The document discusses planning and design thinking approaches to solving business problems. It emphasizes defining the underlying issue rather than just symptoms. True insights come from understanding audiences and their mindsets. Effective ideas inspire behavior by being spreadable, wearable, identifiable, memorable and modular. The ideas stem from profound human truths uncovered through qualitative research. An idea should stimulate brand momentum by fulfilling the insight.

1. Hello.
1

2. Who is IN THE ROOM?
Creatives Planners
Production
Technology
Media
Account
2

3. We are ALL creative
“Not how intelligent you are…
but how you are intelligent.”
“Not how creative you are…
but how you are creative.”
Sir Ken Robinson on culture and creativity
3

4. What is PLANNING?
4

5. What is planning?
Planning is a way of doing something, it is a
discipline if not a department
Planning does not just play a role in
advertising
Great planning can happen in the absence of
someone called a “planner”
5

6. We need to solve the issues with a clear point of view
What is the business problem?
What do people currently think about our brand?
What is our idea?
How are our communications going to help?
Who are we going to have a conversation with?
What do we know about them?
Where are the best places to have a conversation?
6

7. The founders of planning in the 1970s had different means
but the same end
The Goal:
Create consistent vehicle for
consumer insights to be heard
Stephen King, JWT: Stanley Pollitt, BMP:
The answer is a new process The answer is a new person
7

8. The Client The Creatives
Account Management
?
8

9. The Client The Creatives
Account Management
Consumers: attitudes, values and
behaviors
Trends: Macro/Micro
Insights through intuition and research
9

10. The classic planning cycle
Where do we want
Where are we?
to be?
Are we getting How do we get
there? there?
10

11. Planning helps create CONNECTION & RELEVANCE
It makes me feel (emotional)_______.
It is useful to me because (rational)_______.
It fits my lifestyle because (associations)________.
11

12. Discover RELEVANCE through insight
CULTURE
Insight CULTURAL
MACRO ANTHROPOLOGY
TRENDS SELF
ATTITUDES
LIFESTYLE VALUES
MIND
TRIBES SYMBOLS
EMOTION
COGNITION
BEHAVIOR BELIEFS
LIFESTAGES
SOCIAL DEMOGRAPHICS
PSYCHOLOGY
12

13. Creative Brief
Target
Writer
Audience Expert
Social
Information
Anthropologist
Center
Brainstorm
Facilitator
Planning
Futurologist
Data
Analyst
Media/Comm.
Planner
Market
Researcher
Strategic
Focus Group
Thinker
Moderator
13

14. So what’s
CHANGED?
14

15. We (all of us) do not
just work in advertising.
WE HELP
SOLVE
BUSINESS
PROBLEMS.
Advertising, alone,
doesn’t solve all the
problems clients face.
15

16. The Ad Agency
was founded during a time when
advertising sold product.
When sharing a creative idea was
powerful enough to get people to
buy.
When consumers had limited
media choices and were
impressionable.
16

17. We have all
arrived at the
inevitable
crossroads.
17

18. In one day, an average individual will:
See 2,904 media messages
Pay attention to 52
Read, listen or watch 24
Dislike 14
Positively remember only 4
18

19. Top-of-mind Awareness
The old model of
Of Aware, PERSUASION is not
Excellent Opinion
working as well as it
Of Aware, used to.
Definite Consideration
Of Considered
Shopped within 1 year:
Purchased
19

20. Consumer decision-making is a non-linear, fragmented
process.
Radio
Video
Direct Mail
Print
s
Awareness Express Intent
Blog
Positive Opinion
Educate, Evaluate
& Experience
Consideration
Purchase Purchase
New
Old
20

21. We need to rethink the purchase funnel
Top-of-mind Awareness
Of Aware,
Excellent Opinion
Of Aware,
Learn Shop Buy Use
Definite Consideration
Of Considered
Shopped within 1 year:
Purchased
Persuade Influence
“think and remember us” “inspire behavior”
21

22. And our past proven methods are not consistently
convincing audiences to consider and buy our product
Unique Selling Prop
Positioning
?
Taglines
Reasons to Believe
Storytelling
Visual Creativity
“Talk to” “Talk with”
22

23. As marketers, we need to rethink how we make people want.
REINFORCE
MEMORY
“Talk to”
Persuade
?
“think and remember us”
OR
Influence
“inspire behavior”
DEVELOP
RELATIONSHIP
“Talk with”
23

