I was lucky enough to do the APG Briefing for Advertising course a couple of years ago. I’d highly recommend it to anyone since you learn a lot from the tutors (Russell was course leader), also from the other people on the course. I think this is an overlooked benefit of training – working with other people with different outlooks and jobs can teach you as much as the actual content.
Two things still stand out today:
1. Creatives always remember the briefing, never the brief – so make it as interesting as you can. Things like showing a picture of the target audience instead of relying on words.
2. Here’s an example from Dylan Williams on working hard to write less:
‘Take on Gillette’s monopoly and achieve a 30 point increase in sterling distribution by disrupting the dynamics and the shaving market using youth imagery and humour’
Or
‘Make beards uncool’
NORTHERN PLANNER 
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