The document discusses shifts in strategic thinking for brands over time. It describes three phases: 1) The past focused on one-way brand messaging to consumers. 2) Currently, brands aim to engage in two-way partnerships as human/brand relationships changed with social media. New strategies focus on understanding consumer tensions and creating mutual benefits. 3) The future may see further shifts where brands emphasize access over ownership and collective, coherent purpose over separate brand and consumer identities. The goal is engaged communities united around shared goals.

1. Strategy for the Modern Age
Looking at the past to help decipher
the future

2. The advert that made me want to work in
advertising…
Levis: Pocket Watch
Michel Gondry

3. "You can't connect the dots looking
forward; you can only connect them
looking backward”
Steve Jobs, 2005

4. My subsequent history in advertising:

5. The changing face of strategy:
1. Where we have been
2. Where we are now
3. Where we are going

6. Before we start, housekeeping:
The Role of the Brand
“A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You
earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.”
Jeff Bezos, CEO, Amazon.com

7. Usual market forces do not apply, it is human
forces that make or break brand value
$5k
Vs.

8. Understanding the changing nature of human/ brand
relationships is the key to understanding shifts in
strategic & communications thinking

9. 1. Where we have been: The Alpha Male Relationship
I talk, you
Listen (I
hope)

10. C r e a t iv e B r ie f C r e a t iv e B r ie f
a d v e r t is in g a d v e r t is in g
The Early 2000s were all fairly “me”
C l ie n t Job n o C l ie n t Job n o
focused: I am a brand, this is what I
Pr o duc t
D e s c r ip t io n
Pr o duc t
D e s c r ip t io n
want to do, how do I get consumers
R e q u ir e m e n t A ir / In s e r t io n d a t e R e q u ir e m e n t A ir / In s e r t io n d a t e
to do it?
Why are we advertising?
T he role and the goals for the advertising in meeting marketing and communications objectives.
Why are we advertising?
T he role and the goals for the advertising in meeting marketing and communications objectives.
Who are we talking to (and what do we know about them)? Who are we talking to (and what do we know about them)?
Relevant insights about the target and their involvement with the brand/category that will help advertise to them. Relevant insights about the target and their involvement with the brand/category that will help advertise to them.
What do we want them to think or do? What do we want them to think or do?
T he desired change in their thinking or behaviour that will occur as a result of the advertising. T he desired change in their thinking or behaviour that will occur as a result of the advertising.
What is the core brand insight? What is the core brand insight?
T he surprising, new insightful connection which springs from Insight Mining TM T he surprising, new insightful connection which springs from Insight Mining TM
What should the advertising say? What should the advertising say?
T he single-minded proposition for this campaign that expresses the brand insight in the most persuasive way. T he single-minded proposition for this campaign that expresses the brand insight in the most persuasive way.
Why should anyone believe it? Why should anyone believe it?
Support points, rationale, whether based in consumer insight, competitive advantage or product performance. Support points, rationale, whether based in consumer insight, competitive advantage or product performance.
What is the desired tone and manner of the advertising? What is the desired tone and manner of the advertising?
Reflected in the brand personality, but more specific to the advertising tone. Reflected in the brand personality, but more specific to the advertising tone.
What executional considerations are there? What executional considerations are there?
Legal, branding, logistical and directional input. Legal, branding, logistical and directional input.
A p p r o v a l o f B r ie f A p p r o v a l o f B r ie f
S t r a t e g y a n d T im in g S t r a t e g y a n d T im in g
Ac c o u n t D ir Ac c o u n t D ir
P l a n n in g D ir P l a n n in g D ir
Ma n a g e me n t Ma n a g e me n t
C r e a t iv e C r e a t iv e
D ir e c t o r D ir e c t o r
F ir s t R e v ie w F ir s t R e v ie w
Dat e D a t e is s u e d C r e a t iv e t e a m F in a l R e v ie w Dat e D a t e is s u e d C r e a t iv e t e a m F in a l R e v ie w
W r it t e n b y t r a f f ic bu dget C l ie n t W r it t e n b y t r a f f ic bu dget C l ie n t
P r e s e n t a t io n P r e s e n t a t io n

11. It’s always a good question to put to a new
client: we all know what you make – but
are you as certain what your customers
are buying?

