This document discusses moving advertising and branding toward more participatory and interactive models. It suggests conceptualizing brands as APIs and platforms that allow users to project themselves. The author advocates for generating campaign models with as little waste as possible using lean startup principles of continuous learning through prototyping, testing and customer interaction. A process of customer discovery is outlined involving generating hypotheses, talking to customers, being honest about findings and repeating the process of learning and building minimal viable products or campaigns.

1. Aloha.

2. @farrahbostic
#planningness

3. i’ve been a...

4. i’ve been a... copywriter
website maker
account planner
brand strategist
qualitative researcher
innovation specialist
entrepreneur

5. This place pays me to be a
Group Planning Director

6. But what I do is make digital
things for clients...
that are increasingly
centered on mobile & social
experiences.

7. I’m a little bit
of an adland nerd.

8. I’m a little bit
of an adland nerd.
So bear with me.

10. Adland 1.0:
Persuasion &
Positioning

12. Adland 2.0:
Culture & Emotion

14. Adland 3.0
Participation

15. Adland 4.0?
APIs

17. LEGO: They give you the parts,
you decide what to make

19. Apple: A tightly controlled
product & brand that you can
project yourself onto

23. Think of brands as APIs, &
platforms as middleware

24. How do we create
API-like things for the
brands we serve?

25. Our business: Ads.
Commissioned by clients.
Designed by agencies.
Executed by vendors.
We know what they’re for.
We know when they’re over.

26. A quick horror
story.

27. “You need to add value to people's lives,
not just expect them to participate
because you goddamn well asked them.”
Mel Exon, BBH Labs
http://anjalir.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/sxsw-in-retrospect-the-last-of-the-launch-and-leave-ems/

28. I  Start-ups
I pitched at StartUp Weekend in
NYC last fall and learned a lot about
how people get from an idea to a
prototype... in less than 48 hours.
I’m also involved with Women 2.0,
which is more generous - you go
from concept to launch in 5 weeks.
Imagine if we could work so fast!

29. What we’re going to do together

30. What we’re going to do together
While I’m blathering on...

31. What we’re going to do together
While I’m blathering on...
Think about a problem you have.

32. What we’re going to do together
While I’m blathering on...
Think about a problem you have.
Then think of a possible solution a brand could offer -
could be a product, a service, an experience.

33. What we’re going to do together
While I’m blathering on...
Think about a problem you have.
Then think of a possible solution a brand could offer -
could be a product, a service, an experience.
You’re going to pitch your idea at the end.

34. What we’re going to do together
While I’m blathering on...
Think about a problem you have.
Then think of a possible solution a brand could offer -
could be a product, a service, an experience.
You’re going to pitch your idea at the end.
Well - about 12 of you are.

35. What we’re going to do together
While I’m blathering on...
Think about a problem you have.
Then think of a possible solution a brand could offer -
could be a product, a service, an experience.
You’re going to pitch your idea at the end.
Well - about 12 of you are.
You’ll get :30 to pitch it.

36. What we’re going to do together
While I’m blathering on...
Think about a problem you have.
Then think of a possible solution a brand could offer -
could be a product, a service, an experience.
You’re going to pitch your idea at the end.
Well - about 12 of you are.
You’ll get :30 to pitch it.
Just FYI. :)

37. What we’re going to do together

38. What we’re going to do together
Then we’re going to vote on those ideas.

39. What we’re going to do together
Then we’re going to vote on those ideas.
We’re going to generate a model for 6 of them.

40. What we’re going to do together
Then we’re going to vote on those ideas.
We’re going to generate a model for 6 of them.
And you’re going to have to leave the building
and (uh oh!) talk to at least 5 people.

