That Gormandizer Man

SXSW: Learn from the cats

I penned a few posts on the work Realtime Man blog whilst in SXSW recently. I thought I'd repost here in case you missed them. This one is about compelling content.

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Cat videos on the internet. Love them or hate them they’re here and you can’t escape them.

Sitting listening to a talk about the First Internet Cat Video Festival, it’s easy to question yourself. “Should I be here?” “Will this talk add value to my learning?” “Why do intelligent human beings exhibit such an emotional reaction to seeing a cat in a tie?” “Why have I just ‘aaaahed’ out loud to a kitten falling asleep?”

Well, whilst some people might think they’re the perfect example of the internet jumping the shark, the fact is over 10,000 visitors attended the inaugural Cat Video Festival, and cat videos regularly boast millions of views. There’s something about them that people want to seek out, want to view and want to emotionally engage with. Those are assets brands crave.

So what is it about cat videos that make them extremely sticky content? Here are two thoughts for starters:

- There’s a long history of cats being used in art. Look at ancient greek art. All the internet has done has democratised their distribution. So, find a cultural zeitgeist and tap into it.

- Cats are cute. People like to look at them because of this. They illicit an emotional reaction from people.

Now, there are a whole bunch of other reasons, and I’m sure those reasons are not rational. But, if you want sticky content you could do a lot worse than creating (or curating) content that taps into a cultural zeitgeist and draws a deep emotional reaction from people. And, whether you like it or not, learn from the cats and stop being so rational.

“Internet cat videos are doing all the things good advertising should: They’re creating conversations. They’re creating shared fun. They’re creating vocal detractors. They’re creating enduring content.”

Learn from the cats and you too can haz engaging content.

SXSW: Feel what you see

I penned a few posts on the work Realtime Man blog whilst in SXSW recently. I thought I'd repost here in case you missed them. This one is about touch technology.

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For thousands of years humans have dreamt of having superhuman powers. From Greek mythology to cyborgs.

These superpowers are not all about physical abilities – they can be emotional shifts that enhance experiences. For example, shoes that augment your gambling experiences and give you 44% more chance to win at roulette are early enhancements to human ability.

There are two main approaches to augmenting our physical attributes: extrinsic (wearable technologies) vs intrinsic (implants and drugs).

But there is a third approach that combines the best of both worlds that take advantage of the electrical properties of the human body. (Think about the last time you were in the gym and the handles gauged your heart rate. That was your body’s electrical properties engaging with technology.)

Revel: Enhancing Tactile Perception is a research project Disney have been looking into that allows you to control the tactile attributes of objects. Put simply, you can touch a flat surface and feel whatever youwant the surface to feel like. It gives you the ability to actually control the texture of an object via an app.

 

Using the natural electrical properties of the human body and connecting them to specially prepared surfaces, you create a link that completes a circuit and tells your body what the surface feels like. (It’s much more complicated than that, but only technological brains the size of our Creative Technologist could explain it!)

On a human level the technology can be used to give amputees a sense of touch by being connected to their nervous system, but if you take a moment to think about what this ability to add physical aspects to virtual images could do for the iPad, for example, then the screen itself could feel like the object it is showing.

And if you’re a brand, there’s an opportunity to link your packaging to a revel-based app and give consumers the opportunity to change how your product feels. If you’re an alcohol brand for example, you could allow consumers to create a new design of the product can via an app, and then give them, and others, the ability to feel what their design actually feels like.

Or, if you’re a museum you could offer an online portal to your exhibits that allows consumers to touch the objects via their screen.

Whilst it’s still in research, it’s certainly a very exciting prospect, and one we’re excited about. Watch this space… or, feel it if you’d like to.

SXSW 2013: Conscious Capitalism

I penned a few posts on the work Realtime Man blog whilst in SXSW recently. I thought I'd repost here in case you missed them. This one is about conscious capitalism.

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Capitalism has only been around for a couple of hundred years but business has been around since the beginning of humanity. Yet big business only has a 19% approval rating, meaning 81% of people don’t approve of big business in the USA.

And recent history has proven capitalism and business has outperformed the communist alternative. West Germany outperformed East Germany. The same for South Korea and North Korea, USA and Russia. Yet capitalism is hated. Business is hated.

So there’s an interesting paradox here. “Capitalism won the battle of the 20th century, but it has failed to capture the minds and hearts of society.”

