Wednesday, January 6, 2010

The Value of Planning: have a look.


US brand consultancy REDSCOUT have been so smart to come up with the video series SPUR that I like tremendously. They launched it later last year - finally I get around to share it here on my blog. I am currently missing more European/ German voices in this - still think a lot of the statements from great thinkers across agencies are what is also shared within our local planning environment.

Planners and thinkers from network agencies as well as more creatively known shops such as Anomaly or BBH share their view on different issues.

The 5-part-series includes the following issues:
1. Is Planning Impotent? Overcoming Account Planning’s Identity Crisis
2. What Makes a Good Planner? Talent Specs and Extra Credit
3. Are We Just Glorified Researchers? The Myth of the “Voice of the Consumer”
4. What is the Real Value of Planning? Agency Politics and Client Perceptions
5. What is the Future of Planning? Thinking as Doing

PSFK has the whole series up on their blog - but I still would like to share some of my favourite statements and episodes. Have a peak here at the first and last episodes: "Is Planning impotent?" and "The Future of Planning? Thinking as Doing". I think they give a pretty good impression on what planning is suffering from today.





Interview partners include the likes of
* Douglas Atkin, Writer; Partner & Chief Community Officer of MeetUp.com
* Devika Bulchandani, Chief Strategy Officer; McCann Erickson
* Dan Cherry, Managing Partner, Director of Brand Strategy; Anomaly
* Piers Fawkes, Founder; PSFK
* John Gerzema, Chief Insights Officer; Young & Rubicam
* Heidi Hackemer, Senior Planner; BBH
* Robin Hafitz, Chief Strategic Officer; Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal & Partners
* Sally Jones, Founder; Tangerine
* Gareth Kay, Director of Digital Strategy; Goodby & Silverstein
* Hank Leber, Founder; Agency Nil and Associate Planner, McKinney
* Domenico Vitale, Founder; People, Ideas & Culture
* Freya Williams, Global Planning Director; Ogilvy Earth
* Paul Woolmington, Founding Partner; Naked Communications NY,
Global Partner of Naked Communications

A bit different are the videos that you can see on "Planning begins at 40" - JWTs celebration of Plannings 40th birthday with some of (Europes) leading planners that have made history within our industry, as Jeremy Bullmore, Jon Steel or John Grant.

What I am also missing is a bit broader view on planning - what do creatives and clients think abou those topics? Where do they see the value in planning? What are their expectations toward planning for the future? Very interested in your thoughts on planning! Is this truly about the doing? Let us know if you share the point of views. Do you know of any other recent (video) interviews with planners - or strategic and creative minds on the topic of planning? Also if you would be interested in taking part in such a video series for the German/ European market.