41. What I promised...

42. What I promised...

43. But then...

44. But then...

45. But then...
3,377 hits so far

46. So.
No “insights”.

47. Anyway...
What is lean?

48. Principles of Lean Start-ups
Continuous customer interaction
Revenue goals from day one
No scaling until revenue
Assume customer and features are unknowns
Low burn by design, not crisis

49. Well, when you
put it that way...

50. Requirements
Design
Implementation
Testing
Maintenance

51. The results for start-ups:
High burn rate
Swinging for the fences
Full management teams
Assuming the customer is known
Assuming the features are known
Assuming growth happens by execution

52. Seem familiar?
Client Brief
Research
Creative Brief
Creative Development
Production
Media!

53. The results for agencies:
High burn rate
Swinging for the fences
Throwing people at the problem
Assuming the target is known
Assuming the messages/media are known
Assuming growth happens by execution

54. “The best place to get started
making things is to solve your
own problems.”
Noah Brier, Percolate
http://www.slideshare.net/nbrier/thinking-about-innovation

55. So, where are the lean
agencies?
http://theleanstartup.com/

56. Can there be only one?
http://www.madebymany.com

57. Lots of people are
talking about it...
Do Agencies Need to Google
Think Like Software #Firestarters:
Companies? Agile Planning

58. But they can start
to sound like this.

60. Prototype!
Iterate!
#Buildshit!

61. Creative Briefs?

62. We have an ownership problem.
The client owns the brand.
Accounts owns the client.
Planning owns the brief.
Creative owns the idea.

63. Client Brief
Research
Creative Brief
Creative Development
Production
Media!

64. by Th
-p e
Client Brief ro cre
du a
ct tive
of b
Research th rie
is f
pr is
oc a
es
Creative Brief s.
Creative Development
Production
Media!

65. “Stop communicating
products & start making
communication products.”
Gareth Kay, Goodby
http://www.slideshare.net/garethk/postdigitalbriefs2-august-2010

66. The brief is not the
product.

67. The brief is not the
product.
The campaign is the product.

68. You can’t do it alone.
Planners, like start-up founders, can’t do it
all themselves.
You need co-founders.
Creative and technical co-founders.

69. Remember.
Our product is the campaign.
Our economic buyer is the client.
Our end user is the customer.
So we have to design with both in mind.

70. What’s a lean brief?

71. What’s a lean brief?
It’s not just ‘quick to make & quick to change’

72. Let’s focus.

73. Let’s focus.
The problem facing a lean planner is not
‘what about the creative brief’?

74. Let’s focus.
The problem facing a lean planner is not
‘what about the creative brief’?
It’s ‘how do we seek an effective campaign model
with as little waste as possible?’

75. Let’s focus.
The problem facing a lean planner is not
‘what about the creative brief’?
It’s ‘how do we seek an effective campaign model
with as little waste as possible?’
Or, ‘how do we build the minimal experience or
utility that makes the most difference for our
client’s customer (and therefore our client’s
business) in the short term, that we can scale?’

76. Learning.
Understanding.
Empathy.

77. Prototyping.
Testing.
“Existing companies execute
business models, while startups
search for a business model.”
— Steve Blank
Discovery.

78. “We always have a vision that is
clearly articulated, big enough to
matter & shared by the whole team.
“Our goal is always to discover
which aspects of this vision are
grounded in reality & adapt those
aspects that are not.”
The ‘brief’... Planning!
http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/

79. Customer Discovery
With thanks to Steve Blank

80. The client brief is
just one input to
campaign model
seeking.
It’s not the Bible.

81. 5 steps

82. Step 0

83. Get buy-in.

84. Get buy-in.
Together with clients, we start with setting a
mission - why are we about to spend all this
money?

85. Get buy-in.
Together with clients, we start with setting a
mission - why are we about to spend all this
money?
Then, we establish our values: we embrace the
importance of learning, discovery & failure.

86. Get buy-in.
Together with clients, we start with setting a
mission - why are we about to spend all this
money?
Then, we establish our values: we embrace the
importance of learning, discovery & failure.
Finally, we commit to the mission and our
values, by budgeting for it with time & cash.

