Writing a CPM campaign brief that creators can actually follow

A useful brief does not try to describe the perfect video. It gives creators enough context to come up with a good idea, then draws a clear line between obligations that can be checked and creative suggestions. That distinction reduces misunderstandings without turning every post into a carbon copy.

Start with the outcome you expect

“Raise brand awareness” is an intention, not a production instruction. Spell out the campaign's role: introducing a use case, launching an offer, collecting demonstrations or producing content you can reuse. Then add the action the audience should be able to understand after watching the post.

Do not promise that a CPM (earnings per 1,000 views) video will drive sales. Views measure exposure; on their own, they prove neither recall, nor purchase intent, nor revenue. If those outcomes matter, plan dedicated metrics for them.

Define a verifiable deliverable

For each platform, state the expected format, the number of posts allowed and the elements that must be visible. Every requirement should have a simple answer: met, missing or impossible to verify.

A short list of obligations makes the brief easier to read. Keep angle ideas, visual references and tone examples in a separate section: they help creators create, but must not become grounds for rejection after the fact.

State what is prohibited, with no grey areas

List prohibited claims, comparisons to avoid, confidential information and contexts that are incompatible with the brand. If a claim requires evidence, provide the approved wording and its source. Never ask a creator to present an experience they have not had.

An unlisted link or a preview page is not necessarily confidential. When information must not be published before a certain date, write the date, the time zone and the people concerned into the terms of the collaboration.

Plan for commercial transparency

The commercial nature of the post must be identifiable. The French government's official code of conduct for influencers and content creators, which sets out the French rules on commercial influence, states that commercial intent must be shown clearly. In the brief, specify the disclosure you expect, where it should appear and, where relevant, the native partnership tool to switch on in the social network.

This disclosure is a transparency obligation, not a stylistic option. Have it reviewed with the rest of the brief before launch, especially in sectors subject to specific rules.

Frame the rights separately from the creative brief

A video appearing on the creator's account does not automatically give the brand the right to repost it, edit it or run it as an ad. The contract must specify the channels, territory, duration, permitted adaptations and any paid amplification.

On KRED, creators accept a collaboration contract when they join a campaign. Check that the rights described in that contract match what you actually need. Asking for fewer rights, but defining them precisely, is often more usable than a broad formula that is hard to interpret.

Make the economic rules easy to read

Creators must be able to read the CPM, any minimum view threshold, the cap per post, the cap per creator, the total budget and the end date. These parameters affect potential earnings as much as the displayed rate does.

Do not include a view estimate in the brief presented as a guarantee. If you share a scenario, label it as a simulation and state the assumptions behind it. Our CPM budget guide walks through that calculation.

The template to copy

1. Objective: what the audience should discover or understand.
2. Audience: who it is for and the useful context, without caricature.
3. Deliverable: platform, format and number of posts.
4. Mandatory: verifiable visual elements, messages, disclosures and deadlines.
5. Open: angle, tone, editing and interpretation left to the creator.
6. Prohibited: claims, uses or contexts that are specifically excluded.
7. Resources: files, product information and useful contacts.
8. Rights: planned reuse, duration, channels and territory.
9. Economics: CPM, thresholds, caps, budget and campaign period.
10. Review: the list of the only criteria that can justify a rejection.

Finally, have the brief tested by someone who was not involved in writing it. If they cannot tell an obligation from a suggestion, the creator probably will not be able to either.