7 Points On Planning by Jon Steel of WPP

Here’s a fantastic video in which Jon Steel, Planning Director at WPP talks about what he values in advertising account planning and the qualities he looks for in planners.

1. Be useful. The real value of a planner is problem solving and coming up with simple solutions. Cleverness is simply a means to an end.
2. Bring out the best in other people. Act as a catalyst for others by providing the conditions for informed creative thought.
3. Be a linchpin, not only between people but also between brands and the audience they connect with.
4. Have a deep understanding of human motivations and instincts.
5. Have an experience of real life. Get out of the office to experience the real world and understand the people you want to experience.
6. Create a working timetable both within and outside the office to best generate ideas and insights.
7. Whether analogue or digital, the main task of any planner is understanding basic human communication.

*Update – I’ve had a tremendous response from people commenting on this blog and generally finding out more about Jon Steel. As a result I’ve created a post with another talk featuring Jon Steel talking at a WPP event to celebrate Planning at 40.

In addition if you want to a deeper dive into Jon Steel ‘s approach to planning, I would highly recommend Truth, Lies, and Advertising (Affiliate Link). This has some great case studies of how the planning process determines the result.