The work of ad agency David and Goliath speaks to me.  I may not always be in the market for what they’re selling and may not always be the target, but I do know people and these guys and girls can package a message.  David Measer is a head planner at DnG and not long ago I offered him a “free day of planning,” something reserved for friends and family. He said “we are so immersive in our planning work, we don’t believe one day can really generate anything of value.”  And he’s right.  As it relates to the end idea. (But a day can generate some crazy good crumbs.)

I was reading today about a volunteer park clean up in Brooklyn which brought to mind my archaeology days and how it helped me become a better planner. Archaeologists uncover stuff from the dirt. They plot it, ponder it, and may actually have to wait until winter in the lab to understand it – if they ever do. It’s a slow and thoughtful process, though it does offer some exciting immediate rewards.  Brand planners operate in the same exploratory sphere but with truncated timeframes. We observe and intuit purchase behavior — then package it for creative teams. We don’t have the benefit of waiting for winter or have a long mental gestation period.

Brand planners need to be able to observe brilliantly. To see and hear only the important. Then they need to intuit the meaning, which requires context and experience. Lastly, it all has to be packaged for an art, copy and design team. In a way that inspires them to “focused” stimulating greatness. Observe. Intuit. Package. David and Goliath subscribes. Watch them grow. Peace.