Clearly, something needs to change to answer this paradox for the good of society.

John Mackey, co-founder of Whole Foods Markets, outlines 4 goals to help change the narrative and improve the perception of business and capitalism and the value they can add to society.

1) Every business has the potential to have a higher purpose beyond making money.
What is the purpose of your business, of your brand? Why do you do what you do? What role will you play in the lives of people now and in future generations? This is a question we ask regularly at the agency, as we believe this should be the core of marketing communications.

2) Business must exist not only for shareholders, but for anyone who trades with it.
Whether that be customers, employees or suppliers, business should add value to all and sundry. Beyond those directly engaged, it must also add value to local communities. It has the potential to contribute and shape society for good. And, as John says, it’s a rewarding role. A good question to ask yourself, are you delivering value to all of those people with your business?

3) We need a different kind of leader.
Traditionally, leaders have wanted to rule because they wanted to be powerful. And that power brings rewards of money, sex and fame. What we need in new companies now are different leaders. Leaders who have a higher degree of emotional intelligence. Who are more democratic with their staff and treat them as equals. Who are spiritually awake and evolve as humans. “You cannot create a conscious business if the leadership is not conscious and doesn’t evolve.”

4) We have to create cultures that are humanistic in their approach.
Cultures that are trusted by people who engage with them.
Cultures that are authentic.
Cultures that are caring and loving. (Think about business metaphors – they are rooted in war language or Darwinian in their language. “Kill or be killed. Survival of the fittest. Let’s target them…” This has happened because business has traditionally been ran by men who see love as a weakness.)
Cultures that have integrity.
Cultures where loyalty is inherent in all relationships.
Cultures that are more equal. At Whole Foods, the benefits system is the same regardless of your role. From the top to the bottom.

How many businesses that we all work for could honestly say they reflect the above? Or even agree with the above? It’s a tricky balance, but if it’s achieved then the future could be that little bit better for all of us.

“The earth’s natural resources are finite, but human creative ideas are endless.” All we need to do is use them in a way that’s beneficial to all.

SXSW 2013: Inspiring Things

I penned a few posts on the work Realtime Man blog whilst in SXSW recently. I thought I'd repost here in case you missed them. This one is about inspiration.

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Inspiration. According to the dictionary, it’s defined as ‘The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, esp. to do something creative: “flashes of inspiration”‘

It’s a key asset of what we do for a living. We’re in the business of ideas. We can argue over semantics ofhow to generate those ideas, how strategic those ideas are, but the plain fact is we create ideas that inspire a behaviour change. And what helps us generate those ideas is inspiration.

I always remember an old Creative Director I used to work with. When he joined the agency I was at at the time, he said his creative teams were suffering from the pencil sharpener syndrome. Upon asking what that was he replied: “They’re devoid of inspiration. They don’t get out. They don’t soak things up. They expect things to inspire them without looking for it. They look at their pencil sharpener on their desks and nothing else and expect to be inspired…”

I love to be inspired. I love to explore new things. Question them. Mash them up. Physical things. Metaphorical things. Good things. Bad things. Just… things. Lots and lots of things.

And I think I can say SXSW has the most concentrated selection of things I’ve ever experienced. And, by golly, I’m inspired. Energised. Ready to solve problems.

Why
I’ve been inspired by the scale of thinking on show here. Why people have been generating ideas. Mostly it’s people who want to do good. People who want to create social change (mostly) for the good of society. (I’ve also been surprised by the lack of ambition by some big players but that’s another post.)

What
I’ve been inspired by the sheer range of topics. What those ideas have covered. Personally, I’ve attended talks that have covered podcasting, conscious capitalism, groundbreaking technology, food content and a whole bunch of other stuff.

Where
I’ve been inspired by where these ideas live. It’s a show dedicated to interactive technology, but that’s only really a means to an end. The thing people engage with to do something or be part of something. And where those ideas live has been disparate: from clothing, to apps, to space, to the social conscious.

Who
Lastly, I’ve been inspired by who these people are. Given the sheer amount of intelligent entrepreneurs at the moment, I’m guilty of knowing a name and not much else about some of these people. This has given me a great opportunity to put a name to a face, and to an identity. It’s given me the chance to try and get under the skin of the PR machine and actually see these people look me in the eye and tell me what they’re thinking. And that can never be underestimated.

And all of that’s great. It’s great because I’ve approached my time here with an open mindset. A mindset a little more open than it usually is in London.

