What is advertising/branding strategy in its simplest form? In no conclusive terms, the conclusion from a Jr. Strategist.

1. Define:
“Strategize”
5.24. 2011

2. “I can sit down and draw. I can sit down and write. I can’t sit down and strategize”
—Rachel Hom, 4.8. 2011
Above is one of my Top 5 creative weaknesses. And, in my role as a strategist, it’s
extremely hampering. Under the instruction of Craig Joiner [Tool of North America;
Creative Mentor Inc.], I was asked to define what “strategize” meant. How would I
know how to do it, if I didn’t know what I was supposed to be doing?
This is what happened.

3. STRATEGIZE = THE ACT OF CREATING STRATEGY
I know that “strategize” is the act of creating strategy. But that knowledge doesn’t
get me anywhere if I still don’t know what I’m doing when I start to create “strategy”.
Just what, exactly, am I trying to make?
What is strategy?

4. survey says:
Plan of action or policy designed to achieve
a major or overall aim.
While this is the official meaning of the word, I’m more interested in finding what it
means to me, and in my profession. The ad industry has taken the word out of the
dictionary and put it into practice. It now has a personality with new meaning.
Besides, a good strategy is one designed to achieve an overall aim. Plenty of strategies
aren’t designed for anything, but bad strategies are still strategies.

5. STRATEGY IS A GUIDE FOR EXPRESSION.
I believe that strategy in its simplest form, defined only as itself, is a guide for some
thing. Void of its caliber, how or what its guiding, or what means its intended to
reach. It’s the instruction page in a disparate box of legos, a highlighted passage, a
dotted line.
The complete process and meaning of “strategy” is built into this essential definition.

6. STRATEGY IS A GUIDE FOR EXPRESSION.
insights
information
“Insights” and “information” are two crucial ingredients that contribute to strategy,
part of the pre-process. They are preparation to strategy, but not strategy itself.
What about “guide”? Why did I choose that word?

7. STRATEGY IS A GUIDE FOR EXPRESSION.
handbook
insights road map
information plan
“Guide” is the most objective word for what strategy does. I feel it could be
substituted for handbook, road map, or plan, but all of those words suggest and
rely on impending action. I think of a guide as something that is independent of
outcome, that must be engaged to be useful.
And why “expression”?

8. STRATEGY IS A GUIDE FOR EXPRESSION.
handbook actions
insights road map thinking
information plan
“Expression” was a subjective word choice of mine.
I think it strikes the perfect balance between actions and thoughts. Its conscious and
charmingly natural at the same time. Anything and everything can be expressed, has
multiple possibilities for expression.

9. brand
STRATEGY IS A GUIDE FOR EXPRESSION. problem
handbook actions set idea
insights road map thinking
information plan
The expression of what?
Strategy can be used to express anything like, most relevant to my job, a brand, a
problem, or a set idea. Defining strategy as a guide and using expression as a means
to solving a problem sets my thinking on the right track. The answer lies in “how”.

10. epilogue:
inform guides
INSIGHT STRATEGY ACTION
Strategy is difficult to define, because it’s snuggled in between two attention-hogs;
insight and action. Strategy’s role in the trio is to make the most out of an insight
before acting to achieve an outcome. In a linear sense, insight informs strategy,
which guides action. I guess you could call strategy a keystone, in the process of
informed action.

11. questions, comments, concerns?
Rachel Hom, Jr. Strategist @72andSunny
@Hommy // @JrStrategy