I spent three years as a working group member on Community of Strangers, exploring the science behind bias and belonging, and on InCommon, a campaign built to help Christchurch find common ground across cultures and faiths after March 15. That work taught me more about communication than any marketing brief because the stakes were more real than I've experienced before, and the audience wasn't "just more customers", it was a whole city and community trying to understand itself.
Communication done well is simple, honest, and trustworthy. Communication done badly usually ends up being technically accurate yet completely forgettable.
My current method of writing a brief ends up being similar whether it's a client campaign or a community cause. Say the true thing, say it plainly, and meet people where they are at that moment. Right message at the right time to the right person.