A recent APG event examined an APG study around planning skills and engaged a panel of experts to debate the question: “In a disruptive world, what skills do strategists really need to survive?” Here's what you need to know.

1. GET STRATEGY
SMART WITH APG
In a disruptive world,
what skills do
strategists really need?
to survive?

2. G E T S T R A T E G Y S M A R T W I T H A P G
What Skills Do Strategists Need?
The role of a planner has undergone an evolution as the agency structure and advertising
landscape has changed. So how have these developments impacted the skills a planner
should have in order to do good work? A recent APG event examined an APG study
around planning skills and engaged a panel of experts to debate the question: “In a
disruptive world, what skills do strategists really need to survive?”
The industry as a whole is getting more complicated and the responsibilities and
expectations of planners have been morphing around new technology, vast amounts of
data and ever-tightening client timelines. And yet, as the industry becomes more
complex, a major theme that is arising from the strategic community is the need to
simplify. To simplify how we work, think and interact with both consumers and colleagues.
As Vicky Holgate, CSO of FCB Inferno and two-time APG Grand Prix winner proclaimed:
"Strategy is getting messy. The messier it gets, the more
clarity of thought we need."
WHAT THE DATA TELLS US
In an effort to understand the trajectory of the industry, the APG conducted an overall
sector analysis in which they interviewed 25 strategy leaders, CSOs, Heads of Planning,
CEOs and clients. Then they surveyed the APG community - in total, 317 Planners and
Strategists from all levels and disciplines. The goal of the study was to unearth which
skillsets were most valuable to planners in the future.
The findings revealed that the most critical skill for planner in the future is “Understanding
people.” While it seems a basic element, it really is the premise on which all planners
should built their craft. Even the die-hard tech and data planning experts overwhelmingly
agreed that it was crucial to understand people holistically – and not just how they
behave online. Fern Miller, CSO of DigitasLBi reminded us that:
“If we want to change people’s behaviour, we have to
understand them first and then understand how they respond
to technology.”

3. G E T S T R A T E G Y S M A R T W I T H A P G
What Skills Do Strategists Need?
The benefit of having strong people management skills was also noted, with the role of
planner likened to an orchestra conductor – we ensure that all the various sections play in
harmony. The value of the planner is often synthesising various inputs and providing a
lens of simplicity.
Finally, there was an adamant stance for planners to understand the business side of their
client’s company. Increasingly, agencies are being brought in further upstream and asked
to provide more consulting direction, so a solid understanding of commercial practices is
pivotal in making an impact.
THE TRUE SKILL OF THE PLANNER
However, data is often just the start of the story, it’s how you interpret it that matters, and
what followed was a fascinating discussion into the skills of a planner. This touched on the
controversial topic of specialising in a specific area. With a continuously evolving
advertising landscape, planners need to be able to understand numerous disciplines and
be familiar with a variety of communication techniques in order to provide an informed,
top-level view of the consumer experience. Yet the panel discussion (and the data)
suggested that a planner does not need to be an expert in a specific discipline but instead
to have a broad understanding of the communications ecosystem as a whole. Lisa
Bowcott, European Brand Marketing Director of Trainline, summed it up well saying that
“great strategists have always been those with depth of knowledge across different
channels" - and pointed out that with the speed with which channels are evolving, it is a
challenge for strategists to maintain their expertise as practices are constantly
developing.
All panelists agreed that an imperative planning mindset is having a ‘flexible brain’ - the
ability to adjust thinking in response to changing goals or stimuli, and apply empathy to
understand other people emotions when they differ to their own. Strategists should be
connected to the world in a variety of ways, through news, culture, art, politics, business
and more. While they will develop their own viewpoints, strategists need to be open to
different interpretations - Lisa Bowcott expressed it:
“Planners should have strong opinions, loosely held."

4. G E T S T R A T E G Y S M A R T W I T H A P G
What Skills Do Strategists Need?
FINAL THOUGHT
A key takeaway is that simply “understanding people” is a continuously evolving process.
As we have more technology which can now tell us a consumer’s every move, interpreting
that data and finding the emotional and motivational insights is the real challenge.
Planners of the past used to go into the world to interact with others directly, from which
they could draw solutions based on instincts. Now that we have more accurate data into
the daily lives of the masses, it is important that we do not rationalise actions so much
that we lose that emotional element. Our own filter bubbles risk blocking our vision into
the wider society, only allowing us to see those which are most like us or that which
makes sense. We must strive to understand the people behind the numbers.
As the sector evolves and starts to bleed into adjacent areas, the role of the planner
becomes more broad but vital. Lisa reminds us how far we have come as a discipline,
"Planning was added value… but I don’t think you could function without strategy
anymore.” In a rich world of data and endless connection, a team needs someone who can
take all of the input and distill into a simple conclusion. Moving in an agile way between
the problem and finding a solution through a set direction of discovery. Otherwise, as
Fern Miller boldly stated: “Fundamentally, if you don’t have a good strategist, the chances
of success are hugely diminished.”

5. G E T S T R A T E G Y S M A R T W I T H A P G
What Skills Do Strategists Need?
If you are interested in learning more about the subject of this article, please contact
Kelsey Gardner, Senior Strategic Planner, GardnerK@bbdoknows.com
ABOUT BBDO KNOWS
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BBDO KNOWS offers thinking, strategy, insights and inspiration on key categories, key
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If you are interested in learning more about the way BBDO thinks please contact
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