This document discusses the role of account planners in advertising agencies. It explains that account planners advocate for consumers, produce insights about consumers, and help translate facts into meaningful stories that connect to relevant strategies. A key role of account planners is to bring an understanding of consumers to those who need to talk to them, such as clients and creatives. The document provides examples of how account planners have helped brands like Old Spice and Honda develop successful marketing strategies by gaining insights about consumers.

1. WTF DOES A PLANNER DO?

2. LIVING THE DREAM
Not writing copy.
Not directing art.
Not managing accounts.
Not something-something digital.
Just throwing in witty remarks at meetings.
Do you work at all?

3. STARTED IN THE UK IN THE 7OS
BY KING (JWT) AND POLLITT (DDB)
TO ADRESS A GAP AT THEIR AGENCIES

4. ACCOUNT PLANNING BRINGS
UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONSUMER
TO THOSE WHO NEED TO TALK TO THEM

5. ACCOUNT PLANNERS
ADVOCATES OF THE CONSUMER
Account represent client,
Creatives the idea,
but will anyone buy it?

6. ACCOUNT PLANNERS
TRANSLATORS OF FACTS
INTO MEANINGFUL STORIES
Don‘t go in the woods!

7. PLANNERS FIND/PRODUCE INSIGHTS
AND HOW IT CONNECTS TO A RELEVANT STRATEGY

8. THAT COULD LOOK LIKE THIS
Our new Passat is ideal
for small families. Safety
And - how cool is that - Reliability
you can start it with a Space
remote control. No Remote
Young family fathers are now in their thirties.
They are influenced by 80s pop culture like
Star Wars etc.
They want to be cool dads who make their kids
lives exciting and pass on the things they
enjoyed.

10. WE ARE NOT HANDING OUT
WISDOM WE CAME UP WITH
LOCKED UP ALONE IN AN IVORY TOWER

11. WE ARE HUNTING WITH THE WOLFPACK
WE SCOUT THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY
WE DIRECT THE CHASE TO THE RIGHT TARGET

12. INTRODUCE 30 YEAR OLD FEMALE ART DIRECTORS
TO THE WORLD OF 60 YEAR MALE BEER DRINKERS

13. INSPIRE
WTF? How am I supposed to talk to them?

16. IDEALLY, IN MEETINGS THE PLANNER SHOULD BE
THE PERSON WITH THE MOST KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE CONSUMER

17. GREAT MOMENTS IN ACCOUNT PLANNING
IMHO

18. OLD SPICE
Old Spice is an old P&G brand. And it had a problem with age.
Older users were aging and aggressive brands like Axe were more
appealing to young buyers.
Worst of all: „You smell like my granddad.“ is not a comment you
want to hear when using an after shave.
Old Spice was old in every sense.

19. So, how do you turn old into a good thing?
OLD SPICE IS THE SMELL OF EXPERIENCE.
WOMEN DIG EXPERIENCE.

22. NEW!
HONDA
Honda built a Diesel motor. So far, so good. Now they had built it
from scratch and were particularly proud that it wasn‘t like any
other Diesel. The challenge was to explain that Honda had built not
just a better diesel, but a new Diesel: more silent, less loud, less
dirty.
How do you fit all that into a credible message?

23. It was a problem until the planner noticed
how much the chief engineer hated Diesel motors.
ISN‘T HATE THE BEST MOTIVATION
FOR RADICAL CHANGE?
POSITIVE HATE

25. QUICK DRILL
YOUR FAVOURITE ADS, NOW!
TO CONVINCE:
TO BUY:
INSTEAD OF:
BECAUSE: