Before you send a product to a creator, establish whether it is a gift without an obligation or a proposed collaboration with agreed deliverables. That distinction changes the coordination that follows. A gift alone does not define how many videos someone will make, when they will post, or whether the brand can reuse the content. A useful gifting brief answers three questions: Why does the product fit this creator? What have both parties agreed to provide? What happens if the plan needs to change? Here is a practical way to write one.

Before shipping: agree five things

01Product fit
02Deliverables
03Publishing & rights
04Timing
05Review
A practical review framework, not results or statistics.

1. Put the product in a real context

Start with a short product description and a situation in which it would naturally appear. For an everyday cup, do you need to show its size inside a bag, how it opens, or how to clean it? Choose one clear angle that can be demonstrated.

Attach accurate product details, including the size or colour being sent, instructions and any relevant limitations. Separate approved facts from creative suggestions. Do not ask the creator to describe an outcome they have not experienced.

2. Define deliverables that can be checked

“A nice video about the product” leaves too much room for different expectations. State whether you need a video or a set of photographs, the approximate format, essential shots, and whether the handover is a file, a published link or both.

If publishing is required, specify the platform, account and post format. If the content is intended for the brand’s channels, say so explicitly. Production and publishing are separate activities even when both are part of one collaboration.

3. Agree rights before filming

Describe where you want to use the content, for how long, and whether you need to crop it, add subtitles or receive original files. Request clear agreement to those uses rather than assuming file delivery grants every right.

Also agree how the gifting or commercial relationship will be made clear when publishing. Review current platform and market requirements with the appropriate responsible person. A single disclosure phrase should not be treated as suitable for every country and situation.

4. Connect the schedule to product arrival

Identify an expected shipping date, then confirm the content or publishing deadline after receipt, allowing appropriate time to try the product. A delayed package can make an original deadline impractical.

Specify whom the creator should contact if the package is late, damaged or the wrong size. Confirm the situation before asking them to film. These logistical details are part of a well-run collaboration.

5. Make review specific

Correcting a product fact and replacing the concept after filming are different requests. Agree whether a draft will be reviewed, how feedback will be consolidated and what revisions include. If the work follows the brief but the team now prefers another idea, discuss the additional scope rather than treating it as an automatic correction.

A sample brief to adapt

This is an illustrative example for a fictional product, not a campaign delivered by 20Five:

  • Product: A reusable cup, with a specification link and agreed colour.
  • Audience: People who want to understand the cup’s size and everyday use.
  • Concept: Packing a bag before leaving, showing the cup and how it opens and closes.
  • Deliverable: One vertical video of an agreed length showing the product in use.
  • Publishing: Both parties specify whether the creator posts it or delivers it only to the brand.
  • Product facts: Use approved specifications. Do not add insulation or durability claims without suitable support or testing.
  • Timing: Confirmed after receipt and a review of the production time needed.
  • Review: Rounds and a person responsible for consolidated feedback are agreed before acceptance.
  • Rights: List the channels, duration and permitted edits.
  • Arrangement: Product and delivery under an agreed gifting collaboration, without an assumed cash fee.

The final pre-shipping check

Has the creator accepted the collaboration and deliverables? Is the product suitable? Has delivery information been provided through the agreed channel? Are publishing, rights and timing written down? Do both parties know what happens if shipping is delayed or changes are needed?

Resolve any unclear answer first. A question before shipping is easier to manage than an unwritten expectation afterwards.

With 20Five’s gifting option, the brand covers the product and delivery only once the creator and collaboration details are confirmed. Use this template as a starting point for your enquiry.

Take the next step

Turn the guide into a clear brief, then discuss scope and fit with 20Five.

Explore the relevant pathway