Poslední #StrategyTalk tohoto roku bude česko-anglický, tak snad vám to nebude vadit, protože pro Marka to bylo přirozenější. Já jsem každopádně rád, že do toho šel a vy si nyní můžete přečíst rozhovor se stratégem, který sbíral zkušenosti v reklamních agenturách v Austrálii i ve střední Evropě.
Každá úspěšná kampaň začíná dobrým briefem. Zkus se tedy představit ve formě briefu s nejpodstatnějšími informacemi, které bychom o tobě měli vědět. Popiš sebe sama ve formě krátkého headlinu.
The truth is out there.
Jaké zvíře nejlépe vystihuje tvůj charakter a proč?
Koala bear. I like to observe the world from a distance, just like a Koala does from a gum tree. I also like to take afternoon naps, just like a Koala.
Pokud bys byl influencer, jaký typ obsahu bys sdílel se svými fanoušky?
Sharing with my fans facts and evidence of how marketing works in the real world, and how to make it work for you in everyday practice.
Jak bys popsal osobu, který je tvůj naprostý protiklad?
A woman.
Jaká byla tvá cesta ke strategii a plánování?
It started at University of South Australia where I studied marketing management. Byron Sharp was my lecturer and already then it made me gain interest in marketing, strategy and the psychology of consumer behavior.
I then worked in ad agencies in Warsaw, as Account Manager, but did all the strategy myself, so I naturally was moved to the Strategic Planning unit.
Proč sis tohle zvolil jako živobytí?
It’s just a great balance of commerce, psychology and creativity combined in one. At it’s core, marketing & communications is really one of the best professions you can work in, it’s pretty hard to get bored. Ad agencies also know how to throw a great party.
Jaký neobvyklý zvyk nebo absurdní věc máš nejradši?
I like to work with facts, evidence and reality. Which for some might seem rather absurd given how often marketing decision are made largely on attitude, opinion or seniority in the room rather than facts.
Kdo tě v současné době nejvíce ovlivňuje?
Professionally: No question Byron Sharp and the team at Ehrenberg Bass. Les Binet and Peter Field a close second given how they were able to bring evidence marketing much more into the marketing mainstream and consciousness.
Musically: Noel Gallagher and Ryan Adams … as songwriters.
Jaké nové chování nejvíce zlepšilo tvůj život v posledních několika letech?
Consciously doing 15 minutes of yoga each and every morning, and after reading How Brands Grow by Byron Sharp going deeper into the evidence marketing journey were probably the two most impactful behaviours in my life in the past few years.
Stratégové jsou dobří pozorovatelé světa, aby nacházeli insighty. Můžeš popsat nějaký tvůj nedávný postřeh (například v MHD), který ti uvíznul v hlavě?
Actually my biggest recent insight was the realization that insights are actually not that important. They are frankly highly overrated.
When I was on the agency side the ‘killer; insight is what every planner and creative were obsessed with finding .. .most of the time however what came out was just an observation or some niche insight that was only relevant to maybe 20% of category consumers.
The real insight is that you can simply say exactly the same thing about your product or service as your competitor, but make sure you say it in a highly distinctive, creatively impactful way that will be enjoyed many times over.
Or as Les Binet likes to say … ‘aim for the heart of the market’ but prioritise ‘fame and emotion over messages and persuasiveness’
Máš nějaké hobby nebo sportuješ?
Yep, always loved music since I was a kid. In recent years I’ve been playing guitar, singing and recently tried my hand at songwriting.
Daily yoga is what keeps me grounded, energized and creative.
Máš nějaké oblíbené reklamní manifesto?
Not a manifesto, but the key principle of Bill Bernbach .. ‘it’s not what you say, but how you say it …?’
Jakou radu bys dal mladým stratégům? Co by měli ignorovat?
1. Stop being Google planners.
Start using your eyes, observations, questions, curiosity and get out of the office and into the world rather than assuming you can find everything via Google. Go and talk to people, visit their houses, participate in focus groups and home visits. Too many young planners really far too much on third party data and have lost touch with the real world.
