Super Strategist

Account planners – or strategic planners – combine data and creativity to generate transformative ideas.

Originally, account planners uncovered insights about consumers and applied those insights to creative ideas. Account planners specialized in the relationship between consumers and brands and combined research with media planning, brand consulting and account management. Today, account planners – often called strategic planners – have become essential players, applying consumer insights as inspiration for data-driven ideas that transform brands and businesses. They combine and balance science and art – on the side of art. Names for this role include creative strategy, brand strategy and brand planning.

Account planners bring together digital and social skills with brand strategy and, often, collaborate with tech companies. Account planners need to have high levels of skills in data and analytics; cultural awareness; knowledge of the competitive landscape; brand development; and customer journeys.

Digital fragmented the world of advertising and made advertising and brands ubiquitous. Each person has a different experience of the messages and brands they...