The 5 Red Flags We Spot in Brand Briefs (Before They Become a Problem)

One of the best parts of our job is helping brands and creators come together to make great campaigns happen. But if we’re being honest, sometimes we can spot trouble from the second a brand brief hits our inbox.

It’s not because the brand is bad. It’s not because the creators aren’t talented.
It’s usually because something in the setup is a little off — and if you don’t catch it early, it’s only going to cause bigger headaches later.

Here are five red flags we watch for every time we review a campaign brief (and a few ideas on how to fix them before they turn into a mess).

1. "We’re Still Finalizing the Details..."

If a brand doesn’t really know what they want yet, that’s a problem.
Vague briefs might sound like they give creators more freedom, but in reality, they usually create confusion, rewrites, missed expectations, and frustration on both sides.

What we do when we see this:
We slow things down. We ask more questions upfront to pin down what “success” actually looks like for the brand. Creators can work magic — but only if the target isn’t constantly moving.

2. "We Want Authentic Content...But Also Please Follow This Exact Script"

This one happens a lot.
Brands say they want natural, genuine creator content, but then attach a script that reads like a 30-second radio ad.

It’s not that scripting is bad. It’s that scripting everything kills what made influencer marketing valuable in the first place — trust.

What we do when we see this:
We advocate for breathing room. We’ll ask if the brand is open to guidelines instead of a full script, so the creator’s voice stays intact while still hitting the key points.

3. "We Don’t Have Budget for Usage Rights, But We Might Boost the Content"

Translation: We want to run ads against this content without paying the creator for it.

Big red flag.
When a brand wants usage rights, whitelisting, or paid amplification, those are separate deliverables. Not freebies.

What we do when we see this:
We have the usage rights conversation early. We explain the value. And we either build it into the budget properly or make sure there are clear boundaries around how the content can be used.

4. "We’d Like Exclusivity...Just in Case"

Exclusivity isn’t a throwaway request.
When a brand asks for exclusivity (even if it’s casual, like "don't work with our competitors for a few months"), it limits the creator’s ability to earn from other partnerships — and that has real financial impact.

What we do when we see this:
We ask exactly who the brand is considering competitors, how long exclusivity would last, and what platforms it covers. Then we price it fairly based on the ask. Blanket exclusivity with no extra pay? No shot.

5. "We’ll Just See How It Goes and Maybe Work Together Again"

We love long-term partnerships.
But if a brand uses “potential future work” as a bargaining chip to underpay creators now, that’s not a real opportunity. That’s just wishful thinking.

What we do when we see this:
We focus on making this project work. If it goes well, of course we can talk about a bigger relationship. But creators deserve to be fairly paid for the work they’re doing today, not the work a brand might want six months from now.

At the End of the Day...

Most brands don’t set out to make bad briefs.
These red flags usually happen because people are busy, goals are evolving, and influencer marketing still moves fast and feels new for a lot of teams.

But when you spot these issues early and fix them upfront, you save everyone a lot of time, money, and stress. You also build way better campaigns — the kind where creators want to show up, audiences actually pay attention, and brands hit their goals without burning bridges.

And if you’re ever not sure if your brief is setting you up for success? You know where to find us.