App demo creator brief template

Why do creators misexplain products in sponsored demos?

Because the brief left a gap the creator had to fill. Each common failure maps to one field in the template.

Which creators demo apps well?

Tutorial creators show an app finishing a real task, which is what this brief asks for. These four publish tutorials of consumer AI apps and posted on YouTube in the last 30 days. Subscriber counts are from vidIQ. None of them paid to be listed.

Kiko scores every creator 1–5 on audience match, recent posting, ability to show the product doing a real task, disclosure history, brand safety and price against expected views, and shortlists only those averaging 4 or more. More names are on consumer AI app creators.

The template

This is the brief Kiko sends creators for app demos. Kiko's defaults are filled in; change them per creator. Copy everything inside the box into a doc and fill in the curly braces. Delete lines you don't need. Keep it to two pages once it's filled in: a creator reads a short brief.

APP DEMO CREATOR BRIEF
Brand: {app name}           Creator: {name / channel}           Brief version and date: {v1, YYYY-MM-DD}

1. CAMPAIGN BASICS
   Goal of this video: {installs / signups / first-week activation / awareness among X}
   Platform and format: {TikTok / Reels / YouTube Short / YouTube integration / dedicated video}
   Length: 45–60 seconds, or for an integration: 60–90 seconds within a longer video

2. WHO THE VIEWER IS
   The person we want to reach: {one sentence: who they are and what they're trying to get done}
   What they already use instead: {spreadsheet / a competitor / nothing}
   What they're skeptical about: {price / privacy / "AI slop" / setup time}

3. THE ONE TASK
   Show the app finishing this task, start to end: {e.g. "turn a 40-minute lecture recording into
   flashcards" / "plan a week of workouts for a knee injury" / "build a budget from last month's spending"}
   The moment the viewer should see: {the result on screen}
   Do not try to show every feature. One task, finished, beats five features, started.

4. DEMO PATH
   Account: {test login provided / creator signs up fresh on camera / pre-loaded account}
   Plan or credits: paid tier unlocked for 90 days from the brief date
   Sample data: {file, link or account state we provide}
   Starting state: {what the screen should show at the start}
   Inputs that work well (tested by us): {2-3 example prompts, files or settings}
   Known issues to avoid: {list, updated YYYY-MM-DD}
   App version / model version: {version}. We'll tell you before it changes.
   Support contact while recording: {name, channel}, replies within 2 hours, 9am–7pm ET

5. MUST SHOW / OPTIONAL / DON'T SHOW
   Must show: {the result from section 3; the app name on screen; where to get it}
   Optional: {one secondary feature}
   Don't show: {admin screens, other users' data, unreleased features, competitor logos in our UI}

6. CLAIMS
   You can say: what you saw happen, in your own words, and your honest opinion.
   You can repeat these approved facts: {e.g. "free plan available", "works on iOS and Android"}
   Don't say: {numbers we haven't published with a method; "guaranteed"; health, money or safety
   outcomes; comparisons with named competitors unless listed here}
   If you're not sure about a claim, ask {contact} before recording.

7. PRODUCT FACTS (for accuracy, not a script)
   What it is in one sentence: {}
   Who it's for: {}
   Price: {free / $__ per month / free trial length}, as of {date}
   Platforms: {iOS / Android / web}
   Privacy note if relevant: {}

8. DISCLOSURE
   Say it in the video (spoken and on screen) near the start, in plain words, e.g. "{Brand} paid me
   to make this" or "sponsored by {Brand}".
   Turn on the platform setting: YouTube paid promotion / TikTok commercial content disclosure /
   Instagram paid partnership label.
   Also put it in the caption or description.
   If you got free access or credits, that's a connection to disclose too.

9. LINK, CODE AND HOW TO FIND THE APP
   Link: {unique tracked link}
   Code: {code}, gives viewers {offer}, valid 30 days from your publish date
   Say the app name clearly and show it on screen, because many viewers search instead of clicking.
   Our signup form asks "How did you hear about us?" and lists your name.

