A brief is a unifying document that helps creatives identify the unique vision for your restaurant’s brand. It tells your brand's story, why it matters to the customer, and ensures an exceptional delivery every time. Conversely, a poor creative brief can waste time and money, creating frustration when the work doesn't align with the vision. 

But, what makes for an excellent creative brief? 

We've got together with Freelance Photographer JustGrayce Photography and Doughnut shop, 'Romain's Dough', to find out what the do's and dough-nuts of the creative brief are.

Here's what we learned: 

1. Define your audience‍

'This is fundamental to pinning down your shoot's style', says Grayce. Photography is a way to tell a visual story of who you are as a brand and what you are all about. So start by defining the type of audience you want to reach, who will be eating at your restaurant? How will potential diners consume the images? Print, digital or on social?‍

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2. Get inspired

‍Draw inspiration from some of your favourite brands. Hone in on a specific aesthetic and style and what you love about it to create a mood board for forming the look and feel of your brand.  If you're aiming for a more eclectic aesthetic, you may also want to think about props, backgrounds and colour schemes.

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3. Curate your content

Before you get snapping, you'll need to have a clear idea of where you will use your photos and for what purpose. This will help to define what content you need based on the project.  A couple of shots of your most boujee burgers or idyllic iced coffees will do if it's a social post. However, when you're launching a website, you'll need to sit down and create a list of the dishes that showcase your restaurant with the broader brand in mind. If your budget is limited, work out what are the 'must-haves' and 'nice-to-haves' of your menu. Setting up the shots can be surprisingly time-consuming, so creating a comprehensive list of your core products can help prioritise.  

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‍4. Delve into the detail

While your snaps might leave eaters dying to undress those dirty fries, don't forget about branding and packaging. Powerful branding is what resonates with the customer long after the last bite.  If you've got a vision for how you want your product to look in your customer's hands, now is the time to tell that story. Think the rich Cadbury’s purple, or Mc Donald’s golden arches. 

5. Show personality

We all know the food is the star of the show, but now's the chance to share the story of your restaurant's journey, where you come from and who you are. Sharing a good meal has the social and emotional power to bring us , so use this opportunity to emotionally connect with your customers. Visual snippets can help showcase your personality and build your brand. As consumers, we love to know where our food comes from. Sharing the back story of your ingredients - think salad bowls packed with local produce or roti handmade with love.

A well thought out creative brief is imperative no matter the scale of the project. From quick turnarounds to long drawn out projects, a solid creative brief is the one document all parties refer to throughout the life of the campaign or launch. So, what will you say, and how will you say it?

Here's the link of the google slide brief that you can use as a template.

Get cracking, but be brief.