How Is The Digital World Changing The Landscape For Account Planners?

It's a New Digital World we live and communicate in. We live in an era where the role of TV and print has changed radically, so account planning is not just about ads anymore. Still, CBS is fetching $$Millions for the 2010 Super Bowl, so don't count out TV just yet. Yet how those TV spots will drive consumers to a brand writes a whole new chapter in marketing.

However, from the perspective of an account planner, the basics of planning "blocking and tackling" remain the same – to find the hidden consumer insight that drives relevant messaging strategy regardless of the medium.

We continue to apply our knowledge and understanding of brand planning, research and strategy - combined with a healthy dose of intuition - to not only drive creative excellence, but now, connections and engagement relevance as well – online and offline – to bridge the gap between traditional and emerging marketing communications tools. Planners face the added challenge of leveraging consumer insights to assist in the formulation of solid integrated offline and online engagement strategies. This ensures the message not only resonates with consumers, but reaches them in the appropriate medium of their choice as we enter the new realm of digitally-driven Consumer Managed Relationships (CMR). As the role of Web 2.0, viral, guerrilla and out of home tactics grow in their support of branding strategy, we must now create strong alliances with Engagement Directors as we have in the past with Creative Directors.

If you read just Ad Age alone, you begin to see how strongly the trend of digital media driving brand strategy is growing. Brands like E-Bay, Netflix, Burger King are using innovative digital strategies to drive brand awareness and usage. Did somebody say "Have it Your Way"? Did somebody create the Subservient Chicken to demonstrate it in the boldest terms? And when Kellogg's reported recently that digital was providing stronger ROI on the Special K brand than offline, that's pretty powerful news for brand managers.

Sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube are transitioning from their status as social media sites to Social Marketing tools.

So what's the opportunity and threat - here - from a Planners point of view. Some legacy agencies still are thinking "ads", and digital shops are still thinking "bits and bytes". Then, new agencies like Naked Communications are bridging that gap with amazing effectiveness, and win huge clients like Kimberly Clark. As a Planner, I've learned how to bridge that gap. Opportunity or threat? OPPORTUNITY, and there is no turning back.