The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]


Why I Love Katie Dreke …
September 16, 2014, 6:15 am
Filed under: Comment

Katie Dreke.

What a woman.

Actually that’s bollocks, what a person.

I first met her in a dodgy cafe in Amsterdam in 2010.

For some reason we hit it off immediately. Of course, when I say ‘for some reason’ I am obviously referring to the shock that she seemed to enjoy my company because it’s obvious I would enjoy hers.

Anyway, apart from being whip smart, she’s stupidly lovely, utterly charming and generous to a fault … both in her time, her viewpoints and her willingness to help.

Every time I’ve met her, I’ve come away feeling energised for the experience – and frankly I am basically a platonic groupie.

Jesus, this is more Gwyneth Paltrow Oscar Speech than a Gwyneth Paltrow Oscar Speech … which is probably more embarrassing for her than it is for me.

Anyway, the reason I am writing this is because of two things.

The first was that I recently re-watched her interview on Junior Planner [a wonderful little series co-run by a ridiculously lovely guy called Ben] that was full of genuinely meaningful advice for someone starting out in a planning career.

The other was this:

Yes I know it’s just a nice turn of phrase.

Yes I know it could be a remake of the classic Churchill quote.

But that’s not what makes it good … it’s the fact that Katie can articulate a point in a way people don’t just understand – but actually feel – and for all the pseudo-intellectulism bullshit that planners desperately try to claim they have, real smarts are when you can get people outside the industry to come on the journey with you.

For me, there’s a bunch of planners who have forgotten what success is.

Too many are focusing on being intellectually victorious, rather than emotionally resonant … and the point is, if you’re desperate to show how clever you are, you’re actually showing you’re not very smart.

So here’s to Katie … one of the best people out there, who also happens to be one of the best planners out there.

Thank you for the inspiration and please reassure your husband, I’m harmless.


41 Comments so far
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If she’s that clever she wouldn’t have met you in the first place.

Comment by Billy Whizz

That is a very good point. Maybe I should delete this post.

Comment by Rob

You’re definitely harmless. Except to Wieden’s profits.

Comment by Billy Whizz

He’s not even a man.

Comment by DH

Your point (a very valid one) on planners forgetting what success looks like reminded me of what a former head of the Shin Bet (Israeli MI5) said about victory on The Gatekeepers documentary. I quote: “Victory is the creation of a better political reality”.

Have we have forgotten that success is making a better commercial reality for our clients? And the way to do that is to make people care or at least notice you?

Comment by Miguel

we forgot that fucking decades ago. we say we havent but you just have to see that the campaigns that win the creative awards are rarely the fucking campaigns that win the effectiveness awards.

Comment by andy@cynic

Insight.

Comment by DH

Effectiveness awards are hardly a measure of effectiveness.

Comment by John

I would be interested to hear why you would say that John.

Comment by Pete

I’ve seen too many claims along the lines of we ran our campaign and sales or even capitalisation (as if that’s relevant) rose by a billion percent so that proves it was all down to us. Nothing else within the supply chain, the client’s activities or the outside world had any effect whatsoever.

Comment by John

Then I would suggest you have looked at bad effectiveness awards. Sadly there are a few out there. The good ones demand submissions clearly isolate and demonstrate the effect advertising had on the business of the business. There are plenty of them out there. Peter Field has done a lot of work in this area. I suggest you check out his work and you will find not all effectiveness awards celebrate ineffectiveness.

Comment by Pete

That sounds interesting, even if I’m inherently sceptical about the achievability of such an isolation. I’m aware of his work linking creativity and effectiveness but will look for more.

Comment by John

Fight fight fight

Comment by DH

@andy: damn right ffs
@John: I’m with Pete. Unless you cannot prove that “ceteris paribus” you have move the needle, you’re bullshiting the jury. Pretty sure IPA Eff Awards are an excelent example of properly well done ad work that actualy does something.

Comment by Miguel

Snail wight division.

