Strategic Planning: Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask
If you work at an ad agency, the role of the strategic (or account) planner is well known to you. Originally conceived by J. Walter Thompson and Boase Massimi Pollitt in the UK in the 1960s, the discipline has played an increasingly important role in advertising over the years. If you want to read the definitive book on the subject, check out Truth, Lies and Advertising by Jon Steel. More great planner info and resources at the Plannersphere wiki and the Plannersphere Ning group.
A couple of developments in the world of planning recently that I thought were worth sharing. First, PSFK, in conjunction with RedScout, has a tremendous video series on planning. They gathered the smartest folks and asked some intriguing questions. The video series is called Spur, here’s the intro video:
Watch episode 1, Is planning impotent? Overcoming planning’s identity crisis here. Episode 2 is entitled, “Talent.”
In other planning news, Mike Arauz from Undercurrent has been doing what Mike Arauz does; ask penetrating questions that challenge our notion of the status quo. First he asks, “What is strategic planning?” then follows that up with “On strategic planning (again…)”
It’s an interesting time for agencies of all stripes. The ones that will survive are those that have the courage to ask tough questions of themselves and adapt to the needs to the clients.
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Interesting video, but I find that it still portrays the role of the planner as being only insight focused and doesn’t recognize the evolvement in the role that has take place over the past 10 years. That traditional view of the account planner, which was articulated quite well by Jon Steel, was the person who looked at the same thing as everyone else but saw something different. The person that was experienced enough to ask the right questions, and use the right tactics to enable a core insight to be uncovered from 10 in-depth interview, 50 person focus groups and behavioural observation. The elements of the traditional planner are still incredibly important, and most people still have a tough time leading with insight, http://www.slideshare.net/mmilan/leading-with-insight-two, but the role has evolved.
Account planning has evolved to take on larger roles in certain industries, especially interactive where the idea of making something that resonates with consumers branches into elements of product, service and system design. In many pure play digital shops, the planner not only has to make sure the core insights are extracted from customer and competitive work, but they also often lead digital strategy, a team of IA’s, qual and quant analysts, understand user experience design, channel usage, and emerging trends, and make sure that their is alignment between what the business wants to accomplish through digital channels and what their customers are trying to accomplish.
The core idea of a planner that is grounded in deriving insights still rings true, but the role of the planner in certain industries is much bigger and more important than it ever was.
DigitialInfant,
Thanks for your comments. I think the points you make are in-lilne and relevant to the larger conversation that Mike and RedScout are looking to have. What is a planner? What skills must he/she possess?
I think this discussion will be continuing across the web for months to come.
Thanks for responding Rick. Are you or others continuing this conversation in another forum?
Di -
I think it continues everywhere. SPUR video series, twitter, Mike’s blog…
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