Fix Briefs That Decide Nothing with the 4 Points Strategy
Creating a strategy brief is always a chcallenge. The 4 Points Strategy Framework is the industrial-strength filter you need to strip away the corporate fan-fiction and find a direction. It forces you to stop hiding behind 'and' and start making the hard calls. This isn't about filling out a form; it's about finding the one sharp point that pierces through the noise of a crowded, indifferent market before your budget - and your team's patience - runs out.
The TL;DR
Stop writing briefs that try to please everyone and end up helping no one. Use the 4 Points Framework to isolate the human mess, the uncomfortable truth, your one real weapon, and a singular battle plan that makes the creative work inevitable.
Why This Stops Your Brief From Being a Total Waste of Paper
Most briefs fail because they're too polite to be useful. This framework is a reality check that prioritizes sacrifice over 'inclusion.'
PROBLEM
Don't give me 'market share is down.' That's a business problem, and frankly, the customer doesn't care. What is the friction in their life? Are they bored, overwhelmed, or just trying to look less incompetent at their jobs? If there's no human tension, your brief is dead on arrival.
INSIGHT
This is the Insight. It’s not a percentage in a pie chart; it’s a 'why.' Why do they do the irrational things they do? If your insight doesn't make you feel like a bit of a creep for knowing it, it's just a boring fact. Find the secret belief that drives their behavior.
ADVANTAGE
Be honest. Is your product actually better, or just more expensive? This is where you stop the marketing fluff. Your advantage must be the specific tool that solves the Problem you identified. If your advantage is 'innovation,' go back to the drawing board.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. It’s the marching order. It connects the Problem, Insight, and Advantage into a single, aggressive sentence. It’s not a slogan; it’s a decision. If it's more than 15 words, you're still trying to avoid making a choice.
PROBLEM
Don't give me 'market share is down.' That's a business problem, and frankly, the customer doesn't care. What is the friction in their life? Are they bored, overwhelmed, or just trying to look less incompetent at their jobs? If there's no human tension, your brief is dead on arrival.
INSIGHT
This is the Insight. It’s not a percentage in a pie chart; it’s a 'why.' Why do they do the irrational things they do? If your insight doesn't make you feel like a bit of a creep for knowing it, it's just a boring fact. Find the secret belief that drives their behavior.
ADVANTAGE
Be honest. Is your product actually better, or just more expensive? This is where you stop the marketing fluff. Your advantage must be the specific tool that solves the Problem you identified. If your advantage is 'innovation,' go back to the drawing board.
STRATEGY
This is the Strategy. It’s the marching order. It connects the Problem, Insight, and Advantage into a single, aggressive sentence. It’s not a slogan; it’s a decision. If it's more than 15 words, you're still trying to avoid making a choice.
Ways You'll Probably Screw This Up
(And look like an amateur)
- ×Writing a 'Problem' that is just 'they haven't bought our product yet' (narcissism isn't a strategy)
- ×Confusing a 'Fact' with an 'Insight' (Facts are for reports; Insights are for impact)
- ×Claiming 'Trust' or 'Quality' is a unique Advantage (everyone says that; it's the bare minimum)
- ×Writing a 'Strategy' that is just a list of tactics like 'do a TikTok challenge'
- ×Trying to solve three problems at once because you're afraid of the client's reaction
- ×Using 'and' to join two weak strategies into one long, useless sentence
- ×Ignoring the Insight because it feels 'too negative' for the brand guidelines
- ×Making the Strategy so vague it could apply to your competitors just as easily
Strategy is about sacrifice. If you aren't leaving 'good' ideas on the floor, you aren't doing the work.
Real Examples
Corporate Banking
A brief for a bank that wants to attract 'innovative' tech founders.
PROBLEM
Founders feel like traditional banks are slow, bureaucratic fossils that treat them like a risk rather than a human.
INSIGHT
They don't want a 'financial partner'; they want a bank that gets out of their way so they can pretend they're changing the world.
ADVANTAGE
An automated credit-line approval process that uses real-time API data instead of 3-year-old tax returns.
STRATEGY
Position the bank as the 'Silent Engine' that fuels growth without the friction of traditional human judgment.
PROBLEM
Founders feel like traditional banks are slow, bureaucratic fossils that treat them like a risk rather than a human.
INSIGHT
They don't want a 'financial partner'; they want a bank that gets out of their way so they can pretend they're changing the world.
ADVANTAGE
An automated credit-line approval process that uses real-time API data instead of 3-year-old tax returns.
STRATEGY
Position the bank as the 'Silent Engine' that fuels growth without the friction of traditional human judgment.
Organic Baby Food
A brief for a premium brand struggling against cheaper supermarket options.
PROBLEM
New parents are drowning in conflicting advice and feel like every meal is a test of their parental worth.
INSIGHT
They don't buy organic because of the nutrients; they buy it to silence the inner voice that tells them they're failing their child.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Zero-Trace' sourcing guarantee that tracks every ingredient back to a specific, named farm.
STRATEGY
Transform the product from 'food' into a 'Parental Insurance Policy' against the guilt of modern living.
PROBLEM
New parents are drowning in conflicting advice and feel like every meal is a test of their parental worth.
INSIGHT
They don't buy organic because of the nutrients; they buy it to silence the inner voice that tells them they're failing their child.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Zero-Trace' sourcing guarantee that tracks every ingredient back to a specific, named farm.
STRATEGY
Transform the product from 'food' into a 'Parental Insurance Policy' against the guilt of modern living.
Project Management Software
A brief for a tool trying to compete with industry giants like Jira.
PROBLEM
Teams are spending more time updating their project management tools than actually doing the work.
INSIGHT
The people using the software secretly hate the 'transparency' because it exposes the messy, non-linear reality of creative work.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Deep Work' mode that hides all project status updates for everyone except the person doing the task.
STRATEGY
Own the 'Anti-Micromanagement' space by weaponizing privacy as a productivity feature.
PROBLEM
Teams are spending more time updating their project management tools than actually doing the work.
INSIGHT
The people using the software secretly hate the 'transparency' because it exposes the messy, non-linear reality of creative work.
ADVANTAGE
A 'Deep Work' mode that hides all project status updates for everyone except the person doing the task.
STRATEGY
Own the 'Anti-Micromanagement' space by weaponizing privacy as a productivity feature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have two Problems if the client insists?
No. Tell the client that trying to solve two problems is the fastest way to solve zero. If they can't decide what's important, they don't have a strategy; they have a wish list.
What if my Advantage is just 'we care more'?
Then you're in trouble. 'Caring' isn't an advantage; it's a Hallmark card. If you don't have a functional edge, find a cultural one or admit you're a commodity.
How do I know if my Insight is actually an Insight?
If you say it in a meeting and there's an awkward silence because it's a bit too true, it's an insight. If everyone just nods and looks at their phones, it's a fact.
Is the Strategy just a creative tagline?
Absolutely not. The Strategy is the logic that makes the tagline possible. If the Strategy is 'Be the Silent Engine,' the tagline might be 'Shhh. We're working.' Don't confuse the two.
Why is the Strategy point (the 'By' field) so short?
Because if you can't explain your plan in one sentence, you don't understand it yet. Complexity is where bad ideas go to hide.
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