Problems, processes, and the purpose of the planner

This article outlines the importance of process to planners, and is based on the views of Faris Yakob, a co-founder of consultancy Genius/Steals.

"The first job of the planner is to create problems," Faris Yakob believes.

While many creative people (and numerous clients) would probably agree, Yakob's assessment of the strategist's craft – as informed by stints at agencies including MDC Partners/KBS+, McCann Erickson, Naked Communications, and OMD – is based on planners' characteristic willingness to identify, analyze, and solve the pressing issues that a brand faces.

"Planning is a creative process, just as much as creative development of work is. The beginning, obviously, is research and synthesis," he observed. "That leads to the center point, which is defining a problem."

As hinted...

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