Wall St. Journal video exploration of Campbell Soup's recent packaging for its iconic soup cans. And we have an in-depth discussion about the results of those efforts. Connecting dots between Byron Sharp's "distinctive brand assets" and a not-so-successful rebranding effort by Tropicana more than a decade ago, we have lot of relevant input for insights. What do you think?
Wed, March 08, 2023
108. A conversation with Marc Williams, creative consultant
Henry Gomez and I are delighted to welcome Marc Williams, currently a creative director/consultant, who for the last dozen years has held senior-level creative leadership positions within corporate America. Marc represents a voice we have not heard from on The Brief Bros., and he brings keen insight into the opportunities and challenges faced by creatives on the client side. Marc's career began in the agency world where he worked at Wunderman and Digitas before jumping the fence and taking on creative director roles at Prudential and Chase, among others. It was a different world and you will hear a fascinating tale about creative and the role of briefs in his experience.
Wed, March 01, 2023
107. Anne Candido and April Martini, co-hosts of Marketing Smarts podcast.
One good turn deserves another: after joining April and Anne on their podcast recently, I invited them to join Henry Gomez and me on our podcast. Anne and April are also partners in a marketing agency called Forthright People. These are two smart and experienced brand professionals, hosts of Marketing Smarts, know their way around a creative brief. April spent years in the agency world while Anne "grew up at P&G," to use her own words. We had a fun, engaging and insightful conversation.
Wed, February 22, 2023
106. The case for waiting to launch your ad career.
Do you jump right from college or your portfolio program into an ad agency or client-side job? Maybe that makes good sense, but don't think you have to. Today, Henry and I talk about the advantages of waiting and doing something else before you start your career. The dividends could pay handsomely.
Wed, February 15, 2023
105. A chat with the AdWeak editor, Paul Taylor.
You've never seen his handsome mug before, but today's the day. Paul Taylor, aka The Adweak Editor, makes his video debut with Henry Gomez and me. It's an honor and a privilege. He's skewered us all, no matter which role we play in AdLand, because he's one of us. And now he's our guest. We had a lively and entertaining conversation. Don't miss this one!
Wed, February 08, 2023
104. When you don’t need to write a creative brief.
I put this question to my partner and co-host, Henry Gomez, resident strategist at Zubi Advertising in Miami and he came up with some great answers. The brief is hard to write so don't think you need one for every project. Save your time and energy and be judicious about when it's time for a brief. Watch this episode and give yourself a break.
Wed, February 01, 2023
103. Creative Review: New OOH for McDonald’s from DDB New Zealand
Henry Gomez and I exchange our views on a new OOH campaign for McDonald’s by DDB New Zealand. We haven’t disagreed about much lately, but today we take opposing views. DDB New Zealand’s work brings a searing spotlight to the issue of advertising’s powerful role as an influencer. Henry and I bat this one back and forth. Tune in to find out where we land.
Wed, February 01, 2023
102. A conversation with Bob Harrison, creative director at Luckie & Company
Bob Harrison is an old friend and colleague from my Minneapolis days. He worked for me as a copywriter when I ran the British Airways NA loyalty programs advertising business. Today, he’s a respected and award-winning creative director/writer at Luckie & Company in Birmingham, AL. And I could not be more proud. Henry Gomez and I invited Bob to join us this week and we had a great chat about his work—Bob and Henry swapped notes about the thrill of winning at Cannes—and the challenges around getting good briefs for his team of creatives. He shares with us Luckie’s commitment to data-driven insights and how that is reflected in the briefing process.
Wed, February 01, 2023
101. A conversation with Mara Rada, chief strategist at Feral Corp.
On our way from episode 100, we plunge ahead into our next 100 episodes! Today we bring you a fascinating conversation with Mara Rada, chief strategist at Feral Corporation. In a short phrase, Mara and her team launch brands from scratch. Most of us in Adland work on existing brands. Mara loves the challenge of working with entrepreneurs to bring to the market the next Apple or Nike or Tesla. It’s a rarified world, and Henry Gomez and I engage her in a wide-ranging conversation. Join us!
