Are Strategy Frameworks Dumb? - Joe Burns, Group Strategy Director, Quality Meats Creative
May 13, 2024
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Joe Burns, a Group Strategy Director at Quality Meats and former Head of Strategy at BBH in New York, shares his insights on the advertising industry. He discusses the challenges of transitioning between agency environments and the cultural differences in UK and US advertising. A significant topic is the debate around strategy frameworks, with many strategists believing they hinder creativity. Joe also speculates on the future of advertising amidst the influence of tech giants, emphasizing the need for innovative approaches to strategy.
Joe Burns emphasizes the importance of balancing leadership responsibilities and personal commitments in a strategy director role, especially in diverse time zones.
The podcast highlights the cultural differences in idea ownership between the UK and US advertising industries, affecting strategy adaptation across markets.
Deep dives
Transitioning Roles in Strategy
Shifting from a prestigious role as the Head of Strategy in the US to a group strategy director brings numerous challenges, particularly in balancing professional and personal responsibilities. Managing tasks related to department leadership while spearheading strategy for clients can feel like two distinct jobs, especially under time constraints involving international clients. This experience is compounded by the need to maintain family commitments, as evident in the struggle of juggling early morning calls with clients in different time zones. Finding a work environment where agency founders are actively involved can be a refreshing change, offering a model that prioritizes creative decision-making over formal hierarchy.
Cultural Differences in Strategy
There exists a notable cultural divergence in how ideas are perceived and utilized in the UK compared to the US advertising industries. In the UK, ideas often take precedence as a collective notion, where the merit is derived from group improvement, whereas in the US, the focus shifts to individual ownership of ideas, with an added emphasis on who contributed them last. Consequently, this individualistic approach can complicate the translation of UK-centric advertising strategies into the American market, requiring agencies to adapt their methodologies to resonate more effectively within this distinct cultural landscape. The discussion highlights the broader implications of these differences for strategists transitioning from one region to another, emphasizing the need for adaptability.
The Role of Comms Planning
Comms planning is seen as a crucial aspect of advertising strategy that encompasses understanding the financial frameworks behind client objectives and consumer engagement. By addressing how to effectively reach target audiences and produce revenue-generating messaging, comms planners lay a foundational approach that precedes creative execution. However, the distinction between comms planning and media planning is often blurred in the US, where the traditional roles have evolved, potentially diluting the effectiveness of brand strategies. Therefore, strategically defining how to connect with consumers and navigating the synergy between distinct forms of planning could redefine the operational landscape for agencies.
Navigating the Planning Landscape
The advertising industry is facing pivotal shifts that challenge the future role of strategists, particularly due to the consolidation of media and creative functions. As brand strategy sometimes falls into the realm of pseudo-academic reporting, there is a call to bring together qualitative and quantitative insights more effectively. A vision for the future emerges where smaller, more specialized agencies thrive alongside larger conglomerates, creating unique brand strategies tailored to specific markets. Emphasizing creativity rooted in a systematic understanding of both commercial objectives and consumer psychology could ultimately enhance the overall strategic value within this evolving landscape.