Fix Creative Briefs That Kill Good Ideas using Get Who To By
Most creative briefs are where good ideas go to die under a pile of 'synergy' and 'brand pillars.' If your brief is longer than a cocktail napkin and still doesn't tell the creative team what to actually do, you're the problem. The Get Who To By framework is the intervention you need to stop the bleeding. It’s a four-line reality check that forces you to stop hiding behind jargon and start making decisions that actually lead to a campaign people might notice.
The TL;DR
Stop writing novels and start writing strategy. Use Get Who To By to identify a specific human (GET), find the weird reason they aren't buying (WHO), tell them exactly what to do (TO), and give them the mechanism to do it (BY). It’s strategy for people who actually want to launch things instead of just talking about them.
Why This Framework Beats Your 40-Page Deck
Because your creative team is currently drowning in 'brand essence' and 'omnichannel visions.' This framework gives them a life raft.
The Four Steps
GET
Who's the victim of this campaign?
Define the smallest, most winnable group of people. If you say 'Millennials,' I'm closing the document. Pick the people who actually have the problem you solve and are ready to pay to make it go away.
WHO
What’s the actual behavior or hang-up?
What are they doing right now instead of using your stuff? Are they lazy? Scared? Using a shitty spreadsheet? Find the friction that’s keeping them from clicking 'buy.'
TO
What’s the stupidly obvious message?
What is the one thing they need to hear to change their mind? Don't get fancy. If they can't understand it while half-asleep scrolling on the toilet, it's too complicated.
BY
How are you actually forcing their hand?
This is the 'how.' The mechanism. Is it a tool? A discount? A terrifying statistic? Define the bridge that carries them from 'knowing' to 'doing.'
Ways You'll Probably Screw This Up
(Try not to, though)
- ×Targeting 'Global Decision Makers' (they don't exist)
- ×Writing a 'WHO' that is just a demographic, not a behavior
- ×Making the 'TO' a paragraph instead of a punch in the face
- ×Forgetting to include a 'BY' that actually works
- ×Using 'brand awareness' as a substitute for a real goal
- ×Ignoring the fact that people are busy and don't care about your brand
- ×Confusing a 'mechanism' with a 'philosophy'
- ×Trying to fix five problems in one brief
If your brief feels like it was written by a committee of people who hate joy, start over.
Real Examples
B2B SaaS Tool
A campaign for a project management tool that actually works.
GET
Burnt-out project managers at mid-sized agencies.
WHO
They spend 4 hours a day manually updating status reports because their current software is a bloated nightmare.
TO
Automate your status reports so you can actually leave the office at 5 PM.
BY
A 'One-Click Import' tool that turns their messy spreadsheets into a clean dashboard in 30 seconds.
DTC Beverage
A campaign for a high-caffeine sparkling water.
GET
Remote workers hitting the 3 PM slump.
WHO
They want energy but hate the 'jittery heart-attack' feeling of energy drinks and the 'coffee breath' of a third latte.
TO
Get the caffeine kick without the crash or the stained teeth.
BY
A 'Slump-Slayer' trial pack with 3 flavors for the price of shipping.
Professional Services
A campaign for a boutique cybersecurity firm.
GET
Founders of startups that just raised their Series A.
WHO
They know they need security but think it’s a 'next year' problem until they realize one hack kills their valuation.
TO
Don't let a script-kiddie delete your exit strategy.
BY
A free 15-minute 'Vulnerability Snapshot' that shows exactly where they're exposed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have two 'GETs' if I have a big budget?
No. Pick one. If you have that much money, run two separate campaigns. Don't muddy the water.
What if my 'WHO' is just 'they want to save money'?
Everyone wants to save money. That's not an insight, that's a baseline. Why do they want to save money *now*? What's the specific cost of their current behavior?
How short should the 'TO' be?
Short enough to fit on a billboard. If you need a comma, it's probably too long.
Is the 'BY' just the Call to Action?
It's the CTA plus the reason it works. 'Click here' is a CTA. 'Click here to get the free template that saves you 10 hours' is a mechanism.
What if the creative team hates it?
They won't. They’ll be thrilled they finally know what you want from them instead of having to guess.
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