‘Planner’ feels like a term from a bygone era in the advertising industry, while ‘strategist’ is a more current and relevant descriptor. Planners were the go-to for powerful insights to help create ads, whereas strategists are now the driving force behind actualising a brand’s vision, developing brand actions and campaign ideas to move that vision forward while achieving business success and cultural impact along the way.

Strategist, because I love shaping how a brand behaves, evolves, and engages with people and culture at large. I very much believe that strategists are creators because we operate and think like creators. We are a powerful force in bringing new possibilities to brands so that they can introduce new possibilities to the world. Yes, we are thinkers, but we are also doers and makers, actively driving the manifestation of innovative ideas.

I try not to look to the past for inspiration. Being immersed in the current moment and how people’s needs and values are shifting allows me to help brands play their unique role in creating a better and different future. Recently, I’ve been immersed in the launch of Nike Well Collective, a journey of the iconic sport brand evolving into a holistic wellness brand for the future, knowing that their audience’s expectations of them are shifting in unprecedented ways. The commitment and ability to adapt and change like this is an inspiring demonstration of the difference great strategy makes.

I stretch out into culture and draw inspiration from the creators who are moving it forward. I immerse myself in trending content across the worlds of fashion, wellness, music, entertainment, etc. I find ways to live the experience of the audience we’re aiming to connect with and get in tune with the brand’s organisational culture and business pressures. I look at what other brands are doing in the space while incorporating learnings from totally different industries. This intentional mix of influences and resources pushes my thinking to unexpected and authentic places.

I enjoy the challenge of envisioning what’s next for a brand and the impact they can make on culture. I empower my team and my clients to think and create in bold ways. At the heart of strategy is imagination and the energy to put new ideas and different ways of working into action. At MullenLowe, we lens our processes and tools with ‘positive dissatisfaction’ to ensure we’re evolving beyond what’s been done before.

I revisit several principles, including: there are powerful ideas at the intersection of what people and culture need and how a brand’s unique superpowers allow them to show up in ways that only they can.

However, in the spirit of reinvention, I always challenge myself not to get too comfortable in the way I work and come up with new ways of doing things.

I enjoy collaborating with creatives who share a belief in the fusion of strategy and creative expression, who bring an entrepreneurial mindset to how we work (embracing building new things, in new mediums, in new ways), who believe in making audiences feel seen in the campaigns we put out into the world and who are passionate about ideas that have a transformative impact on an entire brand organisation, extending beyond marketing.

I believe in strategy acting as a guiding force to inform and empower creative ideas, but I don’t subscribe to the ‘right way’ to do so, because it doesn’t create space to use strategy in different or new ways, especially when a brand’s ambition or their audience requires that we do so.

I inspire all the agency disciplines (strategy included) to stay open to adapting and showing up in whatever way is necessary, because creativity and innovation through challenges are fluid. I embrace being flexible, especially in the context of the ever-changing culture and business realities that we navigate. By maintaining this fluidity and embracing the true potential of strategy, we ensure that the agency approaches the process in the way that will get us to effective ideas.

As an industry, we must push beyond the boundaries of recruiting from familiar places. Our goal is to cultivate a thriving environment for talent, aligning ourselves with the company we strive to become in the future, not just the one we are today.

When it comes to being a leader, I prioritise authenticity. I put a tremendous amount of heart into understanding individuals, their journeys, and passions to unlock their strategic superpowers, offering compassionate and honest feedback, even in challenging situations. I believe in creating opportunities to help individuals grow and stretch their skill sets.

Collaboration is essential; rather than shutting down ideas, I work together to enhance them. I recognise the value of allowing space for self-discovery, even when it’s tempting to provide specific guidance. Instead of waiting for perfection, I inspire us to get ideas going and update them as we learn along the way.

Effectiveness awards help demonstrate how agencies and brands operate at a powerful intersection, producing effective industry-leading marketing campaigns that positively impact their business while upholding the creativity and originality that is essential to great advertising. Strategists are now expected to lead and contribute at this intersection, inspiring great creative while also being a steward of strategy from beginning to end, to drive results.

As a discipline, we often rely solely on familiar sources, treating them as the ultimate authorities on strategy, great creative work, and marketing. While it’s true they bring valuable expertise, we shouldn’t limit ourselves to just them. There are so many other voices out there with unique insights that we should look to.

Instead of always starting or stopping with the usual experts, we need to incorporate different perspectives. By doing so, we can uncover the fresh ideas and approaches that we need to truly be on the cutting edge of what we do.

• Embrace your uniqueness, as it is the key to developing your own exceptional strategic style.
• Identify the skills and contributions that truly energise you and harness them to create your strategic superpowers.
• Embrace curiosity and openness to change, especially when it’s tempting to keep doing things the way they have always been done.
• Prioritise your wellbeing and health, self-care has a central role to play in achieving greatness and creating amazing things.