IT 
EN 
Brain Trust
Glossaries
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Brain Trust | A Brain Trust is a small, selected group of trusted experts, consultants, or senior figures, assembled with the specific purpose of analysing an ongoing project, identifying problems, and providing strategic, direct, and honest feedback. What It's For / Why It's ImportantUnlike a Brainstorming session (which serves to generate new ideas, often without criticism), a Brain Trust serves to improve an existing idea or product through constructive criticism. Its value lies in the high level of expertise of the members and their ability to provide frank feedback, helping the project team to see weaknesses that (due to over-involvement) they can no longer notice. When It Is Used / In What Context Is It UsefulThe term became famous in the creative world thanks to Pixar. The Pixar "Braintrust" is a committee of directors and screenwriters that meets periodically to review films in progress. In creative and marketing agencies, a Brain Trust can be a group (formal or informal) of senior figures (e.g. Creative Director, Head of Strategy, CEO) convened to analyse an important campaign before presenting it to the client. Practical ExampleAn agency team has been working on the storyboard for a major TV advert for weeks. Before the final presentation, they convene a Brain Trust with the two most experienced Creative Directors in the agency. The team presents the storyboard. The Brain Trust does not propose new ideas, but identifies a weakness: "The message is clear, but the protagonist is not credible in that role. The problem is in the casting." Extra InsightThe golden rule of the Brain Trust (especially at Pixar) is that the feedback is a diagnosis, not a prescription. The group identifies the problems precisely (e.g. "the pacing of the second act is slow"), but does not impose the solution. The responsibility of how to solve the problem remains entirely with the project team. This protects creative ownership and empowers the team. |
