Here at the Warc offices, we often gaze across the chasm at editorial – with their glasses and dual-monitors – and wonder what they actually do all day.

So, looking at Warc this last week, it was refreshing to see agencies confront their own chasm and bring strategy and creative together for each to consider the other’s purpose.   And how Barbie has adopted a positioning that turned the all-American girl into a modern, cosmopolitan woman, leveraging the influence that comes with 99% global awareness.

This could have something to do with the industry’s realisation that women drive more purchase decisions than previously thought, notably in China, where 58% of mums are solely responsible for household finances and purchase decisions.

In all, here are five things that I learned from Warc this week:

  1. 62% of planners say they have a positive relationship with creatives – but just 37% of creatives agree. – the creative and planner divide and how agencies can overcome it

  2. Barbie has 99% awareness globally

  3. Teen spending has dropped by around 30% over the past decade – from US$119bn per week in 1997 to US$82bn in 2014

  4. 58% of Chinese mums say they are solely responsible for managing household finances and purchase decisions

  5. Every week, Paddy Power publishes 800 tweets, 80 Facebook posts, 16 Instagram/Snapchat posts and 10 videos.