10. DELIVERABLES AND SPECS
   1 x 45–60 s vertical video, 1080x1920, captions burned in
   Raw footage: yes, delivered with the final cut
   Draft due: 5 business days before publish   Publish window: 7 days, agreed date range {dates, time zone}

11. REVIEW
   We review the draft for factual errors and disclosure only, not for style.
   We'll reply within one business day. Maximum 2 rounds.

12. USAGE RIGHTS
   90 days of paid use as Spark Ads or Partnership Ads, from first ad delivery, included in your fee.
   Cut-downs, captions and new opening hooks allowed; no change to what you say.
   Whitelisting beyond 90 days is priced separately, at 20–30% of your fee.
   Platform permission or code needed within 3 business days of posting.

13. PAYMENT
   Fee: {$___}   Paid: net 15 days from publish   Product or credits: {value}

14. CONTACTS
   Day-to-day: {name, email, handle}   Escalation: {name}

How do you use this template?

1. Fill sections 2 and 3 first. If you can't name one viewer and one task, the video won't have them either.
2. Build the demo path yourself, then test it. Run the exact task in a fresh test account. Use the inputs you'll give the creator and the app version they'll record on. If it fails for you, it will fail on camera.
3. Keep claims short. Section 6 should be a list your legal or compliance owner has approved. Kiko checks every script against the FTC Endorsement Guides and platform branded-content rules; regulated claims (finance, health) are signed off by your counsel before posting. For regulated categories, see fintech compliance review and health and fitness claims.
4. Send the brief before the contract is signed. The creator should know the task, the rights and the review rules before agreeing a fee.
5. Leave the words to the creator. Section 7 is for accuracy. A creator reading your marketing copy sounds like an ad and performs like one.
6. Agree usage rights in the same conversation. Use the usage rights and whitelisting template for section 12.
7. Measure past the install. Set the tracked link and code, then judge the video on activated users. See activation and the creator CAC calculator.

What changes for AI products?

AI demos fail in ways ordinary app demos don't. The output changes from run to run, and it can change again when the model is updated. Add these to section 4:

• Tested inputs. Give the creator inputs you have run several times, and say how much the output varies.
• Model version. Tell them which model the app uses while they record, and warn them before it changes.
• Credits and limits. Lift rate limits on the creator's account, so they don't hit a quota mid-take.
• A plan for a weak result. Agree in advance that showing a retry is fine. A creator who edits out every failure can overstate what the product does.

For coding tools specifically, use the AI coding tool launch brief. For consumer AI apps, see creators for app installs and demo ads for AI agents.

What do the disclosure rules say?

From the primary sources. Check the details with your legal team.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a creator brief template for an app or AI product demo?

Yes. The template on this page covers the viewer, the one task to show, the demo path, claims, disclosure, tracking, deliverables, review, usage rights and payment. Copy it into a doc and fill in the bracketed fields.

What should a creator brief for an app demo video include?

One viewer, one task the app finishes on camera, a tested demo path with a test account and sample data, approved claims, disclosure instructions, a tracked link and code, deliverable specs, a factual review step, usage rights and dates. It should not include a script.

Creators keep misexplaining our product in sponsored videos. How should we change our brief?

Narrow the brief to one task and one viewer, give a tested demo path, and add a short list of approved facts and banned claims. Then review drafts for factual errors only. Gaps in the brief cause most misexplanation, and they are the part you control.

Should we give creators a script for an app demo?

No. Give them the task, the facts and the limits, and let them explain it in their own words. A script makes the video sound like an ad and makes it easier for a creator to repeat a claim they haven't checked.

Which creators are good at app demos?

Tutorial creators who show a task start to finish. For consumer AI apps, Kevin Stratvert, Jeff Su, The AI Advantage and Skill Leap AI all published app tutorials on YouTube in the last 30 days; see the table above.

How long should an app demo brief be?

Short enough to read in a few minutes: about two pages once filled in. Put long reference material, such as full feature lists, in a separate document the creator can open if they need it.