Wed, February 01, 2023
100. Our 100th episode. Woo-hoo!
We can hardly believe it, but Henry and I have reached 100 episodes of The Brief Bros. Almost two years of weekly jawing about creative briefs and chatting up guests. Plus the occasional creative review. Today, Henry and I share our thoughts about what we’ve accomplished in the past couple years and bring you clips from our favorite episodes. This is a fond and fun bit of nostalgia and pride in our idea and our partnership. Enjoy the show!
Wed, February 01, 2023
99. What to think about before you write a brief.
What should newbie and veteran brief writers alike consider before they put fingers to keyboard or pen to paper? I put this question to Henry and he gave us some valuable thought-starters. A creative brief is a thinking document, not a mindless form to fill out. Join us on this episode of The Brief Bros. as we offer brief writers sound advice on what to think about before you start writing your next brief.
Wed, February 01, 2023
98. Final Creative Review for 2022.
Henry and I review two new spots for our final Creative Review of 2022. The first spot is for the latest Covid booster by Pfizer Biontech by Fierce Pharma Marketing. Spot number two is by Luck Generals, whose work we’ve reviewed before. This one is a new Christmas spot for Amazon. We like one more than the other. Watch this episode to find out which one wins our approval. Maybe you agree. Maybe you don’t. See you again in 2023!
Wed, February 01, 2023
97. A conversation with Matt Ryan, senior strategist at Popcorn.
Matt Ryan’s official title is Sr. Director of Communication Plans, which is a fancy way of describing his role as the top strategist for Universal Resort Orlando’s in-house ad agency, Popcorn. Henry and I had a chance to talk in depth with Matt about the laudable process Popcorn developed to foster a collaborative environment to write creative briefs. It’s a system worth copying because it works so well. Join us today as Matt tells about what Popcorn does to support great brief writing.
Wed, February 01, 2023
96. Another conversation with Cameron Day, author of Spittin’ Chiclets.
He’s back! Our friend Cameron Day, author of The Advertising Survival Guide—Stage One: Launch and Ascent: Chew With Your Mind Open, and our guest about 10 months ago, returns for another wide-ranging and fun conversation. This time, Henry Gomez and I welcome Cam back to talk about his new book, The Advertising Survival Guide—Stage Two: Managing the Messy Middle Years: Spittin’ Chiclets. Cam weighs in on briefs, writing taglines, why brands matter and don’t, and other juicy topics creatives love to talk about. And we just tickled the surface of Cam’s essential book for advertising creatives. It’s advice we all wish we had when we were starting. So read his books and join us in our conversation.
Wed, February 01, 2023
95. A conversation with Leticia Rita, co-founder of HolaBrief.com.
Henry Gomez and I welcome Leticia Rita, co-founder of an online creative brief platform called HolaBrief.com. Her site offers free customizable briefing templates designed for freelancers, small to medium-sized agencies, design firms and start-ups. Leticia, a former creative, comes to us from Spain. She felt a similar pang of frustration as I did before I wrote my book, during a creative briefing that prompted her to start HolaBrief with a colleague. Today, her team is ten strong. She tells us about HolaBrief, how she got it off the ground and why it’s so important to the creative process. Leticia brings an infectious passion to her work. Don’t miss this episode.
Wed, February 01, 2023
94. Creative Review: Northern Tool Equipment
Henry Gomezhttp://henrylouisgomez.com and I bring you another Creative Review this week. As we try to do with these Reviews, we focus on real products. Northern Tool + Equipment fits the bill perfectly. NT+E is one of the nation’s leading retailers of high-quality tools and equipment for professionals and DIYers. Today we discuss and dissect three spots: one :30 and two :15s. Agency of Record: Colle McVoy, Minneapolis.
Wed, February 01, 2023
93. A conversation with Paul MacFarlane.
Henry Gomez and I welcome one of our more devoted viewers and fans, Paul MacFarlane. He’s also a fellow traveler committed to writing and advocating for great creative briefs. His work as a creative director and brand strategist for his own company, The 1101 Experiment, demonstrates how he puts walks the walk. Paul came to our attention months ago when he started liking and commenting on our LinkedIn posts and the episodes of The Brief Bros. he most enjoyed. You’ll love today’s conversation because Paul brings a unique passion to briefs and briefing we don’t see too often. He’s one of us, ladies and gentleman. God bless him!
