Emerging trends

The Making the case for a paradigm shift in the role of account planning within the agency

All rights reserved. Chike Richmond Oputa. 2011

01.Background
The emerging trends: We are currently facing unprecedented changes hitherto deemed impossible a decade ago. Technologies, businesses and industries are converging causing disruptions in established industries thereby spurring on new competitive posture by firms and creating new business categories. The competitive landscape is evolving rapidly leading to very interesting competitive dynamics, innovative business models, partner- turn-competitor scenarios and the advent of specialized firms.
The Advertising industry In this new economy the advertising industry is facing a battle for its soul as media platform fragments, barriers to entry falls, lack of universally accepted means of measurement and evaluation of ad spend, the age long battle between finance and marketing still rages on, advent of in house consultants, the rise of brand management firms., new age ad agencies and boutique design firms. Clients therefore (especially in this economic downturn) are questioning the value traditional advertising brings to its business. Though the client is guilty of short termism, the traditional Ad agency has not help its course by sticking to premillennia engagement strategies and methodologies. This picture of gloom presents tremendous opportunities of growth for agencies that are forward thinking....those that are willing to take the plunge and break new grounds, sail into the new world and create a new and unique competitive positioning for itself. An example of such a firm is Anomaly (www.anomaly.com) Our people Our people therefore are our biggest asset as we seek to create a sustainable competitive advantage. This calls for new thinking about roles and responsibilities, increased focus on robust and scalable competencies, advent of cross functional and multi disciplinary teams and ultimately a more fluid and agile workforce. It calls for a new competence profiling!

All rights reserved. Chike Richmond Oputa. 2011

02.Traditional role of a strategist

Traditionally the role of the account planning straddles two key activity domains: research and strategic thinking. Account planning entails been the voice of the consumer within the agency by using research data to identify ideal audiences and optimum communication and engagement methods. Planners usually combine market data, qualitative research and product knowledge to enable the creative team produce ideas that solve business problems. Usually research focuses on three key domains; 1 Competitive landscape; 2 Clients positioning within the industry and; As clients try to make sense of their operating challenges, hyper-competitive business environment, and ever-changing consumer lifestyle and attributes, these bundle of skills might not in certain circumstances be enough to guarantee success 3 Consumer trends.

A typical work flow matrix for an account planner is

Clients brief

Primary and secondary research

Arrive at key insight

creative and media brief

Arrive at key message

Track performance and evaluate result

The client sends a brief in form of the a business case or problem with clear deliverables and time lines.

The strategist conducts research to gain insight into the competitive environment, consumer trends and the client competitive positioning within the industry.

A communication At this stage more strategy is developed research goes into which leads to the understanding of key formulation of a audiences segments so as to gain a deeper creative brief and media brief. understanding about their lifestyle preferences, attitudes and idiosyncrasies.

Arrive at key message and present the creative solution to the client.

Oversee execution / track performance and evaluate result.

All rights reserved. Chike Richmond Oputa. 2011

03. The emergent role

As the pressures to deliver superior results permeates our business environment, it has become imperative for an account planner to be a thoroughbred strategist (not just brand strategist or a communication strategist) with competencies extending beyond the traditional role of an account planner grasp of the clients brief by giving the account planner the ability to turn an ad brief into a business issue with clear linkages across the client business. This in turn leads to a more holistic approach to problem solving thereby giving rise to a business solution and not merely a creative solution. These sets of skills and competencies would also give rise to new service variants that include market analytics and intelligence, internal branding, Acculturation programs, environmental branding, consumer experience management, brand management, market resource optimization and product development. This approach would make the value we bring easier to decipher, lead to us moving deeper into the clients' value chain, becoming more relevant and support the development of their businesses, while creating new streams of income for the agency.

These sets of skills

naturally would lead to a deeper

A proposed work flow matrix for an account planner

Deep sector knowledge This role ensures that the strategist has deep sector knowledge and unique insights gained from deep understanding of industry, clients business and the consumer

Interfacing with client as a domain expert

Identify Marketing problem

Develop solutions framework

Help in developing brief

Development of creative brief

Arrive at key message

Track performance and evaluate result

The strategist backed with unique insight interfaces with the client marketing team as a domain expert armed with unique insights gotten from deep industry knowledge

Working with the Develop a broad based Work with the client marketing team to solutions framework to to develop a brief frame the strategic and the marketing problem. tactical challenges facing the brand.

Develop a communication strategy, a creative and media brief.

Arrive at key message and present the creative solution to the client.

Oversee execution / track performance and evaluate result.