Now, most people around me I’m sure would say that I’m an energetic person that is eager to learn and eager to soak up as much as possible. (I call myself a gormandizer. That’s lifted from CBGB by the way.)And I do. I love to learn, and I’ll never change. But I think my time here has changed me a little. It’s reinforced for me just how important inspiration is. And it’s given me even more drive to seek it out back in London. Back at my desk. Wherever I may be.

Inspiration. It’s all around us. All we have to do is seek it out. Stop looking at pencil sharpeners and get out there.

 

What Skyfall can teach agencies about pitching

There's been a lot of talk recently about how brands have leveraged the enormously successful James Bond film Skyfall to create partnerships and placements that benefit them. This is not another post about that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I watched Skyfall a few weeks ago and I loved it. Curiously, the least enjoyable parts for me were the parts where brands were overt in their placement, but maybe that's just me.

After watching the film, I asked myself why I enjoyed this one much more than the previous two Daniel Craig efforts. There are a few reasons why, and when you look at those reasons through an agency lens, I reckon you can use those ingredients as a framework for pitching...

 

Five Things Skyfall Can Teach Us About Pitching.

1) The serious business of getting the job done.
One of my criticisms of previous Daniel Craig efforts was that he seemed superhuman and impenetrable. There to get the job done and nothing else. But the truth is this ruthless element that focuses on the business at hand and nothing else is a key asset for Bond, and he can separate his emotions with the work in hand seemingly by flicking a switch.
Pitch Learning: Business is business and the first thing you need to do is convince the client you will deliver the business effect they want. Their career and results rely on you and your work, so reassuring them of your clinical delivery is key.

2) The personal business of adding some emotion.
Skyfall adds depth where other Bond films don't. There's a bit of humour in there that balances out the seriousness from above. But the way it's delivered is from the heart. Forget the nod-and-wink of Roger Moore's Bond, Daniel Craig adds a believably human side to the character not seen since George Lazenby's wife got killed.
Pitch Learning: As much as clients want the job done, they also want to know they're working with human beings with vulnerabilities, emotions and passions outside of work. If you win you're going to be spending lots of time together so it's vital they buy into you as a person.

 

3) Be yourself and develop your character.
After 50 years, you'd think we would all know who James Bond is and where he came from. Besides a niche audience of experts, I think it's fair to say that Skyfall taught us more about Bond than the previous 10 movies. Daniel Craig seems to have really settled into the role finally, and he's totally believable delivering the Bond persona. This is a combination of good scriptwriting, a good story and practice with his delivery.
Pitch Learning: Practice Practice Practice. Learn Learn Learn. Get as much under your belt as possible, whether that's shadowing someone or if you're more senior, constantly learning new approaches and tips from the masters. All of this ammunition will make sure you can be yourself in the pitch itself instead of an actor learning his role.

 

4) Develop the situation and sell in what is coming next.
Toward the end of Skyfall you think you know what's coming, then the story goes full circle in a way that makes you think the end is the beginning. It's a beautiful little touch at the end of the movie that gives you a warm feeling in your gut. It's a well known trick in the writing world, and there's a place in every pitch for Chekhov's Gun. The fact that the one in Skyfall started some 50 years ago is beautiful.
Pitch Learning: You might not have 50 years to build the story, but round the presentation off with something you seed at the beginning. 

 

5) Leave people wanting more.
At the end of Skyfall, I wanted the next movie to start immediately. I wanted the story to continue because it had enthralled me so much. It's a very fine balance that achieves this feeling. On one hand you have to explain the whole story to me to get me buying into it, but then you have to seed a little extra content there to get me thinking. Skyfall does this by rooting the story into reality - the 'now'.
Pitch Learning: Answer the brief, get the job done, but leave a little sprinkling of dust for the end to make people want more. This might be some added value or it might be rooting your ideas in reality and telling people what's next.

 

There are lots of reasons agencies win and lose pitches, and I've learned and evolved in all my years of pitching and presenting, so I'm not saying the learnings above will turn a 'Troll 2' into a 'Skyfall', but they're approaches I have used and continue to use.

A book that inspired me

Last week I had the pleasure of speaking at YCN after an invitation from Collyn.
I was asked to talk a little about a book that had helped or inspired me as a strategist.

 It was great fun.
John, Katy and Anjali also spoke and shared their books which were really interesting.
(And they all were added to my wishlist).