Comment by Billy Whizz

* weight

Comment by Billy Whizz

I’m not saying it doesnt do something, I’m just questioning whether it does what award entrants claim. As for ceteris paribus, I’m not sure that can exist in the real world – unless we’re talking about regression analysis and statistical significance and then you’re opening up a whole can of worms that may or may not be apparent to the judges. But, as ever, I’m opining from a position of ignorance.

Comment by John

yes you fucking were doddsy. dont become a fucking italian on me.

Comment by andy@cynic

Oh dear John.

You’re right there are a shitload of effectiveness award submissions [and awards] that wouldn’t know effectiveness if it smashed them in the face.

You are also right that even some of the good submissions still don’t give all the credit that is due to other people/department/factors that contributed to the success [though, to be fair, they try and pinpoint what they contributed rather than be parasites off other influences] … but to say effectiveness awards don’t really celebrate effectiveness is a bit rough … unless you’re advocating launching the first ineffectiveness award, which – to be honest – I would be fascinated to follow.

Comment by Rob

how many times have you met this woman? however fucking many it is, its not going to be as many as you met me and theres no fucking way she has been as generous as me. every fucking thing you have is because of what i did for you but have i ever has a post worshiping my very fucking presence? have i fuck. maybe this katie is a fucking saint but im your god campbell so sort your fucking self out and get your fucking priorities right.

Comment by andy@cynic

He can’t condense you into a turn of phrase.

Comment by John

he could fucking try.

Comment by andy@cynic

Treat you mean to keep you keen. Or something.

Comment by Rob

is her hair silver? is she a fucking xmen type superhero. just my fucking luck.

Comment by andy@cynic

It is actually. But not in an old lady kind of way, I should add.

Comment by Rob

Maybe her hair wasn’t silver till she met you.

Comment by DH

So that’s who uses google+

Comment by John

Gold.

Comment by DH

I don’t know Katie, but I’d guess her response to being praised on this blog would be similar to a husband being found by his wife at the clap clinic. But you meant well Rob, that’s all that counts.

Comment by DH

Katie is excellent. I don’t know her, but I have heard of her and all I’ve seen or read has been impressive. Technically, isn’t she now your client?

Comment by Pete

campbell is a fucking genius crawler.

Comment by andy@cynic

Hahahaha, she is, kinda …

But that is not why I did it, which tells me I should have waited till I was working on a project that involved her and needed her buy-in. Damn. Ha.

Comment by Rob

Nike car?

Comment by DH

I would rather my quotes sound like Churchill than Cameron. Congratulations Katie, a complimentary post from Robert is a prestigious achievement. One, I should add, that I have personally failed to achieve.

Comment by Lee Hill

One day Lee. One day.

Comment by Rob

Thank you Katie for inspiring Robert to write a very good post about an often overlooked but very important skill for developing and selling strategy. I particularly like his “emotionally resonant, not intellectually victorious” turn of phrase. Good advice.

Comment by George

Wow – well – how does one respond to this sort of a compliment?

🙂

First, I’ll say thank you. But very quickly after I’ll point out that the words in that post are truly brilliant – but not mine – I saw them posted anonymously in a forum on Reddit and simply recycled.

The insight is amazing, but I can’t take credit for writing it – merely for grabbing it and spreading it around.

As for the rest of Robs claims, it’s all hearsay and rubbish, don’t believe a word.

I’m a jerk.
And so are you.
K

Comment by Katie Dreke

What? I’ve been diddled. But it’s OK … because those words aside, you’ve said a ton more to me that are equally as good and insightful, so take the bloody compliment, it’s not like I hand them out willy nilly.

[PS: Coming on here and writing your comment has made me feel great but done your creed no end of harm]

Comment by Rob

Yep, there I was thinking Katie was OK and then she decided to comment here.
You’re right though, I am a jerk

Comment by Northern

I know. Amateur mistake by her.

And you’re not a jerk, you’re just a bit of a jerk … but only when you’re in a meeting room with a computer and a youporn urge.

Comment by Rob

Ha bloody ha

Comment by Northern




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