Crafting a Compelling Creative Strategy Deck for a Client
A Simple Step-by-Step Guide for Designers
In the dynamic landscape of the creative industry, where I specialize in delivering top-notch design and creative services to my clients, a recurring question echoes through the corridors of creativity: ‘How does one craft a compelling creative strategy proposal?’
This question, posed by both emerging junior creatives and seasoned middle-level designers, has fuelled my exploration into the art of articulating an irresistible creative strategy deck that not only captivates but also delivers exceptional value to clients.
Through this article, I hope to share insights and tips based on my experience. Various visual aids will try and practically demonstrate how various segments in a deck look like (it is more difficult than it sounds) and hopefully provide a satisfactory answer to the question.
To note, however, is that every creative director has a unique way of unpacking their strategic thinking, so, be advised to take everything with a pinch of salt.
Let’s dive into the essential elements contributing to a well-structured and impactful creative strategy deck.
1. Foundational Skills: Critical thinking, and ‘designerly thinking’
Before delving into the proposal creation process, it’s crucial to possess foundational skills, specifically, critical thinking and ‘designerly thinking’.
Designers must not only think creatively (designerly thinking) but also approach problems with a Design Thinking mindset. Both are very different but are applied simultaneously by the designer. Below are definitions to distinguish both design realms.
a) designerly thinking informs Design Layout, Composition and Communication
‘designerly thinking (small ‘d’, ‘t’)’ is simply what designers do in practice. Primarily shaped by research and scientific exploration within the realm of design, it encompasses subjects about the arts, craftsmanship, and the aesthetics of objects.
Johansson-Sköldberg et al. (2013) defines ‘designerly thinking’ as a theoretical reflection and interpretation of practical design work that entails learning how designers think, address challenges, and use their expertise during the design process.
Designerly thinking helps designers envision how the creative strategy for a client brief will be visualized. Normally championed by a creative director, he/she leads the design and execution of strategic communication on behalf of a brand — and that drives demand for the brand or delivers impactful results for the end-users. Creative directors also double up as brand custodians.
Designerly thinking manifests in applying the technical skill of crafting the creative strategy proposal. Here, designers write and layout thoughts chronologically and comprehensively on the deck. This includes but is it limited to, digitally designed graphics, typography, mood boards, storyboards, scripts, infographics and ideas.
b) Design Thinking informs creative strategy, and at times, is anchored in Systems Design
Design Thinking (DT) offers a comprehensive yet subjective and iterative approach, bringing with it a valuable framework for effective problem-solving. It serves as a cornerstone in the design process, contributing to the critical thinking aspect while also housing the ‘creative genius’ behind ideation processes. Notably, subjectivity is evident in crafting creative presentations, given that no two briefs are approached in precisely the same manner as each creative brings their unique perspective. Similarly, even when designers are acquainted, a brief may be interpreted in diverse ways. This diversity in interpretation and execution adds significant value, highlighting the richness of varied thoughts and approaches.
Design Thinking is characterized as “a system/process that utilizes the designer’s sensibility and methods to align people’s needs with what is technologically feasible and can be converted into consumer value and market opportunity” (Brown, 2008, p. 86).
I concur with the design researcher, Tschimmel (2012), when he emphasizes that ‘DT is an effective tool for designing for 1. innovation and 2. business success.’ A case in point is that applying a DT mindset to writing a creative deck should typically inform on new and innovative ideas — be it a product/service.
Therefore, designers must always put the targeted audience (or end-users) in mind. IDEO’s definition puts this to focus when defining DT as, ‘a human-centered process that begins with understanding the needs and desires of the end-user and then moves through ideation, prototyping, and testing to arrive at a final solution’.
In their strategic thinking processes, designers must apply a Design Thinking (DT) mindset. This involves empathizing with users, proposing relevant solutions, contextualizing the relevance of those proposed solutions, conducting experiments (or what we call ‘dip-sticks’ or ‘immersions’) to check their applicability, and generate various versions of potential solutions, all with the goal of reaching an ‘Aha moment’ — A winning creative strategy for the client.
To get there, designers should commit to continuously refining their thinking and content pieces, whether they be copywriting or creative elements, to deliver a compelling strategy. This refinement process is the crux of what the client is paying for, as it is where the value of the creative delivery is realized. Recognizing that coming up with a compelling and innovative creative strategy is an iterative process, designers need time to thoroughly consider proposals, often requiring days or even weeks to complete the work.
Finally, the level of creativity and complexity of a creative strategy proposal is often driven by a third and perhaps less known construct called Systems Design (SD). Normally SD is associated with the process of designing the elements of a system such as the architecture, modules, and components, the different interfaces of those components, and the data that goes through that system. It answers the empirical ‘How’ questions, such as ‘How does the brand campaign/direction deliver on the brief objectives?’ It also provides a summary of the entire strategic creative direction, proposed methods for execution and outputs across all media. SD ‘requires environmental empathy, is complex and necessary, has do-or-die constraints (Speck Design, 2022)’. It is normally presented by the designers as single dashboard in the form of a system map (see below), creative execution dashboard, prototype, or comprehensive roll-out plan.