87. Step 1

88. Start guessing.

89. Start guessing.
Again, with clients, we generate
hypotheses.

90. Start guessing.
Again, with clients, we generate
hypotheses.
About who the customer for this
product or brand is.

91. Start guessing.
Again, with clients, we generate
hypotheses.
About who the customer for this
product or brand is.
About what matters to them and
how they live their lives.

92. Start guessing.
Again, with clients, we generate
hypotheses.
About who the customer for this
product or brand is.
About what matters to them and
how they live their lives.
About how we can create

93. Write your guesses down.

94. Write your guesses down.
About your customer and their problem or desire.

95. Write your guesses down.
About your customer and their problem or desire.
About what to make (the campaign).

96. Write your guesses down.
About your customer and their problem or desire.
About what to make (the campaign).
About where to place or build the campaign.

97. Write your guesses down.
About your customer and their problem or desire.
About what to make (the campaign).
About where to place or build the campaign.
About how you’ll get people there.

98. Write your guesses down.
About your customer and their problem or desire.
About what to make (the campaign).
About where to place or build the campaign.
About how you’ll get people there.
About what the market is like.

99. Write your guesses down.
About your customer and their problem or desire.
About what to make (the campaign).
About where to place or build the campaign.
About how you’ll get people there.
About what the market is like.
About who your true competitors are.

100. Step 2

101. Get out of the building.

102. Talk to people.
Not a lot. 5-10.
Not in a facility.
This ain’t
Not through a recruiter. market research, so
we don’t have to be
Not the perfect ‘respondent.’ science-y.

103. In fact...

104. In fact...
After 3 people, prioritize your top 3 issues or
questions.

105. In fact...
After 3 people, prioritize your top 3 issues or
questions.
After 5 people, start asking new questions.

106. In fact...
After 3 people, prioritize your top 3 issues or
questions.
After 5 people, start asking new questions.
This isn’t about approval.

107. In fact...
After 3 people, prioritize your top 3 issues or
questions.
After 5 people, start asking new questions.
This isn’t about approval.
It’s about learning.

108. Step 3

109. Be honest.

110. Be honest.
Are these really your
customers?

111. Be honest.
Are these really your
customers?
Is their problem really painful,
or their desire really strong?
Does it even exist?

112. Be honest.
Are these really your
customers?
Is their problem really painful,
or their desire really strong?
Does it even exist?
Are they really making
decisions the way you
thought?

113. Be honest.
Are these really your
customers?
Is their problem really painful,
or their desire really strong?
Does it even exist?
Are they really making
decisions the way you
thought?
What do you need to change?

114. A reality check.

115. A reality check.
Talk to your co-founders.

116. A reality check.
Talk to your co-founders.
Do you need to seek other customers that
are a better fit?

117. A reality check.
Talk to your co-founders.
Do you need to seek other customers that
are a better fit?
Do you need to rethink your positioning?

118. A reality check.
Talk to your co-founders.
Do you need to seek other customers that
are a better fit?
Do you need to rethink your positioning?
Is it possible to give people what they want?

119. A reality check.
Talk to your co-founders.
Do you need to seek other customers that
are a better fit?
Do you need to rethink your positioning?
Is it possible to give people what they want?
Do you need to start over?

120. Step 4

121. Repeat.

122. Repeat.
Learn

123. Repeat.
Learn
Build

124. Repeat.
Learn
Measure
Build

125. Campaign Model
Generation
With apologies to Business Model Generation
http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/

126. Remember:
It’s our job to
seek the
campaign model
With as little waste as possible.

127. http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/ http://thestartuptoolkit.com/

128. http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/ http://thestartuptoolkit.com/

129. Our client’s
customers,
prospects, and
their
influencers or
gatekeepers
http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/ http://thestartuptoolkit.com/

130. Our client’s
Solving a
customers,
problem
prospects, and
their
Satisfying a
influencers or
need
gatekeepers
http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/ http://thestartuptoolkit.com/

