Future of Strategy 2023: bravery in a risk-averse world

Strategy needs more revolution, a wide ranging survey of strategists for WARC’s Future of Strategy report finds; but clients appear to be drawing back on brave ideas, creating a strategy gap - here’s what you need to know. 

The Future of Strategy 2023 report, which includes quantitative and qualitative data analysis, expert commentary and advice from leading strategists, is available to WARC subscribers. 

Why the strategy gap matters

Advertising needs new ideas, but too often it prefers to run with what came before. In part, that’s down to the bravery needed to go with a big new idea, but there are other critical elements: research and insight on real people rather than lazy ideas of generations or personas; and, ultimately, putting the climate at the centre of marketing activity.

Examining the big issues defining marketing, such as economic downturn, career development, measurement and diversity, the report uncovers insights and opportunities for today’s strategists.

The method

This eleventh edition of the annual WARC study unpacks the key trends considered pivotal to the future of strategy. The research is based on a worldwide survey with 971 client- and agency-side strategists, fielded in June and July this year. 

Three ideas you need to know

1. Strategy needs more revolution 

“The future of strategy is straightforward,” observes Matt Klein, Head of Global Foresight at Reddit, and a contributor to the report. “Uphold the bureaucratic way things have always been done and study from a distance, or immerse oneself and explore the way the world truly operates to affect progress.” 

Seventy percent of strategists say their company encourages them to make brave strategic choices, in contrast, just a third (34%) agree that clients encourage strategic bravery as tightening budgets mean brands are taking fewer risks. 

Over-reliance on frameworks can leave strategists and strategies in a safe/conformist zone. Almost half (48%) of respondents agree that accepted marketing frameworks are a hindrance to strategic bravery, while 30% disagree.

2. Planning in a world where niche is big 

Seventy-six percent of strategists agree that greater emphasis on qualitative rather than quantitative methods is necessary to understand emerging and niche communities and that understanding how they spread from those communities to larger groups will be crucial moving forward.

“Niche communities… give a sneak peek into what may come in popular culture," notes Charlie Elliott, Strategy Director, Billion Dollar Boy. "[F]rom vocabulary, to fashion trends, to the next big rising star - and allow brands to get ahead of it and engage audiences with greater impact.”

3. Planning for a sustainable future

Sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) objectives rarely feature in client briefs, suggesting an intention-action gap in what marketers say, and what they do.

The majority (59%) of strategists say DEI objectives do not feature in briefs and half (50%) say sustainability never features, but strategists expect this to change. 

“Sustainability isn’t a ‘thing’ out there, it’s part of culture. If we want brands to be culturally relevant we could do worse than aligning with, amplifying and exploring themes in sustainability, nature and wellbeing,” argues Helen Brain, Communications Strategy Director, Iris, in the report. 

Bottom line

“A recurring theme in this year’s Future of Strategy report is the need for strategists to get away from their desks and meet real people. Without this, it’s harder to have a realistic understanding of people’s lives, their hopes, fears, pain points and harder to spot game changing opportunities that build a better future,” explains Lena Roland, Head of Content, WARC Strategy. 

“Calling for a revolution suggests we need a rethink. Strategies need to be more imaginative and ambitious, and research needs more respect and reality."

Go further

Two Future of Strategy podcasts will be available to all this week including one with Richard Huntington unpacking his call for a Marketing Reality Movement.