My views are that contemporary designers must blend designerly thinking, DT and Systems Design when crafting a creative strategy presentation. Proficiency in these design domains is critical to truly excel as a designer in today’s world. One must perceive design as a transdisciplinary concept “encompassing intelligence, analysis, synthesis, decision-making, communication, and interpretation (referencing Warfield, 1990 as cited in Banathy, 1996)”. Additionally, factors like empathy, creativity (p. 34), and technological acumen play vital roles in this holistic approach to design.
It is worthwhile to note that these three foundational skillsets may be inherent in a single individual, or distributed among two or more individuals. Typically, highly experienced and exceptionally talented designers possess both skills at an advanced level. This high level of proficiency is essential for effectively crafting a proposal.
“In the art of creating a compelling creative strategy proposal, mastery lies in the creative trinity: a beautiful layout, applied Design Thinking, and impactful content.” — Teresa Lubano
In addition to mastering the foundational skills mentioned earlier, the following (and remaining) 10 steps will help you create a beautiful, concise and impactful creative strategy deck.
2. Understanding the brief
From the onset, it is advisable to always request for a comprehensive written brief. This will give the designer a clear picture of what is required of them and how they shall go about interpreting and executing the proposal. Where necessary, ensure you also have the logos and brand bible/book at hand.
Additionally, conducting a background check on the brand, gathering information from their official websites, target audience(s), and analyzing competitors’ strategies and even the client's budget offer a comprehensive understanding, facilitating a more adept approach to the proposal.
It is worth noting that missing certain critical information such as the exact target audience of the company can make or break your proposal.
3. Segmentation: Tailoring Each Deck
Just like every brief is different, recognize that each creative strategy deck should be distinct. Designers should avoid the temptation to copy previous decks; instead, start afresh to maintain clarity and prevent the creation of a generic presentation.
Avoid working with AI templates but rather use them for inspiration. Embrace the use of professional tools such as Adobe Creative Suite and design each deck from scratch, ensuring a unique and tailored approach.
Begin by crafting presentation templates based on the brand identity document, adhering to the brand’s colour palette, fonts, branding visual elements, tone of voice, etcetera and fostering clarity of thought as one goes through the design process.
First, design the cover. Presentation cover design governs the creative layout, setting the tone and synergy for the entire document.
Next, sequentially segment the work in small parts such as a table of contents page, introduction slide, brief, objectives (both client and agency), strategic direction, rationale, creative executions, summary and budget pages.
Having this sequence in mind will assist the designer in considering how the entire presentation ‘flow’ shall be formulated and ensuring that all the important information is captured.
Remember that this design process should also be coupled with your Desktop Publisher (DTP) skills to obtain beautiful ‘template pages’ for each segment in your proposal. I normally design each of these segments as unique presentation pages using PowerPoint or Adobe Creative Suite tools.
4. Content Structure: Building a Narrative
The structure of the deck follows a chronological sequence, interspersed with critical topics. Begin with an introduction, defining the brand’s nature and highlighting the client’s ask. Proceed to illuminate pain points, brand persona, and, crucially, the target audience — the focal point of empathetic creative communication.
Understanding your target audience (deeply) is really a critical component as getting this part wrong can muddle up your narrative. Ask yourself, ‘Does my proposition resonate with the TA?’
‘What are some of the brand proof points that may make the story/solution/idea even more compelling and relevant for my TA?’
‘Is my call-to-action strong enough? What’s their reason to believe?’
‘Will the target audience buy in into the proposed idea? Why?
‘How do I ensure that the brand promise aligns with the aspirations and welfare of the TA?’
These questions are critical and will inform everything you write and propose as you build the narrative for your proposal.
5. “Grammar of Visual Design”
Crafting a compelling and impactful creative strategy proposal demands a touch of ‘poetry.’ Kress and van Leeuwen (2020, p.4) draw a comparative analogy, highlighting how poets and novelists skillfully use grammar in their writings. This analogy underscores the importance for artists and designers to similarly employ a ‘grammar of visual design’ when creating visually appealing layouts, images, and diagrams for various materials such as course materials, reports, brochures, communications as well as presentations. The significance of this approach cannot be emphasized enough.
As an illustration, consider the following proposal for a website layout designed for a client in the power generation industry. Take note of adherence to the brand’s colour code and elements, and the sequential arrangement of the website layouts, each accompanied by a descriptive narrative presented on the left-hand side of the presentation.
When visualizing elements in the presentation, always use appropriate imagery. Any astute designer should invest in a royalty-free stock image bank subscription. ‘Googling’ images or using ‘rights-managed’ imagery without permission is frowned upon as it infringes on intellectual copyright laws.
