Clarify Decisions Before Briefing Using 4 Points Strategy Framework
Clarifying decisions before briefing feels like trying to organize a collective fever dream where every contradictory stakeholder whim is treated as a sacred commandment. They’re usually written by people who are too afraid to make a choice, so they include everything. The 4 Points Strategy Framework is the industrial-strength filter you need to run your messy thoughts through before you ever touch a briefing template. It forces you to stop being a 'yes-man' to every stakeholder request and actually decide what the one winning battle is. If you can't fit your logic into these four points, your brief isn't a strategy; it's just a expensive wish list that’s going to get ignored by the market and mocked by the production team.
The TL;DR
Stop briefing 'everything at once.' Use this to kill the fluff, find the one human tension that matters, and hand your team a sharp, single-minded direction instead of a 40-page pile of corporate 'maybe.'
Why This Stops Your Brief From Being a Total Waste of Time
A brief is supposed to be a set of instructions, not a collection of 'nice to haves.' This framework forces the hard choices up front so you don't have to make them mid-production when it costs ten times more.
PROBLEM
Stop talking about 'market share.' What is the annoying, painful, or embarrassing thing happening in the customer's life that we can actually fix? If there's no tension, there's no reason for them to care about your brief.
INSIGHT
This is the Insight. It’s the 'why' behind the behavior. It’s the secret motivation or the irrational fear that drives their choices. If the insight doesn't make you feel like you're eavesdropping, it's probably too generic.
ADVANTAGE
This is your Advantage. Not your 'values' or your 'mission statement.' What is the tangible feature, legacy, or capability that makes the Problem go away? Be honest - if a competitor can say the same thing, it’s not an advantage.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. It’s the one-sentence marching order that connects the other three points. It should be so clear that a junior designer could understand exactly what kind of work needs to be made.
PROBLEM
Stop talking about 'market share.' What is the annoying, painful, or embarrassing thing happening in the customer's life that we can actually fix? If there's no tension, there's no reason for them to care about your brief.
INSIGHT
This is the Insight. It’s the 'why' behind the behavior. It’s the secret motivation or the irrational fear that drives their choices. If the insight doesn't make you feel like you're eavesdropping, it's probably too generic.
ADVANTAGE
This is your Advantage. Not your 'values' or your 'mission statement.' What is the tangible feature, legacy, or capability that makes the Problem go away? Be honest - if a competitor can say the same thing, it’s not an advantage.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. It’s the one-sentence marching order that connects the other three points. It should be so clear that a junior designer could understand exactly what kind of work needs to be made.
How to Ruin a Brief Before It Even Starts
(The hallmarks of a lazy strategist)
- ×Defining the 'Problem' as 'people aren't buying our stuff' (that's your problem, not theirs)
- ×Using a demographic as an 'Insight' (being 25-34 is a state of being, not a motivation)
- ×Claiming 'Quality' or 'Trust' as a unique Advantage (those are table stakes, not weapons)
- ×Writing a 'Strategy' that is just a list of channels like 'do a TikTok dance'
- ×Trying to solve three different human problems in one brief because you're afraid to say 'no' to the CEO
- ×Using corporate buzzwords like 'synergy' or 'omnichannel' to hide the fact that you don't have a plan
- ×Making the Strategy so broad it could apply to a brand of toothpaste or a hedge fund
- ×Skipping the 'Insight' because you think the product is so good it doesn't need one
If your brief tries to be everything to everyone, it will be nothing to anyone. Strategy is the art of sacrifice.
Real Examples
B2B Cybersecurity
Briefing a campaign for a new 'Instant Recovery' software for IT Directors.
PROBLEM
IT Directors live in constant fear of a 'Black Swan' event that makes them look incompetent in front of the board.
INSIGHT
They don't actually care about 'innovation'; they care about not being the person who let the company die on a Tuesday afternoon.
ADVANTAGE
A 'One-Click Time Machine' feature that reverts the entire server to a pre-hack state in under 60 seconds.
STRATEGY
Position the software as the 'Career Insurance' that makes a catastrophic hack feel like a minor inconvenience.
PROBLEM
IT Directors live in constant fear of a 'Black Swan' event that makes them look incompetent in front of the board.
INSIGHT
They don't actually care about 'innovation'; they care about not being the person who let the company die on a Tuesday afternoon.
ADVANTAGE
A 'One-Click Time Machine' feature that reverts the entire server to a pre-hack state in under 60 seconds.
STRATEGY
Position the software as the 'Career Insurance' that makes a catastrophic hack feel like a minor inconvenience.
High-End Coffee Subscription
Briefing a strategy to get casual drinkers to pay $30/month for 'specialty' beans.
PROBLEM
People want to feel like 'coffee people' but are intimidated by the jargon and the $500 equipment requirements.
INSIGHT
They aren't looking for the 'best' bean; they're looking for a way to feel sophisticated without having to study for it.
ADVANTAGE
A 'No-Snob' flavor matching system that uses common foods (like 'Snickers bar' or 'Green Apple') to describe complex beans.
STRATEGY
Frame the brand as the 'Sophistication Shortcut' for people who want the status of specialty coffee without the homework.
PROBLEM
People want to feel like 'coffee people' but are intimidated by the jargon and the $500 equipment requirements.
INSIGHT
They aren't looking for the 'best' bean; they're looking for a way to feel sophisticated without having to study for it.
ADVANTAGE
A 'No-Snob' flavor matching system that uses common foods (like 'Snickers bar' or 'Green Apple') to describe complex beans.
STRATEGY
Frame the brand as the 'Sophistication Shortcut' for people who want the status of specialty coffee without the homework.
Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
Briefing a campaign to take on legacy brands like Clorox.
PROBLEM
Parents feel guilty about using harsh chemicals around kids, but they don't believe 'green' products actually kill germs.
INSIGHT
They would rather be 'guilty' of using chemicals than 'irresponsible' for leaving bacteria on the kitchen counter.
ADVANTAGE
A proprietary plant-based formula that is lab-proven to kill 99.9% of germs faster than bleach.
STRATEGY
Weaponize the 'Kill Rate' to prove that being a 'Green Parent' doesn't mean being a 'Soft Parent.'
PROBLEM
Parents feel guilty about using harsh chemicals around kids, but they don't believe 'green' products actually kill germs.
INSIGHT
They would rather be 'guilty' of using chemicals than 'irresponsible' for leaving bacteria on the kitchen counter.
ADVANTAGE
A proprietary plant-based formula that is lab-proven to kill 99.9% of germs faster than bleach.
STRATEGY
Weaponize the 'Kill Rate' to prove that being a 'Green Parent' doesn't mean being a 'Soft Parent.'
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the client insists on three different target audiences in the brief?
Tell them they're paying for one strategy and getting two for free, which means none of them will work. If you can't narrow the audience, you can't find a singular Insight.
How do I know if my 'Strategy' is sharp enough?
If you can't imagine a competitor being annoyed by it, it’s too soft. A good strategy should feel like a threat to the rest of the category.
Can the 'Advantage' just be our brand's history?
Only if that history solves the 'Problem.' If the problem is 'I don't trust new tech,' then your 100-year history is a weapon. If the problem is 'I'm bored,' your history is a liability.
Why is the Insight called 'the uncomfortable truth'?
Because people don't make decisions based on the logical reasons they tell pollsters. They make them based on ego, fear, and laziness. If your insight is comfortable, it’s probably a lie.
What if I can't find a 'Problem' beyond 'we need to sell more'?
Then you aren't a strategist; you're a calculator. Go talk to a customer and find out what actually annoys them about your category.
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