A lot of people have expressed an interest in what different planners actually do. So to try to get at that, I'd like you to think about your last full day of working (probably yesterday) and describe in as much detail as possible exactly what you did. Sure, this won't capture the breadth of your job, but when we put everyone's descriptions together, we should have a pretty clear understanding (especially for newer planners) of how we spend our days. Describe when you were working alone or with others and what type of projects you were working on (more "traditional" vs. digital? Client work vs. new business?) I'm going to publish the descriptions so make sure not to reveal names.

Presented brand position, architecture, taglines, and visual identity system options to client. Expected it to be a 4 hr meeting but took about 9!!

Alone : Category packing analysis Focus group Guide Focus group Recruitment In group: Brainstorm for new packing ideas Layout approval Focus group operational strategy

- Lead internal strategy department initiatives to build the capability - Develop thought leadership materials for external consumption - Consult on clients' brand strategy initiatives (i.e. brand foundations, brand architecture) - Input to new business proposals

I wake up around seven. I have to be fresh, so I head downstairs. I have to have my bowl of cereal. I see everything, the time is going. It's ticking on and on, Everybody's rushing. I must get down to the bus stop. I must catch my bus. Then I see my friends. They're generally kicking in the front seat or sitting in the back seat. This is the first of many important decisions I must make in this day. Where do I sit? I need to make my mind up. Which seat would be wisest for me to take? Indecision tempers all of my ongoings throughout the morning. It is very difficult indeed. I wait for the last weekday of the week so that I can have passive relaxation with my friends.

morning -open my tweetdeck and check the news on tweeter, then facebook, my RSS dashboard -benchmark on financial apps on iPad afternoon -work with an account manager on a presentation on both digital and print proposition for an insurance company which want to redefine its offers (statistics, insight, promise) - meeting with a client about his social media strategy

Worked with others editing a client presentation. Worked alone on a new business pitch. Worked alone looking through my Google Reader for interesting news/trends to post to the company blog and twitter account.

I spent the day living life with two people, to understand their needs, wants and experiences, then met privately with a client to structure a presentation.

Coordinating with junior who is in the field to revise methodology, downloading on insights thus far to feed to other junior who is working in parallel on stakeholder interviews, coodinating digital insights report and competitive analysis with president and freelance digital strategist to identify key points we want to make to the client and anchor the presentation around, brainstorming 3 hours with startup company about her concept business, the target, and strategy for putting together a compelling business presentation to get investors, rebooking travel to meet junior in the field, reworking project budget hours and price to account for additional staff, recruiting potential interns for summer...no wonder I'm tired.

Research (lots of internet scouring, harassing my friends and contacts, more full fledged focus groups, etc) Competitive Analyses Brainstorming Client Relationship Building/Management

Writing for my own blog, blogging and tweeting for my company, setting up brainstorms and creativity sessions, reading surveys, managing accounts...

I do a lot of biz dev things and I manage our social media for the company. A lot of what I do is task oriented and I feel like it doesn't have an end goal, ie obtaining a new client. Sometimes I am able to reach out for new business but in a cold call type of manner, which is hard for someone without klout.

Team meeting to discuss strategic deliverables. Writing detailed project plan/timeline Writing/revising brand strategy and digital deliverables

Researched the auto industry, focusing on current perceptions of domestic vs. imported brands. Compiled a list of key dates in the UK market for a campaign timeline. Read blog roll,

including topics from marketing, to design, to technology, to food, to fashion. Worked to develop ideas for partnership or proprietary tools that would map events trending in real-time, for potential client use.

I workshoped with the CEO of the network (top five in the world...) to reposition our own global brand and present a packaged tool to attract new business... Then I rushed to one of my clients (European Bank) to present a new brand positioning for their Private Banking activities.

Creating user experience flows and prioritized feature sets for a new online education startup.

