In short
- Every strong brief line passes four tests: it has a number, a person, a proof or a limit. Weak lines pass none and invite a generic post.
- The category decides which line carries the risk: results in skincare, health words in food, returns in fintech, rank or job promises in edtech.
- Write claims as two lists, allowed and banned, and attach the evidence. ASCI makes the advertiser responsible for a post conforming to the Code.
- Adapt, do not paste. All brands and numbers below are invented to show the pattern.
Good influencer brief lines are specific enough that a stranger could tell whether a creator followed them. A weak line says "make it fun and authentic". A strong line says "20 to 30 seconds, product in the first three seconds, say 12 g protein, do not say healthy, code at the end". This post gives sample lines for eight categories, weak and strong side by side, with the reason for each rewrite.
It extends our influencer campaign brief template, which lists all 24 fields and does the rewrites for one snack brand. Here the same discipline is applied to eight categories, where the risky line is different each time. If you are new to the channel, start with the complete guide to influencer marketing in India. All brands, products and numbers below are invented, to show the pattern. Copy the pattern, not the numbers.
Four tests for any brief line
| Test | Question | Example of passing |
|---|---|---|
| Number | Can it be counted or timed? | "20 to 30 seconds", "3 frames", "by 12 November" |
| Person | Does it name who it is for? | "Women 25 to 35 in Delhi NCR who work from home" |
| Proof | Can the claim be backed with a document? | "12 g protein a pack, per the label" |
| Limit | Does it say what not to do? | "No comparison with named brands" |
If a line fails all four, it is a mood, not an instruction. Two checks apply to every category. First, a claims sheet: the list of facts a creator may state, each with its evidence, and the list of things they must not say. The ASCI guidelines make the advertiser responsible for ensuring a post conforms to the Code. Second, the label: free or discounted products count as a material connection, so every brief names the label and its placement. The rules behind these are in our ASCI influencer guidelines explainer.
In ASCI's FY2025-26 annual report, 97.3 percent of the 1,609 influencer ads processed needed modification, and personal care made up 16.9 percent of influencer violations. Briefs that name the label and the banned claims are the cheapest way to stay out of those numbers.
1. Skincare and beauty
Hypothetical brand: a vitamin C face serum at ₹599. Our beauty and skincare industry page covers how we cast these creators.
| Field | Weak line | Strong line |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | "Build buzz for our serum" | "1,500 first orders from women 24 to 34 in tier-1 cities in 21 days" |
| Message | "Show how amazing your skin looks" | "A lightweight serum you can add to a morning routine without a sticky feel" |
| Claims | "Say it brightens skin in a week" | "Allowed: contains 10% vitamin C, fragrance-free, suitable for daily use per the pack. Banned: timeframes for results, 'cures', 'repairs', before-and-after promises" |
| Format | "A GRWM video" | "One Reel of 25 to 35 seconds showing the application, texture on hand and the creator's own first-week experience; no filters on skin" |
| Compliance | "Add #ad" | "Label in the first line and on screen. Creators share their own experience, not a result you promise" |
Rule behind the rewrite: separate what the creator experienced from what the product does. Experience lines are low risk, benefit lines need proof, and result-and-timeline lines need strong proof. See cosmetics claims in influencer marketing.
2. Fashion and apparel
Hypothetical brand: a kurta label with sizes XS to 3XL. See fashion and apparel influencer marketing.
| Field | Weak line | Strong line |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | "Show our new collection" | "800 orders from the Diwali capsule, 40 percent from outside the metros" |
| Message | "Look great in our clothes" | "Festive kurtas that fit real bodies: show the same piece on two different sizes" |
| Format | "Post a try-on" | "One Reel, three outfits in one kurta set, one size reference on screen, a story set with the size chart" |
| Mandatory | "Use the code" | "Code FEST10 in the Story link sticker; swap or return policy mentioned once" |
| Sizing | Not mentioned | "State the size worn and the creator's height; creators receive two sizes if they ask" |
Rule: for apparel, the most useful line is the size information. A viewer cannot try the garment on, so the size worn and the creator's height do that work. Include them in the brief and in the product box.
