Comments on: How to Be a Better Brand Planner http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280 Brand Twist delivers fresh perspectives and inspiration on branding, innovation, trends and breakthrough business ideas. Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:48:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Ambrish http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280&cpage=1#comment-186 Ambrish Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:48:47 +0000 http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280#comment-186 This seems like a sure shot way of getting unremarkable ideas that wouldn't even make the consumer blink forget looking at the brand twice. It precisely for this reason that brands today are undifferentiated commodities. The job of an idea is to inspire and if you are lucky enough to get an inspirational idea from the creative/ planning team then the onus is on the marketers to make it happen. Filtering ideas for feasibility will kill any chance of a really new and untested idea to break ground. This seems like a sure shot way of getting unremarkable ideas that wouldn’t even make the consumer blink forget looking at the brand twice. It precisely for this reason that brands today are undifferentiated commodities.

The job of an idea is to inspire and if you are lucky enough to get an inspirational idea from the creative/ planning team then the onus is on the marketers to make it happen. Filtering ideas for feasibility will kill any chance of a really new and untested idea to break ground.

]]> By: macafee http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280&cpage=1#comment-165 macafee Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:18:55 +0000 http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280#comment-165 Your message raises contradictions in my head Your message raises contradictions in my head

]]> By: MARCIA http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280&cpage=1#comment-142 MARCIA Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:46:12 +0000 http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280#comment-142 I've always thought that it was the planner's job to see around corners, to be the scout for the future, and to bring back ideas to inspire our clients to begin thinking now about how they could succeed in the future. The key to getting to the future does mean doing due diligence, and understanding what business the company is in, aspires to be in, and is capable of being in. This means having some understanding of the practicalities of the business. However, I do not think it is a planner's job to figure out the details..there are many people for whom this is a core competency, and quite frankly, this doesn't seem to be as rare a quality as imagination. I would suggest planners need to focus more on inspiration and innovation first and foremost, and then in dialogue with clients, figure out what the hurdles are and how to overcome them. Every successful new project I've worked on had 3-4 'death knocks' before it went to market...these are wake up calls from the practicality police who perform an immensely valuable function on the way to market...canaries in coal mines, alerting others to hurdles ahead, but rarely do these people come up with ideas. They are gatekeepers. They are valuable. But they aren't planners, and without planners getting out in front with ideas, we'd never have any clue as to where we're going in the first place. I’ve always thought that it was the planner’s job to see around corners, to be the scout for the future, and to bring back ideas to inspire our clients to begin thinking now about how they could succeed in the future.

The key to getting to the future does mean doing due diligence, and understanding what business the company is in, aspires to be in, and is capable of being in. This means having some understanding of the practicalities of the business. However, I do not think it is a planner’s job to figure out the details..there are many people for whom this is a core competency, and quite frankly, this doesn’t seem to be as rare a quality as imagination.

I would suggest planners need to focus more on inspiration and innovation first and foremost, and then in dialogue with clients, figure out what the hurdles are and how to overcome them. Every successful new project I’ve worked on had 3-4 ‘death knocks’ before it went to market…these are wake up calls from the practicality police who perform an immensely valuable function on the way to market…canaries in coal mines, alerting others to hurdles ahead, but rarely do these people come up with ideas. They are gatekeepers. They are valuable. But they aren’t planners, and without planners getting out in front with ideas, we’d never have any clue as to where we’re going in the first place.

]]> By: jean http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280&cpage=1#comment-129 jean Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:09:20 +0000 http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280#comment-129 Thanks for this post. I also had this feeling sometimes, when there's some huge gape between the beauty of creative idea and the impossibility of implementation.. Agencies should try harder to turn realistics and stop believing they're just great creative mind. Thanks for this post. I also had this feeling sometimes, when there’s some huge gape between the beauty of creative idea and the impossibility of implementation.. Agencies should try harder to turn realistics and stop believing they’re just great creative mind.

]]> By: Lauren L. http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280&cpage=1#comment-125 Lauren L. Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:11:53 +0000 http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280#comment-125 I'm not currently running my ideas through the operation filter, but I think I should start! While coming up with BIG ideas is the fun part, it's not so fun when they never see the light of day. I'd love to see more of our ideas come to life in the real world instead of living in presentations. I personally think I'd get more job satisfaction by seeing tangible results and knowing that my ideas are truly building brand value. I’m not currently running my ideas through the operation filter, but I think I should start!