2. Start working with facts and evidence.
As a strategist you want to help inspire creativity and emotions, but it needs to be grounded in facts, evidence of actual human behavior. There has been a lot of evidence produced now from Les Binet and Byron Sharp how advertising and communications really works on the human brain. What is the role of advertising, branding, messaging in helping to drive brand growth and sales. Work with these facts when sharing creative work with your client, give them the evidence they need so that they can sell it in further inside the organization. Facts, data, evidence help sell creative work, as does good instinct and showmanship.
Jaká byla nejlepší rada, kterou ti kdo dal v rámci strategie?
Best advice was from Jon Steel, author of Truth, Lies & Advertising with his observation that communications and media channels might be constantly evolving, but human nature will always stay the same.
And from Jenni Romaniuk… think branding and distinctiveness first, then any messaging.
And most recently a couple weeks ago from Jenni Romaniuk, when discussing branding and messaging in advertising.
Podstatnou rolí je i sledování trendů. Který trend z poslední doby považuješ za nejzajímavější a proč?
No doubt the interest and movement towards evidence based marketing principles, globally but also in the Czech Republic. The Brand and Communication summits this year in Prague where Les Binet and Jenni Romaniuk had keynotes exposed hundreds of marketers to the key facts and realities of buyer behavior. I hope many will now go deeper and where possible I will help them in that journey having been working with these principles for many years.
Jaký populární trend v zahraničí bys chtěl, aby byl také populární v České republice?
Asking more questions and challenging more! I don’t know why but I find Czech nature is somewhat passive when it comes to challenging or asking questions.
Co pro tebe znamená slovo “filosofie”?
Way of looking at the world.
Jak se překrývají tvé profesionální a osobní přesvědčení?
The realities of human nature. In particular that what people say often contradicts with what they actually do. Actions rather than words.
Jak žiješ v přítomnosti, když tvou prací je odhalit budoucnost?
I choose to work with facts, evidence and the realities of human behavior.
Jaká přesvědčení nebo návyky změnily tvůj život v posledních pěti letech?
That the world often is not as it appears. In many ways true human nature is quite the opposite of what society has taught us to believe.
Co děláš, když se cítíš přemoženě nebo dočasně nesoustředěně?
I’ll pick up my guitar and sing.
Měli by stratégové žít více filosofické životy?
Strategists should stay philosophically open, naturally curious, but also understand how the world really works.
Máš nějaké užitečné mentální nebo heuristické modely?
Focus on feeling rather thinking. Let it come to you, don’t push it out.
I’m also a great believe of the subconscious mind and setting a task or something that’s on my mind just before I fall asleep. I’m often amazed how often the answer arrives when in the shower in the morning.
Stratégové také hodně čtou. Četl si v poslední době nějakou knihu, která splnila nějaký z následujících bodů? Kniha, která rozšířila mou schopnost empatie:
I find reading biographies as a great way of building empathy, getting into another person’s world, often a world that is far removed from yours. Trying to be that person, feeling the success, failures and emotions they went through.
I recently finished biographies of Mick Jagger and Martin Gore (Depeche Mode)
Kniha, která rozšířila mé obzory v oblasti strategie:
Truth, Lies and Advertising by Jon Steel. Especially how to find real insights that have real impact, not just superficial.
Kniha, která rozšířila mé obzory, jak se budují značky:
How Brands Grow is the classic. However How Not To Plan, Eat Your Greensplus the Long & The Short of it are all absolute must reads if you want to be a strategist that helps clients drive brand & sales growth.
Kniha, která vysvětluje současný stav světa:
With Brexit, Trump and the theatre of the absurd we live in right now…Waiting For Godot comes to mind.
Kniha, která prohloubila mé uznání ke kreativitě a řemeslu:
There are many excellent books to inspire creativity, but personally when I was younger I really loved flicking through Wallpaper magazine. I found it really made me appreciate design, details and a creative mindset.
Který internetový zdroj čteš nejraději?
Marketing week is excellent. And actually I find a lot of great stuff just by browsing the posts and articles on LinkedIn.
Děkuji za rozhovor!