Brand development: - on one project, ensuring that the ad agencies creative work matched the brief we wrote; - on another, reviewing the quant data we commissioned; - on a third writing up the output of a decision workshop we ran with a group of CEO's yesterday

Winning business, keeping clients happy, doing the work

About the daily plan I spent, it was combined by various of activities. Starts with handle my clients progress include the planning (which is usually starts from proposal, for new clients) and followed with daily controlling for the execution process by my team. other activities are studying new objects or industry to fullfill my weekly task to create journals for blog and our internal education material. And the last one is I did public speaking in internal HR development and also outside the office, to do lecturing at university and other public community, specially about brand and marketing topics.

My day, yesterday: Spent time reviewing my twitter stream for the latest thinking, reading articles, watching videos/ads. Spent time understanding/discussing consumer insights on the category I'm working on. Spent time bringing a brand proposition to life in a 'moment of truth' touchpoint story.

Qualitative research - organize, implement, analyze, report findings, produce 30 minute documentary films.

I am usually on two-three projects at one time. I usually come in and have fieldwork being set up for one project while writing strategic report/analysis/briefs on another project. No day is the same.

www.the15pagestrategysolero.es

Helped a client to think about describing their sustainability efforts in a fresh and interesting way. Ran a workshop with a client to think about their authentic brand personality. Met a new business prospect and talked about bringing service innovation to a dull and transactional b2b category.

Developing a series new product written concepts and presenting them to the client to meet a new need in an emerging market. Collaborating with the creative team to bring each concept to life visually.

My job consists of writing screeners, monitoring recruits, writing discussion guides, creating stimulus, moderating (still learning) attending research, writing the first draft of the report, working with my team to finalize/optimize the final report, attend client meetings etc.

Connecting the dots between consumer research, expert insight and desk research. Also launching new business ventures born from this knowledge.

Researched for a biotech client. Attended a meeting with a potential hotel business client, listened to their brand challenges, wrote a proposal and sent it out. Browsed through several music documents in order to prepare for a workshop session I have tomorrow.

I went to Paris to talk to a man about innovation and strategic packaging design. I then had a meeting cancelled so went to see Ralph Lauren's car collection on exhibition near the Louvre. Wonderfully inspiring stuff!

I do brand conception and consulting, meaning I work on the ideas, meanings and values that stand behind a brand and try to figure out how to best communicate them according to the target demographic.

Sifting through loads of info Writing blogg posts Trying to reach new insights Writing customer portraits This should be done via personal interviews !

Get briefed by the Head. Do Analysis and Desk Research. Gather insights with a medium-weight planner, and went to a meeting with client

Well, yesterday I've worked at home, my company is very flexible and we can do that sometimes. I was working on a presentation of a research. The research was about a product testing. I started working 11am and worked until 1pm, than I had lunch and watched a TV show. 3 pm a got back to work and it lasted until 8pm.

Benchmarking

Arrive in the office and have a team WIP meeting. Talk about current projects, and the future of planning in a digital world. Discuss how people will connect with media in the future. Attend a client briefing and discuss the way people purchase the client's service. Agree to write 'reverse brief'. Attend client meeting for half a day. Discuss current ad campaign in market and reactions. Review annual marketing plan and progress details like objectives, campaigns, budgets. Attend creative presentation to another Client with creative and account service teams. Client had changed strategy for campaign, so extensive discussion about new brief required. Evening - attend viewing facilities to watch focus groups for another client.

Brand strategy Comunication strategy

I do customer interviews, brand DNA workshops, creative brief writing, qualititative focus groups, customer survey work, brand personality recommendations, positioning work, customer profiling and segmentation...just about anything that has to do with brand core definition, targeting and messaging architecture.

Today I spent most of the day constructing the strategic section of a deliverable that dealt with the positioning of an online travel agency with an eye towards differentiation and adding emotion. Findings were based on 14 focus groups conducted nationwide

Yesterday I worked on a discussion guide for upcoming qualitative research, worked on a final results ppt report including quant and qual results (so spent hours going through data), coordinated meetings with clients, got an RFP from a new client. And today I'm off to more primary research - pretty typical 2 days.

I was finalising a strategic deck for a pitch, identifying the opportunity for the brand in the market and how they could use their equity to make the most of it.

