What to put in a video ad brief so the first cut is usable

Start with the goal and the audience

Most video ad revisions are about missing information, not taste. Nobody said who the ad was for, what it must say, which claims are allowed, or where it would run. A brief answers those questions before work starts.

The goal. State the single result you want in plain terms: book a call, request a quote, buy the starter pack, install the app. If you have several goals, pick one for this ad. An ad that tries to do three things usually does none of them well.

The audience. Say who you are talking to and what they already know. Someone who has never heard of your brand needs a different ad from someone who visited your site last week. Name the hesitation the ad should answer, such as price, trust, time, or whether the product works. If you have separate audiences, brief each one on its own.

Give one main message and the proof behind it

One main message. Write the one thing a viewer should remember. Test it by saying it in a single breath. If it needs the word and, it is probably two messages. Add up to three supporting points in order of importance, so the editor knows what to cut when the video runs long.

Proof you are allowed to use. Claims need support. List the evidence you can show: genuine reviews you have permission to use, certifications, product demonstrations, real before-and-after footage, or awards. Also list what you cannot say. In regulated areas such as health or finance, and for anything that mentions a guarantee, put the approved wording in the brief.

Do not ask for results or testimonials you do not have. An ad built on a claim you cannot back up is a risk to your account as well as your reputation.

Spell out the offer and the next step

Say exactly what the viewer gets and what they should do. Include the offer, the price or discount if there is one, any deadline, and the action: a button label, web address or phone number.

Say what happens after they act. The ad's call to action should match the first thing they see on the landing page. If the ad promises a quick quote and the page opens with a company history, you will lose people between the two. If your ads bring clicks but few enquiries, our guide on telling an ad problem from a funnel problem shows how to check the steps after the click.

Say where it will run and in which shapes

The platform changes the creative. Name each placement: Meta feed and Stories, TikTok, YouTube, or others. For each one, list the frame ratios you need (9:16, 4:5, 1:1, 16:9), the length you want, and whether the ad will play with sound.

Many viewers watch muted, so say whether captions are needed and in which language. If the ad will run in more than one country, mention any differences in spelling, currency or legal wording.

If you want a presenter or UGC-style ad, say so. At Actually Good Ads these use AI-generated presenters, not hired creators, and we follow each platform's rules on labelling AI-generated content. Nothing for you to film.

Share tone and references

Give two or three ads or videos you like and say what you like in each: the pacing, the humour, the look, the music or the structure. Add one you dislike and say why. This tells a team far more than words such as premium or fun.

Then add your hard boundaries: words you avoid, competitors you never mention, and imagery that does not suit your brand. Short and plain is fine. A list of five lines will do.

Send materials, a timeline and one decision-maker

Gather what the team needs before work starts, and send it with the brief rather than in pieces. Late material is a common cause of delay.

• Logo files in vector or high-resolution formats.
• Brand colours, fonts and any guidelines.
• Product photos or clips, with a note on which are current.
• Exact wording for names, prices, legal lines and claims.
• Past ads that performed well or badly, with notes on why.

Give a launch date and work back from it. Name the person with final approval, and list anyone else who must review, such as legal or a regional manager. Ask them to review together, not one after another. A cut passed round three people separately usually comes back with three sets of conflicting notes.

A short version you can copy

If you only have ten minutes, answer these lines:

• Goal for this ad:
• Who it is for, and what they doubt:
• The one message:
• Proof we can show, and claims we cannot make:
• Offer and next step:
• Platforms, ratios, length, sound on or off:
• Tone, with two references:
• Materials attached:
• Launch date and approver:

Treat the first version as a test with a clear purpose, then use the results to sharpen the next brief. When ads start to tire, see how to spot creative fatigue. To have us make the ads, book a free strategy call.