ch 1 account management

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Account Management

Role of account Planning

Account planning systemWhat makes an account executive

What is account Planning processThe Account Planning Process - is the process of using research efforts to gain more

information about the brand in its marketplace and the consumers perspective and to

use that research to contribute directly to advertising development!

"ts the Process of collecting all relevant background information needed to make a

decision!

#ecause the consumer is central to all of advertising it is extremely important to find out

their personality and ho$ to market a product%service to them!

&on 'teel a reno$n account planner for (oodby 'ilverstein ) Partners characteri*es asuccessful account planner as one $ho can really become the consumer!

Account planning is all about the consumer!

"t is the +ualitative research that ventures to dig deep into the individual consumerpersonality and the multiple personalities of the target market in order to produce

successful advertising!

The Personality of the ,onsumer

There are several elements of personality in advertising brand personality thepersonality and behavior of the consumer product personality advertisement personality

etc!

The personality of the consumer $arrants the most attention in regard to personality

theory! After all there are numerous theories that imply $hy people are the $ay they are!

#ecause the goal of advertising is to make a profit by selling a

product%service%experience it is blatantly obvious that it cannot be done $ithout

kno$ledge of the consumer as an individual and as a target market .i!e! $hat makes the

consumer tick/0!

"n order to find out the basic makeup of the consumer account planners are often used toattempt to delve into the consumer mind!

Who is account Planner

1ssentially the account planner is the liaison bet$een the consumer and theagency%client!

2The Account Planner is a person $ho actively $orks to understand the consumer and

explain him or her to the other members of the agency team!3


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#ecause the consumer is central to all of advertising it is extremely important to find outtheir personality and ho$ to market a product%service to them!

Thus Account Planning is-4eavily focused on consumer insight in advertising strategy development

5nderstanding your consumer through +ualitative research and consumer relationshipdevelopment

6evelopment of $ell-rounded insightful creative strategies7

7that lead to 1ffective ) Relevant advertising!

Account Planning

Account Planners are'trategists 8 represent the voice of the consumer $%in advertising agencies!

Particularly attuned to emotions 9 thoughts driving consumer response to advertisingT41 ,ritical link bet$een

,lient ob:ectives

Account management,reative development team

Account PlanningR;T P>">(

?! 4aving a planner on an account leads to more integration $ithin the agency and better

team$ork in trying to combine the needs of the clients the demands of the market andthe expectations of the consumer!

@! Market ResearcherMany account planners have evolved from market researcher origins! Account planning

subsumed the agency market research function! Market research craft skills are the

backbone of the planners platform!

6ata Analyst

The planner is charged $ith ensuring that all data relevant to the brands communication

decisions be properly analy*ed complemented $ith ne$ research $here appropriate andthen brought to bear on :udgments of the creative strategy and evaluation of the

communications!

This is more than :ust kno$ing your $ay around computer tabs from a pre test but also

sales data trend data demographics etc etc!

Bno$ing ho$ to interrogate data and find a story through it rather than be intimidated by

it is the challenge!


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,ommon sense intuition numeracy and clarity of thinking all help!

The planner brings added dimension of understanding to the process of developing ads!

"nformation ,entre

Bno$ledge is the bedrock of the planners craft!

Bno$ing $here to go to find the correct information is key! "nspite of time pressure and

a hectic $ork schedule planners should al$ays make time to feed their heads!

Target Audience Representative%Coice of the ,onsumer

Actively $ork to understand the consumer and explain him%her to the other members of

the agency creative team!

The planners :ob definition is to ensure that an understanding of consumer attitudes and

behavior is brought to bear at every stage of communications development via continuousinvolvement in the process!

Many of the places $e $ork in and the colleagues $e $ork $ith are not representative ofthe sorts of people and places $here our communications are aimed so its a good idea to

be an empathetic sort!

'trategic Thinker%'trategy 6eveloper

"f the creative brief is the planners tangible output developing the brand communications

strategy is the precursor task!'trategies help us get to the right marketing % communications brief!

"t ensures the $hole team are a$are of the assumptions being made and aids evaluation

of the $orks effectiveness!

The planner identifies the key issue and determines the role for communication against aspecific target!

Adding passion and intuition to traditional agency research!

6efining more tightly focused strategies

'timulating creative development

4elping to sell ads!


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Writer of the ,reative #rief

The brief is $idely considered to be the planners main product ! or !key tangibledeliverable! to the creative development process!

;ne of the myths is that all planners do is transcribe the clients marketing :argon intobaby talk so the creative

can understand it!

Theres considerably more to it than that of courseD clarity brevity and fertility being the

hygiene factors of a good creative brief! And as the creative brief has the po$er to spark

ideas! and ideas is $hat our business is all about ! then that is a pretty important role!

"nsight Miner

This section probably deserves its o$n book but deriving insight from kno$ledge is one

of the most important skills a planner can possess!

These insights about the clients business can come from a variety of areas- the consumer

- the clients culture

- the marketplace%category- the competition

- the brand .past present future0 values

- the product +ualities

- the advertising and communication conventions of the categoryBno$ledge Applicator

"n this ne$ information age it is in the applying of .rather than ac+uiring and

regurgitating0 kno$ledge that the planner truly comes into their o$n!

=inding things out filtering them rethinking them laterally and then using that

kno$ledge to help creative people come up $ith a .better0 idea easier or faster means thatthe planner is doing their :ob properly and making a difference!

Account Planning process

E steps6iscovering ) 6efining the Advertising Task

Preparing the ,reative #rief

,reative 6evelopmentPresenting the Advertising to the ,lient

Tracking the Advertising Performance

Account Planning

Traditional Account Planner Role

;ngoing and "nteractive

E Roles


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6iscovering ) 6efining the Advertising Task




Account Planning

'tep ? 6iscovering ) 6efining the Advertising Task

a! ;rgani*es information about the consumer ) marketplace from every source available.What sources/0

b! Analysis of ,urrent Marketing "nformation

6eductive reasoning

"ntuition driven by conversations $%consumers

Task 6efinition based on consumer insight becomes the creative brief

Account Planning

Traditional Account Planner Role;ngoing and "nteractive

E Roles6iscovering ) 6efining the Advertising Task




'tep @Preparing the ,reative #rief

Addresses These Bey "ssues

Who is the Typical Target ,onsumer/6emographics

Psychographics

5sage and #ehavior4o$ do ,onsumers Cie$ the #rand/

What is the Role for Advertising/

Preparing the ,reative #rief=ocus on the ,onsumer

Written =rom ,onsumer P;C

5se T41"R terminology"ntroduces the ,reative 6epartment to the Person Theyre Talking to

Bno$ the ,reative Team%Win the ,onfidence of the team!


#rief M5'T be single-minded


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"maginative 6escription of Target (roup

"t must be #rand 'pecific

Account PlanningTraditional Account Planner Role




,reative 6evelopment

Presenting the Advertising to the ,lientTracking the Advertising Performance

'tep F

,reative 6evelopmentAl$ays Available

,onsumer ot ot 6ictatorial

'uccess built on good :udgment ) trust%relationship $ith creative team

Account PlanningTraditional Account Planner Role






'tep GPresenting the Advertising to the ,lient

,lient says HThis is my brand%product3

Account 1xec HThis is my client3,reative 6ir HThis is my ad3

Acct Planner HThis is my consumer3

Account planner in uni+ue position to H'ell3

'tep G

Presenting the Advertising to the ,lient


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"ntroductory

'ummari*e the brief

Present the Bey "nsight6escribe the ,onsumer

Presentation can be elaborate .videos brandscapes composites0

,onsumer Reaction to AdvertisingH

ch 1 account management

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