Filed under: Comment
So tomorrow, I have a new planner coming to join my merry band of ‘folk that think’ … Hari … and I’m very excited about it.
The reason for this [apart from the fact he is a smart, decent guy] is that in Asia, it’s really, really hard to find the sort of planner I like … and in general, the demand for planners is far outstripping supply.
Don’t get me wrong, there are tons of unbelievably clever people out here – probably more than any other place on Earth – however the problem is …
1 How locals ‘gain’ their intelligence.
2 What planning is becoming.
Lets deal with point 1 first …
In Asia, huge, huge, huge emphasis is placed on education … because they believe knowledge is the foundation to fulfil the filial and progression responsibilities inherent within Asian culture.
However this ‘knowledge’ tends to be ‘learnt’ by memory rather than ‘practice’.
Education tends to be a one-dimensional linear process teaching one-dimensional, linear logic … and whilst this is all well and good … it also means that the ability to think around issues [as well as include different viewpoints] is especially rare.
Of course I’m generalising … because not only are there some brilliant Asian planners [and Asian wanna-be planners], but there are some great people advocating broader views towards education [Professor Mark Chong @ SMU being one] … however all too often information is blindly taken on face value and if you question it [or offer an alternate means how to get it], you really sense an air of confusion, fear or annoyance.
To be fair, the people I’ve worked/dealt with have been very open to my questioning/methods, but that’s because I have somehow managed to gain a reputation for truly appreciating and understanding Asian culture rather than [as is often the case] simply taking Western values [or Western interpretations of Asian values] and shoving them in an Asian context … but that does seem to be the exception rather than the rule.
Now to point 2 …
I’ve written at length about this … planning is fast becoming a [bad] research dominated, management consultantesque role and I passionately believe this is harmful to the industry, the consumer and the client.
The problem is Agencies have sold creative so far down the river, that the only way they can make decent cash from clients anymore is by flogging them some pseudo-management consultant role.
While that may be all well and good for agencies short term profitability … I can’t help but feel in the long term it’s going to bite them in the arse, because the true benefit of advertising / planning is the ability to connect with people … embrace them, motivate them, encourage them … because when you know what people need/want/fear/desire, then you know how to motivate the masses to achieve our clients short and long term business goals.
I don’t want to work with anyone who aspires to be a management consultant … I mean, I can appreciate [sometimes] what they do but we’re in the people motivating business, not the business structure business … and yet because …
1 This is the way the industry is going.
2 In Asia management consultancy is more aspirational because it is believed to be more ‘intellectual’ and ‘financially rewarding’.
… this is who headhunters try to send me time and time again.
For someone to be part of the team … I want them to have experienced a varied life, have a point of view, have a real empathy and understanding of people, be close to their family and have longterm friends, be smart but not desperate to prove it, believe in the power of ideas and imagination, be media neutral, be open minded, be a teamplayer as well as a leader, be enthusiastic about life and not afraid to show it, inspirational, can think on their feet, be in touch with what’s going on in the World and see how it can affect the everyday, appreciate life doesn’t always operate via logic, be clever than me, have tried ‘stuff’, are entrepreneurial, inquisitive, honest, decent and [abit] socialistic in their values … and whilst this may sound like a massive, complex list, they are out there and definitely worth searching for – because I passionately believe they are the only folk who can truly help make the ad business shine again – something I need and want for both personal happiness and contentment reasons, ha.
Welcome to the madness Hari – lets see where you can go eh!
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No wonder you didn’t hire me if that’s your criteria. Superman would be easier to please.
Comment by Pete January 31, 2007 @ 1:45 pmGlad you finally understand, ha!
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 2:37 pmand they better bloody well like sausages.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 3:10 pmInteresting post. I’ve worked in Agencies that actually produce award winning advertising, despite, and not because of the planning department. This is obviously not a good environment for planners to grow and gain usefull skills. Wish you good times ahead with your growing team.
Comment by Charles Frith January 31, 2007 @ 4:28 pmNice post. I agree with most your comments on Richard’s post relating to this. There’s no room for management consultancy thinking if advertising is truly going to be effective.
Understanding people is, as it’s always been, the key.
Hope I wasn’t one of the ones who you thought was living in a dream world – the only time I do that is when I think Stoke have a chance at promotion this year. Heh.
Comment by Will January 31, 2007 @ 5:00 pmThanks mate … and if I don’t have good times, then there’ll be hell to pay, haha!
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 5:06 pmJeez, this Hari must be a genius to meet that list!
