Great advertising doesn't come out of the blue, bad advertising does. Great advertising starts with strategically-constructed inspiration, usually in the form of a single-page document known as the ...

It can be a source of disdain, mocked for slipshod superficiality. Or it can be a treasure map, prized for its insights. Either way, the creative brief is saddled with significant responsibilities.

A creative brief is like a road map. A good brief leads to imaginative and persuasive ads. And gets you there quickly. A bad brief starts you off in the wrong direction. So you have to stop, figure ...