Julian Cole, Head of Communications Planning at BBH, gave this presentation at "Ambidexterity 2," the VCU Brandcenter's Executive Education program for account planning on June 23rd at the VCU Brandcenter in Richmond, VA.

1. WHAT IS
COMMS PLANNING?
Julian Cole
headofcommsplanning,bbhnyc

2. theroleoftheComms Plannersina
creativeagencyistoprovidestrategic
rigourtotheimplementationofacampaign
idea

3. idea INTEGRATED
campaign
client
brief
brand planners
help bring a single focus
comms planners
help bring a single idea to life

5. idea KPIS
comms planners
help bring a single idea to life
comms
framework
brandecosystem
consumer
journey
INTEGRATED
CAMPAIGN

6. startingtounpackanideahappens,beforeyouhavethe
idea
commsframework
brandeco-system
kpis

7. Strategic
Value Target
Campaign Idea Comms Pillars Barrier Comms Tasks
Recommended
Channels

8. Strategic
Value Target
Campaign Idea
Comms
Pillars
Barrier Comms Tasks Channels
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
#DONTGOHOMECOMMSFRAMEWORK

9. keytooltogettingto
barriers,commstasks,
channelsistheconsumer
journey

12. createacommsjourneyfor
thelastbrandcampaignyou
workedon
orvolvotrucks(vandamme’sepicsplits)

13. wanttolearnmoreabouthowtocreateagreatconsumer
journey.checkoutthesepresentations

14. commspillars

15. mckinseyconsumerjourney

16. Strategic
Value
Target
Campaign
Idea
Comms Pillars Barrier Comms Tasks Channels
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
Trigger
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
Active
Consideration
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
Purchase
#DONTGOHOMECOMMSFRAMEWORK

17. barriers

18. BARRIERS
Two key components to a barrier
• Target audience
• Current behavior/thought of the target

19. TRIGGER
The NS doesn’t think Cole Haan or the Chelsea Pump is
relevant for them
ACTIVE CONSIDERATION
The NS doesn’t actively seek information on Cole Haan
products so we don’t expect them to do this for the Chelsea
Pump either
PURCHASE
The NS doesnt visit the store by giving them incentives inside
and outside the brick and mortar locations that remind them
of the Chelsea Pump’s style / lifestyle value in their lives

20. Strategic
Value
Target
Campaign
Idea
Comms Pillars Barrier Comms Tasks Channels
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
Trigger
The NS doesn’t think
Cole Haan or the
Chelsea Pump is
relevant to them
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
Active
Consideration
The NS doesn’t actively
seek information on
Cole Haan products so
we don’t expect them to
do this for the Chelsea
Pump either
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
Purchase
The NS doesn’t visit the
CH store
#DONTGOHOMECOMMSFRAMEWORK

21. commstasks

22. COMMS TASKS
Two key components to a Comms Task
• Consumer Behavior (what do you want the
consumer to do or feel?)
• Brand Action and Message (what are you
going to do to make them do or feel this
way?)

23. TRIGGER
Cause a revelation in the target by giving them experiences that prove the
Chelsea Pump helps them stay out through the night in style
ACTIVE CONSIDERATION
Get the target to realize product benefits by positively interrupting them in
their lives with information on how the Chelsea Pump’s Nike Technology
helps them move through the night
PURCHASE
Get the NS to purchase the product by giving them incentives inside and
outside the brick and mortar locations that remind them of the Chelsea
Pump’s style / lifestyle value in their lives
Consumer Behavior
Brand Action and Message

24. Strategic
Value
Target
Campaign
Idea
Comms Pillars Barrier Comms Tasks Channels
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
Trigger
The NS doesn’t think
Cole Haan or the
Chelsea Pump is
relevant to them
Cause a revelation in the
target by giving them
experiences that prove the
Chelsea Pump helps them
stay out through the night in
style
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
Active
Consideration
The NS doesn’t actively
seek information on
Cole Haan products so
we don’t expect them to
do this for the Chelsea
Pump either
Get the target to realize
product benefits by positively
interrupting them in their lives
with information on how the
Chelsea Pump’s technology
helps them move through the
night
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
Purchase
The NS doesn’t visit the
CH store
Get the NS to purchase the
product by giving them
incentives inside and outside
the brick and mortar locations
that remind them of the
Chelsea Pump’s style / lifestyle
value in their lives
#DONTGOHOMECOMMSFRAMEWORK