I was keen not to talk about a 'traditional' book about Planning or strategy.
So I ended up saying something like this:

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My background is in other creative industries loosely associated to the communications industry.
I studied architecture for my first degree, and then became a pseudo - graphic/ multimedia designed for a small healthcare agency.
I then studied my MA, which focussed on business strategy and creative thinking, and took a slight sidestep into Planning. 
I am what a friend and I have described as a Learned Planner.

Here's an excerpt from a paper I submitted to WARC recently that talks about it a little more:

I have a theory that there are two kinds of planners: Taught planners and Learned planners.

Taught planners are traditionally spotted at university studying a human sciences course, and join a large network agency to learn their particular interpretation of planning.

Learned planners have spent part of their life working in another discipline and then make a switch over to planning. Their previous discipline may be unrelated to their new industry altogether but they bring with them unbridled enthusiasm, an essential naivety of the constraints of the industry and a new perspective on answering problems.

Like a footballer being taught ballet to increase balance, there are many positives to be learned from the latter approach but traditionally these people don't fit into the pigeonholes of the large networked agency.

So being of this ilk, I'm interested in people from other backgrounds sharing their learnings and experiences, because a lot of the time they can add something useful to a subject.

This is the book I'd like to talk about for a few minutes.

 

It's a book by a chef/ TV host/ writer/ traveller called Anthony Bourdain.
And it's absolutely brilliant.

It’s a great book that covers many elements of Planning, and generally of life in creative agencies. All you have to do is swap ‘food’ for ‘communications’ and ‘restaurant’ for ‘agency.’

It's FUN to read. It makes you WANT to be a chef. How many planning books make you want to be a planner!?

Here's an example where he's talking about his very first oyster:

This really struck a chord with me. This is how I felt when I realised I wanted to work in communications. Wanted to create content that creates emotions within people. That has a resonance with them. All you have to do is to change 'food' and 'chef' to 'communicaitons' and 'Planner'...

Here's another example where he's talking about what he wants from a runner:

I think there are some great tips in there for people getting into Planning. It's about trying to keep your head when you're in a hectic situation and having the wherewithal to put things into perspective and prioritise.

Don't look at Planning things, look at things like a Planner.
There are learnings all around us, and Bourdain is a rich source of learnings.

It's a great book. It's part memoir part instruction manual on how to work in the food industry.
It's not the only great thing he's worked on.
His TV series No Reservations is a must watch for all Planners.
In it he travels the world eating the food that brings different cultures together.
Lots of street food, family food and celebration food.
It's food that connects people, that tells a story about a place.
It's essential viewing. 

Anyway, in the book there is a full chapter where he talks about a job interview.
He talks about how he prepared for it, and how he made a mistake in it.
It's really interesting.

Lastly, he lists 14 tips he'd give to anyone that wants to get into the food industry.
Again, I think there's great crossover in what we do.
(Some are very relevant, some less so... I'll let you decide which is which...)

Here is just a sample:

... and that is a very good place to end it. Read this book. It's amazing.

The Digital Campaign Retirement Home

I like my job.
I like learning about people, brands and culture.
(And it's great being paid for it).
Sure, there are times when I question the value of brands, of advertising, of capitalism and globalisation.
... and my part within that system.
(But doesn't everyone?)

I'm proud to work on campaigns.
I know there are lots of people who have a view that campaigns shouldn't really happen.
That businesses shouldn't really need to market their products or services.
(Because they should speak for themselves).
And I'm not really saying I disagree with that.
I'm just saying I like working on advertising campaigns.
I enjoy it. 

I like them because I've grown up with them.
Because they've entertained me.
Because they've made me laugh.
Or cry.
Or they've taught me something. 

And, with the internet, I can relive the ones I've loved in the past.

Like this.
I love this because of how aspirational it is.
Because the storyline is exciting.
It's a short James Bond film.

When I was younger I used to let my imagination run wild and I used to pretend I was that bloke.
Fighting off sharks to deliver chocolates to the love of my life.

Or like this ad:

I used to love that because the big bad monster is also cute and cool.
... and because it shows a comic version of London from history.

What's great is that someone agrees with me and has posted them on YouTube for us all to continue enjoying.
Probably someone from outside the communications industry.
And it's also great that people still want to look at this stuff.
It's because it's interesting, funny, memorable or evocative of the times.