12. People don’t want a quarter-inch drill; they want a
quarter-inch hole
Jeremy Bullmore, WPP

13. The (Consumer) Insight:

14. What is an insight?
(or one definition at least)
An unexpected but universal tension
that exists between your audience
& your Product/ Brand/ Category

15. The consumer/ product insight – how
does this product/ service really help
me/ what do I really want?
Grow sales of Axe 24 hour
Our
deodorant and maintain share as
Objective? market leader
Who are we Young, slightly sex obsessed,
talking to & men, who are find getting women
what do they a highly competitive affair & want
want anything that can help them
What do we Using Axe gives you the edge in
want to say? the mating game

16. Axe: Click, Ben Affleck

17. The consumer /brand insight – is this
brand really all that/ it seems very
overrated / last year/ young/ old etc
Our
Grow sales of Nike Tennis Gear
Objective?
Sportsmen who think Nike is just
Who are we
a fashion / street brand. They
talking to & what
are they looking? want shoes that are going to help
them win
What do we Nike is for anyone committed to
want to say? winning.

18. Nike Tennis: Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi

19. The consumer / category insight – do I
really need this thing in my life?
Our Grow the gaming community in
Objective? the UK
Who are we
18-30 year olds who may turn
talking to &
their nose up at gaming for being
what is our too geeky
insight?
What do we PS2 is for anyone who knows the
want to say meaning of having fun

20. Playstation: Double Life

21. In Sum: Strategy 101 for the early
2000s
Steal share /
Our Objective Launch X/ Grow Drive Sales
the market
Who are we Who are the main
talking to
audience we need to Our Consumer
gain attention with
Why are they not What is the unique
buying more of our tension that exists Core Insight
product / service? between them & X?
What do we What is the
want to say to creative
change their solution to this Main Message
minds? tension?

22. 2. Where we are now: The modern
partnership?
Ever since the arrival of television, brands, their owners and advisors have
been obsessed with what brands say at the expense of what brands do.
When we judge a politician, we listen carefully to what he has to say and how
he says it. But we also note his behavior, his actions, his eyes, his movements.
Body language, we call it: and it’s very rich and full of significance. It tells us a
lot.
Brands have body language, too- but few consciously and consistently set out
to develop it.
Branded Utility, for all the opacity of the name, may herald a welcome return
to a mutually beneficial form of marketing.
Jeremy Bullmore, WPP

23. In the mid 2000s, the human / brand
relationship started to change in a
major way
Social Web 1.0 Social Web 2.0 Social Web 3.0

24. We are now on a – somewhat
terrifying? - two way street

25. “All these communities already exist. Instead of
thinking “How can I create one?” think about how
you can create things that are mutually beneficial
for your & for them”
Mark Zuckerberg

26. Across multiple media channels:
Coherency vs. consistency

27. New Strategic Theories began to
emerge: The Engagement Planner
Understand the unexpected
tensions that exist
between your community & how
they interact with your
product/ brand/ category/ idea

28. And New Strategic Approaches
Create WOM/
Loyalty/ digital Drive long term
Our Objective engagement/ growth in share of
brand likeability Market & mind
Who are the value
Who are we that value this brand Our
talking to and are our most
valuable advocates?
Community
What is our
What do we
communications Our Purpose
want to do? idea
How do we engage
How can we our community in a Engagement
do this way that is relevant insight
to them

29. Putting this into practice: Mama Luchetti
Grow share in Argentina vs. no 1
Our Objective?
brand Knorr
Who are we Real Moms who were busy,
talking to? fallible, lovely but complicated.
Bring the real modern mother to
What is our
life, complete with all her faults
purpose?
and wonders
Other mothers are more powerful
How are we
than God when it comes to creating
going to do it? trust : Create Mama Luchetti

30. Mama Luchetti: Liquadora Mama Luchetti: Diana Ross

32. Putting this into practice: Nike
What do we Grow Brand loyalty amongst the
want to do? running community in London
Who are we London Runners – a competitive
talking to? bunch wherever they might be from
Create a Nike property that
What is our capitalizes on the competitive spirit of
purpose? our community and gives them
something to rally behind
To say that the North and the south
How are we
are competitive is an understatement:
going to do it? Lets pit the North against the South.

34. Nike Run London: D&AD Case Study

35. Putting this into practice: British Airways
Restore Trust in British
What do we
Airways after the disastrous
want to do?
opening of T5
Who are we Anyone who is British (and
talking to? flies)
What is our Demonstrate to them that T5 is
purpose? working
They are beyond skeptical –
How are we
the only way to believe it is to
going to do it? see it

37. In Sum:
Saying Doing
“In the new world of
broadband, brands
compete with life,
not with each other”
Nigel Bogle, Founder, BBH

38. 3. Where we are going: A hypothesis

39. The Theory:

40. The Evidence:

41. The Future Reality?
Access > Ownership

44. Tough Mudder: The Pledge in Practice

45. Other, examples of this in
practice:

46. “In an increasingly competitive world,
organizations are realizing that we are
not just selling a branded product or
service but a mass of branded
people who we must support and
nurture.”
Helena Rubenstein, Managing Director,
The HR Lab, UK

47. Saying Doing Being
In the future there is no
“us” & “them”
only collective,
coherent purpose