6. Problem Framing and Proposed Solutions
Crafting a succinct narrative will help you frame an appropriate problem statement and proposed solutions in a one-sentence response (the ‘big idea’). The shorter and clearer the solution is, the better. This ‘big idea’ is the soul of any presentation and should capture the essence for your creative delivery. This then sets the stage for the strategic direction — a roadmap on how to address the identified problem.
Utilize infographics or a ‘big idea’ dashboard to articulate the overarching plan. Below is an example of the problem (1/2), ‘How can we position Starkey to be adopted by hearing healthcare professionals?’ The proposed creative strategy (the solution, 2/2) hints to a simple call to action/ big idea, ‘Hear Clear (with Starkey)’. Notice the clever word play in the call-to-action, where ‘ear’ is embedded in the word ‘clear’ and ‘hear’. The phrase also rhymes making it memorable.
7. Logic Line: Unpacking the Strategy
Unpack the ‘big idea’ by providing a rationale for the proposed solution. Sometimes it could be a dashboard that unpacks the full roll-out plan. This is a page that at a glance, shares your ‘master plan’ and reveals how you shall execute your ideas.
For example, the infographic below explains how the experiential agency will capture ‘Bring Your Dreams to Life’ call-to-action through a countrywide experiential engagement that targets the youth.
Formulating this section requires iteration and brainstorming with various stakeholders within the agency to develop a solution that seamlessly translates across all media. It also informs the agency’s scope of work, what will be budgeted for, the duration period for the execution of the solution, locations, the various players/stakeholders involved, and communication outputs (whether physical or digital) that will support the proposed solution.
8. Creative Direction: Bringing Ideas to Life
Articulate the creative direction with visual elements — photography, stock imagery, graphics and content pieces. Showcase how the creative deliverables, including copywriting, will manifest across various channels. For example in advertising, you may want to demonstrate how thematic communications will look like as well as suggesting notional but relevant tactical communication strategies, TV storyboards, radio spots, branded merchandise and collateral, and even snippet scripts that could guide influencers’ storytelling or creativity. Strive for unique and memorable creative outputs that would set the brand apart.
Remember that showcasing your creative prowess will give you scoring points to win that project! So give it your best shot.
9. Evaluation and Reporting
Conclude the deck with a post-event or post-campaign slide, detailing monitoring, evaluation, and benchmarking against set KPIs. Provide a comprehensive view of the campaign’s success and areas for improvement.
10. Budgeting: Supporting the Campaign
Optionally, include a budgeting section outlining the proposed expenditure. Clearly present the financial aspects, either on a single slide or as a separate document shared with the client.
11. Final Touch: Copyright and Closure
Wrap up the deck with any necessary legal elements, such as a copyright clause. Be sure to protect your intellectual property. Normally placed on one slide, it can come at the very beginning or at the very end. Be sure to also use the copyright symbol ‘©️’ somewhere in your presentation.
Lastly, consider a reference slide for additional resources, and end with a closing slide for a polished conclusion. This last page should have your contact details.
In summary, crafting a creative strategy deck demands a fusion of critical thinking (DT and SD) and ‘designerly thinking’ skills, a meticulous approach to design communication, and a tailored narrative that addresses the unique aspects of each brand’s brief. From cover-to-cover of the presentation, a lot of thoughtful imagination, relevant innovation and/or value-driven solutions are packaged.
By following these steps, designers can create compelling decks that resonate with clients and allied stakeholders alike.
References
Banathy, B. H. (1996). Designing social systems for a changing world. International Systems Institute Caramel, California. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. ISBN 978-1-4757-9983-5 ISBN 978-14757-9981-1 (eBook). DOI 10.1007/978/1-4757-9981–1
Edart, R. (n.d.). The approach to innovate: design thinking. D.Thinking Academy. https://www.dthinking.academy/blog/the-approach-to-innovate-design-thinking
Johansson-Sköldberg, U., Woodila, J., Çetinkaya, M. (2013). Creativity and Innovation Management 22(2) DOI:10.1111/caim.12023
Kress, G., van Leeuman, T. (2020, November 26). Reading images: The grammar of visual design. 3rd Edition. ISBN 9781003099857. Routledge. ghttps://doi.org/10.4324/978100309985
Tschimmel, K. (2012). Design Thinking as an effective toolkit for innovation. ISPIM Conference Proceedings; Manchester: The International Society for Professional Innovation Management (2012): 1–20.
Speck Design. (2022 January 21). Part 3: We aren’t quite dead yet: Harnessing the law of unintended consequences for sustainable technology. Medium. Retrieved from https://medium.com/speck-design-insight/part-3-we-arent-quite-dead-yet-harnessing-the-law-of-unintended-consequences-for-sustainable-5b9d38744132