24. There is
HOPE.
But without one
“code” for
success.
ADVERTISING is
only part of the
solution.
Not THE solution.
24

25. DESIGN
THINKING
is a new way of
solving business
problems.
25

26. DESIGN
THINKING
is…
“an approach that uses the
designer’s sensibility and methods
for problem solving to meet
people’s needs in a technologically
feasible and commercially viable
way. In other words, design thinking
is human-centered innovation.”
—Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO
26

27. LESS “say”
MORE “do”
Stimulate
DIALOGUE and
ACTIVITY
between people
and brands
27

28. Start creating advocates rather than just customers
SOURCE: David Armano, Logic & Emotion Blog
28

29. As a design thinker…
What are we DOING
to stimulate
customer behavior.
What is our
brand act?
29

30. Which had a bigger impact on acquiring new AT&T
customers?
Unique Selling Proposition
Brand Act
30

31. What are
brand acts?
Ask yourself
what if…
1. Household cleaning didn’t
use harmful chemicals?
2. You could carry 1000
songs in your pocket?
3. A shoe, a device and a
website could inspire a
global running race?
31

32. So how do we use
DESIGN THINKING?
32

33. 1. Identify THE ISSUE
2. Discover THE IDEA
3. Architect the SOLUTION
33

34. 1. Identify THE ISSUE
(Not just the symptom)
34

35. A client will approach an agency with a problem that often is a symptom rather
than the issue.
Why are sales flat?
Why is our market share declining?
How can we launch this new and unknown product?
Why are people not considering us?
Who else can we target to improve sales?
How do we gain more top-of-mind awareness?
Why are we not retaining repeat buyers?
35

36. And we need to help our clients understand what the underlying issue is that is
causing their problem
THE PROBLEM:
Sales of the newly redesigned Saturn cars and crossovers are not meeting
volume objectives.
THE ISSUE:
Although many have positive memories of the Saturn brand from the 1990s and
its “different” philosophy, most do not know the new Saturn and are unaware of
the stylish and thoughtfully designed cars and crossovers now available at
retailers. Many still associate the brand with small, plastic and less expensive
cars that don’t meet their current needs or reflect an image they would like to
express about themselves. And as a result, are not considering the brand when
making a purchase decision.
The brand has gone from being “different” to “indifferent” and lost it’s “people
first” philosophy.
36

37. Insight into the issue can come from anywhere
Brand
Category Trends
Product INSIGHT Retail
Points of Contact Company The Consumer
37

38. And to define the ISSUE we have to ask questions
Who is buying from us? Who isn’t? How do people buy us? Are we making it
easy for people to find us?
Who is are direct and indirect competition?
Who is stealing our market share? Who are
What do our audiences currently think of we taking from?
us?
Are we starting a conversation with the right
What’s our competition doing? How are audience?
they gaining or losing share?
Where is the low hanging fruit? Who are our
What does our brand stand for? Is it known aspirational buyers?
by our audiences or is there a
disconnect? Do we suffer from low top-of-mind
awareness?
What marketing/advertising is working and
what is not? What and how are the macro-issues
(economy, changes in tastes/needs,
Are we part of the consideration set? trends, etc.) affecting our problem?
Where do we rank?
38

39. WHY THE ISSUE
MATTERS?
If we don’t define the
RIGHT issue, we end up
trying to solve the
wrong problem
39

40. And when you totally overlook “the issue” you get….
1985 - The cola wars
40

41. 2. Discover the IDEA
Define the AUDIENCE
Uncover the true INSIGHT
Craft an IDEA
41

42. 2. Discover the IDEA
Define the AUDIENCE
Uncover the true INSIGHT
Craft an IDEA
42

43. Define the AUDIENCE/PARTICIPANTS
Current or competitive users?
Lapsed brand users?
Get same people to use more?
Get new people to start using?
Is there more than one audience?
Is there a defined mindset?
IT ALL DEPENDS…
Who has the biggest impact on solving the ISSUE?
43

44. What it is not
Women 25-44 with household incomes over 100k
(This tells us nothing and designed for buying media)
What it is
Progressive Gen X/Y women are looking for brands that understand
their everyday lives. Many feel they are in the middle of everything, from
their careers to raising a family, to time for themselves. For them, the
world has become a hyperlife mash-up of days events and to-do lists.
“Every day” has become a blend between have-tos and want-tos. But
unlike the “soccer mom” of the past, GenX/Yers want to live life the way
it should be, on their terms, not from the pressures of others deciding
how they should live. And those terms are different for everyone.
Enjoying every day is about customizing their experiences and above
all, creating moments to smile, laugh and love.
44