Thu, January 19, 2023
92. The return of Bob Hoffman.
Henry Gomez and I welcome our friend Bob Hoffman, whose new book Adscam: How Online Advertising Gave Birth to One of History’s Greatest Frauds, and Became a Threat to Democracy is the theme of today’s episode. Bob is the first guest to make a return visit to The Brief Bros. The title of his new book says it all, but Bob gives us even more. In a scathing indictment of Adtech and the tracking it spawned, Bob tells us the scale of the problem and his prognosis for our future. This is a must-watch episode.
Thu, January 19, 2023
91. A conversation with Patricia Yanez from ESPN.
Henry Gomez and I welcome Patricia Yanez, Associate Director, Brand & Original Content Marketing at ESPN. Patricia came to my attention through our friend Professor Richard L. Gant at NYU, a past guest on #thebriefbros. Patricia gave a talk to Professor Gant’s Event Marketing & Strategies class. Turns out, Patricia is a former student of Professor Gant’s. And she’s a fan of my book on the creative brief. What better reasons to bring her on to discuss her work at ESPN? And the fact that we don’t often speak to marketers who initiate projects that require briefs. Patricia brings a passionate perspective to her work reflected in the best elements of a brief: clarity, inspiration and collaboration.
Thu, January 19, 2023
90. This nebulous thing called ”strategy.”
What comes before the creative brief? Strategy. And what, exactly, is strategy? Good question. The answer is debatable. Henry Gomez and I usually talk about the elements of a creative brief. It’s a document that comes after the strategy has been articulated. All too often, the brief is written without a clear strategy, or any strategy at all. That’s what we talk about in today’s episode. I doubt we’ve cracked this nut for all time, but we’ve added our thoughts in the hope of bringing some clarity to a foggy problem.
Thu, January 19, 2023
89. A closer look at brand tone.
Henry Gomez and I tackle another “nuts and bolts” creative brief topic: brand tone of voice. I have often said in my workshops that if any part of a brief can be cut and pasted from another brief, the “tone of voice” may be a candidate. The brand tone should be the same from one campaign to the next. But after this discussion with Henry, I’ve changed my mind. Why? It’s too important, and the act of cutting and pasting creates the possibility of taking the brand tone for granted. Henry and I explore a Crispin Porter Bogusky brief for Burger King to show you why brand tone plays a vital role in defining the brand. And why you should pay close—closer—attention to brand tone. Not just when you write a brief, but when you think about your brand. Important stuff! Don’t miss this one.
Thu, January 19, 2023
88. Classics Creative Review.
Henry Gomez and I take you back in time once again to review three classic television spots. First up is called “Stunt City” by Lowe London for Sure anti-perspirant. Next, a Fallon TV spot for John Lewis called “Monty the Penguin.” Finally, a spot called “The Epic Split” for Volvo Trucks by Forsman & Bodenfors. Henry and I agree that revisiting classic advertising is both fun and instructive. We’re reminded of the humor of the time in which these spots emerged and the degree of risk these brands we willing to take to make their message memorable.
Thu, January 19, 2023
87. A review of two student creative briefs.
Henry Gomez and I try something new—again—in this week’s episode of #thebrierbros. We share with you two creative briefs written by a student for class project. This brief writer is now a working professional strategist and (full disclosure) I have used both of these briefs in my creative brief workshops. Henry and I dissect the two briefs, one for Zippo Lighters, the others for pet adoption from the Humane Society, and offer up our thoughts. We love both briefs but bring a slightly different set of criteria to a student brief than we do to a professional brief. You’ll be impressed with the work we discuss. Maybe we can persuade the brief’s author to join us in a future episode!
Thu, January 19, 2023
86. A conversation with Steve Harrison.
This week, Henry Gomez and I take great pride in welcoming Steve Harrison, author of Can’t Sell Won’t Sell, a sober and compelling argument against the ad industry’s sad slide into prizing social justice over selling. Steve has earned his bona fides as a creative thinker and leader, having won a pile of awards as European Creative Director at OgilvyOne and Global Creative Director for Wunderman. He’s taken home more Cannes Lions (18) in his discipline than any creative director in the world. Henry and I engage Steve in a fascinating and enlightening discussion about his book, the impact it has had on the industry and his thoughts about the future.
