What to Include in an HTML5 Banner Design Brief

A detailed brief saves time, but it does not need to be long. The goal is to remove ambiguity about the audience, message, deliverables, platform, and approval process.

1. Campaign overview

• Brand and campaign name.
• Product or service.
• Campaign objective.
• Target audience and market.
• Flight dates or launch deadline.

2. Creative direction

• Approved headline, supporting copy, CTA, offer, and legal text.
• Brand guidelines, logo, fonts, colors, and image assets.
• Existing key visual, Figma, PSD, AI, storyboard, or references.
• Mandatory elements and elements that may be simplified.
• Tone: premium, energetic, technical, playful, urgent, or another direction.

3. Deliverable matrix

List every size, format, language, audience version, product version, and market. Include static backup images, source files, and preview links if required.

4. Platform and technical requirements

• Google Ads, CM360, DV360, Adform, Xandr, Weborama, The Trade Desk, publisher-direct, or another platform.
• Maximum ZIP and loaded file weight.
• Animation, looping, video, and audio rules.
• clickTag or exit specification.
• Destination URLs.
• Required environment or template.
• Custom publisher validator or technical document.

5. Review workflow

Name the person who consolidates feedback. Confirm whether the master design is approved before resizing, how many review rounds are expected, and which time zone controls the deadline.

6. Delivery and naming

Provide the required folder structure and naming convention. State whether the agency needs white-label delivery, source files, backup images, or a handoff to a trafficker.

Copy-and-paste mini brief

Campaign:
Objective:
Audience/market:
Platform:
Sizes and versions:
Copy and CTA:
Landing URL(s):
Brand assets/source files:
Animation direction:
Technical limits:
Deadline:
Review contact:

What if the brief is incomplete?

Send what is available and identify the unknown items. A production partner should flag missing specifications before coding begins rather than guessing and discovering the issue during upload.