Comment by Rob Mortimer January 31, 2007 @ 5:16 pmHi Will … given you are a Stoke supporter and used the term ‘couture creative’ it was touch and go – but I I’ll let you off because your blog proves you’re really a normal bloke who is also smart!
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 5:18 pmAre you saying that because you know we think very highly of you? Haha
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 5:28 pmHaha, not really…but thanks!
Comment by Rob Mortimer January 31, 2007 @ 5:30 pmAre you embarassed now? Ha
Sorry, just being a cheeky git.
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 5:31 pmIts what you guys do best 😉
Comment by Rob Mortimer January 31, 2007 @ 5:34 pmWith that high level of creeping, you could be in Account Service. Ha.
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 5:39 pmDamn, I was trying to take the piss, not creep. Its that Listed Twogic again…
Comment by Rob Mortimer January 31, 2007 @ 5:42 pmYes
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 5:59 pmCheeky is the new anger which is the old energy which is what makes us so fucking good at what we do. Understand?
Comment by Billy Whizz January 31, 2007 @ 6:00 pmNot quite Billy …
Energy is the Anger from the Cheeky who talk complete and utter shite. Understand?
You were right about the last bit though …
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 6:04 pmnice to see that you’ve taken the discussion off adliterate and brought in on over here. It wouldn’t be the done thing to disrupt that grown up arse chitter chatter of the McLuhan literaty now would it?
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:04 pmIndeed. Cheeky is the new black then?
Comment by Rob Mortimer January 31, 2007 @ 6:04 pmI once called ‘Scamp’ the ‘Dennis Wise’ of Advertising … because he seemed to have the amazing ability to start a fight in an empty house.
However I was wrong.
Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome the REAL Dennis Wise of errrrrrm, Printing [but once of Advertising] … MARCUS BROWN!
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 6:06 pmdon’t touch me.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:08 pmOh yes, that’s right, I always get that mixed up.
Have I missed something?
Who is Richard? What is Couture Creative (that just had to have come from a planner) and who is McLuhan?
Comment by Billy Whizz January 31, 2007 @ 6:09 pmIf Marcus is Dennis Wise, why is he talking like MC Hammer? What is happening today?
Comment by Billy Whizz January 31, 2007 @ 6:10 pmDennis Wise vs Roy Keane…
Should be fun to watch!
Comment by Rob Mortimer January 31, 2007 @ 6:10 pmBilly, hammer sung “you can’t touch this”. I thought planners were supposed to know these kind of things.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:13 pmBilly … don’t worry about it, just sit back and bask in the glow of a rare compliment – your last comment was a true gem, well done.
[Can I get more patronising? Yes … yes I can]
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 6:13 pmYou know billy, they like a bit of MC Hammer in Argentina. Have it on when they rob, murder do other nasty things to foreign advertising folk.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:18 pm“ooh, a sarcasm detector, what a uuuuseful invention…”
Comment by Rob Mortimer January 31, 2007 @ 6:19 pm‘beep beep beep BANG!’
You want to scare me do you Marcus? Well I can scare you. I can get everyone to vote Lamb. Back down or lose your honor.
Comment by Billy Whizz January 31, 2007 @ 6:21 pmBilly … Marcus is our friend.
F R I E N D.
You are not going to die. You won’t even get mugged. Probably.
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 6:22 pmOK I’m scared. Sorry Billy, I made that up about MC Hammer in Argentina.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:22 pmThey listen to ABBA.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:22 pmI’m voting baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
Marcus. Welcome to the last chance saloon. Apologise or die.
Comment by Billy Whizz January 31, 2007 @ 6:24 pmLamb = Fired
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 6:26 pmDon’t tell me, sausage = employment.
I could be a planner couldn’t I.
Comment by Billy Whizz January 31, 2007 @ 6:27 pmI’m sorry, marcus can’t reply to comments, as he has gone for a ciggie.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:27 pmYes.
No.
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 6:28 pmWow, the comments on this post are even weirder than other recent posts!
Sausage ftw!
Comment by Rob Mortimer January 31, 2007 @ 6:28 pm(I wrote that before I read your recent posts on sausages…)
Comment by Rob Mortimer January 31, 2007 @ 6:29 pmThought so.
Wouldn’t want to be anyway.
Comment by Billy Whizz January 31, 2007 @ 6:32 pmBilly, I’m sorry. Really sorry. I didn’t mean to be nasty. But, did you really have to go and vote for Lamb. SIX MINUTES AGO!
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:33 pmWhat a surprise … I write an impassioned view on the state of adland and it ends up as a sausage debate. Why do I bother?