Wed, January 18, 2023
85. A conversation with Tim Brunelle, who could be a third Brief Bros.
This week, Henry Gomez and I are joined by another great creative from the Twin Cities, Tim Brunelle. Tim is a writer, creative director, strategist, leader and a fellow advocate for creative briefs. Tim came to our attention from our friend Mark Jenson, lecturer at the University of Minnesota’s Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communications and a past guest on The Brief Bros. Henry and I have one of those “yes, and” conversations about our first, second and third passions: the creative brief, briefing, creative, good thinking, training. We could have talked all afternoon. But we stopped at about an hour. If you love listening to three Bros. talk about briefs, you’re gonna love this episode.
Wed, January 18, 2023
84. A lively conversation with Professor Mark Ritson.
This week, Henry Gomez and I are joined by a luminary in the field of marketing: Professor Mark Ritson. Professor Ritson has earned a well-deserved reputation for pulling no punches in his commentary on and assessment of marketers and their brand management. Henry is an alum of the two wildly popular and well-attended mini-MBA programs Professor Ritson teaches online. Professor Ritson has the distinction of being both an insightful academic (or ex-academic as he prefers it) who has real-world experience as a marketing consultant for global brands. In this episode, Professor Ritson brings his keen eye and acerbic wit to The Brief Bros. as he discusses the state of marketing training in the US, when brand purpose makes sense and when it doesn’t and the status of brands in general.
Wed, January 18, 2023
83. Reviewing a creative brief by Crispin Porter Bogusky.
This week, Henry Gomez and I try something new and different: we share with you a real creative brief by a real ad agency. So we review both the brief itself and one TV spot that came from the brief. The agency is Crispin Porter Bogusky, a powerhouse creative shop whose work for Burger King, among other brands, shook up the industry in the mid-2000s when this brief was written. The brief is for BBQ Tender Chicken Sandwich and it dates to the mid-2000s. You can read the brief and we show you the brief in the episode. This is a rare treat. The product, the brand and the brief will whet your appetite for what makes a great brief. And you’ll be ready for something to eat.
Wed, January 18, 2023
82. Another Classics Creative Review.
This week, Henry Gomez and I return to Classics Creative Review with three television spots on The Drum’s list: World’s Best Ads of All Time, based on a reader survey. We start with a spot from Thailand called “Smoking Kid” by Ogilvy for the Thai Health Promotion Board. Next up is our review of a spot for Barbie dolls called “Imagine That” created by BBDO San Francisco. Finally, a spot for John West Salmon called “Bear” by Leo Burnett. One PSA and two spots for consumer products. Classics all. Maybe you remember them, maybe you don’t. But you won’t forget them after this episode!
Wed, January 18, 2023
81. A conversation with Gary Goldsmith, Department Chair, Creative Direction, ArtCenter in Pasadena.
This week, Henry Gomez and I are joined by an industry veteran and legend, Gary Goldsmith. Today he is the Department Chair of Creative Direction for ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. But his resume includes stints as creative director at DDB and TBWA\Chiat\Day, as well as chairman and CCO of Goldsmith/Jeffrey before his shop was acquired by Lowe/Interpublic Group. Henry and I had a wonderful conversation with Gary about a topic near and dear to our hears: training for young creatives. It’s a lively and engaging chat, so don’t miss it.
Wed, January 18, 2023
80. A conversation with Charlotte Mair, founder/managing director, The Fitting Room.
Henry Gomez and I welcome Charlotte Mair, named by Ad Age as one of the Leading Women Europe 2021. She is the founder and managing director of her own cultural marketing agency, The Fitting Room. Charlotte’s story will resonate with American viewers. She started with virtually nothing in her bank account, and built a major branding and cultural marketing agency from scratch. We talked about her beginnings, how she turned expectations on their head and thrived as a minority entrepreneur. Don’t miss this conversation!
Wed, January 18, 2023
79. A conversation with Giles Edward, co-founder of Gasp!
Henry Gomez and I welcome Giles Edwards from the UK, creative director and co-founder of Gasp! (https://gasp.agency). Giles is also the host of a podcast called Call To Action. Giles interviews creative talent on his podcast, but today, he’s our guest. He discusses his beginnings, the challenges of starting his own agency, and what he’s learned from speaking with his guests. He’s fast approaching 100 episodes. And he’s a creative powerhouse in his own right. Rob Schwartz, CEO at TBWA\Chiat\Day says of him: “A wonderful overachiever.” Don’t miss this conversation!
