The field of brand planning is having an identity crisis of paradoxical proportions. We're expected to take the lead in collaboration, but not become obsolete. We're supposed to be inspiring, but not creative. We're looked to for our abundance of data, but findings may not fuel innovation. Within our agencies, we're seen as generalists who are also expected to have deep expertise. At the same time, colleagues may complain that our role is too ambiguous. To top it off with a touch of irony, we're brand experts who have a difficult time branding our own discipline.
The paradoxes extend to...