Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on being a planner. 
While it’s what I always wanted to be (since 2001), I think what I want to be, as far as “advertising” goes, is so much more than ” planner.” And in an industry that survives on the fact that situations can be influenced and things always change, do you [planners] want to be what you’ve always been?
Given the rise in social media and the impact of technology on customer relationship management (you can measure almost anything now), it seems “planning” should be broadened beyond brand tracking studies, concept testing, creative briefs and briefings. Given that consumers are expanding their use of technologies and platforms, media, and networks, and that in these new realms they’re discovering new ways to interact with brands – there are in fact, new rules of engagement. And shouldn’t planning guide brand communications and marketing here? Or is that the job the media planners? If so, then why don’t I see any “media planners” in the blogosphere?
Not to mention the fact that when it comes to social media, we’ve always wanted people to talk about our products. In 2009, not only are we talking about our products, our brands, the services our brands provide, and the general experiences we have with our brands, but we’re talking about every detail of every minute leading up to these kinds of decisions. Isn’t it these insights (aka. finding the “gold nugget”) that have always been at the heart of planning?
If you answered yes, then you stand for evolution of a discipline. Because finding those insights is at our fingertips these days, often for free (just check one of the many social media or real-time search engines). But “the process” will have to change, or your job description will have to change from what it currently is.
As the role and definition of brands change to adapt in a world of new media, who will you be in the next generation of planning?
