Align Everybody With the "Get Who To By" Framework
The Get-Who-To-By framework is widely used in creative strategy and agency briefs. It's a fast, no-fluff way to turn strategy into action. It helps you define who you're talking to, what you want them to do, and how you'll make them do it — all in one sharp sentence. Origin traced back to the BBDO NY office in 2004/2005.
Key Implementation Steps
GET
Who exactly is worth targeting?
Choose the smallest, most winnable, highest-impact group. Not "young people." Not "everyone buying in the category." Tighter = better. If this group feels too broad, you're doing it wrong.
WHO
What specific insight reveals how your target group actually behaves?
It's about how they actually behave—their current habits, frustrations, or patterns that reveal why they'll care. What do they do now? What are they already trying? What's the specific behavior that shows they're ready for your message? If you can't observe it or it's too vague, dig deeper.
TO
Make the action stupidly obvious
This is your message. It should punch through noise, not whisper in brand poetry. People must immediately understand what you want them to do, why it's worth it, and why now. If your message sounds like a manifesto instead of a direction, rewrite it.
BY
How will you actually make them do it?
This is the strategy engine—the mechanism that creates the behavior. Hijack a category moment. Use a trial hook people can't ignore. Tap into a frustration competitors ignore. Build urgency around timing. If you can't articulate it in one sentence, it isn't sharp enough.
Get Who To By Use Example
This example shows how the framework can be applied to snack food marketing, starting with a clear insight and breaking down each component.
Ideal For
Campaign briefs, behavioral change tasks, action-oriented messaging
Super quick to align teams on audience and messaging
Easily turns strategy into creative direction
Less Ideal For
Brand positioning, long-term brand architecture
Can be too simplistic for layered brand problems
Needs a strong insight up front — weak inputs = weak output
Generate a Framework for your Use Case
Use our framework generator to generate various Get Who To By, 4C, 4 Points Strategy, and other frameworks — all in one place and directly to editable Google SLIDES!
Go to Framework GeneratorFrequently Asked Questions
What exactly is the Get Who To By framework?
The Get Who To By framework is a fast, no-fluff way to turn strategy into action. It helps you define who you're talking to (GET), what's holding them back or what's true about them (WHO), what you want them to do (TO), and how you'll make them do it (BY) — all in one sharp sentence.
When should I use Get Who To By instead of other frameworks like 4C?
Use Get Who To By when you need immediate alignment and a clear creative direction for a campaign or a specific behavior change. It's action-oriented. Use the 4C Model when you need to dive deeper into customer needs and brand-product fit, or the 4 Points Strategy for broader brand positioning.
What makes a good 'WHO' in this framework?
A great 'WHO' isn't just a demographic fact. It's a behavioral insight—something you can observe about how people currently act, their frustrations, or the habits they already have. The WHO should reveal exactly why your target group will care about your message.
Is Get Who To By suitable for B2B strategy?
Absolutely. In B2B, the framework helps strip away corporate jargon to focus on the human decision-maker. The 'GET' is your specific persona, and the 'WHO' identifies the professional inertia or pain point that your product will bypass.
How do I know if my 'BY' is sharp enough?
Your 'BY' is the engine of your strategy. If it sounds like a vague brand promise, it's weak. A sharp 'BY' describes a specific mechanism, hook, or cultural hijack that makes the behavior change (the 'TO') feel inevitable.