45. Think about…
Why do people buy products in this
category? Mutual Funds
Beer
How do people buy products in this
category?
What drives brand choice?
What are the barriers to purchase?
Athletic
Footwear
Cars
45

46. Determine Priorities
The quest for the
“lowest hanging fruit”
Don’t try and change the world
without plugging the leaking
bucket.
46

47. What is a mindset?
47

48. 2. Discover the IDEA
Define the AUDIENCE
Uncover the true INSIGHT
Craft an IDEA
48

49. Uncover the TRUE INSIGHT
“Insights are observations about life. They
are a little like stolen moments, fleeting
forays into real life, revelations of the way
people think or behave.”
-Jean Marie Dru, Disruption, TBWA
1. PROFOUND 2. UNIQUE 3. COMPELLING
HUMAN TRUTH
TRUE INSIGHT is a catalyst for creative ideas that inspire consumer behavior AND
solve business problems
49

50. And TRUE INSIGHT can come from anywhere
Segmentation Decision-making Influencers
process Industry
Retail
experience trends
Product
INSIGHT
Psychology
benefits Cognitive
Emotional
Tracking Brand
studies perceptions
Competitors Cultural influence Macrotrends
50

51. WHAT IS THE INSIGHT?
51

52. WHAT IS THE INSIGHT?
52

53. HOW CAN YOU FIND INSIGHT?
EXAMPLES OF QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH
Ethnographies
Long-term observational research performed in
consumers home/work/real life
Man-on-street interviews
Semi-legalized harassment of innocent bystanders in
+
malls, street corners or retailers
In-home interviews Intuition
Often 1:1 interviews semi-structured around
(how does what I learned solve the issue)
conversation of attitudes, beliefs and behaviors
Online Dialogue/Social media
Monitoring of conversations online often reveal great
insight into the challenges and opportunities of a
brand and category
53

54. TRUE INSIGHT is not limited to consumer insight
Segmentation Decision-making Influencers
process Industry
Retail
experience trends
Product
INSIGHT
Psychology
benefits Cognitive
Emotional
Clients
Tracking Brand
studies perceptions
Competitors Cultural influence Macrotrends
54

55. The Creative Brief
Not going to spend time talking about how to craft a brief as every agency does this differently.
But a few thoughts…
1. Brief. No more than 2 pages - preferably 1
2. Creative. Words and the 5 senses.
3. Concise. Clearly states the issue we are trying to solve and identifies audience/participant
mindset
4. Strategic. An articulation of how we can solve the issue. It may be the idea or a way to
frame the idea. A main message. A brand act.
5. And finally, it should be agriculture for great creativity. Make sure there is a true insight
articulated in your brief.
55

56. 2. Discover the IDEA
Define the AUDIENCE
Uncover the true INSIGHT
Craft an IDEA
56

57. Crafting the IDEA
“What we need is channel belief, not
agnosticism, ideas that embrace
media and help shape which
channels to use, which not to use,
and how to use them.”
-Mark Beeching, Global Chief
Creative Officer, Digitas
57

58. Make people DO not just THINK
58

59. The Nike+ Human Race
a global a simultaneous
10k race held on 8/31/08
around the world.
Over 1 million
participated at
events in 25 cities
59

60. The IDEA was an IPod, a
running shoe and a global
digital strategy to
connect, share and
distribute
60

61. From an insight, The IDEA should stimulate brand
momentum
IDEA
SPREADABLE - something you’d want to pass
along to others
WEARABLE - affinity toward a brand
INSIGHT IDENTIFIABLE - represents what a brand stands
for in our minds
MEMORABLE - stands apart from everything else
MODULAR - many components, each with a
purpose that fit together to form the idea
61

62. From CAR SHOPPERS to STORYTELLERS to AGENTS
Everyone has a story to tell. The Ford Fiesta Movement.
Never before has a car company offered poten;al car owners the
chance to drive a vehicle not yet available a year in advance and share
their story online. And that’s just what Ford did. Over 4000 applicants
applied by submiDng a video telling Ford why they deserve to be one of
the first to drive the all new 2011 Ford Fiesta. 100 were chosen and
given the keys for 6 months. 600 missions were completed, compiled
and uploaded to www.fiestamovement.com where poten;al shoppers
can get a peak at the stories and experiences of these “agents” for Ford.
The results….
4.3 million YouTube views
540,000 Flickr images
3 million TwiGer followers*
And most importantly,
50,000 handraisers
97% of which do not own a Ford
*ScoU Monty, Ford Social Media, Nov, 2009
ADVOCACY SHAREABLE CONTENT MOMENTUM