3. Packaged food and beverages
Hypothetical brand: a high-protein roasted snack at ₹149 a pack. See FMCG, food and beverage.
| Field | Weak line | Strong line |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | "Make the product go viral" | "Trial: 2,000 first orders on the brand site and two quick-commerce apps in 30 days" |
| Message | "The healthiest snack in India" | "A snack with real protein that does not taste like diet food" |
| Claims | "Say it is healthy and good for weight loss" | "Allowed, from the pack: 12 g protein, no added sugar. Banned: healthy, weight loss, any disease or medical claim, any claim not printed on the pack" |
| Format | "Eat it on camera" | "A 20 to 30 second Reel: pack open, first bite, honest reaction, one use occasion at a desk or on the road" |
| Compliance | "Disclose it" | "Free gift or Ad label in the first line; no eating-challenge formats" |
Rule: for food, the pack is the claims sheet. If the line is not printed on the label, it is not in the brief. The legal background is in our post on food claims and FSSAI.
4. Fintech and BFSI apps
Hypothetical brand: a UPI-based savings app. See fintech and BFSI. This is the category where the brief needs the most caution.
| Field | Weak line | Strong line |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | "Get more investors" | "Cost per verified sign-up under a set figure; first transaction within 7 days, tracked by link" |
| Message | "Grow your money fast" | "How a creator uses the app to set a monthly savings target in under two minutes" |
| Claims | "Say returns are high" | "Allowed: features, fees as listed on the app. Banned: any statement of returns, performance or guarantees; any buy, sell or hold advice" |
| Creator profile | "Any finance creator" | "Creators who explain product features. Anyone discussing stocks or investments must show SEBI registration and number upfront" |
| Compliance | "Add a disclaimer" | "Label plus the app's standard disclosure on screen; the brief states what the brand's compliance team has cleared" |
Rule: ASCI's Addendum II requires SEBI registration, shown with the number, for influencers who talk about stocks or investments, and relevant credentials for other financial advice, though its April 2025 update limits this to technical advice. SEBI's October 2024 circular also bars SEBI-regulated firms from associating with anyone who gives securities advice without registration or claims returns without permission. Read finfluencer rules in India before you brief. This is general information, not legal advice.
5. Tech and gadgets
Hypothetical brand: wireless earbuds at ₹2,499, sent as review units.
| Field | Weak line | Strong line |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | "Unbox and review" | "Pre-launch reviews live on launch day; 3,000 clicks to the product page in week one" |
| Message | "Best earbuds under 3,000" | "A 40-hour battery and a low-latency gaming mode at ₹2,499; creators test both and say what they found" |
| Claims | "Better than [competitor]" | "Allowed: specs from the data sheet. Competitor comparisons only on points the brand can prove, with the test method shown" |
| Verdict | "Say it is great" | "Honest verdict, positive or not. The brand approves factual accuracy of specs, not the opinion" |
| Product terms | "Keep the review unit" | "Review units under ₹3,000 may be kept; any unit above that is returned in 14 days with a prepaid label, as in the contract" |
Rule: separate facts from opinions. Check the facts, and leave the verdict alone. For product return terms see influencer product seeding logistics. Our tech and gadgets page covers casting.
6. Edtech and education
Hypothetical brand: an online coding course for college students.
| Field | Weak line | Strong line |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | "Get students to join" | "800 free-trial sign-ups from college students in 3 weeks, tracked by link through to first paid enrolment" |
| Message | "Get a job in 3 months" | "A beginner-friendly course taught in Hinglish, with a free first week to try it" |
| Claims | "Guaranteed placements" | "Allowed: course length, price, trial terms. Banned: guarantees of rank, jobs or salary, and any number not from the latest completed batch with its date" |
| Voice | "A student review" | "Use real students or alumni who completed the programme; no stock faces" |
| Compliance | "Add a link" | "Free course access counts as a material connection: label it, even if no fee is paid" |
Rule: results are the line that gets edtech ads in trouble, so state the evidence period with every number. See education advertising rules for influencers and our edtech and education page.
7. Restaurants and QSR
Hypothetical brand: a dessert cafe opening a second outlet. See restaurants and QSR.
| Field | Weak line | Strong line |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | "Get people to visit" | "300 redemptions of the opening-week offer at the new outlet in 10 days" |
| Message | "Best desserts in town" | "Warm brownies and a new menu, in a place made for a 10 pm meet-up" |
| Visit terms | "Come whenever" | "A weekday visit between 3 and 6 pm, for two; the brand covers the meal, which is a benefit and is recorded as such" |
| Format | "Post about us" | "One Reel at the outlet with the signage and area name visible, plus a Story with the location sticker" |
| Etiquette | Not mentioned | "No filming other guests without their consent; honest feedback welcome" |
Rule: a restaurant brief should say where, when and what is covered. A free meal is a benefit and a material connection, so the creator labels the post, and your finance team records it. See barter collaborations.
