the future etc

I think I've worked out what to talk about for the APG Big Thinking thing. I'm not sure how to package it up yet but it's somewhere at the confluence of these conversations:

There's this question that Gemma asked here. (Which I've still not answered. Whoops. Will try to do that this week.) I like the idea of talking about the future of planning, communications, the creative industries. Not about brands. Thinking about how our lives might be different.

Which relates to a conversation I was having with Vas and Simon at coffee yesterday about the future co-evolution of planners and creatives. (And everyone else.) We were discussing the role of creative people with specific craft skills in a world where so much of what they're asked for is conceptual and completely indepedent of any need to execute. This relates to a feeling I've had for a while that the distinction between creative person and planner is becoming as useful and relevant as the current distinction between copywriter and art-director in the traditional creative team. ie not very useful or relevant most of the time.

I also think there's something interesting in examining Richard's provocative reversal of the usual planning/creative dynamic. Instead of thinking of us inspiring them, he suggests, let's think about them decorating our ideas.

Then you'll probably need to bake in Mark and John's new thinking about brands, people, society and business. And there's something in thinking about a revival of quant planning and attentionomics - given all the data that web 2.0 is going to give us.

Anyway, that's what I'm going to take a stab at. Anyone got any thoughts?

Comments

[Ed]

I'm tired of hearing our job is adding "insight" about brands, about people, about anything. I think planners of the future will need more foresight. I think it's much harder to try and figure out what will come next than to shed light on the current situation. By definition, that skill will be much more valuable. The people I think are doing really interesting things are using scenario planning methods. What are the driving forces on a macro and even industry level that will affect our craft?

The second thought I have is a bit different. I'll admit my experience is largely limited to school, but when we presented work, planners would spend a lot of time building up the idea and the work would seem like an afterthought. Also, when I show my work to planning directors, they usually spend more time looking at the work than my briefs. What I'm trying to say is that at the end of the day our job is to make the work better and I wish we could own the work as much as the "creatives" do. Not so that we get the fame and glory, but so we remember why we're employed.

[Richard]

Ed,

point one = genius - of course we are inthe business of foresight not insight. Or perhaps we are able to switch nicely between the two. Neverthesless great ideas come out foresight.

[gemma]

I can't remember who said it about Planning (it might even have been you Russell), but it was something to the effect of "if you're not helping, get out of the way". Which would seem to be a good place to start from.

[Manish Sinha]

I have been grappling with the role of the planner in the new agency for quite some time. Your blog piece is such fresh perspective on the evolving planner creative relationship! I love the idea that creatives role could be decorating the planner idea! In fact thats what I have experienced many a time in the last 3 years of my work!