63. 3. ARCHITECT the solutions
(The “Who, What, Where”)
63

64. Think of traditional marketing strategy as construction
How and
where we
want to
say it
Design
(creative execution
& placement)
How we
want to be Frame
perceived
(core values, tone, voice)
What we
want to be Foundation
(positioning, logo, tagline, selling proposition)
64

65. And this is what we
often build…
a big, ugly, concrete,
ridged, inflexible
building that shows its
age a year after its
been built.
And after a while, we
want something new
because it isn’t
working.
65

66. And when it doesn’t
work we do this…
and start over
66

67. We need to stop
building huge
“brand” houses
from the ground up,
brick-by-brick.
And start building…
PRE-FAB
modular
67

68. PRE-FAB brand thinking
1. Start small rather than big. But have a blueprint.
68

69. PRE-FAB brand thinking
1. Start small rather than big. But have a blueprint.
2. Think components. It’s not just about one campaign idea,
one audience or one strategy. It’s how many varying
pieces all come together, each with a purpose.
69

70. PRE-FAB brand thinking
1. Start small rather than big. But have a blueprint.
2. Think modular. It’s not just about one campaign idea, one audience or one
strategy. It’s how many varying pieces all come together, each with a purpose.
3. Be flexible. Add or subtract “rooms” and redesign as we
build.
70

71. PRE-FAB brand thinking
1. Start small rather than big. But have a blueprint.
2. Think modular. It’s not just about one campaign idea, one audience or one
strategy. It’s how many varying pieces all come together, each with a purpose.
3. Be flexible. Add or subtract “rooms” and redesign as we build.
4. Customize. We can’t apply the same rules every time
because every business issue we solve is different.
71

72. PRE-FAB brand thinking
1. Start small rather than big. But have a blueprint.
2. Think modular. It’s not just about one campaign idea, one audience or one
strategy. It’s how many varying pieces all come together, each with a purpose.
3. Be flexible. Add or subtract “rooms” and redesign as we build.
4. Customize. We can’t apply the same rules every time because every business
issue we solve is different.
5. Involve the customer; from design to placement to
approval. The customer becomes an active and fully
invested participant in the process - an advocate. But
they don’t do all the work.
72

73. PRE-FAB brand thinking
1. Start small rather than big. But have a blueprint.
2. Think modular. It’s not just about one campaign idea, one audience or one
strategy. It’s how many varying pieces all come together, each with a purpose.
3. Be flexible. Add or subtract “rooms” and redesign as we build.
4. Customize. We can’t apply the same rules every time because every business
issue we solve is different.
5. Involve the customer; from design to placement to approval. The audience
becomes an active and fully invested participant in the process - an advocate.
But they don’t do all the work.
73

74. PRE-FAB thinking is designed for a “people first” media
landscape
Gaming Sharing
Brand Participation
Social
Microsites
Networks
Portals
Common Community
Experiences
Destinations
Blogs
Search
On Demand Personal
Feeds/Filters
Time & Place Start
Mobile Pages
Shifting
74

75. WHO are we trying to influence?
WHAT are the ways we can reach them?
WHERE can we start a conversation?
MODULAR FRAMEWORK
75

76. Let’s look at an example…
THE IDEA:
“It’s designed to bring to life
compelling, original and even
quirky stories, and showcase
the diversity of media, sources
and platforms consumers
discover on the site.”
- Catherine Captain, VP Marketing
76

77. 77

78. Did MSNBC do all these things?
IDEA
A fuller spectrum of news
 SPREADABLE - something you’d want to pass along to
others
INSIGHT
 WEARABLE - affinity toward a brand
Readers want all the
news, not just  IDENTIFIABLE - represents what a brand stands for in
our minds
“the news”
 MEMORABLE - stands apart from everything else
 MODULAR - many components, each with a purpose
that fit together to form the idea
78

79. 79

80. Let’s recap…
1. Identify THE ISSUE
Find the true problem not the symptom
2. Discover THE IDEA
Define the AUDIENCE
Uncover the true INSIGHT
Craft an IDEA
1. Architect the SOLUTION
Develop the “who, what, where” modular framework
80

81. A final thought…
Never underestimate the power of an
incredible idea….
How to think about it
How to share it
How to sell it
81

82. Now go and
SOLVE THE ISSUES
and get out of advertising
Thank You.
Steve Chamberlain
schamber@digitas.com
82