Worked on a client's business model with client. Worked on an upcoming seminar/workshop (How Brands Grow) with collaborators. Worked on future blog posts.

putting together brand strategy presentation, reworking the recommendations, reordering the sections to tell a compelling story, creating positioning maps. presenting to client.

Half a day's group training session on creating brand voice for clients in the morning. Afternoon was spent working on a discovery findings presentation which involved analysing insights from interviews done with management teams for a client project. The afternoon also involved a conference call with the (same) client and the account director on the project to discuss changes to a staff survey we are writing for the project. After the call I worked on amending the survey.

The morning began with catching up on emails, blog reading, followed by a new business breakfast meeting with potential creative partners for a sportswear brand. I met with another partner for lunch to go into a initial project planning meeting with another client, a chocolate brand to discuss business needs, definition of growth, and determining project and brand priorities aside from business needs. This lasted until about 5:30, when we called it a day, heads exploding.

A Day of Brand Planning: >Interviewed new client prospect >pitched the prospect (our) capabilities package >negotiated prospects budget and goals for 2011-2012 >suggested a brand scheme example based on a similar company >suggested a timeline for the prospect >closed the client after 2 weeks engagement

I spent the first half of yesterday putting the finishing touches to a presentation that was

going to the CEO of a large high street retailer. It was a piece of work that I've been working on for a month that defined a) how they should structure their messaging on pack to help consumers navigate b) how to communicate premium in a consistent and relevant way and how to manage their multiple ingredient brands across their categories. I then spent the afternoon developing some thinking on different approaches to consumer insight and then in the evening I went to a presentation on consumer values with the hope that I could incorporate it into a new consumer values model.

I pass most of my time thinking and proposing new behavior`s methodologies looking foward bonding insights to my clients' brands.

we develop force multiplying ideas that work at the intersection of how brains work, people's identity projects, the cultures of interpretive communities and the priorities of clients.

I came into work and finished pulling and organizing quotes for a presentation. Then I had a meeting. Then I put the quotes into a template and printed them out for said presentation. Then I used pictures that were created in focus group collages to inform more quotes that needed to be pulled. Then I put those in the template and printed them out.

Worked on marketing documents, screener, proposals

attended a client work session run by a mid-level strategist on my team. we focused on defining the guiding principle for their brand portfolio architecture, as well as the role that their brands each play in the lives of their respective audiences. my role was to act as the senior voice in the room, being more professorial than worker bee. I started my day reviewing a pitch deck for a meeting we had later in the afternoon. It was a prospect that is new to their job, but who had worked with my firm in the past, prior to my taking over as the managing director of our SF office. She and I spent a good amount of time chatting about past employers (both worked at the same agency, but she left a couple months before i joined), past clients we had in common, etc. Eventually we discussed work, our firm's POV on brands and how we help companies, and what their specific challenges are. On the ride back i was on the phone with my CFO trying to figure out why HR is holding up a transfer we have lined up from another office in our network. Finished my day by sitting down with the team from my morning work session to discuss what went well, what didn't and what i need them to focus on to make the project run better. Closed the day with a decent zinfandel...at home, of course.

research plan for qualitative and quant research to gain consumer insights moderating focus groups writing/delivering research reports working with design team to create strategically driven package design manage client relationships manage internal team of jr strategists

Exploring -- looking for new approaches to solving a problem including reading, research and conversations inspiring - getting the right people excited about helping me solve it explaining - setting out the solutions in conversations or presentations recruiting - trying to find new partners and new clients to serve up more problems for us to collaborate on solving

Client wants to buy an award winning B&B but is concerned that its positioning as a place only for lovers may be too restrictive, even though the business has been very successful. Recently business has been dropping. Discussed with an associate; decided to do some interviews among past customers to better understand customer motivations and interviews among those who have frequented B&B's in this areas before but never the client's. When these are completed we may do some on-line surveys for greater accuracy.

i was working on a new product development project for a global chain of shops in London before heading to China for the next round of research.

