Regardless of the research … the product … the client … the category … the consumer … the past, future or present information … planning has one inherent flaw – it is always influenced by the personal views and experiences of the planner involved.
This is not to highlight the fact we always have a minimum of 2 planners [preferably with dramatically different viewpoints to the same issue] working on each piece of business – though that is something I am proud of – nor is it to say that planning should be done by robots … it’s simply to highlight that if you’re a planner who believes in the ‘Management Consultant / Intellectual Superiority’ approach to brand development [where exposure to ‘real consumers / cultures / life’ is nothing more than an odd focus group and research paper] then you need to realise you are disproportionately responsible for some of the awful communication being inflicted on the masses and as such, should take greater responsibility when the campaign and it’s goals, crash, burn and die. Thank You.