25. createacommsframework
forthecommsjourney

26. CHANNELS

27. commstaskstochannels/tactics
The Comms Planner then works to come up with
how the whole idea will work. With the Media
Planner to work out what are the best channels to
answer that task brief.
The first step to coming up with a channel
strategy is doing a brand ecosystem audit

29. brandeco-system
The Brand Eco-System is key in three
phases it helps when you are trying
understand how a brand currently
communicates with their customers.
• Audit
• Implement
• Measure

30. Strategic
Value
Target
Campaign
Idea
Comms Pillars Barrier Comms Tasks Channels
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
Trigger
The NS doesn’t think
Cole Haan or the
Chelsea Pump is
relevant to them
Cause a revelation in the
target by giving them
experiences that prove the
Chelsea Pump helps them
stay out through the night in
style
OOH - Street
Signs, Banners,
PR
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
Active
Consideration
The NS doesn’t actively
seek information on
Cole Haan products so
we don’t expect them to
do this for the Chelsea
Pump either
Get the target to realize
product benefits by positively
interrupting them in their lives
with information on how the
Chelsea Pump’s technology
helps them move through the
night
Drag Queen,
Food Truck
The New
Sartorialist
#dontgohome
Encourage New
Yorkers to stay
out and
experience
more of the
night in style
Purchase
The NS doesn’t visit the
CH store
Get the NS to purchase the
product by giving them
incentives inside and outside
the brick and mortar locations
that remind them of the
Chelsea Pump’s style / lifestyle
value in their lives
Food Truck,
Pop Up Stores
#DONTGOHOMECOMMSFRAMEWORK

31. campaignrollout
A campaign roll out helps to show the
timings of all the activity. It visualizes the
campaign in its entirety from a timings
perspective.
This will be done in conjunction with the
Media Planner

32. AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN
CAMPAIGNROLLOUT
TV/CINEMA
PRINT/OUTDOOR
FACEBOOK/TWITTER
IN STORE ACTIVATION
DIGITAL HUB
PRODUCT DEMO VIDEOS
BAR ACTIVATION
TASK 1
TRIGGER
TASK 2
ACTIVE
CONSIDERATION
TASK 3
INVITE
STANDARD BANNERS

33. CAMPAIGNECO-SYSTEM
INSTORE
ACTIVATIONS
FACEBOOK/
TWITTER
DIGITAL HUB
IN-BAR
ACTIVATIONS
TV/CINEMA
PRINT/
OUTDOOR
BANNERS
(RICH AND
FLASH)
SEARCH
INDIRECT
DIRECT
TYPE OF LINK

34. keyperformanceindicators
It is the role of the Comms Planner to take
the overall business objectives and break
them down into specific goals/targets for
the comms tasks and the executions that
answer that task.
They then must implement the tracking of
these tasks and report and optimize the
performance of the executions

35. GOALFORDIGITALHUB
METRIC FOR SUCCESS
C
TARGET ACTUAL
TRIGGER
IMPRESSIONS
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS 30,000,000 45,000,000
SEARCH INTEREST
INCREASE IN BRAND SEARCH VOLUME
VS. COMPETITION
5% 7%
ACTIVE CONSIDERATION
KEY IMAGE ATTRIBUTES
IS A SPORTS LIFESTYLE BRAND
IS A BRAND FOR ME
52%/46% 42%/66%
PURCHASE INTENTION
TOP 3 SPORTS LIFESTYLE BRANDS 52% 66%
VISITS TO THE SITE 500,000 568,120
TIME ON SITE 2:20 1:45
EXIT POLL ON SITE
IS A SPORTS LIFESTYLE BRAND
IS A BRAND FOR ME
75%/60% 86%/76%
EXIT POLL ON SITE
ADDS VALUE TO MY NIGHT OUT VS.
CONTROL
20%+ 25%
PURCHASE
PURCHASE/SALES GROWTH 8% 10.4%

37. 5 greatresources
seminal book on comms planning
space race - an inside view of the future of communications planning - jim taylor
new book on behaviour change
The advertising effect: how to change behaviour - Adam Ferrier
book on the basics of media planning
how to navigate the media flow - hamish pringle and jim marshall
my skillshare class on the topic
‘crash course in comms planning’
strategy essay on puma’s campaign
2011 jay chiat grand prix - puma social paper