Planning for the Best: Getting to Know the 4A's Jay Chiat Awards Jurors
L-R: Myron King, Talley Hultgren, Scott Macleod, Angela Rodriguez
Ahead of the 25th Anniversary of the 4A’s Jay Chiat Awards (the industry’s leading awards program that recognises the best strategic thinking in marketing, media and advertising around the world), The 4A's sat down with four of this year’s head jurors for a look into their processes and thoughts about the evolving discipline and the critical role it plays in setting client and agency business strategy.
*This year’s Jay Chiat Awards ceremony is Monday, September 12th, 2022 in New York City, followed by the only conference for strategists by strategists, 4A’s StratFest 2022, on Tuesday, September 13th, 2022, where the winning case studies will be presented! Learn more here.
Myron King, chief integration officer, VMLY&R (CX strategy head juror)
Q> What strategic maxims, frameworks or principles do you find yourself going back to over and over again? Why are they so useful?
Myron> One maxim that I go back to often is: "the right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing." Understanding all the various contexts at play in a situation before, during, and after an ‘idea’ are vitally important ingredients to the acceptance and success of that idea. Understanding this has helped me personally, but also in coaching and cultivating planners to avoid becoming discouraged or de-energized when aspects of their strategies aren't received as well as they had hoped. Ultimately, knowing this reinforces the veracity and depth of our strategies and solutions before they are presented.
Q> What is one piece of advice would you have given to your younger self about the world of planning?
Myron> The key piece of advice I'd have given my younger self is to trust (my approach) but validate (my perspective). Trust my gut instincts, methods, and processes in understanding brands, their business objectives, and the opportunity audiences we seek to serve. But also, validate that I'm not being unduly self-referential; that my own lived experiences and biases aren't causing me to miss unique opportunities or overlook possible risks. This is key because failure in our business can be more newsworthy than success.
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Talley Hultgren, chief insight officer, CHEMISTRY (Non-profit strategy head juror)
Q> What do you think is the difference between a strategist and a planner? Is there one?
Talley> Fun question! Philosophically, yes, there’s a difference! At Chemistry, we migrated to strategy-based titles several years back to better define the value we bring to our client and agency partners. Consumer engagement channels have exploded and interwoven, bringing new and ever-evolving ways for our strategy teams (digital, comms, social, brand) to contribute to our clients’ businesses. Chemistry strategists are explorers, therapists and sociologists all rolled up into one. They thrive on experimentation and 'blowing sh*t up' (our agency’s ethos) to find the next, great path forward. Through that lens, 'planner' feels a bit tactical and executional. But we’re not precious, call us whatever you’d like – there’s no mistaking the difference we make.
Q> What advice would you give to anyone considering a career as a strategist/planner?
Talley> Smart, lucky you! Get ready for a great ride! 1. Choose agencies wisely (find one doing work you admire) and get in the door however you can! You absolutely don’t have to start in strategy – many of us strategy nerds didn’t. Working in other parts of the business early on (project management, then account management for me) helps you see the big picture. I highly recommend it. 2. Bring the good vibes and all-in attitude! Be the resource your team turns to when they need help. Some of my most amazing growth experiences came from helping agency teammates in need, on brands I wasn’t assigned to, and by jumping in on new business. 3. Get comfortable with change! I can promise this industry will look completely different five years from now than it does today. New problems to solve, new tools to use, new data to dig into. Stay curious and always be learning! The joy is in the journey.
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Scott MacLeod, director of planning, The Via Agency (Brand Pivot head juror)
Q> What have you found to be the most important consideration in recruiting and nurturing strategic talent? And how has Covid changed the way you think about this?
Scott> For us, it's collaborative leadership. Training planners to gather input from teams to sharpen strategies without being sucked into the black hole of group-think. Some planners have a tendency to be lone wolves who focus more on owning the strategy than building it — and no doubt some great briefs have happened that way. But we've found the best briefs are receipts for the conversations you've had as a team — with creatives, client strategists and partners involved — which means planners need to be relationship builders. We need to shift them into a teaching mindset that helps their teams understand the frameworks they're using and what strategic outputs will look like. This need has only intensified after covid because we have to coordinate team members who aren't in the room together more often than not.
Q> Why is the Jay Chiat Awards an important program for planners?
Scott> Very simply the Jay Chiat Awards show the power of strategy to move businesses and brands. I agree with Einstein that if you can't say it simply, you don't understand it well enough. Having to describe the problem, strategy, solution and results in 200 words is an incredible way to force clarity. And seeing that level of focus in jaw-dropping work and results from all over the world just underlines the impact planners can have.
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Angela Rodriguez, SVP, head of strategy, Alma Miami (National strategy head juror)
Q> We’re used to hearing about the best creative advertising campaigns, but what’s your favourite historic campaign from a strategic perspective? One that you feel demonstrates great strategy?
Angela> If you’ve ever heard Keith Reinhard talk about 'You Deserve a Break Today' you may think that no greater strategy work has ever been done. The answer to the problem came directly from research and the creative solution, well… it took a couple of twists. He tells it better than I do, but the campaign was in direct response to research that found consumers needed an escape from the humdrum and sameness of their lives. The campaign itself didn’t run long, but that idea behind it has since underpinned what McDonald’s can be for people all over the world.
Now, it might seem unfair to say my favourite strategy work is from a brand I work on, so I’ll share one of my “bucket list” brands too: LEGO. As a kid at heart, a mom to kids, and a fan of strategy, I love LEGO. Their strategy flows from product development to research to communications and engagement. Their constant evolution, their deep understanding of builders and their desire to impact society and culture in a positive way are a planner’s dream.
Q> What makes a great case study?
Angela> Be concise (explain, but don’t over explain), be clear (showing what was done, why it mattered and why it worked), and be entertaining (there are so many cases, compelling narratives stand out). In the end, the strategy should be so clear and the creative should be so connected to it that I don't suspect it was retrofitted.
