From Creative to Planning

A PLANNER FOR 90 DAYS.
a copywriter for 13 years.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

WHAT I’VE LEARNED:


business media

THE CREATIVE DEPARTMENT.

(from the creative dept. we have a limited view of a client’s
overall business situation. and of the broader media landscape.)

problems solutions

THE CREATIVE DEPARTMENT.

(creatives see things through the peephole of the creative brief.
the world of possible solutions is broader than we know.)

THE CREATIVE TEAM.

(it’s a great place to play, and obsess over our sandcastles.)

BRAND PLANNING.

(but here, we’re deciding if a sandbox is even the thing.)

FEWER BOUNDARIES.


BRAND PLANNING IS AS
CREATIVE AS CREATIVE.


WHY? WHAT’S CHANGED?


WE USED TO MAKE
now we make:

(agencies don’t just make artful things, now we make useful things.)

DRAWINGS TOOLS
SENTENCES “NARRATIVES”
JOKES JOKES


DON’T WORRY.
some things remain the same.


STILL A HUGE CHASM
between what creatives like and
what the world likes.

(this isn’t bad. it’s tension between fringe culture
and mass culture. it makes adv. interesting.

I’VE LEARNED
there are planners who come from research
planners who come from media
and “other.”


I USE THE FORCE.

(translation: a combination of bullsh*t, and common sense.)

i often say to myself,

“IF I OWNED THIS PLACE”
i’d blah blah blah. and then i go do that.

(that’s much harder to do from the creative department.)

i’ve found
RESEARCH I LIKE:
harvard business review
ibm’s research department (IBV)
specialist sources (i.e. inside facebook)
case study anecdotes
slideshares from other planners


(that’s right. i am stealing your sh*t.)

(planning is a community. creative is not.
i hope to offer thinking you can steal back.)

RESEARCH I DON’T:
mintel
media-sourced/media-biased
correlational (i.e., everything)


SOME THINGS I’VE NOTICED:


MEETINGS
as a creative
as a planner

per week

* Graphs represent a general feeling, and are only loosely based on any sort of “real” numbers. N = 1.


MEETINGS
as a creative
as a planner

stuff i have to bring



(planners love infographs.)


EVERYONE HAS OPINIONS.
but more people nod when it comes from a “planner.”


IT HELPS TO BE CURIOUS.
you can’t teach that.


IT HELPS TO BE WEIRD.
but not too weird.

(i.e., have a unique outlook, but be presentable.)

I GOT A BOOST.
grifﬁn farley gave me his old notes, and a shot of conﬁdence.

(metaphor)


MY FIRST 90 DAYS:
$400k in new billings
re-wrote our creative brief
got creative and media talking more
cold-called our Atlanta ofﬁce a lot
brokered peace b/t internal departments


OFF THE CLOCK:
recorded a CD of original music
wrote an award-winning short ﬁlm
had a million-dollar new business idea
drank too much
slept a lot better


MY CAREER
expected trajectory

awesomeness

by month


(that last slide was a joke.
i don’t expect my career to tank. i just have no expectations.)


I AM A DEPARTMENT OF ONE.
so knowing other planners is good for me.


BE COOL.
stay in school.

david yeend, senior brand planner, 22squared
david.yeend@22squared.com

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