One horse, many races..

You are a planner?

“So a planner makes presentations? “
“No, a planner is consumer’s spokesperson in any discussion about the brand.”
“Isn’t planner the category expert?”
“Actually planner is a client working in the agency.”
“Planner is a bridge between the creative emotions and business thoughts”
“Planner is there to engage the clients intellectually..”
“Boss, planner is just a sophisticated digital library”
“Think about it - planner is the new creative.”
“Planner is a lot of analysis and no action or direction..”
“Hello, planner is all about’ the direction’ dost..!”
“Planner is about the logic of that great ad which is actually beyond any logical explanation..”
“Planner is the agony aunt/uncle..”
“Planner is all ‘gyaan’ and nothing beyond..”

This is my ‘A’ list but I am sure there are many other roles that a planner is seen playing.. Are some of these better than others?
May be.
Is there just one definite role for a planner?
No.
Is there something that a planner ‘has to has to’ do?
Yes. Know the past, present & future of the user and his world.

Thanks to my discussion with young Rithika, I once again was reminded of all the myriad roles that a planner plays. But this does not mean that any one of these is a lesser role. All of them have their own significance at different points in time.

With some clients a planner needs to be more creative and adventurous while with others a planner needs to be rational and measured.

With some creatives we need to discuss the brief while with others we need to co create the work.

With some account management friends we need to write the presentation while with others we just need to discuss the direction.

With some global clients we need to be the face of our country’s creatives while with others we only need to lead the thinking.

A planner needs to be childish enough to think innocently and matured enough to be figuring the right direction.
At any point a planner must bring freshness to the table. No matter where the table is – in a client’s boardroom or a smoke filled room echoing with creative thoughts at 2 am in the morning!