the what, how & why of account planning

Picture of campfire

The what, how and why ofAccount Planning.

Guy Gould-Davies, Driving Insights Inc.

September 29th 2009

An odd term given what itdescribes

“Planning is the application of disciplinedand insightful strategic thinking, groundedin target audience insights, which has asignificant and demonstrable impact onthe quality and effectiveness of a brand’smarketing message and communications”

- APG:UK

What is a brand?

COMPANY CONSUMER

BRAND

COMPANY CONSUMER

Product

Price

Place

Distribution

Marketing

BRAND

Real self

Ideal Self Other Self

Ideal Self Other Self

Real self

COMPANY CONSUMER

Product

Price

Place

Distribution

Marketing

Outlook/mindset

Desires

Beliefs/values

Roles

Attitudes andopinions

BRAND

Most of the time it’s tackling“the pretty good problem”

Scion XA

Ford Focus Sedan

Kia SpectraHatchback

Hyundai ElantraSedan

Hyundai ElantraHatchback

Toyota Matrix

Ford FocusHatchback

Kia SpectraSedan

$349.99 $249.99$249.99$349.99$299.99

$249.99 $279.99 $349.99 $299.99 $239.99

We’re problem solvers

People say theydon’t need the

service and havewell rehearsed

reasons why not

We’re change agents

Continue todrive saleswithout anynew product

news

“We sell or else”

David Ogilvy

What makes us different?

We’re able to see things otherpeople can’t

Seeing and hearingIn what’s present and what’s missing

SB print work

SB print work

We provide insight

It is the inspiration tohelp people see differently

Think Feel

…to change the relationshipsthat matter

“At the heart of an effective creative philosophy is the belief thatnothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature, what

compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his actions, eventhough his language so often camouflages what really motivates

him. For if you know these things about man you can touch him atthe core of his being.”

Bill Bernbach

Heady stuff!How do we do it?

Combine several disciplines

Consumerbehavior

Buyingcontext

AnthropologyHumancontext

Psychology andsociology

Individual &group context

Marketing

Brands

Business

Communications

A range of activities

Create a single cohesive context

• Brand• Consumer• Communications• Business

Mobile messaging landscape

reliability speed portability

clarity coverage price

Verizon

T Mobile

AT&T

sprint

AT&T

Sprint

Verizon

A range of activities

Create a single cohesive context

• Brand• Consumer• Communications• Business

Exploration of:• Relationships• Issues• Opportunities

Tell the story that inspires belief and action

• Emotional and rationalconviction

Research

A blend of skills

Imagination & possibilityCreativity and inspiration

IntuitionArt

RIGHT

Rigor and disciplineAnalysis and deduction

InformedScience

LEFT

A way of thinking

A productingredientactively

discouragespeople from

buying it

People say theydon’t need the

service and havewell rehearsed

reasons why not

Walking around the problem

Consumer relationships provide context

What are they buying?

How do they buy?

Why are they buying?

Features?

Benefits?

CATEGORYLIFE/CULTURE PRODUCTSBRANDS

Brandperceptions?

Brandpositioning?

Broader influencesand trends?

Wider meaning andsignificance tap into?

People don’ttrust the brand

The ‘rules’ that anchor relationships are often mistakenfor incontrovertible facts.

Challenging rules can create new opportunities.

Something to bear in mind

Parting thoughts

• Be relentlessly curious

• Accept your solving a puzzle, it won't be donewell in a linear way

• Walk around a problem and look at it fromdifferent angles

• Go after sacred cows, conventions and rulesthat have gone unchallenged and can unlockopportunity

• Believe in the possibility of every assignment

Thank you

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