Buzzwords of the Creative Brief
If you’re in advertising, you’ve probably noticed that every creative brief sounds… oddly similar. Sure, the product might change, but the language? Not so much. Every brief is littered with buzzwords like “disruptive,” “authentic,” and “out-of-the-box,” all meant to inspire some groundbreaking idea. (eye-roll) But we all know what they really mean: “Please make us look cool.” I thought I’d create a secret translation of every buzzword on the creative brief that just feels like a collection of vague requests. Prepare to roll your eyes, nod knowingly, and maybe laugh (just a little) in solidarity.
1. “Disruptive” (Translation: ‘Make Noise, But Like… in a Polite Way’)
Ah, “disruptive.” The holy grail of buzzwords. If there’s one word that’s overused in advertising, it’s this one. In theory, it means shaking things up, standing out from the crowd, doing something no one else is doing. But in reality? Clients want something different, but not *too* different. What they’re really saying is: “Make it look unique, but let’s not scare anyone off.” They want edgy… as long as it’s safe. So think of this as the creative version of “Let’s get wild!” but with a 10 p.m. curfew.
2. “Authentic” (Translation: ‘We Don’t Want to Look Like We’re Trying Too Hard… But We Are’)
“Authentic” is one of those words that’s trying way too hard to sound genuine. When a client says they want the campaign to feel “authentic,” they’re essentially asking for the impossible: make us look effortlessly cool, but like we *didn’t* spend six focus groups trying to figure it out. The irony? By the time this “authentic” campaign is approved, it’s usually been tweaked so much it’s about as natural as a robot reading poetry. So just remember: when they say “authentic,” they mean “make us relatable… but only in a perfectly controlled way.”
3. “Innovative” (Translation: ‘Just Add a Random New Feature and Call It a Day’)
Innovation used to mean inventing something that’s never been done before, like the iPhone or the internet. Now? It means sticking a new feature onto an existing product and calling it groundbreaking. If the client wants “innovative,” they’re not asking you to invent the wheel—they’re asking for a square-shaped donut or a toothbrush that plays music. When you see “innovative” on the brief, just know they want the illusion of something new without the risk (or budget) of actual innovation. Go ahead, add a sprinkle of novelty, and make sure they can slap “New!” on the package.
4. “Out-of-the-Box” (Translation: ‘Like the Last Campaign, But Different’)
“Out-of-the-box” is a code for, “We want you to surprise us—but only in ways we’re already comfortable with.” Clients will say they want something wild, but they’re secretly hoping for a creative twist on the same old, same old. So when you hear “out-of-the-box,” don’t start getting too ambitious. Instead, give them “Box 2.0.” It’s about finding a fresh angle on what’s been done before without actually pushing any boundaries. Out-of-the-box is just a slightly rounder box—don’t overthink it.
5. “Synergy” (Translation: ‘Make Us Look Like We Actually Work Together’)
Every brief with “synergy” sprinkled in is trying to make it sound like this is some incredible cross-functional dream team of departments working in perfect harmony. But, usually, it’s more like five different teams with five different agendas who barely tolerate each other’s email threads. “Synergy” means you’re expected to create a campaign that ties all these disconnected parts together seamlessly. You’re basically the glue holding together marketing’s wild ideas, sales’ conservative forecasts, and PR’s endless revisions. Synergy is the polite way of saying, “Good luck making this Frankenstein work.”
6. “Millennial Appeal” (Translation: ‘Add Memes, Or Something?’)
Every client wants that millennial (or Gen Z) appeal, which translates to, “We need this to go viral with the youths.” They want pop culture references, maybe some emojis, and a dash of TikTok-style randomness, but only in a way that feels polished and still on-brand. When you see “millennial appeal” in the brief, you’re being asked to make something “cool” by people who don’t actually know what “cool” is anymore. Throw in a meme or a slightly outdated hashtag, and watch them nod approvingly without really knowing what it means.
7. “Impactful” (Translation: ‘Make It Look Impressive Without Spending Too Much’)
“Impactful” is the buzzword equivalent of going on a strict budget vacation but hoping for five-star luxury. The client wants something that looks like you had Hollywood-level production values… without the Hollywood-level budget. When they say “impactful,” they’re asking you to maximize the drama while minimizing the cost. They want big emotions, big visuals, big everything, without spending big money. So prepare to work magic on a shoestring and pray it somehow comes off as bold and memorable.
8. “Human-Centric” (Translation: ‘Don’t Make Us Look Like Robots’)
“Human-centric” sounds simple enough, but it’s just another way of saying, “We want to come off as approachable, relatable, and trustworthy.” In other words, the client’s terrified that their brand sounds like a robot speaking in bullet points. This buzzword usually means they want a more conversational tone, some real people photos, and maybe a touch of storytelling. Think of it as the “heart” of the campaign, meant to remind customers that, yes, there are real humans behind this brand—even if they’re just following a script. 9. “Scalable” (Translation: ‘We Might Recycle This for 10 Other Campaigns’) When “scalable” appears in a brief, you can bet this campaign is going to be reworked, resized, and reused in every possible format. “Scalable” means it has to work for digital, print, social media, and whatever new platform the client’s CEO just read about in a Forbes article. So, get ready to design something that looks good on everything from a billboard to a postage stamp. This is “set it and forget it” at its finest, ensuring they can use this campaign until it’s as worn out as that old office coffee mug that never gets washed.
10. “ROI-Driven” (Translation: ‘Make Sure This Actually Sells’)
At the end of the day, creative briefs are basically just a wish list of everything the client dreams their campaign will be. But behind every buzzword is a very real, sometimes conflicting expectation. As a creative, your job is to cut through the corporate lingo and get to the heart of what they’re actually asking for—because, let’s be honest, it’s usually not what they’ve written.
Next time you see words like “disruptive” or “authentic,” just give a little nod, smile to yourself, and do what you do best: take the request, sprinkle in some real creativity, and deliver something they didn’t even know they wanted. Because in the end, that’s what being a creative is all about—reading between the lines, embracing the chaos, and making it look effortless.
Finally, there’s “ROI-driven,” which is just corporate speak for “If this doesn’t make money, heads will roll.” The client wants assurances that the campaign will directly impact their bottom line, which they’ll measure down to the last decimal point. If the brief says “ROI-driven,” it’s code for “sell, sell, sell,” but without coming off too desperate. You’re expected to do something so effective that it practically converts leads on the spot—but without sacrificing an ounce of creativity. Basically, it’s like being asked to sell lemonade with a Michelin-star recipe. Good luck.
