Analogy.

Comments

[Nguyen Duong]

yup. i'm tracking w/ya on this. however, a post over at the Ad Contrarian "I'm tired of strategists" and a recent comment from an art director saying: "you guys (planners) are only telling me what i already know, but just make it more complicated" has me thinking about our roles as planner. i've seen the trappings of some ppl getting into planning so that they can hang out w/the cools kids, or be "the expert" on all things, and just talk about it. as new planner, i'm trying hard not to fall into that group. rather, i want to provide, inspire, and create. need to bake the idea some more, would love to hear your thoughts.

[Leon]

It's very easy to be cynical about planners. It's easy to be cynical about creatives or account people too, the main difference being that it's more apparent when they don't deliver (prizes or business).

I think the main thing is not to focus on nomenclatures, work descriptions or titles, but on the actual added value of your work. If the advertising agency you're working at can do without planning, then it clearly doesn't need planners. If it does, you're fine.

Actually it's like any other company.

[stephanie kelly]

I think the trick is to the find one thing they don't already know which adds depth, relevance and maybe a fresh perspective to what they do already know. That, in my opinion, would be the added value in the equation.

[Leon]

Well put Stephanie, it's about complementing the creatives. And there are easier or harder ways of adding planning value (for example http://tinyurl.com/df4zy6). Building solid business/brand foundations through strategic planning or exploring new ways of connecting with consumers through engagement planning are kind of foolproof paths because there's almost no overlap with creation, and these are important elements of an agency's total delivery. Being a creative planner and an inspirer is harder, because you have to be as creative or more creative than the creatives theselves and also get their full respect or you'll have the not-invented-here-syndrome.

[Nguyen Duong]

excellent diagram. you've just helped me realize where i need to be. now i must set for and do it. THANK YOU. :)

[Lafayette]

Leon, you forgot to put a headline on the crowd just standing there, doing as little as possible in as long time as possible. The Account people.

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Max

[Leon]

I wonder where this insight comes from, Max! :)

[Jeremy Abbett]

I would argue that planning is the umbrella that creation is holding with the diving board being the account people ;)