ENGINE Re-Establishes Strategy with Fundamental Creative Disciplines

Since joining ENGINE Creative in March, I have been re-establishing the role of Strategy as a creative discipline. Strategy is both an art and a science and that’s why the role for every Strategist at ENGINE Creative is now 'The First Creative Eyes on Every Opportunity'. This is because I believe strategy is not the precursor to creativity but it’s where the creative thinking begins.

As Charles Mingus once said, creativity is 'making the simple, awesomely simple'. We can’t deliver on our creative ambitions without a simple structure in place. Instead of trying to 'fix' the team structure I inherited, we started afresh and stripped the strategy team back to three fundamental disciplines.

Brand Communications

What is the strategy to for communicating on behalf of a brand? 

Brand Engagement

What is the strategy for bringing people closer to brands?

Innovation 

How can we combine data, insight and technology to fuel our thinking to help clients navigate and grow in a hugely uncertain world?

The combination of all three disciplines gives us a simple framework to answer any client problem in the most creative way possible.

I’m delighted to announce a new strategic line-up that will work alongside me to lead these three teams. Liz Baines who’s been promoted to head of brand communications strategy, Matt Rhodes takes on an expanded role of head of brand engagement strategy and Allan Blair takes on the new role of head of innovation strategy. The key to the success of any team is the openness and willing of that team to go out of their way for one and other and I believe Liz, Matt and Allan have this generosity of spirit that I’m looking for and I can’t wait to begin building ENGINE’s strategic offering together.

- Gen Kobayashi, ENGINE Creative’s chief strategy officer