My approach to comms strategy starts with ensuring all my collaborators are clear on the big simple brand idea and how it’s intended to position the brand for competitive advantage.
(This is not to say I need to reinvent the strategy for every brand I work with. If there’s something in place that everyone’s happy with, let’s keep it and strengthen it. What’s important is that it’s clearly articulated)
With a clear brand idea in place, my primary job is to identify the one persuasive message that the next execution must get across to achieve the immediate objective.
My capability in applying culture analysis and behaviour science gives me a strong intuition for identifying a persuasive message.
Throughout my career I’ve collaborated just as much with media planners as I have with creatives. I know how to partner well with both disciplines. I know how to inspire media planners with a creative idea, and how to inspire creatives with a media opportunity.
I’ll stand aside as creatives do what they do best; finding the most remarkable way to communicate the message.
I’ll then support the creatives and account service to get clients feeling comfortable with a wildly remarkable idea, how it will be unmistakably linked to their brand, and how we’ll measure the effectiveness of it in market.
A few examples of campaigns I’ve worked on where I’ve taken this approach:
ASB Ben & Amy – gold Effie for sustained success and #1 favourite ad in NZ for 4 years
HPA Say Yeah Nah – gold Effie for best strategic thinking and silver for sustained success,
HPA Pre-testie Bestie – silver Effie award for most effective social marketing
KFC Save Like A Boss – consistently voted one of NZ’s favourite ads and a strong sales driver
Carl Sarney 