The WARC Podcast How strategists can get their groove back
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Oct 8, 2025 Join Siddhant Lahiri, Head of Strategy at Forsman & Bodenfors Asia, and Steve Walls, a seasoned planner at Moon Rabbit, as they explore the evolving role of strategists. They discuss the alarming trend of strategists becoming 'invisible' and how the industry is prioritizing process over creativity. The duo proposes embracing uncertainty to ignite innovation and emphasizes the importance of collaboration within creative teams. They also tackle whether AI could replace strategic thinking and share insights on how to foster bold ideas while ensuring client confidence.
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Strategy's Value Is Under Threat
- Strategy's value is being questioned across the industry, causing strategists to disappear from agencies.
- This decline is global and driven by unclear contribution and migration to boutiques or other sectors.
Predictability Masks Creative Chaos
- Agencies sell predictability through tools and process, which creates an illusion of certainty.
- That illusion masks the real, chaotic creative process that actually makes great work possible.
Own The Madness-And-Measure Gap
- Own the middle ground between madness and measurement and accept responsibility for data and insight.
- Lean into credibility by translating measurement into actionable strategy instead of hiding behind metrics.
