1. SEEKING RELEVANCE
evolving account planning by applying connection planning principles
September 2012

2. 91% of Americans tend to ignore at ads
Source: Adweek Media/Harris Poll Online Study October 2010

3. Can you blame them?
They’re bombarded with 5k+ branded messages each day!
Source: Yankelovich

4. And as ad messengers, we’re not providing consumers with
enough relevant information to get them to notice or care.

5. But there’s something we as account planners can do ...

6. We can evolve how we, as a
department, do business.
More than that, we can evolve how
the industry does business.

7. Evolving = Progress. Advancement.
Divergence. Reinvigoration.
Not = Reinvention.

8. So take our great fundamentals
and build on them to solve for ...

9. RELEVANCE

10. by applying some basic connection
planning principles and philosophies.

11. one
Always springboard from the consumer, not the brand
All insights should be grounded in the consumer.
Only then figure out how your brand can naturally
fit into your customers’ world.

12. Let me reiterate, let
the consumer insights
springboard all
brand initiatives!

13. A little bitty about consumer insight gathering:
1. Start with some hypotheses. Don’t walk in blind.
2. Be open to new a-has / discoveries. Don’t be a stubborn mule.
3. Make a list of questions you’d ask the consumer. Be curious.
4. Start digging for insights. Take action.

14. Digging Tools
Tip: use whatever tools you have ... no excuses.
Down & Dirty Primary Research
• Get out of the office and go where they are.
• Fall down the rabbit hole and embrace their online experience.
Listen in on their language, the conversation topics, their social
connections and explore their digital experiences.
• Go meet them. Literally get up and go where they hang. Watch
them, strike up a conversation, take them out for a drink.
Meaty Primary Research
• Ethnography (there’s absolutely nothing better than spending
actual live time in the consumers’ world)
• Real-time mobile research
• Online surveys

15. Digging Tools (continued)
Simmons
• Understand the category user
• Identify unique brand user dimensions: What makes this brand’s
user different than the average category user?
• Identify your acquisition target by finding others who share
these unique values and have yet to use your brand. Dive in and
understand what makes them tick.
Secondary
• Take advantage of tools like Warc, eMarketer, Yankelovich,
Mintel, Trendwatching, PSFK, etc. Many tools at every price point.

16. two
Plot the consumer’s journey
The Awareness/Familiarity/Consideration/Intent/Purchase
templated approach to the purchase process died years ago.
In today’s world make sure you know the phases of the
consumer journey, the triggers and pit-falls, and how to
relevantly connect with your consumer across their journey.

17. Some tips before you start journey mapping:
Start with a fresh perspective every time. Don’t use a templated
consumer journey. Because most likely the template wasn’t
designed with your brand or consumer in mind.
Don’t be shy. Open your wallet and pay for research.
Methodologies like journaling, text messages, shop alongs,
prompted one-on-one journey guides.
Play it out. Get some post it notes, think like the consumer and
plot out the journey.

18. Purchase
Pre-Trigger Trigger During Post Purchase
elements of a
journey map.
Trigger & Phases
(What are the different phases of this brand’s consumer journey? Identify triggers.)
Emotions
(How does the consumer feel at each phase of the journey?)
Consumer Mindset (A)
(What’s s/he thinking at this phase of the journey?)
Desired Behavior (B)
(What do we want him/her to do at this phase of the journey?)
Brand Action
(How can the brand do/say to move him/her from A to B?)
Media Eco-System
(What media touchpoints are most influential at each phase of the journey?)
Prioritize
(With X $, X business objectives, X effective consumer touchpoints, etc., prioritize the journey phases.)

19. And when in need of inspiration head to:
http://pinterest.com/mmariani/consumer-journey/
hey, everyone needs a cheap plug ...

20. three
365 Day Planning
Shift your thinking from 360 touchpoint planning to 365
day planning. The same media ecosystem is not relevant
every day of every year. Instead the media ecosystem is
dictated by consumer and contextual insights that vary
at different times of year. The goal is to find ways to
create relevant brand engagements throughout the year
and to base these engagements on what’s happening in
your consumer’s world at that specific time.

21. Jan April July October Dec
(1) Plot Historical Sales
Plot historical brand and categorical sales data across the timeline.
(2) Plot Sales Goals
Plot goal sales across the timeline.
(3) Plot Competitive Media Spend
Plot historical and expected competitive media spend across the timeline. Look for opportunity gaps.
(4) Create Engagement Zones
Based on how people interact with your brand and category, bucket timeframes into engagement zones
(e.g. For an apparel brand i.e. Back to School/First Impressions, Holiday, Winter Solace, etc.)
(5) Consumer Mindset
At this specific time (aka: Engagement Zone), what is going on in his/her world as it relates to this brand/
category? Identify any frustration points.
(6) Cultural Context
Outside of your category, what else is going on in his/her world ... what else is fighting for his/her attention?
(7) Media Ecosystem
What touchpoint channels are most influential or used during each Engagement Zone?
(8) Brand Engagement Strategy
Simply articulate how your brand can have relevance in each Engagement Zone based on the Consumer Mindset
and Cultural Context.
(9) Brand Engagement Idea
What’s the big idea for each Engagement Zone that builds into the overall campaign idea or brand positioning?

22. four
Routinely disrupt your thinking and processes.
Constantly be in evolution mode. Play with new
technologies. Build on your thinking. Be open to new
ideas, approaches and hypotheses. Stay curious.

23. five
Aspire to be egoless.
Know a great engagement idea can originate in any
department, at any level. Aspire to inspire all departments.

24. Thank you.
Margaret Mariani
@mmariani
mariani.margaret@gmail.com