AI Skill Report Card
Developing Brand Campaigns
B2B Brand Campaign Development
Quick Start14 / 15
Create a campaign concept in 4 steps:
- Research phase: Audit 5 competitors + 3 adjacent industries + gather 10 visual references
- Mood board: Define color (3-5 colors), typography (2 fonts max), imagery style, motion approach
- Concept development: Create 2-3 distinct directions with clear rationale
- Present: Problem → Insight → Creative Idea → Executions → Success Metrics
Recommendation▾
Combine research and mood board phases - they're closely related and splitting them adds unnecessary complexity
Workflow15 / 15
Phase 1: Inspiration Research
Progress:
- Competitive landscape audit (5-7 direct competitors)
- Adjacent industry inspiration (3 industries that share your audience)
- Visual reference gathering (Awwwards, Minimal Gallery, Behance)
- Trend analysis synthesis
Phase 2: Mood Board Construction
Progress:
- Color territory definition (primary + 2-4 supporting colors)
- Typographic voice selection (1 headline + 1 body font)
- Imagery direction (photography style, illustration approach, iconography)
- Motion language (animation principles, transitions, micro-interactions)
Phase 3: Creative Concept Development
Progress:
- Generate 5-7 initial concepts
- Narrow to 2-3 distinct directions
- Develop rationale for each direction
- Create rough executions for each concept
Phase 4: Creative Brief & Presentation
Progress:
- Structure presentation flow
- Prepare creative brief document
- Align stakeholders before production
- Define success metrics
Recommendation▾
The creative brief template could be more concise and action-focused rather than comprehensive documentation
Examples18 / 20
Example 1: SaaS Platform Campaign Input: "Need campaign for new analytics platform targeting marketing directors" Output:
- Research: Analyzed Tableau, HubSpot, Salesforce + finance/healthcare industries
- Mood board: Deep blue primary, clean sans-serif, data visualization imagery, subtle animations
- Concepts:
- "Data Detective" - investigative theme
- "Crystal Clear" - transparency focus
- "Growth Engine" - performance emphasis
- Brief: Problem (data confusion) → Insight (marketers want clarity) → Idea (simplify complexity) → Executions (web, email, social) → Metrics (engagement, demo requests)
Example 2: Professional Services Rebrand Input: "Consulting firm needs modern positioning for Fortune 500 clients" Output:
- Research: McKinsey, Deloitte, Accenture + tech startups + architectural firms
- Mood board: Charcoal/gold palette, modern serif + geometric sans, abstract photography, smooth transitions
- Concepts:
- "Strategic Architects" - building metaphor
- "Future Forward" - innovation focus
- "Trusted Advisor" - relationship emphasis
Recommendation▾
Examples could show more specific input/output pairs, particularly the actual creative concepts with visual descriptions
Best Practices
Research Phase:
- Document 3 key insights per competitor
- Look 2 industries adjacent to your target market
- Save references with specific rationale notes
- Focus on what's working, not just what looks good
Mood Board Creation:
- Limit color palette to 5 colors maximum
- Choose fonts that work across all touchpoints
- Define imagery rules, not just examples
- Consider motion from the start, not as afterthought
Concept Development:
- Each direction should feel distinctly different
- Provide clear strategic rationale for each concept
- Test concepts with quick mockups before full development
- Consider production feasibility early
Presentation Structure:
- Start with business context, not creative work
- Connect each creative decision to strategic insight
- Show concepts in realistic applications
- End with clear next steps and timeline
Common Pitfalls
Research Mistakes:
- Only looking at direct competitors
- Collecting pretty images without strategic purpose
- Ignoring current brand equity and guidelines
- Not considering technical constraints
Concept Development Issues:
- Creating concepts that are too similar
- Falling in love with first idea
- Ignoring brand guidelines or client feedback
- Not considering all campaign touchpoints
Presentation Problems:
- Leading with creative before context
- Not explaining strategic rationale
- Showing concepts in isolation vs. real applications
- Forgetting to define success metrics
Creative Brief Format:
CREATIVE BRIEF
Project: [Campaign Name]
Timeline: [Start - End dates]
BUSINESS CONTEXT
- Challenge/Opportunity
- Target Audience
- Key Message
- Success Metrics
CREATIVE STRATEGY
- Core Insight
- Creative Idea
- Tone/Personality
- Proof Points
EXECUTIONS
- Primary touchpoints
- Secondary applications
- Production requirements
- Budget considerations
NEXT STEPS
- Approval process
- Production timeline
- Stakeholder responsibilities