Wed, January 18, 2023
78. Classics Creative Review.
Our ongoing series of Classics Creative Reviews continues this week with so, well, classics. Henry and I begin our Classics review with a 1983 spot for the Yellow Pages by Abbot Mead Vicar in the UK. Next up is a Dancer Fitzgerald Sample classic for Wendy’s called Where’s the beef? Lastly, Fast Talker for FedEx, created by Mullen in Boston. Three classics reviewed by two classics for our ongoing series, Classics Creative Review.
Wed, January 18, 2023
77. Why do marketers hate marketing?
Two thought pieces caught our attention this week. The first is by John Long titled “What’s with all the advertising leaders hating on advertising?” The other is by our friend George Tannenbaum called “Ding-Dongs of Doom” on his blog. Each essay has its own argument, but Henry Gomez and I found some common points that rang home with us. John’s point about senior marketing leaders’ attitudes about their profession and George’s point about the consequences of over-specialization within the advertising profession revealed a regrettable fissure in our industry. Henry and I weigh in, and while we have different takes on the topic, we agree on the danger both John and George make clear. Not your typical Brief Bros. conversation, but worth your time.
Wed, January 18, 2023
76. One team or multiple teams—who gets briefed in?
A recent guest on TBB, Mark Jenson, lecturer at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the U of Minnesota, recommended a book called "Rethink the Business of Creativity." Henry Gomez and Howard Ibach discuss a chapter from a book about how many creative teams at an advertising agency should be briefed on a project: one or many or all the teams? The question provokes a pretty big difference of opinion between the Brief Bros. Who's right? Tune in and let us know.
Wed, January 18, 2023
75. Why do brief writers struggle writing a target audience description?
This week, Henry Gomez and I return to Creative Brief Basics, a “nuts and bolts” topic. It’s old news that never gets old: Target Audience. Some brief writers forget how to dig to understand who their communication is meant to speak to. The lazy answer sometimes is, “Well, everyone.” Everyone needs a _______. Whether it’s insurance, household staples, clothes, some brief writers fall into a trap and think they can’t get into the mind of a customer. This is laziness. I get up on my soapbox in this episode, and Henry has some sharp thoughts as well. In the end, we offer up good advice on how to avoid the default trap to write memorable, inspiring descriptions of your brief’s target. Don’t miss this one!
Wed, January 18, 2023
74. Creative Review Cannes 2022 winners.
Week Two of Cannes 2022, Henry Gomez’s continuing adventures. This week, he and I review four Cannes winners. They are: “Super Human,” Grand Prix winner, Film by 4Creative London/Somesuch London. “Detectives” for Apple, Gold Lion, Film, by O Positive LLC Santa Monica, CA. “Liquid Billboard” for Adidas, Grand Prix, Outdoor, by Havas Middle East Dubai. And “Draw Ketchup” for Kraft Heinz, Gold Lion, Print & Publishing, by Rethink Toronto. What do we think? Watch and learn. Don’t miss some compelling creative work.
Wed, January 18, 2023
73. Winning a Lion at Cannes 2022.
Today we celebrate my friend, partner and co-host of The Brief Bros., Henry Gomez, who went to Cannes this year with his colleagues from Zubi Advertising in Miami and won a Silver Lion for work the agency produced for Burger King. In this episode, Henry takes us on the wild but ultimately joy-filled ride he and his team took over many years to achieve this triumph. Join me and Henry as we share with you the inside story of what it takes to stand out at what many consider the pinnacle of advertising creativity in our industry.
Wed, January 18, 2023
72. A conversation with Mark Jenson, lecturer, Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Mark Jenson is an old friend. I’ve been making virtual guest appearances to speak to his advertising students since 2018. He teaches at the University of Minnesota. Mark was instrumental in facilitating Henry and me in our recent multi-episode project to write a creative brief on The Brief Bros for Hulu. Since Henry and I are both educators, it made sense to ask Mark to join us to talk about the state of training and education in the advertising professions at the college level. We had a wide-ranging conversation about what Mark’s students bring to his classes, their attitude toward the profession and his hopes for creatives and account management aspirants in coming years.
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