In short: Your customers have already written the brief. Their reviews, questions and return reasons show what buyers want to see before they buy: the texture, the fit, the shade, the size. Read a few dozen, count the repeated themes, and turn the top three into video angles with a shot for each. Give creators the questions to answer, not other customers’ sentences to repeat: the FTC says endorsements must reflect the truthful experiences and opinions of the endorsers.
Why reviews make better briefs than brainstorming
A brief written from a meeting reflects what the team finds interesting. A brief written from reviews reflects what buyers actually ask. That is the difference between a video that shows the packaging beautifully and one that answers “does it feel sticky?” or “does it run small?”. For hook formats you can then wrap around the answers, see UGC video ideas and hooks.
Where to look
- Reviews on your product pages, positive and negative.
- Support messages and pre-sale questions, which show what people could not work out from the page.
- Return reasons, especially in fashion: too small, not as shown, color different.
- Comments on your social posts and ads, where people ask the questions they did not bother to email.
A five-step method
- Collect. Copy a few dozen reviews and questions into one sheet, one per row.
- Tag. Give each row a theme in a few words: texture, fit, shade match, scent, size, how long it lasts, how to use it, gift.
- Count. The three themes that repeat most are your campaign’s angles. Ignore one-off comments.
- Turn each theme into a question the video answers. “Does it feel sticky?” becomes “show the texture and how the skin feels a few minutes later”.
- Add a shot for each question. A question without a shot is a wish; a shot is something a creator can film.
From customer words to brief lines
| Customers ask | Video angle | Brief line |
|---|---|---|
| Is it sticky? | Texture and finish | Show the product on skin, then the finish a few minutes later |
| Does it run small? | Fit check | State height and size worn; show the piece worn, seated and moving |
| Will the shade suit me? | Shade on real skin | Show it in daylight; say the creator’s skin tone in their own words |
| How big is it really? | Scale | Hold the product next to a familiar object, with the packaging visible |
| How do I use it? | Routine | Show the steps in the order you actually use them |
A worked example
A skincare brand reads fifty reviews and finds three repeating themes: the texture, how the product layers under makeup, and how it feels on sensitive skin. The brief asks for three things: show the texture on skin, show the product under makeup, and say honestly how it felt on the creator’s own skin. It forbids any claim about treating a skin condition. The campaign now answers the questions buyers asked, without one scripted line.
What not to copy from reviews
- Other customers’ sentences as a script. A creator who reads a line about results they never had is not giving a truthful testimonial. The FTC’s page says pre-written content is not banned as long as the endorser’s statements are truthful, and that “You can’t talk about your experience with a product if you haven’t tried it.”
- Result claims. A review that says a product “cleared” or “fixed” something is a customer’s opinion, not wording you can ask a creator to repeat. See cosmetic claims in UGC.
- Names and photos. Do not pass on reviewers’ identities or images.
Write the questions, leave the answers to the creator
The brief should say what the video has to answer and what must not be claimed; the creator then films their own experience. That keeps the video credible and fits the endorsement rules. If you ask creators to use specific wording, give approved wording only for claims you can stand behind, as explained in the beauty brief template.
Close the loop
After the first approved videos go live, read the comments on them. New questions show up there, and they are the next round of angles. Revisit your sheet before each new campaign.
On Usicri
Put your findings into the campaign’s brief field, “What kind of video are you looking for?”: the questions the video should answer, the shot for each, what must appear and what must not be claimed. Creators see the payout, the open spots and whether you send a product before they start, and can ask you questions through the campaign. You approve or reject each video, and your card is charged only for the ones you approve, with no platform fee on videos approved through December 31 and a platform fee of 15% after that. See how to launch a UGC campaign on Usicri or create a free brand account.