Planner Parley

S2 EP4: Strategy from the Client Side

Welcome to Planner Parley, a show where we come together under a flag of truce to talk about small agency planning. Planner Parley is brought to you by the 4A's (The American Association of Advertising Agencies).

This week, we’re seeing if the grass is greener for strategists that have gone client-side. Carrie Riby, director of marketing at Black Button Distilling, and Inga Grote-Ebbs, brand director at FIFCO USA, join John Roberts, CSO at Truth Collective – all from Rochester, New York – to share what the view is like from the other side of the relationship. With one in four strategists considering a career move towards the client side, we’re learning what it’s all about and what it means for small agencies.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding the needs and behavior of the audience is still the name of the game
• Strategy has a different meaning for agencies and clients
• Agencies and clients are not on opposing sides, but come with different perspectives
• The best work comes when there’s a partnership
• The “brief” problem – navigating gaps, approaches, and the handover

S2 EP3: Content as Strategy

Welcome to Planner Parley, a show where we come together under a flag of truce to talk about small agency planning. Planner Parley is brought to you by the 4A's (The American Association of Advertising Agencies).

In this week’s episode, we’re talking with Sean Pitts, brand strategist at Hanson Dodge in Milwaukee, WI, and Josh Coon, director of experience at Truth Collective in Rochester, NY, about the marriage of content and strategy – and the ways that union is changing how brands reach and engage with consumers. Join them and, of course, John Roberts, CSO at Truth Collective, as we bridge the gaps between strategists and content creators, and what it means for small agencies.

Key Takeaways:

• Unorthodox career trajectories make compelling content strategists
• Finding balance (and tension) between strategy and the creative process
• Consumer shifts are reshaping agencies and their roles
• Content to culture – Who’s moving whom?
• Meeting consumers on their channels, across all channels

S2 EP2: The New Strange

Welcome to Planner Parley, a show where we come together under a flag of truce to talk about small agency planning. Planner Parley is brought to you by the 4A's (The American Association of Advertising Agencies).

We’re back and ready to tackle the world we live in today; it’s not the new normal, but the new strange. The last few months have been a learning experience, from transitioning to remote work to changing the way our industry is talking about, relating to, and being a part of society.

In this week's episode, we’re mapping this new landscape with Rishad Tobaccowala, author and advertising futurist out of Chicago, Cathy Taylor, U.S. commissioning editor at WARC in New York City, and, of course, John Roberts, CSO of Truth Collective in Rochester, NY, as they provide insight into how planners can thrive under these new terms and what it means for small agencies.

Key Takeaways:

• Moving brands from purpose to purposeful
• Don’t think about restarting your business; think about starting your business
• The future is here, but not evenly distributed
• Make your new habits the standard practice
• Finding optimism in our ability to adapt

S2 EP1: StratFest 2020 - The Virtual Sessions

Welcome to Planner Parley, a show where we come together under a flag of truce to talk about small agency planning. Planner Parley is brought to you by the 4A's (The American Association of Advertising Agencies).

StratFest went virtual this year, but the buzz was still the same. Planner Parley joined in on the streaming fun with a cocktail-laden discussion to round out an inspiring day. Sara Macfarlane, director of strategy at R&R Partners in Las Vegas, and Steve Kozel, group strategy director at OBP in St. Louis, return to the show to look back over a StratFest unlike any other. Join them and John Roberts, CSO of Truth Collective in Rochester, NY, as they review the event and dig into lessons learned and what it means for small-agency planners.

Key Takeaways:

• StratFest 2020 - The remedy for COVID fatigue?
• The struggles and successes of virtual formats
• Coming together to help find focus, even when far apart
• Finding the balance between the lofty idealism we all seek and the simple way to apply it

EP10: Planner Parley Season Recap

Welcome to Planner Parley, a show where we come together under a flag of truce to talk about small agency planning. Planner Parley is brought to you by the 4A's (The American Association of Advertising Agencies).

Well, it’s been quite a season! From hacks to wallow pits to looking into the future, we've covered a lot of ground and uncovered loads of tips and tricks for agency planners and strategists. In this final episode of the season, join Truth Collective’s Director of Experience, Josh Coon, and, of course, CSO John Roberts, as they reflect on Season 1 of the Planner Parley Podcast and remind us all what strategic planning means for small agencies.

Key Takeaways:

• The Best of Season 1
• Looking Back and Ahead at the Same Time
• Download All the Episodes Today!

