I recently got asked by Piers Fawkes, the founder of daily inspiration site, trends research agency and frequent subject of this blog, PSFK, to be part of a series of videos they were creating about the key skills of a brand planner.
Although certainly flattered to be asked- some of the cast of assembled planners they had invited were either individuals I had long since admired, or were founders and heads of planning at agencies I very much respect- I had a slight concern; and I’m not just talking about which cardigan I was going to wear.
The title of the video series was to be “Skills of the Rock star Planner.” I felt a little uncomfortable with the implicit suggestion that I was, or thought I was, a ‘rock star’ planner. And even if I was, I’m not sure that would make me qualified to tell a young planner what would make them rock stars. I certainly don’t think there are immutable laws of great planning.
Moreover, despite writing two fantastic books on the art of brand planning, I remember Jon Steel telling me that I could learn infinitely more about how to be a great planner by reading books on subjects other than planning. And there we were tossing around soundbites about how to be a great planner. Maybe my advice should have been just that. “Don’t listen to me. Go and read some Dostoevsky instead.”
With that said, I very much enjoyed being part of the project, and I’m genuinely hopeful that the videos will prove useful to aspiring planners.
All that remains is for you to take a look and tell me what you really think…
