The document discusses the role of a strategic planner or communications designer, describing it as a "cool job that no one is really sure how to describe." It involves making ideas distinctive and relevant through insights into people and understanding brands and the world. The strategic planner inspires, guides, and measures creative work before, during, and after the creative brief. Their role is important because great creative work is inspired by understanding the brand, people, and world context. The document advocates that creativity and strategy must co-exist and inform each other for the best work.

1. STRATEGY
PLANNING

2. PLANNING
STRATEGY

3. COMMUNICATIONS DESIGNER?
BUSINESS ANALYST? STALKER?
CULTURAL BAROMETER? THINKER?
IDEATOR? CREATIVE? STRATEGIST?
BRAINSTORMER? INSIGHT MINER?
FUTUROLOGIST? SOOTHSAYER?
OBSERVER? BRAND GUARDIAN?
STORY TELLER? COMMENTATOR?
BRIEF WRITER? ANTHROPOLOGIST?
VOICE OF THE CONSUMER? WRITER?
THE CHAMPION OF EFFECTIVENESS?
RESEARCHER? IDEAS ORGANISER?

4. =
COMMUNICATIONS DESIGNER?
BUSINESS ANALYST? STALKER?
CULTURAL BAROMETER? THINKER?
IDEATOR? CREATIVE? STRATEGIST?
AKA
“THAT COOL JOB THAT NO ONE IS
REALLY SURE HOW TO DESCRIBE”
BRIEF WRITER? ANTHROPOLOGIST?
VOICE OF THE CONSUMER? WRITER?
THE CHAMPION OF EFFECTIVENESS?
RESEARCHER? IDEAS ORGANISER?

5. WHAT IS IT?

6. …making ideas distinctive and relevant

7. HOW?

8. …through insight into people, exploring
their expectation of brands and
understanding the world that both live in

9. WHEN?

10. …before, during and after the creative
brief, inspiring, guiding and measuring
creative work

11. WHY?

12. …because great creative work is inspired
by understanding the brand it’s built for,
the people it’s crafted for and
the world it must live in.

13. Creativity without Strategy is like a
fireworks display in the gobi desert.
Spectacular but ultimately pointless.

14. Strategy without Creativity is like
root canal surgery, eminently sensible
but not particularly appealing.

15. Creativity & Strategy not only co-exist
but inform and inspire one another.
When one dominates the work suffers.

16. david
adamson
@curiousclutter