Fix a Campaign Brief That Confuses Everyone using Get Who To By
Look, we’ve all seen it: a 50-slide campaign brief that uses the word 'synergy' twelve times but fails to explain what the hell we’re actually selling. It’s a mess, your creative team is already drinking, and the client thinks 'awareness' is a strategy. The Get Who To By framework is your emergency exit from this dumpster fire. It forces you to stop hiding behind buzzwords and actually commit to a plan that doesn't suck. It’s the strategic equivalent of a cold shower for a hungover brief.
The TL;DR
Stop making 'everything for everyone' campaigns. Use Get Who To By to pick a specific human (GET), find their actual problem (WHO), tell them what to do without being a poet (TO), and give them a reason to move their thumb (BY). If it doesn't fit on a napkin, it's too complicated.
Why Get Who To By is the Only Way to Save a Bad Brief
Most briefs are just a collection of wishes. This framework turns them into a weapon by cutting the fat and focusing on the only things that move the needle.
The Four Steps
GET
Who exactly are you bothering?
Don't you dare say 'males 18-45.' Pick the specific, smallest, most winnable group that actually has a reason to give you money today. If you can't describe them in one sentence, you're being lazy.
WHO
What’s the actual truth about their behavior?
Not the sanitized 'persona' version. What are they doing instead of using your product? What’s the frustration or habit that’s keeping them from acting? Be brutally honest about why they currently ignore you.
TO
What is the 'no-brainer' message?
If they have to think for more than a nanosecond, you've lost. Make the value and the action so obvious a toddler could explain it. Stop being 'poetic' and start being clear.
BY
How do you actually force the issue?
This is the mechanism. The bribe. The deadline. The specific channel or offer that turns 'maybe later' into 'buy now.' This is how you bridge the gap between an ad and an action.
Ways You'll Probably Screw This Up
(Try not to, though)
- ×Defining the 'GET' as 'anyone with a wallet'
- ×Mistaking a demographic for a behavior insight
- ×Writing a 'TO' that sounds like a mission statement
- ×Forgetting the 'BY' and just hoping people will figure it out
- ×Trying to solve five problems with one brief
- ×Using marketing jargon that makes you feel smart but says nothing
- ×Ignoring the fact that people are busy and don't care about your brand
- ×Making the 'BY' mechanism harder than a tax return
If your brief still feels like a riddle, go back to the start and delete half the words.
Real Examples
B2B Software
Fixing a vague campaign for a project management tool that's losing to spreadsheets.
GET
Overworked marketing managers in agencies with 10+ people.
WHO
They spend 2 hours a day manually updating Excel sheets because they're afraid of 'complex' software setups.
TO
Reclaim your Friday afternoons by automating the status reports you hate.
BY
A 1-click 'Import from Excel' tool and a 14-day free trial that requires zero training.
DTC Subscription
Reviving a coffee subscription campaign that people are clicking but not buying.
GET
Home office workers who drink 3+ cups of 'okay' grocery store coffee a day.
WHO
They want better coffee but feel like 'specialty' brands are too pretentious and expensive.
TO
Drink cafe-quality coffee at your desk for less than a buck a cup.
BY
A 'Taste Test' starter kit for $5 that ships in 24 hours.
Local Service
Simplifying a messy campaign for a high-end HVAC company during a heatwave.
GET
Homeowners with AC units older than 10 years.
WHO
They know their unit is dying but are procrastinating because they dread the $10k replacement bill.
TO
Don't wait for your AC to die on a Sunday; fix it now for the price of a Netflix sub.
BY
Offering 0% interest financing and a guaranteed same-day inspection before the temp hits 90 degrees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my client wants to target 'everyone'?
Tell them that targeting everyone is the fastest way to spend a lot of money saying nothing to no one. If they persist, show them the bill for 'everyone' vs. the bill for a specific GET.
Does the 'TO' have to be the headline?
It doesn't have to be the literal headline, but the headline better be a direct descendant of it. If the 'TO' is 'Buy this now' and the headline is 'A New Horizon of Possibility,' you've failed.
Can I have two 'WHOs'?
No. Pick one. If you have two distinct behaviors, you have two different campaigns. Don't cross the streams; it's messy and it doesn't work.
What's the difference between 'TO' and 'BY'?
The 'TO' is the mental shift or the core message. The 'BY' is the physical or digital 'how.' TO is the 'why,' BY is the 'how-to-buy.'
Is this framework too simple for a complex product?
If your product is so complex it can't survive a 4-step framework, your product isn't complex - your marketing is just confusing. Simplicity is a choice.
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