There is a real trend in planning to be described as either a ‘Business’ Planner or a ‘Creative Planner’. These descriptions drive me nuts because it insinuates that a Business Planner only cares about business goals whereas a Creative Planner only cares about ads!
Lets get this straight … if planning doesn’t help clients achieve their business goals, you won’t stay in business – it’s as simple as that.
I am lucky to have worked at some of the most recognised creative companies in the World and I never came across a client who said, “You know what … do what you want, I just want some cool ads”.
The issue I have with planning is that many agencies are turning it into pseudo-management consultancy because they’ve sold the value of creativity so far down the river, it’s the only way they can make any decent revenue. This is a travesty … and maybe that is why so many creatives are complaining about what a planner actually adds to the equation. [Especially as many creatives are actually, bloody great planners!]
Creativity is about a ‘mindset’, not just an ‘output’ … so if you approach a task with a ’set end-product’, you are not just letting the client down but also yourself. From my perspective, things like emotional insight, tonality, engagement and culture and real pillars for finding the right solution – and then, still as part of a team, we find the best way to use that information to develop an idea and a channel/s to ‘execute it’.
It’s about solving the clients business needs in a way that motivates [and benefits] consumers to do it, not just brainwashes them into it. It’s about leaving a long-lasting, positive impression of the brand on the consumer, not just getting the money out of their wallets. It’s about moving the brand forward, not just achieving the next sales quarter.
Of course I am proud of the work I’ve been involved with for Virgin, Apple, Jack In The Box, Tango etc etc … they were effective, entertaining and brilliant fun to do … but being honest, I feel greater pride knowing we created a pack of Top Trump playing cards when a massive organisation asked us to educate their staff about their multitude of products they produced … or that we built brick walls for people to drive through [on test drives] when a car company asked us to demonstrate ‘toughness’ … or that we created non-harmful military hardware for an international military of defence … or that we installed mobile signal blockers at luxury hotels so ‘blackberry devices’ wouldn’t work and wives of busy executives could ensure a proper family holiday again … or that … alright, I am sure you get the point.
For me, planning is about solving business issues through understanding, thinking, collaborating, experimenting, questioning, engaging, arguing, exploring, laughing – because if that stops, we’ll never have a NIKE or an Innocent or a Virgin brand again.
If we carry on down the road so many agencies and clients are advocating, we could end up in a place like in the movie ‘Pleasantville’ … except, instead of being devoid of colour, it’ll be devoid of emotion, charm and soul.