Worked on my own to review Ethnography tapes from last week's fieldwork. Conference call with client F/U on a proposal sent out last week Creating a workshop session ppt deck on what an insight is, why you should care and how to do it

Combination of new business development in assisting in the creation of a proposal and client work...

My current project is to define a 6 months strategy to bring my client's brand back on track (after almost one year without a planner working on the account, things got a bit random). So, basically I'm analyzing all brand activities from the last year - communication and campaigns, insights from Facebook page, events, sales results and the output of a one day workshop with

the client. For now is like a big puzzle and all the pieces have to start to find their place together. After I have my first findings and insights, I'll share them with my partner in some kind of 'brainstorm/ workshop'. Then I'll go back to design the final strategy (of course, meanwhile, there is a lot of conversation going on).

I collect new references and distribute them to the creatives. I go to meetings with clients and build creative briefs adressed to the creatives at my agency. I deal with social media agencies that are responsible for executing my digital strategies. I analyze the reports those agencies send to me. I take care of the agency's online presence, updating and monitoring social networks and websites. I build online and offline strategies for clientes upon briefs. I come up with BTL ideas that the agency tries to ""sell"" to its clients. I build presentations for the creatives talking about new references and trends in marketing, communication, advertising and design.

help clients reshape strategy and identify opportunity from white space.

I approved contracts for 2 new projects with my corp lawyer. I thought about how to best market a new piece of research I'm releasing. I mucked around on twitter, and also asked twitterverse for research on a specific topic/target. I thought about how I wanted to spend my budget for the new fiscal year in 2012. I looked at some conferences I wanted to attend. I reviewed some video from a recent project with a colleague in a parallel division to get her feedback. I discussed some research I did relevant to another colleague's project with him. Had to deal with some calendar scheduling back and forth. I worked on the design of an infographic with one of our designers.

I have recently moved client side in a Strategic Planning Role. Very rare to find a job on this side that actually wants you to be a planner but I got very lucky. The work is still challenging but people definitely listen more now that I'm internal. I work on Digital and CRM mostly in the company, both exciting places to be. Work on global brands and get to work closely with my agency planners. Best of both worlds with the added benefit of being more relaxed as a client.

Spent half the day watching groups via focus vision (Russia early in the morning, Thailand late in the evening). Worked on updating the ""consumer section"" an onboarding deck for a new senior management member. At a management meeting, presented the consumer evidence (research results) of a business plan and advocated for why we should continue moving forward with this innovation project. Gave feedback to team on stimulus for upcoming qual study.

Client-Side Planning: -Arrive at work, drink coffee, read e-mail -Worked on presentation to CEO on the innovation opportunities that have the most potential -- including financial potential, but also potential to improve the health of our brand portfolio -Reviewed packaging creative brief before sending to agency -Read a bunch of trend articles in preparation for helping sales team on retailer presentation -Left at 5:20PM - WHICH NEVER HAPPENED IN ADVERTISING

I work client side. Work closely with brand marketing team.

Pontification.

I work at client side. In my day-to-day, i spend some time analyzing our ROI at digital investments, creating new strategies with low cost (something like guerrilla marketing) to impact our consumers in offline actions, and spend some time to see what can we offer besides our products (reason to exist, and things like that)

I work as a general manager for a spas association and as that instituion is in the beginning of its journey, my role regarding planning is finding news business opportunity, sinergies between our objectives and the whole market. My last full day of working was basically coordinating steps to implement a market research about spas and aesthetic clinics in Brazil and negotiating a national marketing action with Dove, our Spa Week Brasil's sponsor.

Today I did something quite different from my job description, have filed documents for a bidding.

We have a big fair to participate and we decide how we are gonna release the information about a new product and how we are gonna launch it between an specific trade; than we took some brief from the exportation department and align some information with the press

assessors. After lunch I did a report a meeting which happened Monday and started a new scenario about our trade to help the commercial area.

Bounce from meetings related to different projects all day. Constantly in a state of preparing research, reporting research and trying to make sense of it all.