And that's a goal I'm always setting myself:
"Will it pass the Ten Year Test?"
Meaning, in the future when the campaign is gone and there's no need for the work, will people still want to watch it?
... or hear it, or see it, or play with it, or share it?
It's not a KPI on most briefs, as most briefs want immediate or short term returns.
But it's a KPI I set myself.

I want to create amazing, iconic, beautiful, well thought out communications.
I want them to live well beyond their immediate lifespan.
I want them to continue to resonate, to enthral, to entertain. 
(As well as obviously delivering good results to the client's business - that's a mandatory).

I've worked on a few things I'm really happy with.
That I think looks great, and had great results.
But, I'm always looking for my "And all because the lady loves..."
I'm always looking to go one better. 

How iconic 21st Century campaigns are (and will be) recorded in history is interesting.
Because a lot of great work is shifting away from TV, from Press.
... and it's going online.
It might be a microsite, or a video viral, or a game, or a competition mechanic, or an app, or a mashup.
... or something or somewhere that hasn't been invented yet.
So, how will we capture these iconic ideas effectively?

The Case Study video is one way.
But again, the audience for them is usually communications people.
To show off their wares.
And they're not interactive, they're an overview.
So we need to think about how people can reminisce in the future over digital campaigns.
Are they stored anywhere for people to browse over?
(Do HAT do this?)
Is there an interactive YouTube for digital ideas?
A retirement home for digital campaigns?

If not, why not? 

The age of accountability

[For some reason this post has ended up like a Dave Trott story.]
[I think it's because I'm reading his excellent book as bedtime reading at the moment.] 

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Lovely idea here:
http://www.trackyourbud.co.uk/

I think it's the work of Anomaly, with the help of a few others.

I'm not a fan of Budweiser as a product – as are lots of us beer geeks.
As a business too I'm not a huge fan.
(Its relentless pursuit of Budvar being just one reason.)
But this work is great.

Because it talks about provenance.
Because it introduces the brewing process to people who usually aren’t bothered.
Because it makes the product appealing.
Because it gives me an ‘in’ to a huge megabrand.
(Although I'd love a mobile app I could use if I'm in a pub.)
(An app that gives me social currency to discuss there and then with my friends.
 I think all brands and products should be doing this.
Being more transparent.
Letting people know where, how and why their products have been manufactured.
Giving them insights into the care they take.
The difference they make.
The people behind the huge corporations.

I mentioned this to a chap when I was studying my MA.
Dr. Charlie Clutterbuck.
He's not a marketing chap, he works in the environmental and ethical sectors.
He was a very nice chap and we chatted about brand and business ethics over a beer in Manchester.
I said I’d love to use the barcode scanners in supermarkets, to scan a product and get the history of it.
The human history of it.
Who packed it, where in the world it was packed, direct contact with the farmers.
So I could ask them how well they were being treated.
He said a big supermarket chain were looking into it.
That was seven years ago.

It is possible.
But it’s not happened yet.
Because some brands want to hide that contact.
Want to hide that story.
They don’t see the worth in opening it up.

If brands want to hide their stuff behind closed doors they’ve usually got something to hide.
If brands go public and open those doors it’s a start.
Even if they’re not perfect they’re staring a discussion.
Not covering stuff up.
(Although I’m sure they’ll be selective about what they share at least it's a start.)

This reminds me of the Second Interest Layer I discussed over here.
About how the story behind a product is as interesting as the product itself.
Sometimes more.
Like with a bottle of mass-produced beer.
Of how it can imbue and increase the sense of worth of a ubiquitous thing. 

This can work for lots of brands in lots of sectors.
We're already starting to see farmer's names on fruit and vegetables in supermarkets now.
(But I'd love to be able to email them, tweet them thanks for their delicious produce.)
Also, I once worked on a pitch for a big prestigious car brand.
One idea we had was to RFID the whole factory up.
When they've ordered their car, send them a DM piece with a unique URL.
Let people who have ordered a car see their very car being made.
See the care and attention that's going into it.
See where their money was going.
In the product they're given, but also in the craftsmanship they've bought into.
I still think that's a nice idea.
(But only for some brands and products.)

I also remember giving a presentation to a delegation of Nike Considered marketing people.
We said it's all well and good having one range of things on a business level that is better, and more transparent.
But we said they should instigate a 'one thing' rule on a product level instead.
Where they don't have a small percentage of their business that is better, more transparent.
But that they should have 'one thing' on every single product that is better, more transparent.
Maybe the laces on a pair of sneakers, or the lining on a jacket.
Maybe those one things could be recycled, traceable, transparent.
That way you're doing a little bit of good in every single thing.

