What a creative campaign handoff should include

A creative campaign handoff should make the approved work easy to publish correctly. It needs to connect each asset to its placement, copy, language, destination and release status. A folder containing finished-looking images and films is only part of that delivery.

Start by identifying the people who will use the assets. A store team, social publisher, media buyer and client contact may need different parts of the same campaign. Give each person a clear view of the approved files and the decisions that apply to their work.

The goal is a repeatable handoff that preserves the creative direction through publication. It should also make corrections traceable when a destination, product name or final version changes after the initial delivery.

Use an asset register as the shared reference

Create a list of the assets being delivered, with a stable name for each piece. Record the format, language, intended placement and current status. The register should identify what has been approved, what is still being reviewed and what is deliberately withheld.

Keep asset names understandable to the publishing team. A production shorthand can be useful internally, but a person scheduling a post needs to distinguish the main campaign film from a short product edit. Include the information required for that decision without making filenames unnecessarily complicated.

Separate the asset's identity from its revision. A revised film should remain recognisable as the same campaign piece while clearly showing that a new approved version exists. This makes it easier to update the publishing plan without losing the history of the work.

Connect formats to actual placements

List the placements each asset is intended to serve. A store banner, vertical reel and wider campaign film may share an idea but need different compositions and exports. Confirm those requirements with the team using the work before the final files are prepared.

Record any placement-specific crop or safe area that was agreed. The publisher should know whether the supplied file is ready to use or needs to be placed within a particular layout. A useful handoff avoids leaving creative decisions to the final upload stage without context.

The SEALED project shows campaign content connected through a shared visual direction. When work moves across monthly content and campaign applications, the delivery needs to preserve both that relationship and the distinct job of each asset.

Keep copy and language versions beside the assets

Supply the approved headline, caption, product names and calls to action in a readable document or register. Connect each text version to the appropriate asset. Do not make the publishing team extract final copy from a presentation image or reconstruct it from a review conversation.

For Kuwait campaigns using Arabic and English, label the versions explicitly. Check that product terms, offer information and destinations agree between languages. A translation approval should identify the actual copy version being released, particularly if the source text changes later.

Record which text is already embedded in an asset and which should be added by the publishing platform or store. This prevents duplication and makes later edits more predictable. If the headline is part of the image, changing it usually means a new asset revision rather than only updating a caption field.

Verify destinations and campaign links

Provide the destination for each asset or placement. Open the link and confirm it leads to the intended page, product or collection. Check the mobile journey and language where those matter. A technically valid link can still be the wrong destination for the campaign's message.

If campaign parameters are used, agree a consistent naming convention before building links. Google's campaign URL guidance describes manual campaign parameters such as source, medium and campaign. Keep those values aligned with the measurement plan and avoid including personal information in them.

Record the final approved link beside the asset. This gives the media and publishing teams one reference instead of several similar URLs circulating in separate messages. When a destination changes, update the register and identify which scheduled or live placements need review.

Make release approval exact

An approval should name the asset and revision, not only the campaign generally. The final delivery list should distinguish approved exports from previews and working files. Keep the approval record with the source material so the released work can be traced back to the decision.

If several assets share an end frame or product message, check that a correction has been applied across the relevant set. A campaign can contain individually approved files that still disagree with one another if shared changes were not recorded clearly.

• Identify the asset and its approved revision.
• Record the placement and language.
• Attach the final copy and destination.
• Mark outstanding conditions or withheld versions.
• Name the person responsible for publishing.

Preserve earlier versions in a recoverable archive. The active release folder should be focused enough that a publisher can choose the right file without reviewing the entire production history. Keeping history and keeping the current handoff clear are compatible goals.

Review the published campaign against the register

After the first placements go live, check the actual output. Confirm the crop, copy, language and destination. A final export can be correct while a platform crop, duplicated caption or wrong link changes the published experience.

Save a simple reference to the live placement with the delivery record. This helps the team respond to a later correction and makes the next campaign easier to plan. Record practical issues such as an unexpectedly cropped subject or a destination that required another language version.

Use those observations to improve the handoff process. If the same confusion appears repeatedly, change the register, naming or instructions rather than relying on individuals to remember an exception. A useful system makes the next correct action easier for the people doing the work.

Test the delivery with the publishing owner

Before handing over the full campaign, ask the publishing owner to prepare one representative placement using the register and approved files. They should be able to identify the asset, copy, language, destination and release status without consulting the production team. Any missing instruction is easier to correct at this small scale.

Review the prepared placement on a phone and compare it with the approved reference. Check the crop and follow the destination link. Record the final result beside the asset so the rest of the team can see the intended use. The exercise tests the handoff in practice and can reveal naming or mapping issues that a complete folder does not show. The guide to campaign film approvals explains the exact release decisions that should feed this record.

Frequently asked questions

Does the client need every source file in the release folder?

The release folder should contain the approved files needed for publication. Editable sources and working versions can be supplied or retained according to the agreed scope, with a clear structure separate from ready-to-use exports.

Who should own the destination links?

Name one accountable owner for the final campaign link register, while involving the store or website team where needed. This reduces conflicting versions and makes changes easier to communicate.

What should happen when a file changes after handoff?

Create a new revision, update its status and identify the affected placements. The publishing team should know whether to replace a scheduled asset, update a live placement or keep the previous version for a specific use.

Bricks' growth and marketing work connects creative delivery to the campaign's publishing and measurement needs. A clear handoff keeps the assets, copy and destinations working as one release.