EP9: Fostering Diversity

Welcome to Planner Parley. The show where we come together under a flag of truce to talk about the challenges and triumphs of small agency planning. Planner Parley is brought to you by the 4A’s (The American Association of Advertising Agencies).

This week, our guests unwrapped the layers of diversity in agencies and the impact on strategy. They laid out the steps to the mentorship mentality, how to get things down to a human level, and the best way to avoid pitfalls along the way. Join our guests Mollie Rosen, EVP of member engagement & development, and Alecia Page, program manager of the MAIP Fellowship, both from the 4A's in New York, NY, and of course, John Roberts, CSO of Truth Collective in Rochester, NY, as they teach us how to attract and keep diversity, and what it means for small agencies.

Key Takeaways:

• Breaking Down Silos to Find Diversity
• Finding Talent at a Local and Grassroots Level
• Creating Opportunities for a Wide Range of Talent
• 4As as Accelerator

EP8: Agency Culture – Where Strategy Can Actually Flourish

Welcome to Planner Parley. The show where we come together under a flag of truce to talk about the challenges and triumphs of small agency planning. Planner Parley is brought to you by the 4A’s (The American Association of Advertising Agencies).

In this week's episode, our panel shared – and shared about sharing – as they let us behind the scenes of agency leadership and creating culture. They defined the strategy wallow pit, provided tips on how to stay out of it, and, instead, taught ways to shoot from the heart, be playful, and stay mischievous. Join our guests, Mark Pollard, strategy CEO at Mighty Jungle in New York City, Julian Cole, strategy consultant joining from Melbourne, Australia, and, of course, John Roberts, CSO of Truth Collective in Rochester, NY, as they reveal new ways of looking at the things you look at all the time, and what it means for small agencies. Pull up a chair and listen in.

Key Takeaways:

• See It, Do It, Teach It
• Take the Work Seriously, Take Yourself Less Seriously
• Dare to Be Mischievous
• Prove It

EP7: Evoking Emotion Through Scrappy Strategic Research

Welcome to Planner Parley. The show where we come together under a flag of truce to talk about the challenges and triumphs of small agency planning. Planner Parley is brought to you by the 4A’s (The American Association of Advertising Agencies).

This week, our guests extracted the lifeblood of human decision making - emotion. They examined what makes us tick, where and when to find boundaries, and how to stay fearless in the face of challenges. Join our guests Brent Snider, Chief Revenue Officer for Maru/Matchbox in New York, NY, Gunny Scarfo, Co-Founder of NonFiction Research in Brooklyn, NY, and of course John Roberts, CSO of Truth Collective in Rochester NY as they break down the state of scrappy research and what it means for Small Agencies.

Key Takeaways:

• Balancing Rigor and Scrappy Research
• Tips to Finding Deeper Insight and Drive Results
• Emotion Is Everything

EP6: Strategy Hacking

Welcome to Planner Parley. The show where we come together under a flag of truce to talk about the challenges and triumphs of small agency planning. Planner Parley is brought to you by the 4A’s (The American Association of Advertising Agencies).

In this week's episode, our panel exposed the secrets of the strategy hack. They revealed what's in their bag of tricks, how to light the spark, and why it's important to stay original. Join our guests Ed Cotton, Experienced Strategy Consultant in New York City, CJ Gaffney, Director of Strategic Marketing at Partners + Napier, and of course John Roberts, CSO of Truth Collective in Rochester NY is they divulge the art of the strategy hack and what it means for Small Agencies.

Key Takeaways:

• The Art of the Strategy Hack
• Tips to Getting Started and How to Make the Process Exciting
• A Good Strategy Moves Cult to Culture

EP5: The Wild World of Comms Planning

Welcome to Planner Parley, the show where we come together under a flag of truce to talk about the challenges and triumphs of small-agency planning. Planner Parley is brought to you by the 4A’s (American Association of Advertising Agencies).

This week, our panel dug into what it means to be a comms planner. It dissected the role and its challenges and shared tips to avoid the most common pitfalls, as well as explored trends and insights into the way comms planning is changing today. Join our guests Eric Pakurar from Dirt Worldwide, Melissa Walker, a seasoned veteran of the discipline, and of course, John Roberts, CSO of Truth Collective in Rochester, NY, as they dig into the changing world of comms planning and what it means for small agencies.

Key Takeaways:

• Comms planning in the Modern Age
• Tips to be successful for your team and the brands you work with
• Struggles and solutions for comms planning today