131. Branded
experiences &
utilities Our client’s
Solving a
customers,
problem
prospects, and
their
Satisfying a
influencers or
need
gatekeepers
http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/ http://thestartuptoolkit.com/

132. Branded
experiences &
utilities Our client’s
Solving a
customers,
problem
prospects, and
their
Satisfying a
influencers or
need
gatekeepers
People
Software & APIs
The client’s product
or brand equity
http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/ http://thestartuptoolkit.com/

133. Branded
experiences &
utilities Our client’s
Solving a
customers,
problem
prospects, and
their
Satisfying a
influencers or
need
gatekeepers
People Paid, earned &
owned media
Software & APIs
Distribution &
The client’s product sales
or brand equity
http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/ http://thestartuptoolkit.com/

134. Time, place &
Branded tone
experiences &
utilities Our client’s
Interactions &
Solving a
touch-points customers,
problem
prospects, and
their
Satisfying a
influencers or
need
gatekeepers
People Paid, earned &
owned media
Software & APIs
Distribution &
The client’s product sales
or brand equity
http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/ http://thestartuptoolkit.com/

135. Time, place &
Branded tone
experiences &
Freelancers utilities Interactions & Our client’s
Solving a
touch-points customers,
Production Houses problem
prospects, and
their
Media publishers Satisfying a
influencers or
need
gatekeepers
Clients
People Paid, earned &
owned media
Software & APIs
Distribution &
The client’s product sales
or brand equity
http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/ http://thestartuptoolkit.com/

136. Time, place &
Branded tone
experiences &
Freelancers utilities Interactions & Our client’s
Solving a
touch-points customers,
Production Houses problem
prospects, and
their
Media publishers Satisfying a
influencers or
need
gatekeepers
Clients
People Paid, earned &
owned media
Software & APIs
Distribution &
The client’s product sales
or brand equity
Pass-through costs
Salaries & operating expenses
http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/ http://thestartuptoolkit.com/

137. Time, place &
Branded tone
experiences &
Freelancers utilities Interactions & Our client’s
Solving a
touch-points customers,
Production Houses problem
prospects, and
their
Media publishers Satisfying a
influencers or
need
gatekeepers
Clients
People Paid, earned &
owned media
Software & APIs
Distribution &
The client’s product sales
or brand equity
Client pays for strategy, development,
implementation, media/hosting, testing
Pass-through costs
and iteration
Salaries & operating expenses
What if you could invent new revenue
streams for your agency or client?
http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/ http://thestartuptoolkit.com/

138. This is the new ‘brief’
“I don’t need any more ideas.
We’ve got plenty of ideas.
I need to know what to make.”

139. Prototype & Iterate

140. What’s a prototype?
It’s not a finished product.
It can be a drawing.
Or a description.
It’s enough for people to react to.

141. Why prototype?
Because, otherwise, we’re still just
guessing.

143. What’s iterating?
It’s not starting over.
It’s not doing something else.
It’s not adding on features.
It’s evolving, refining, maximizing,
optimizing...

144. The goal isn’t perfection.
The goal is the minimum you can make or do
that provides the most perceived benefit to
the customer, and is different enough from
other options they know about. (MVP)
Good enough might actually be good enough.

145. A note on pivots

146. Lean Pirates &
Agile Ninjas talk
about ‘pivoting’ a lot

147. Pivoting isn’t a goal.
It’s a necessity.

148. It happens when
you’ve done all you
can with the 1st idea.

149. And you make the
intuitive leap to a
better one.

150. Where does this
intuition come from?

151. Empathy & Discovery.
Planning!

152. Empathy & Discovery.
Learn
Planning!

153. Empathy & Discovery.
Learn
Build
Planning!

154. Empathy & Discovery.
Learn
Measure
Build
Planning!

155. Mahalo.

156. Your turn.
1. Pitch - 12 ideas, :30
2. Vote - for great ideas, not just good friends.
3. Join a team - be balanced, play fair.
4. Generate hypotheses.
5. Get out of the building.
6. What was your idea, did you find customers?