8. Travel and hotels
Hypothetical brand: a hill-station boutique stay.
| Field | Weak line | Strong line |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | "Get bookings" | "60 direct bookings for weekdays in January through a trackable link" |
| Message | "A luxury escape" | "A quiet weekday stay with a working desk and a mountain view, for people who want to work from the hills" |
| Stay terms | "Complimentary stay" | "Two nights, valued at ₹16,000, weekdays only, dates agreed in advance; food and activities outside the package are the creator's" |
| Format | "Show the property" | "One Reel of the arrival and room, one Story set of the day, one YouTube Short of the view; no filters on the view" |
| Claims | "Best views in India" | "Allowed: what is physically there. Banned: superlatives, safety claims, anything about weather or availability" |
Rule: a stay can be worth far more than a product, so record its value from the first message. Section 194R can apply to benefits once the total passes ₹20,000 in a financial year (see our TDS and GST guide), so a single stay may take a creator to the threshold. Ask your CA how to treat it; this is general information, not legal or tax advice. Our travel and hospitality page covers these campaigns.
Common mistakes across all eight
- A mood instead of a message. "Be authentic" does not tell a creator what to say.
- A goal with no number. Without one, any result passes and no creator can be judged.
- Claims with no evidence. If the brand cannot document it, the creator cannot say it.
- Rights and label left out. Both belong in the brief because both change the price and the post.
- Forwarding the agency brief to creators. Cut it to one page.
Adapting the lines to your brand
- Take the one-page structure from the brief template.
- Write the objective as a number and a date, then the message as one sentence.
- Build two claims lists with evidence, and have legal or the founder check them.
- Write the format as length, structure and mandatory elements.
- Add the label and its placement, and the product terms (kept or returned).
- Add dates for concept, draft and go-live, using the campaign timeline template.
- Give the brief to someone outside the team and ask what they would post. If the answer is generic, a line is still weak.
Checklist before the brief goes out
- Every line passes at least one of the four tests
- Allowed and banned claims are separate lists, with evidence
- The label, its wording and its placement are stated
- The verdict is the creator's; only the facts are approved
- The product terms say kept or returned, with a date
- The category risk line has been checked by someone who knows the rules
- A one-page version exists for creators
We write creator briefs for brands as part of every campaign, working from yours, and send them for your approval before any creator sees them. Send us your brief and see our Instagram influencer marketing service for how it is carried out. The kickoff checklist shows where the brief fits in the first meeting, and how we work shows the stages that follow.
Sources
- ASCI annual complaints report 2025-26, ASCI (28 May 2026)
- ASCI Guidelines for influencer advertising in digital media, ASCI (accessed 31 Oct 2026 (Addendum II dated 6 Mar 2025))
- ASCI update narrowing the qualification requirement for health and financial influencers, ASCI (28 Apr 2025)
- SEBI circular on association of regulated persons with certain persons, SEBI (22 Oct 2024)
Frequently asked questions
What does a good influencer brief look like?
It states one goal with a number, the buyer, the one message, the claims allowed and banned, the format and length, the mandatory elements such as code or link, the label, dates and approvals. Each line is testable: a stranger could tell whether the creator followed it. Our brief template gives all 24 fields.
How is an influencer brief different for each industry?
The skeleton is the same, but the risky line moves. In skincare it is the result claim, in food the health words, in finance the promise of returns, in education the promise of rank or jobs, in travel and restaurants the barter terms. Write those lines most carefully and keep the other fields short.
Should a brief include a script?
Usually not. Give the message, the proof points and the mandatory elements, and let the creator write in their own voice. Use a script for wording that is regulated, such as finance, or where the product steps must be exact. Approve the concept first. See our content approval workflow.
How long should the creator-facing brief be?
One page. Product truth, the one message, allowed and banned claims, format, must-include elements, the label, dates, one good example and a named contact. Creators receive many briefs, so every extra line lowers the odds that the important ones are read.
Can I give creators a list of claims they must say?
You can list approved claims and ask creators to stay inside them, but never require a positive verdict. ASCI says influencers should satisfy themselves that the advertiser can substantiate its claims, and honest opinion is expected. Ask for facts to be accurate and for the creator's own experience to be genuine.
Where can I get a brief reviewed before sending it?
Send it to your strategist or agency, who should return a creator plan with a shortlist, content plan and cost estimate. We do this within 48 hours of the brief call, and we write the creator version for you to approve. Send us your brief and we will mark up the weak lines.