When people think of planners, they think the following...
In an ideal advertising world we would like to be seen like this....
Well, maybe not literally...
Today's posting is meant to make you think about planning, the planning department at your agency, and you as a planner.
Let me start by asking some rhetorical questions... what is account planning to you? who is in your account planning department? do they come from different backgrounds? how is account planning seen at your agency? if you've worked in general market agencies, how is Hispanic account planning different (0r vice versa)?
The idea of the questions is not to criticize where you work, but to challenge and make you think what you do. The following is an excerpt from Truth, Lies and Advertising, which I'm NOT saying that is the way planning should be, but if you read between the lines you can see what Steel refers to.
Account planning(ers) are more than briefs, briefing, POV's and research...
The Ideal Planning Department
"All these people have very different views on the world and different approaches to problem solving. In building a planning department in an agency, it is essential to recruit from such diversity. Without it, planners are likely to think and behave in the same way, and that in turn will lead to identical solutions and stagnation."
The Account Planners Mission Statement
"The aim, as far as the planner is concerned, is the production of the best possible advertising to fulfill the client's business objectives, advertising that will stand out from the crowd, say the right things to the right people, and cause them to take some action as a result of seeing or hearing the message."
The Ideal Planner
"Planners, he (Michael Cowpe) told me, were the architects and guardians of their clients' brands, the detectives who uncovered long hidden clues in the data and gently coerced consumers into revealing their inner secrets, and the warriors who stoop up and fought for the integrity of their strategic vision. They had the logical, analytical skills to consume and synthesize vast amounts of data, and the lateral and intuitive skills to interpret that data in an interesting and innovative way. [Whereas traditional agency researchers tended to be more reactive and bound by the literal findings of their research, planners were by nature and decree proactive and imaginative, injecting their research-divined ideas into every stage of the advertising-development process.]
What do you think?
Do you feel inspired by the other planners in your department?
Are you still learning from them?
Would your planning department fit Steel's description?
What would you change?
Personally, Planners need to make ideas happen (not necessarily come up with the ideas themselves), search for constant inspiration, and be willing to get their hands dirty (with data and people, the latter not literally, you might get sued).
Planning departments need to be willing to change with the consumer and marketplace, need to have people diversification and need to have people in the department that think different...
In an ideal advertising world we would like to be seen like this....
Well, maybe not literally...
Today's posting is meant to make you think about planning, the planning department at your agency, and you as a planner.
Let me start by asking some rhetorical questions... what is account planning to you? who is in your account planning department? do they come from different backgrounds? how is account planning seen at your agency? if you've worked in general market agencies, how is Hispanic account planning different (0r vice versa)?
The idea of the questions is not to criticize where you work, but to challenge and make you think what you do. The following is an excerpt from Truth, Lies and Advertising, which I'm NOT saying that is the way planning should be, but if you read between the lines you can see what Steel refers to.
Account planning(ers) are more than briefs, briefing, POV's and research...
Excerpt from Truth, Lies and Advertising by Jon Steel.
The Ideal Planning Department
"All these people have very different views on the world and different approaches to problem solving. In building a planning department in an agency, it is essential to recruit from such diversity. Without it, planners are likely to think and behave in the same way, and that in turn will lead to identical solutions and stagnation."
The Account Planners Mission Statement
"The aim, as far as the planner is concerned, is the production of the best possible advertising to fulfill the client's business objectives, advertising that will stand out from the crowd, say the right things to the right people, and cause them to take some action as a result of seeing or hearing the message."
The Ideal Planner
"Planners, he (Michael Cowpe) told me, were the architects and guardians of their clients' brands, the detectives who uncovered long hidden clues in the data and gently coerced consumers into revealing their inner secrets, and the warriors who stoop up and fought for the integrity of their strategic vision. They had the logical, analytical skills to consume and synthesize vast amounts of data, and the lateral and intuitive skills to interpret that data in an interesting and innovative way. [Whereas traditional agency researchers tended to be more reactive and bound by the literal findings of their research, planners were by nature and decree proactive and imaginative, injecting their research-divined ideas into every stage of the advertising-development process.]
What do you think?
Do you feel inspired by the other planners in your department?
Are you still learning from them?
Would your planning department fit Steel's description?
What would you change?
Personally, Planners need to make ideas happen (not necessarily come up with the ideas themselves), search for constant inspiration, and be willing to get their hands dirty (with data and people, the latter not literally, you might get sued).
Planning departments need to be willing to change with the consumer and marketplace, need to have people diversification and need to have people in the department that think different...
Nice posting!
ReplyDeleteI think there is no right or wrong method to teach planning, in fact, I don't even think there is a method at all, but rather many approaches. For example, I am a fan of all the classic pioneers John Steel, Fortini-Campbell, and Russel Davis, but I am also a fan of being yourself and gather as much learning from various sources to create your own approach. To me, a good planner (one I aspire to be one day) must be a well-rounded, interesting, articulate, witty and creative individual with the ability to talk about absolutely everything. You know the kind of guy that likes sports, philosophy, history, arts, marketing, film. Less an analytical erudite, but more an inspiring and memorable storyteller. I think there are plenty of them out there, and I can't wait to meet them.