Getting the Best From Your Creative Agency

A Day of Big Ideas

Earlier this month we had the pleasure of attending The Big Marketing Meet Up, hosted by the unstoppable Treena Clarke, with a line-up that included some of the brightest voices in the industry. From live Q&As with legends like Seth Godin (yep, that Seth Godin) to a Lego divergent thinking challenge with Alan Branagh, the day was packed with ideas, energy and plenty of laughs.

All of the content and speakers were fantastic however - so well done to James Poulter, Albert Hamilton, Peter Craven, Sarah Stewart, Sharon Murray, Niraj Kapur, Ciaran McKeon, Tina Calder, Roger Edwards, David Mannheim, Jude Morrow, Orlagh Kelly and Neal McCullough.

Insights from Aidan’s Fireside chat

We were invited to speak about something close to our Horrible hearts: how to get the best from briefing your creative agency. Because let’s face it — a weak brief sets you up for weak results.

Here are the highlights from our session.

The Biggest Challenge in a Client Brief? Communication.

It sounds simple, but it’s the hardest thing to get right. Too often, briefs miss the mark because there isn’t a deep enough understanding of the problem the client actually faces. Without that clarity, agencies end up guessing at solutions instead of solving real issues.

And let’s not forget the role of brand strategy. Before any campaign gets off the ground, we need to understand the mission, values, positioning and audience. Only then can you interrogate the problem properly and design a solution that works. Add in meaningful data — sales numbers, web traffic, campaign performance — and suddenly, you’ve got a brief with teeth.

Why the Current Agency Model Is Going Wrong

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: a lot of agency models are bloated. Projects take too long to move through the system, and too often, account managers end up as message relayers instead of strategic partners.

Without training or processes in place, communication becomes a game of Chinese whispers, and clients feel the pain. Add outdated tools and a resistance to change, and you can see why even big-name agencies are struggling. The lesson? Agencies need to embrace new tech, evolve their processes, and train their people properly…or risk becoming irrelevant.

Where Every Campaign Should Start

A good campaign doesn’t start with jumping straight into delivery. It starts with a proper internal briefing session. Get the project team together. Outline responsibilities, key milestones, and the big picture before a single asset is created.

At Horrible Brands, we always begin with a brand strategy session. By embedding ourselves in a client’s mission, vision, and values, we align fully with their goals before a single line of copy or pixel of design is produced. It’s about building on context, not assumptions.

Tools That Keep Campaigns on Brief

On the practical side, there are tools and techniques every team should be using:

• Customer/User Personas: mapping out what your audience thinks, feels, and needs keeps everything audience-driven.
• AI Tools: ChatGPT for text generation; Midjourney, AdCreative and/or Canva for visuals. They won’t get you 100% there, but they’ll spark ideas and speed things up.
• Trello (Kanban Boards): simple project management can turn chaos into clarity. Spreadsheets might still have their place (hello, public sector), but for most projects, agile tools like Trello are the way forward.

No More Horrible Briefs (Unless They’re Ours 😉)

A good brief is the difference between polished work that misses the point and strategic creativity that delivers real impact. It comes down to communication, clarity and a willingness to evolve with the times.

The Big Marketing Meet Up was a brilliant chance to share, listen and learn. Hats off again to Treena Clarke for organising, Sarah Travers for the warm (and wonderfully Horrible) intro, and every speaker who made the day a knockout.

For us, the main takeaway was simple: the better the brief, the better the work. If you want stronger campaigns, stop guessing and start briefing properly.

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