Creative brief template for short-form video
One page that tells a creator what to make for TikTok, Reels or Shorts: the objective, the audience, the hook, the one message, the proof they may use and what to deliver. Copy it, then see it filled in for a real trend.
What a creative brief is for
A creative brief is the one page a brand gives a creator or an agency before anything is filmed. For short-form video it has to answer fewer questions than a campaign brief, but sharper ones: what the first two seconds show, the single thing the viewer should remember, which claims the creator may make, and exactly what files come back.
The template
Thirteen fields. Leave none blank: an empty field is a decision the creator will make for you.
CREATIVE BRIEF — SHORT-FORM VIDEO 1. Brand and product: 2. Objective (pick one: awareness, consideration, conversion) and the one number you will judge it by: 3. Audience (who they are, what they care about, where they watch): 4. Insight (the problem or desire, in their own words): 5. Trend or format to ride (the angle, plus two or three example videos): 6. Hook (what the first two seconds say and show): 7. Key message (one sentence the viewer should remember): 8. Proof points (facts the creator may say, and nothing beyond them): 9. Call to action (link, code, shop or search term): 10. Mandatories (product on screen, #ad or paid partnership label, captions, legal lines): 11. Don'ts (claims to avoid, competitors, topics): 12. Deliverables (length: 15/30/60 s; 9:16; number of hooks to test; raw footage yes/no): 13. Timeline, approvals and usage rights (organic only or paid, for how long):
A filled example
For a fictional product, Glowpoint vitamin C serum, riding the makeup transition clips rising on TikTok this autumn. The script for this brief is on the UGC script generator page.
- Brand and product
- Glowpoint vitamin C serum: a vitamin C face serum for dull, uneven skin, used in the morning under moisturizer and sunscreen.
- Objective
- Conversion. Judged by orders with the code GLOW15 in the first 14 days.
- Audience
- People in their 20s and 30s with dull skin who watch makeup and skincare videos on TikTok.
- Insight
- “My makeup looks flat because my skin underneath looks tired.”
- Trend to ride
- Makeup transition clips: one cut from bare face to finished look. This version cuts from bare skin to the same skin after the morning routine.
- Hook
- Bare face to camera: “Watch my skin before the transition.”
- Key message
- Glow starts under the makeup: one serum step in the morning.
- Proof points
- Only what the brand can back up: it is a vitamin C serum, it is used in the morning under moisturizer and sunscreen. No percentages, before-and-after claims or reviews unless the brand supplies them.
- Call to action
- 15% off the first order with code GLOW15.
- Mandatories
- Serum in hand on screen during the demo, #ad first in the caption, burned-in captions, sunscreen named in the routine.
- Don'ts
- No medical words (treats, cures, heals), no competitor names, no filters on skin shots.
- Deliverables
- One 30-second video, 9:16, three alternative hooks filmed, raw footage included.
- Timeline and rights
- Draft in 7 days, one round of edits; organic posting plus 30 days of paid usage.
How to write a brief creators follow
One objective, one message
A brief that asks for awareness and sales and a new audience gets a video that does none of them.
Hand over the hook
Write the first two seconds yourself, or give two to test. It is the part that decides whether anyone sees the rest.
Fix the facts, free the voice
List the claims the creator may make and leave the delivery to them. Their way of talking is why you hired them.
Need a trend to ride? TikTok hooks that work this week and this week's creator ads are two places to start.
Questions
What should a creative brief include?
For short-form video: the brand and product, one objective, the audience and their problem, the trend or format, the hook, one key message, the proof the creator may use, the call to action, mandatories and don'ts, deliverables, and the timeline with usage rights.
How long should a creative brief be?
One page. If it runs longer, the creator will skim it, and the part they skip is usually the one you cared about.
What is the difference between a brief and a script?
The brief says what the video must achieve and what it may claim. The script says what is said and shown, second by second. Many brands send both: the brief sets the rules, the script gives a starting point.
Can YoTrends fill in the brief for me?
YoTrends finds the trend angles rising in your niche and writes the script, the hooks and the shot list for your product. Exporting them as a brief is on our roadmap; today you copy them into this template.
Fill the hook and script from this week's trends
Free tier, no credit card. Set your niche, pick a rising angle and get the script for your brief.
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