Thread by @PhilKiel

We added 4 elements to our creative briefs and our hit rate jumped 23%.

Now they're non-negotiable.

Here's what changed (and why it matters) 👇

1. Awareness Level

Problem Aware - "I need to sleep better"
Solution Aware - "I need a supplement for sleep"
Product Aware - "I've heard about magnesium"
Most Aware - "I'm comparing magnesium brands"

Why this matters:

Problem aware customers need education.
Most aware customers need differentiation.

Same product. Completely different creative approach.

Now: every brief has a specific awareness level.

The creative matches where the customer actually is in their journey.

2. Landing Page + Product PDP

Sounds obvious right?

The problem:

You create ads for the Product Detail Page but send traffic to the Homepage.

Or create ads highlighting a specific benefit but land on a generic LP that doesn't mention it.

Message match wasn't just broken. It was non-existent.

Now every brief includes:

→ Destination URL
→ Key elements on that page
→ How the ad message connects to the landing experience

Example:

Ad angle: "Better than your current probiotic"
Landing page: Comparison chart is above the fold
Brief note: "Ad must call out competitor weakness that our comparison addresses"

The ad and page are designed together. Not separately.

Our CVR jumped 11% just from this alignment.

3. Core Customer Emotion

This one changed everything.

We now ask two emotion questions in every brief:

A) What emotion is the customer feeling RIGHT NOW?
(Before they see our ad, before they buy)

B) What emotion do we want them to feel AFTER using our product?
(The transformation)

Real example - Sleep supplement:

Current emotion: Frustrated, exhausted, desperate
Desired emotion: Rested, energized, in control

The creative speaks to frustration.
The product promise delivers control.

After adding emotional framework:

"Sick of lying awake at 3am running through tomorrow's to-do list?"

Same product. Completely different resonance.

The ads that nail the current emotion always outperform the ones that just describe the product.

4. How We Structure It Now

Every brief includes these elements:

Strategy Layer:
- Segment (who)
- Awareness Level (where they are mentally) ← NEW
- Concept (what angle)
- Hypothesis (why we're testing)
- Core Customer Emotion (what they feel now/want to feel) ← NEW

Execution Layer:
- Format (how we present it)
- Copy direction
- Visual style
- Landing Page + Key Page Elements ← NEW
- CTA alignment with destination

This template has created 500+ ads in 2025.

Fewer wasted ads. More winners.

Why does this improve hit rate?

1. Awareness Level eliminates guesswork
(No more "too basic" or "too advanced" ads)

2. LP alignment fixes the conversion leak
(Message match = higher CVR = better signal to Meta)

3. Emotional framework creates resonance
(People buy on emotion, justify with logic)

The brief is where strategy meets execution.

Get it wrong here and no amount of pretty design will save you.

Get it right and your creative team can actually do their job.

Real talk:

Adding these elements to your brief template takes 5 extra minutes.

But it forces you to think strategically BEFORE your team starts making assets.

Most brands skip this.

They brief 15 ads hoping 1-2 work.

We brief 15 ads expecting 8-10 to work.

That's not luck. That's better briefs.

Your creative team isn't the problem.

Your briefs are.

Fix the brief. Watch your hit rate climb.

Recap:

Add to your brief template:

1. Awareness Level (where is the customer mentally)
2. Landing Page + Key Elements (message match matters)
3. Core Customer Emotion (current + desired state)
4. How these inform the creative direction

Our hit rate went from 15% to 55%.

Same team. Same budget. Better process.

Bookmark this for your next creative round 🔖

And if your briefs don't have these elements... start adding them today.