A Master Class in Brand Planning

“Give us the freedom of a well-defined problem” instead of “give us the freedom of a tight brief.” Emphasis on inventing the right problem to solve, the dissatisfaction with the status quo. The critical and early role of vision in it all, is of absolute importance and exhilaration of anarchy at the idea stage. Advertising pushes the consumer from ignorance, through recognition to awareness, comprehension and conviction and then … action, buying the brand.

There are Grand Strategists and Advert Tweakers, King remarks. Grand Strategists are intellectual and aim to see the big picture. Advert Tweakers who peer myopically at advertisements, justifying creative work to sceptical clients. The job of planners is to demonstrate the values of strategic branding.

There are two bigger issues that have an impact on Planning: First, the new radical economic changes, where all types of companies need strategic imagination on the grand scale, building a long-lasting range of added values that makes up any brand. Second the increasing complexity of marketing will get harder to coordinate everything and make sure that a company speaks with one voice, and that all aspects of its brands add up to consistent and unique brand personalities.

Your observation will be: What’s new? This was King’s vision on Planning in the 70^thand 80^th, making him one of the most visionary Planners of all times.