Whether we’re developing a full campaign or creating a toolkit of sales assets, the challenge is the same: make sense of the science, find what really matters to the audience, and turn it into something clear, engaging and creatively interesting.

So, what’s that process at twcreative®? We probed Verity, Account Manager, and Alex, Designer, on how they turn technical briefs into output that will knock your socks off!

Q: A client hands you a new technical product brief. What’s the first thing you do? 

Verity:

I tend to start with a slightly sarcastic question…why? Why this brief? Why now? And often, what actually is this product, and why does it exist? 

Working in animal health means communicating with some incredibly clever people and creating content for audiences far more accomplished than me, and who don’t faint at the sight of blood. But we’re all human. If I can’t understand a product and why it was created, can we expect a vet, farmer or pet owner to? Once the brief is refined, then comes the joys of account admin!

Q: Brief signed off. Scope approved. What happens next? 

Verity:

After some intense research and strategic thinking [queue Philomena Cunk wandering the corridors of the British Library], I finally get to be creative without the pressure of being a good designer.

With technical briefs, I’m a big believer in going beyond the standard creative brief. I’ve filmed comedy sketches, recorded fairly decent rap songs and more recently delivered a sensory slug-themed lunch & learn. Why? Because the unexpected is memorable and it gets everyone talking. We even have an agency slug mascot called Trevor as a result!  

Q: How do you approach a brief when you don't have a scientific background yourself?

Alex:

It’s not about trying to become a scientist overnight (thankfully)! I focus on understanding the subject well enough to know what matters and, importantly, spot what might need explaining or simplifying for the audience. It’s about knowing how to digest complex information and turn it into clear, engaging communication.

Q: Once you've understood the subject, where do you start creatively?

Alex:

While there are creative processes, there’s no single perfect formula. Sometimes the structure needs exploring first, sometimes we need to pin down the key messaging, or I might even be inspired by something I’ve overheard in Waitrose that sparks an idea. Whatever the process, the constant is always: “How does this make you feel?” Because ultimately, we’re in the people business.

Q: How do you turn something technically complicated into something people can understand without dumbing it down? And where does the creative idea come from?

Alex:

I’d say this is where the collaboration between Account Manager and Creative really shines. It’s partly about hierarchy, visual storytelling, removing unnecessary information and knowing what not to include but it’s also about having multiple perspectives. What’s irrelevant to one person could be the cornerstone of someone else’s experience, so being able to challenge and bounce ideas between people who think differently helps us find the clearest way through the complexity.

There’s a long history of creatives travelling and collecting things to inspire ideas. I love that inspiration doesn’t always have to come from the subject matter itself; it can come from an everyday experience, a visual metaphor, editorial design, film, architecture or something completely unexpected. You never quite know where the next idea is going to come from!

Q: How do you know when an idea is creatively interesting and strategically right?

Verity:

It comes back to the fact we’re all human. After a long day and commute, with plenty of online scrolling, what would make me stop and stare? 

Even when we think people switch off from work, I’m still saving useful, eye-catching ideas to bring into my day job. So, there’s a good chance we all must be…right?

For me, in animal health, it’s a striking animal image, clever treatments, headlines, and uncluttered ad space. If it grabs my attention, there’s a good chance I’ll be hounding (pardon the pun) my manager about it the next day.

Q: Once you've got an idea that's right for the audience, how do you make sure it continues to work when you take it across different formats and channels?

Verity:

In the early days, I thought I’d hand the creative rollout over to the designer, and my job was done. How wrong was I! I’m a stickler for detail, so yes, I enjoy reviewing the same assets after 10 rounds of amends. But rollout really is crucial. We’ll explore 2-3 formats and sizes during concepting to ensure the idea works across the campaign. Get that right early on, and the rest should be as easy as putting together flat-pack furniture with your partner. 

Complex, technical briefs don’t have to mean complicated ads or a dull process. It’s about knowing where to start when the information is overwhelming, how we work together to work out the real problem, and giving the creative team the freedom to find unexpected solutions. The result? Creative work we’re proud of, and no doubt a few laughs along the way.