The Counterpart Brief is a framework I developed for project-level message strategy. Its purpose is to define the strongest overall promise and a streamlined argument structure for an individual message or campaign of messages.
The Counterpart Brief first came to life in 2020. It was the product of nine months of contemplation. I studied briefs from other agencies and then reimagined the process from the ground up.
The Counterpart Brief is a framework, not a formula. Like any framework, it doesn’t give you an automatic answer. And it doesn’t do the thinking for you. Instead it gives you traction for tackling a large and nebulous task. It gives you an ordered way to think. It allows for gray areas and judgement calls. It helps you think the thing through, and leads you to a conclusion you can feel confident in.
The Counterpart Brief has been used on hundreds — more likely thousands — of projects. Projects ranging from video to web… social to print… branding to email. If you’re responsible for getting the message right in any medium, the Counterpart Brief is for you.
The Counterpart Brief plays the same role as a traditional creative brief. A creative brief guides the creative team (writers and designers) on what to say. Then they focus on how to say it. The goal is to achieve the most persuasive balance of the two.
Let’s start with the general benefits of any creative brief. ChatGPT does a good job answering the following question.
A creative brief is like a blueprint for marketing and advertising projects. It lays out the key details needed to ensure that everyone involved — designers, writers, strategists, and stakeholders — understands the objectives, audience, and messaging of a campaign.
The purpose of a creative brief:
These benefits are generally true of the Counterpart Brief as well. Where it excels is in its focus on the message and its ability to foster empathy with the target audience.
Traditionally, agency creative briefs include both message- and project-related info. For example, they’ll say the main message is “ABC widgets make work easier,” and then they’ll also warn “Budget is $10,000.” That’s a mixed message to the creative team. They can’t think about how to express the message without also thinking about how much time they’re putting on their timesheets. And while that’s the reality of work, it doesn’t help you produce the best work.
Enter the Counterpart Brief. There are two things that set it apart.
First, it focuses entirely on the message. No sales goals or media specifications or anything like that are allowed. Non-message info is handled in a separate document called Parameters. (Because — as my research shows — message matters most.)
Second, the Counterpart Brief is more than a document. It’s a dialogue between the sender of the message and the receiver. Like for real, it’s a conversation. You literally have to role-play to fill the thing out.
This approach is different from any creative brief format I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen a lot. I actually have a collection of creative brief templates going back 30 years.
The Counterpart Brief gives you an entirely fresh perspective — because it’s a dual perspective. It instills a deeper understanding of the target audience — helping you arrive at more relevant and impactful messages. And that’s before the creative team even gets started.
“Counterpart’s disciplined approach to message strategy is like nothing I’ve ever experienced from any other agency. Their brief process, in particular, is a true game-changer! It literally guided my thoughts and allowed me to focus on what truly matters. It has had a profound impact on my ability to reach my clients.”
Carrie Perry (FedEx Trade Networks, Wright Medical, Carrie Perry Coaching & Consulting)
The Counterpart Brief has two equal sections, each with four questions. The first section is called Empathize. The second, Engage. The order is deliberate… you’ve gotta understand your prospect first before you can offer a solution that meets them where they are.
In the first section of the Counterpart Brief, the brief writer’s job is to “Be the prospect.” We imagine that the marketer (or the sender of the message) is asking the questions. And the prospect (the receiver of the message) answers those questions in first person.
These are the questions in the Empathize section:
In the second section, the brief writer’s job is to “Guide the prospect.” So we flip the perspective. Now we imagine that the prospect (the receiver of the message) is asking the questions. And the marketer (the sender of the message) answers the questions in second person — as if talking directly to the prospect.
These are the questions in the Engage section:
So in the first section, you answer in first person. In the second section, you answer in second person. Love how that worked out.
I’d better not share the message strategies of our clients. But, the following is the brief I wrote for this website. You’ll notice there are three different target audiences. They’re prioritized, with subsequent answers corresponding to each audience’s assigned number.
Who are you?
What’s your challenge?
How are you feeling about it?
What are your options?
What can you promise me?
Expert guidance on message strategy
Why should I believe you?
Teaching presentations on:
Workshops on:
Credentials:
What should I do next?
Contact Sheperd.
Now that you’ve read this, click around the site and see if I followed my own instructions!
The Counterpart Brief is one of the first steps in a communication project with Counterpart — it’s not a stand-alone item. So, the cost of writing a brief is built into each project.
It depends on how tricky the message is, how much we have to untangle, and how many approvals and revisions it takes.
Of course, the better we know you, the less time it takes. (I’ve always said that if we understand the products and the target audiences well enough, a client can tell us no more than “We need to promote product X to audience Y,” and we’d be able to write the brief from there.)
Sometimes a project is an iteration of what’s come before. In this case, we might repurpose a previous creative brief. No use doing redundant work.
Most projects need a creative brief, but there are some exceptions.
It goes a little something like this.
Want to DIY? If so, you’ve got the basics of the brief above. Godspeed!
Way easier: Get yourself a Counterpart. Because hey, I didn’t tell you everything. There are prompts and pitfalls. Tricks and traps. And other considerations that aren’t alliterative. It sure is nice to have somebody guide you through it all.
Not sure which way to go? Read a post that’ll help you decide between “done by you” vs. “done for you”.
Not sure if you need the Counterpart Brief at all? Hey, maybe you don’t. Book some consulting time with me, and we can figure it out together.