Some brands will never open up.
And I think it’ll come back to bite them in the bum.
Because we live in a time of accountability.
Of legacy data.
Of things in the past being ultra-traceable.
Of digital things being ultra-traceable.
(Just ask Jeremy Hunt.)
In fact, how long until the Thought Police come knocking on some doors?

The brands that embrace transparency first will do well.
But the brands that do it best will do better.

What is Success?

A child constantly asking "Why?" is one of the most annoying things in the world. But that simplest of all questions is also one of the most important tools in the Planner's armoury. I'd specifically like to focus on one incidence of asking "Why?" in this post, and that's the fundamental question to ask your client or your Account Team every time a new piece of work is started: "Why are we doing this activity?"

The answer is usually to achieve something hard or soft.

Hard: To sell more stuff to more people; to sell more stuff to the same people.
Soft: To make more people see my brand; to make more people understand my brand; to make people talk about my brand.

And the fundamental question, the one simple thing every single Planner must always always ask at this critical stage (and remind everyone throughout the whole process) is:

What is Success?
Put simply, what criteria must this work achieve in order for the client's business, the client herself and the agency to all be happy with the result?

(Not-at-all-cheesy image courtesy of zaraki.kenpachi on Flickr)

In my experience I've usually found there are three kinds of success for every brief:

1) The explicit business and brand Success Criteria.
These are the business goals the activity is hoping to achieve. As stated above they are usually Hard and/ or Soft. Some take time to achieve and some have instant rewards.
Sometimes, these criteria need to be discussed, challenged and debated with the client as they can be contextual to the marketplace or to previous campaigns. It's at this point it's critical for an agency and a Planner to have some kind of understanding of whether the goals are feasible. It's also very important at this stage to debate HOW you're going to measure these criteria, and discuss who will pay for that measurement, but that's a post in itself.
(At some point in my past I was asked by a client to increase sales in a shrinking market during a recession, with a much smaller budget than the market norm, much less budget than the previous year and with no new product to supplement the range. At the same time our key competitors were spending much more, had a better product and were supplementing their range. It's at that point you need an honest discussion about the options you have available to you.)

2) The implicit business, brand and client Success Criteria.
Not to sound too clandestine, but these criteria may never be put onto the briefing form...
You see, these are the criteria the client may allude to when they brief the agency. There's also a role for really good Account Handlers at this stage who know their client as they can really help get under the skin of why they want to do this piece of activity. There's usually a very real reason why (see 1 above) but this is sometimes supplemented with what a client wants to get out of the activity. 
Does your client like 'firsts', or the new technology platform everyone is raving about, or do you know she has had an interview elsewhere with a view to moving on? Each of these gives you an opportunity to help them achieve their own career success criteria. And if you help them do that, you'll be in their good books and that's good for you and your agency.
BUT.
It's essential that any guidance at this level which impacts on the creative and strategic answers is absolutely fundamentally in line with the explicit business and brand success criteria. Failure to comply with that is failure of the project pure and simple. 

3) The agency Success Criteria.
An agency is a business and as such it has its own business success criteria, and when a relationship between an agency and client is a fruitful one it's because the businesses have mutual goals that allow them to work together for the good of each other. Again, these are hard and soft. Agencies like any other business have to make a profit so there's a simple success criteria right there: will this piece of work be profitable for us? And there are soft measures too. If you want to build the profile of the agency you need to work on projects that allow you to do that. Or if you want to attract the best creative talent (beyond salary) then you need to produce amazingly creative work. The same goes for Planners and effective work. So, from an agency point of view, there should always be the question of: "Why are we doing this work?" And as above, sometimes the results from that are immediate (profit), and sometimes they take time (portfolio work, a door-opener to bigger things).
BUT... to repeat myself above.
It's essential that any guidance at this level which impacts on the creative and strategic answers is absolutely fundamentally in line with the explicit business and brand success criteria. Failure to comply with that is failure of the project pure and simple.  

The Sweet Spot

The sweet spot for a long, fruitful and profitable (financially and emotionally) brand, client and agency relationship is that you can hit all three criteria on most pieces of work. That's to say you can achieve business goals, make the client look great and make the agency look great too as well as all making money.