All rights reserved. Chike Richmond Oputa. 2011

04. The benefits

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This approach allows the agency to gain a deeper understanding of the clients business problems both internally and externally. It gives agency the ability to provide a holistic (not merely marketing communication) solution to clients marketing or brand problem. It gives the agency the ability to see first hand the role of the brand within the organization and who our key internal audiences are.. Gives the agency cross selling opportunities especially in the areas of research, market intelligence and consulting. It leads to the evolution of the account planning function: from a cost centre to a profit centre It moves our relationship with the client from an agency-client relationship to that of partnership. It gives the agency ability to compete with new age advertising agencies, boutique consulting firms, brand management firms and other ad agencies

All rights reserved. Chike Richmond Oputa. 2011

05. A competency profile:

Strategic planning will drive the strategy development process and work with other functions to ensure effective execution. It is the bedrock of the role and sets the stage for other activities

summary

The Intelligence function will serve as our eye on the market by tracking market conditions, consumer behaviour and competitor activities; analysing these and producing useful insights that will become important inputs into strategy refinement, new product development proposition development and brand activity re-alignment.

Strategic Planning Economic trend analysis Strategy formulation Proposition distillation Brand strategy dev. Strategic brand mgt. Scenario planning

Intelligence

Market and consumer research Competitive intelligence Global trend tracking Brand audits brand performance evaluation brand activity assessment

Strategist Innovation New product development Process improvement Proprietary property development New channel development
Strategic brand Communication Communication strategy dev. Creative brief dev. Campaign planning Measuring and evaluation

The innovation function will convert market insights into new product and service; propose new channels and create new ways for brand to effectively engage our key targets. This function will ensure that clients brand stays on the cutting-edge of the market and that the brand continues to evolve in ways that keep it relevant and fresh.

This functional competence revolves around the traditional competence necessary for the role of an account planner. The strategist would be expected to be able to develop a communication strategy, a compelling and concise creative brief. He should be able to plan the entire campaign process, monitor and track feedback.

All rights reserved. Chike Richmond Oputa. 2011

06. Issues and imperatives

Issue Rethinking the role of the account planning

Imperative It has become critical therefore to rethink the job description of an account planner and the requisite competencies and capabilities the ideal candidate should possess.

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Issue Emphasis on a broader range of skills Imperative There is a need for a broader range of skill for the personnel in account planning as creative challenges clients presents requires more than a creative approach usually.

Issue Rethinking our service delivery model Imperative It is imperative that the agency itself re-defines itself, its processes and business model so as to be able to bring real value to clients.

All rights reserved. Chike Richmond Oputa. 2011

06. Issues and imperatives contd

issue Developing new evaluation techniques Imperative It is also important to develop new approaches and techniques to evaluation. A methodology that assesses value across the organization: Finance, people, processes and marketing; an integrative assessment model.

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Issue Building inter- departmental/ organisational synergies Imperative There is need for greater synergies across cross functional and multi disciplinary teams across the organization including sister companies and subsidiaries offering specialize and complementary services

Issue Rethinking human resource optimization matrix Imperative It is also imperative that we re-evaluate our human resources optimization processes so as to create an organization where scalable competencies and capability are encouraged, where departments do not work in silos and there is a greater emphasis on return on time.
All rights reserved. Chike Richmond Oputa. 2011

07. Author profile

My name is Chike Richmond Oputa. I am an enterprise and brand strategy consultant. This piece is my analysis of the competitive environment vis-a-vis the role of Director, Strategy and Planning. My work experience has given me a deeper understanding of business issues. It has given me the uncanny ability to frame the right questions, deal with burning platforms and ultimately identifying unprecedented opportunities. Below is my abridged profile; Chike is a lawyer, business analyst, brand consultant and enterprise strategist. He has a rich work experience straddling; strategy consulting, deal structuring, strategic brand management, sales, corporate development, enterprise development and organizational restructuring. He has consulting experience in both private and public sector having worked with companies and government agencies. His experience cuts across industries ranging from financial institutions, real estate, telecommunications, information technology, outsourcing, media, leisure, hospitality and not for profit organizations. As it relates to strategy and planning function, he has been involved in consulting assignments and projects for companies including Nokia, Panasonic, Shell, Ford, Guaranty Trust Bank, UBA Metropolitan, Skye bank, Skye Financial Service, CSL Stockbrokers Limited, Enugu Brick works Limited, FIRS, Benue State Board of Inland Revenue, and AIESEC International. He has been called to the Nigerian bar and has a postgraduate diploma in Capital Market and Debt Financing from the College of Law in England and Wales. He also holds a certificate of eligibility from Solicitors Regulatory Authority in England and Wales. He has attended a mini-MBA program and executive program in Mastering Strategy both from Lagos Business School, Nigeria. Presently, he works for LTC-JWT as Group Head, Strategy and Planning. He is also a volunteer consultant for GROW MOVEMENT (A registered UK charity )

All rights reserved. Chike Richmond Oputa. 2011