Ready to produce a great video campaign?

Creating campaigns that are rooted in emotion and that move the needle are hard to produce. This checklist below is a checklist we've built over the years derived both from our own work and the insights shared The Backcountry Marketing Podcast. This checklist includes a list of qualifications we are looking for when onboarding a new client and developing a campaign with them. This list is ever growing and evolves year to year as we learn more. It should be treated more like a sounding board than truth.

Use this list, or expand to it

Strategic Alignment

• Business Alignment: Does the campaign directly serve the brand’s broader business objectives?
• Goal Clarity: Are campaign goals specific, measurable, and realistic?
• Why Now? Is the timing culturally, seasonally, or competitively relevant?
• Single-Minded Proposition: Does the campaign communicate one clear, compelling idea across all channels?

Brand

• Brand Positioning: Is the campaign rooted in the brand’s unique positioning?
• Authenticity: Does it feel like something only this brand could credibly do?
• Voice & Character: Consistent with the brand’s voice and visual identity across touchpoints?
• Beyond Product: Does it elevate brand meaning beyond functional benefits?
• Trust: Will it build brand trust and credibility with its audience/community?
• POV: Does it clearly express the brand’s point of view on culture, lifestyle, or values?

Audience

• Audience Definition: Is the target audience precisely defined (demographics, psychographics, behaviors, emotional drivers)?
• Emotional Resonance: Does the campaign connect with the audience’s current emotional state or aspirations?
• Relevance: Does it meet the audience where they are—culturally, socially, and contextually?
• Speak With, Not At: Does it invite participation or dialogue with the audience/community?
• Attainability & Relatability: Does the campaign feel authentic and achievable to them?

Creative

• Insight-Driven: Is the creative rooted in a sharp, actionable insight?
• Distinctive Idea: Does the creative platform feel fresh, original, and ownable?
• Emotional Arc: Does it move people—through laughter, inspiration, empathy, etc.?
• Clarity Over Cleverness: Is the message easy to grasp across channels?
• Engagement Factor: Will it hold attention and invite sharing?
• Extendibility: Can the idea stretch across multiple formats, platforms, and executions?
• Evergreen vs Cultural Relevance: Does it tap into specific timeliness?
• Insight Driven: Is the campaign rooted in a human insight?

Competitive & Cultural Context

• Competitive Differentiation: Does the campaign clearly stand apart from competitors?
• White Space: Does the campaign occupy a unique space competitors aren’t filling?
• Cultural Alignment: Does it connect meaningfully to cultural trends or avoid missteps?

Execution

• Feasibility: Can the campaign be executed within budget, time, and resource constraints?
• Scalability: Can the idea flex from hero assets down to tactical formats?
• Creative/Media Integration: Is there alignment between creative idea and media strategy?

Engagement Mechanics

• Interactivity: Does the campaign invite participation (contests, UGC, co-creation)?
• Community Activation: Are there plans to empower ambassadors, athletes, or superfans to spread it?

Distribution

• Channel Strategy: Does the campaign have a clear plan for owned, earned, and paid channels?
• Discoverability: Optimized for algorithms, search, and cultural attention?
• Content Ecosystem: Does the campaign create a system of touchpoints, not just one-off assets?
• Amplification: Are there media, influencer, or retail partnerships to extend reach?
• Repurposing: Are there built-in plans to slice and adapt content for different formats?
• Evergreen Value: Can pieces of the campaign live on beyond the activation window?

Risk & Safeguards

• Reputation Risk: Could the campaign spark backlash or unintended harm?
• Contingency Plan: Do we have backup messaging or alternate creative?
• Legal/Compliance: Are rights, clearances, and claims properly handled?

Measurement & Longevity

• KPIs: Are success metrics defined across the funnel (awareness → engagement → conversion → loyalty)?
• Pre-Testing: Is there a plan to test messaging or creative before launch?
• Optimization: Can the campaign be adjusted in real-time as results come in?
• Post-Campaign Plan: How will learnings and assets be captured for future use?
• Learning Loop: Is there a framework to apply insights to future campaigns