While coming up with BIG ideas is the fun part, it’s not so fun when they never see the light of day. I’d love to see more of our ideas come to life in the real world instead of living in presentations. I personally think I’d get more job satisfaction by seeing tangible results and knowing that my ideas are truly building brand value.

]]> By: Griffin Farley http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280&cpage=1#comment-123 Griffin Farley Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:29:52 +0000 http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280#comment-123 Great post. I think Planners today should help clients make sure their innovative ideas come to life. Like you said partner with them. Fight for their ideas just like they fight for our campaign ideas. Feeding into your hypothetical of a concierge on every floor, could you not build a kiosk that had a live stream to one concierge who handled a greater number of floors? Many planners are not just tweaking ideas so they can be produced, they are actively finding vendors/partners that can do the work for the budget that the client can live with. Making it turn key for the client to see their idea live. Great post.

I think Planners today should help clients make sure their innovative ideas come to life. Like you said partner with them. Fight for their ideas just like they fight for our campaign ideas.

Feeding into your hypothetical of a concierge on every floor, could you not build a kiosk that had a live stream to one concierge who handled a greater number of floors?

Many planners are not just tweaking ideas so they can be produced, they are actively finding vendors/partners that can do the work for the budget that the client can live with. Making it turn key for the client to see their idea live.

]]> By: Allison Winfield http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280&cpage=1#comment-122 Allison Winfield Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:16:16 +0000 http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280#comment-122 During another session at AdWeek, Maria Luisa Francoli Plaza from MPG observed that CFOs are becoming another important client counterpart with whom agencies must work. She also mentioned that while many other industries have been forced by the economy to adjust their structures and approaches, the agency world has been slow to change. Perhaps you're starting a movement... So, any thoughts on agency comp?! During another session at AdWeek, Maria Luisa Francoli Plaza from MPG observed that CFOs are becoming another important client counterpart with whom agencies must work.

She also mentioned that while many other industries have been forced by the economy to adjust their structures and approaches, the agency world has been slow to change.

Perhaps you’re starting a movement…

So, any thoughts on agency comp?!

]]> By: Fiona Ross http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280&cpage=1#comment-121 Fiona Ross Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:11:22 +0000 http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280#comment-121 I like the concept of "commercial creativity" and I think many clients will too. Perhaps planners could add a simple "operations check list" to filter ideas as well as a "value added to customers" weighting. You could then go back to clients with some ideas that are dead easy to implement and some that require a rethink of how things are done but that will add incredible value to customers. This way you'd still stretch clients with your "out the box creativity" but they'll feel comfortable that you understand some of the practical aspects of their business and they will be more likely to take your strategic advice. I remember a strategic planner recommended a phone delivery with custom wrapping for a little delight moment. They hadn't thought through the warehouse and courier issues, cost issues nor had they realised that the customer is already delighted when they get a new phone so don't need much else at that point. If they had gone through their check-list they would have quickly canned the idea and conjured something better... I like the concept of “commercial creativity” and I think many clients will too.
Perhaps planners could add a simple “operations check list” to filter ideas as well as a “value added to customers” weighting. You could then go back to clients with some ideas that are dead easy to implement and some that require a rethink of how things are done but that will add incredible value to customers. This way you’d still stretch clients with your “out the box creativity” but they’ll feel comfortable that you understand some of the practical aspects of their business and they will be more likely to take your strategic advice.

I remember a strategic planner recommended a phone delivery with custom wrapping for a little delight moment. They hadn’t thought through the warehouse and courier issues, cost issues nor had they realised that the customer is already delighted when they get a new phone so don’t need much else at that point. If they had gone through their check-list they would have quickly canned the idea and conjured something better…

]]> By: Elad http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280&cpage=1#comment-120 Elad Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:28:36 +0000 http://BrandTwist.com/?p=280#comment-120 Hi Julie What you're saying here is a matter of approach. I think ad agencies can never know the client's business as good as the client, therefore any attempt to think like the COO or CFO is doomed for failure. Plus, I think our job as strategic planners (and ad men in general) is to lead the client to change, and not try to think inside his box. Elad Hi Julie

What you’re saying here is a matter of approach.
I think ad agencies can never know the client’s business as good as the client, therefore any attempt to think like the COO or CFO is doomed for failure.
Plus, I think our job as strategic planners (and ad men in general) is to lead the client to change, and not try to think inside his box.

Elad

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