Why a great young planner is always looking for trouble

1 ENERGIZE | CREATIVE AGENCY FOR EARNED ATTENTION | AMSTERDAM + SHANGHAI

WHY A GREAT YOUNG PLANNER IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR TROUBLE

AND 9 OTHER THINGS I’VE LEARNED AT THE YOUNG FAME ACADEMY AT THE ASIAN MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS FESTIVAL 2013


1. ITS TOUGH BEING A YOUNG PLANNER


YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT STRATEGY AND OBJECTIVES AND INSIGHTS AND INNOVATION AND OTHER FANCY BUSINESS WORDS.

BUT WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

CREATIVES HAVE A GREAT EXCUSE: THEY’RE YOUNG AND HAVE A STRANGE HAIR STYLE, SO THEY MUST BE CREATIVE.

AS A PLANNER YOU NEED TO EARN THAT RESPECT FROM YOUR CLIENTS. SHOW THEM THAT YOUR ADVICE IS THE BEST FOR THEIR BRAND, NOT FOR THEM. DARE TO CHALLENGE THEIR WORDS CONTINIOUSLY.


2. PLANNING IS ABOUT DAILY LIFE, NOT ADVERTISING


BRANDS PLAY AN INCIDENTAL ROLE IN PEOPLES LIVES.

PEOPLE HAVE MORE IMPORTANT STUFF TO DO. SUCH AS LIVING THEIR LIFE.

ITS EXACTLY THERE THAT YOU FIND YOUR INSIGHTS: DAILY LIFE.

GO OUTSIDE. TALK TO PEOPLE. AND ASK THEM QUESTIONS. INSTEAD OF YOUR ADVERTISING FRIENDS.


3. A GREAT PLANNER IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR TROUBLE


A GREAT PLANNER IS NEVER SATISFIED. HE’S PROBLEM-BIASED. HE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR TROUBLE. AND THINKS EVERYTHING COULD BE BETTER.

PLANNING IS ABOUT SEEING WHAT ANNOYS PEOPLE. WHAT MOVES THEM. WHAT IRRITATES THEM.

AND THEN TURNING THIS AROUND BY OFFERING A SOLUTION. A RELIEF. A BREAK. A GET-AWAY. OR SIMPLY A WAY TO LAUGH ABOUT IT.


4. AN INSIGHT IS A HUMAN TRUTH


EVERYBODY IS AN ATHLETE. (SO, JUST DO IT)

THE NIKE INSIGHT COULD NOT BE CLOSER TO A HUMAN TRUTH.

GOOD INSIGHTS CONSIDER THE BRAND, THE CATEGORY, THE CONSUMER, THE CULTURE AND THE CONNECTIONS.

BUT A GREAT INSIGHTS TELLS US A TRUTH WE KNEW ALL ALONG.


5. STAND FOR SOMETHING


YOU NEED TO STAND FOR SOMETHING TO CONVINCE YOUR CLIENT.

YOUR CLIENTS BRAND NEEDS TO STAND FOR SOMETHING TO CONVINCE THEIR AUDIENCE.

BUT MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER YOU STAND FOR FITS ON A PROTEST SIGN.


6. LOOK AT HOLLYWOOD


HOLLYWOOD MOVIE = SETUP + CONFLICT + RESOLUTION.

SAME INGREDIENTS, THOUSANDS OF MOVIES.

ADVERTISING IS NO DIFFERENT.

AS A PLANNER YOU OUTLINE THE SETUP AND THE CONFLICT.

THEN LET THE CREATIVES FIGURE OUT THE RESOLUTION.


7. STRATEGY IS A FANCY WORD FOR WHAT THE F*CK ARE WE DOING


ONCE YOU’VE GOT YOUR LIFE CHANGING INSIGHT IN YOUR BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED PRESENTATION…

ITS TIME TO TALK STRATEGY.

STRATEGY IS WHAT YOU DO WITH YOUR INSIGHT. AS A PLANNER YOU MUST LOVE BULLET POINTS. SO USE THESE 5 FROM MCCANN OR SOME OTHER 4A TO DEFINE YOUR BRAND STRATEGY:

1.  SPARK (BRAND STORY)

2.  SEEK (SERVICE & UTILITY)

3.  SHOP (SHOPPING EXPERIENCE)

4.  SELECT (PRODUCT EXPERIENCE)

5.  SHARE (COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS)


8. CHALLENGE THE CHALLENGE


DON’T TAKE THE CLIENT BRIEF FOR GRANTED. FIND THE QUESTION BEHIND THE QUESTION. AND DISCOVER THE REAL CHALLENGE.

GO FROM CAMPAIGN GOALS (VIEWS/CLICKS/ETC) TO BRAND GOALS (AWARENESS/CONSIDERATION/ETC) TO BUSINESS GOALS (SALES/SHARE/ETC)

APPROACH EVERY BRIEF WITH THE HEADLINE OF YOUR AWARD SUBMISSION IN MIND.

“HOW CAMPAIGN X DOUBLED OUR SALES IN A DAY”


9. WORK INSIDE OUT


THIS MIGHT SOUND STRANGE. BUT DON’T START WITH CONVINCING THE TARGET AUDIENCE OF YOUR BRAND BELIEF.

INSTEAD, WORK INSIDE OUT.

CREATE BELIEVE IN THE AGENCY. THEN AT THE CLIENT. THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT. THEN SALES. THEN CUSTOMER SERVICE. ALL THE WAY DOWN TO OPERATIONS. THEN GO TO PARTNERS. RELATED COMPANIES. VENDORS. THEN SLOWLY FURTHER OUT. SELECT A BRAND AMBASSADOR. INFLUENCE KEY OPINION LEADERS. ORGANIZE EVENTS. MOVE GRADUALLY TO BIGGER AUDIENCES. AND THEN - WITH ALL THE SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU - YOU WILL NOTICE THE MASSES HAVE ALREADY BEEN REACHED.


10. YOU GOT THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD IF..


YOU’RE A PLANNER

AND GET PAID TO LEARN EVERYDAY

Why a great young planner is always looking for trouble

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