But you'll rarely do any of that if you don't ask that very simple question at the outset, and refer to it when you're critiquing the strategy and creative ideas at every stage.

What is Success?

As with lots of good Planning practices, it's not complicated, but it's profoundly important.

Live and learn horizontally

I'm a horizontal person, and therefore I'm a horizontal planner.

You see, whether we like it or not we're born into a social position and throughout our life that social position changes and evolves as we do. If things don't go to plan sometimes we move to the left, and if things go well we move to the right. We may stay in the same place, but you can bet the things around us are evolving all the time.

And, if you look to the extremes, you'll see that if you work in an agency you're more likely to be further to the right. So let's look to those extremes. 

(This is me drinking craft beers in Seattle. Nice.)

I regularly drink craft beers in Shoreditch. Over the past few weeks I've visited several places around East London and in other parts of London where there is a great selection of craft beers and real ales. Some have their own barbecue oven and some make their own scotch eggs. When I visit these bars there are lots of people there. Most of them dress like me, speak like me and no doubt have a very similar job to me. They're all very brand conscious and genre-conscious - some seemingly having visited a shop in Hackney, pointed at a picture of a Williamsburg hipster on the wall and grunted "One of those"...

(This is Jeremy Kyle... probably just about to be really honest with someone).

On the other extreme, I watch Jeremy Kyle. And read the reader comments in the Daily Mail online regularly. And although it galls me to sometimes, I am interested in both. On Jeremy Kyle you don't see the people I rub shoulders with in my favourite bars. You don't see people like me. You see a different social class interested in different ways of life. They speak different, act different and although they are as brand conscious as those above, the brands they see as aspirational are slightly different. They too may have walked into a local clothes shop, spotted a picture of a celebrity falling out of a nightclub and pointed to the wall saying "One of those"...

(I've been provocatively stereotypical in the descriptions above, I know).

I don't live either life vertically (fully in one silo), as I prefer to touch on both (and everything in between) and live horizontally across lots of different social groups.

As planners we're the voice of the consumer, and whilst the consumer may be one of the stereotypes above there's a very simple statement I'm going to make: The people above are not representative of the population. They're not representative because they are the extremes. ('Extreme' is of course contextual and I could talk about people living in poverty as much as I could talk about billionaires).

So where am I going with this? Well, if you're a planner and you live any of these lifestyles vertically, you're missing out on a whole spectrum of learning.

(Thanks to @eaonp for tweeting this earlier)

As human beings, we like to surround ourselves with people we have an affinity to. If we have friends from different socio-economic backgrounds it can sometimes be really interesting and rewarding and it can sometimes cause tensions. (Another program I like watching is Come Dine With Me for that exact reason as you get to observe how human beings from different backgrounds cope with engaging with people outside their comfort zone).

So what I try to do every day of my life is to live across several silos, and learn from them all.

I go to craft beer bars and spend £4.95 for half an 11% Nigerian stout. I go to the social club with my dad in Hartlepool and speak to people who have never lived outside their hometown. I watch my dad and all his friends drink Carling whilst I drink bitter. I walk along Ridley Road market and rub shoulders with hipsters, cockneys and people from all over the world. I visit Shoreditch House and rub shoulders with people who live a completely different life to me. I stay in 5* hotels and I stay in budget hotels. I shop at independent butchers and I shop at Iceland. I visit Tokyo, the USA and India as well as Milton Keynes, Hartlepool and Brighton. I actively eat vegetarian meals regularly and also eat ribs too. I sometimes fly business class and I sometimes fly Ryanair. And in every single one of those experiences I observe what's going on around me.

If I only experienced one of the above disproportionately to the others (or any other kind of experience) then I'm not the kind of planner I'd like to be. This is because a key part of learning about people and society is to be that person.

There's only so much you can garner from focus groups and from TGI (and we can discuss their merits at all but that's a different question for a different time). In my opinion it's imperative you actually live as the people you are interested in. And a good start to doing that is to live horizontally a little across many different lifestyles. You shouldn't surround yourself with people like you any more than you should surround yourself with people not like you. Mix it up. Experience them all.

If you spend all day in an office surrounded by marketing types and then spend most of your free time in Shoreditch House you're deluding yourself if you think you are good at understanding people.

By living horizontally you'll be learning throughout every moment of your life, not simply when you're at work 'doing research' because every moment in life is research.