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 6:34 pmBecause sausages matter Campbell.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:34 pmI didn’t. I fucking didn’t. I’m being stiched up like Rodney King.
Comment by Billy Whizz January 31, 2007 @ 6:34 pmgenius. billy. genius.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:35 pmYes … sausages matter … I am only just starting to realise how much. What amazes me is that you found a woman to have 3 children with Marcus – was she a butcher?
And Billy, you’re on top form today – nerves?
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 6:36 pmcould be worse though Rob. Like “Couture Creative”.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:36 pmno, she wasn’t. Although she has developed butcher-like skills during the divorce proceedings.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:38 pmIt’s like a teen movie where the bullies leave the young, good looking, clever guy alone because he connects with them via humor. Luckily I’m off to get a plane to murderland central so I can leave you to bully some other innocent.
Innocent? Yes because I DIDN’T VOTE LAMB!
Comment by Billy Whizz January 31, 2007 @ 6:38 pmhate to break it to you rob, but i think every post you do from now on will probably descend into a ‘mass debate’ on sausages…
Comment by lauren January 31, 2007 @ 6:39 pmdo we believe him people?
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:40 pmSounds like you and Andy may have been married to the same woman!
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 6:40 pmI hope for Andy’s sake you’re wrong.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:41 pmYes … I do believe him because he knows what would happen if we found out otherwise. It’s like the Mafia – fuck one of us over and we fuck ALL of you back! [Did that sound tough? Did it? DID IT?]
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 6:41 pmAt least the posts will have some sizzle…
Billy: off to watch forest?
Comment by Rob Mortimer January 31, 2007 @ 6:42 pmThe one way to tell is if she was loaded when you met her … because if she was, she definitely got it off Andy.
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 6:43 pmThats a nicea sausage sandawich…gota some ketchup?
Comment by Rob Mortimer January 31, 2007 @ 6:43 pmoh, I found out it was some bugger from DDB. So, billy is innocent.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:45 pmSounds like Billy is owed an apology!
Comment by Rob Mortimer January 31, 2007 @ 6:47 pmForest? Are you talking about soccer? God no, I leave that to Rob and English people.
Comment by Billy Whizz January 31, 2007 @ 6:48 pmone apology per day. That’s the rule.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:48 pmI was implying Nottingham is murderland central… which in the uk is almost is.
Where are you from?
Comment by Rob Mortimer January 31, 2007 @ 6:50 pmJUSTICE!
We’ll discuss my damages when I’m back
Comment by Billy Whizz January 31, 2007 @ 6:50 pmI will apologise tomorrow. That’s the rule.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:51 pmDo they have electricity in Argentina so I can check you are true to your word?
Comment by Billy Whizz January 31, 2007 @ 6:51 pmI’ll call personally, if you wish.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 6:52 pmRelax Billy … Andy doesn’t do ‘roughing it’
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 6:53 pmJUST SEEN HOW MANY COMMENTS ON THIS POST … 68 [including this one] … WHY IS THIS THE MOST POPULAR THING ABOUT ME?? WHY??? WHY??? WHY????
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 7:07 pmBecause you support Forest?
Thanks for your offer Marcus, I will try more conventional means to check on your honor.
Now I must fly. Really.
Comment by Billy January 31, 2007 @ 7:08 pmI’m not apologising for ‘couture creative’, you bastards. 😉 In my defence, I was trying to get over the fact that Lee Hendrie re-signed for Stoke.
Marcus – I expected better from Scoop Brown. However, I did vote sausage.
Comment by Will January 31, 2007 @ 7:08 pmLEE HENDRIE HAS SIGNED FOR STOKE!!!! I would of thought Steven Hendrie was more likely … well done, I’ll let you off your poncey phrase then.
Billy … stop being funny, you’ll never be able to keep it up … now safe flight and I’ll speak to you later on the VC.
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 7:11 pmonly one aplogy per day Will. That’s the rule.
Comment by Marcus Brown January 31, 2007 @ 7:13 pmRob manages a smart interesting post and it turns into sausages and Stoke. Well played everyone.
Comment by opentoeveryone January 31, 2007 @ 7:31 pmMortimer, don’t you dare become a suit.
I wouldnt dream of it.
Comment by Rob Mortimer January 31, 2007 @ 7:33 pmWhy would you think that?
Of course it turned into sausages and Stoke. Great thread…
Comment by Will January 31, 2007 @ 7:43 pmYeah … yeah … thank god my clients don’t turn all my work into a sausage conversation or I’d be broke. Or maybe I’d be rich. It’s all so confusing!
Comment by Rob January 31, 2007 @ 10:00 pm