I'm used to work all day making researchs.

i work inside a company that has a big adversting department, so i am like internal planner. my job is to understand what people need, wants, imagine, trust, etc so i work with our research department. then i translate it to the agency with a brief, non a typical client brief. when capaign it is finish i measure results. image indactors, qualitative, etc.

I spent time with the director of design at one of the biggest global brands discussing how much brand equity is found in a brands' visual expressions, such as logos, colors, typography. I also spent time speaking with some of my global partners about an upcoming project to review best practices for developing authentic narratives. I was also asked to develop a presentation that identified and defined the elements evident in consistently great advertising (clear strategic thought, single-minded idea, strong story, etc...)

create trend reports based on internal initiatives, educate sr staff on trends and new topics out there by going to a variety of conferences, work on rebrands & internal creation of programs like social cause.

Almost all social media and digital campaigns, understanding how consumers use social media in their lives, how they want brands to integrate (and not), and writing...lots of writing. Content is a premium delivery mechanism.

I compiled a huge, total ffing waste of time status report that I'm required to do monthly- which NO ONE reads. I edited 43 positioning concepts down to the 15 best to review w my SVP to get her approval on the 10 that should go into qual message research (focus groups) We did this over a long lunch, lots of edits from her, reversals of what I was asked to do previously. I'll need to revise again today and then have another hour long mtg w her to get final concepts I can actually put into research. We discussed a couple different ideas for upcoming ads we'd like to have made during upcoming shoot - our adds to what our agency is already slated to make. I cut out early after that. It was holiday weekend.

Most of my day is spent working directly with brands teams ensurign that the insights we've identified are firmly embedded in the strategy and the work, and that our mktg is reflective of the brand strategy coming out of the insights. This covers everything from advertising to POS to experiential to digital to innovation and pricing.

I developed a market test plan. I design the evaluation pre-post survey with my research vendor. And I briefed the media agency to get the media plan for the market test.

since the last days I'm working in nnbb work, thinking of the strategy of our biggest client and inspiring and thinking with creative team through some great international stuff for a beer project

Everyday I walk in to the office curious and anxious for what I am going to create, analyze, or find out. It is almost scary how inquisitive I become even when writing the creative brief - dying to learn more about the person buying our product, what they do every day, and how my brand can become a piece of fabric in their life.

I work at a creatively driven agency so spend a lot of time just working with teams, sitting in creative reviews and preparing client presentations. Yesterday I spent 6 hours in a consumer workshop looking for Olympics insights and propositions and then spent the evening watching some creative work get murdered in focus groups. Fun.

Following up progress on a Global Research Project. Writing a Research Brief. Sitting with the ECD on some pitch brief and discussing ways in, relevant insights and ideas for a start.

I do a lot of our proprietary business ethnography projects. We use this to find inspiration and insights for creative briefs and brand strategies. This week I took part in one of the brand strategy workshops with clients. A lot of clients in Russia (especially international companies working in Russia) has become very demanding in asking for robust strategies lately. So we

have a lot of work on the branding side. Somewhat separated from the creatives. Because it may take a while from the brand strategy to the brief.

I spent most of yesterday thinking abstractly about enhancing current internet behaviors for a digital campaign my team is working on. We held a lot of meetings w/ and w/out the client, had long conversations about crazy abstract stuff, and tried to poke holes in each others ideas. Prior to these conversations, I spent most of the day ready the brief, reconstructing the brief, and thinking about what type of sandbox I need to create (figuratively) for my team to come to an awesome idea. Also, in addition to creating the sandbox, I spent a lot of time asking - and answering - the questions of ""why are we doing this?"" ""what are we trying to accomplish?"" ""is this a bunch fo bullshit?"" and ""what is the real issue at hand for this client?""

Tissue meeting with prospective clients as part of an ongoing pitch for a financial services brand in the morning and presented and discussed our proposed brand positioning and proposition and creative territories. This will be a TV led campaign but will extend to all media. I reviewed creative work for a car brand based on recent consumer research work and worked with the creative director to make sure we are getting the message right. Also worked with the client service director and CD on our telco client based on a recent tracking scores that show the brand isn't performing well amongst their target so we need to figure out the problem and how we are going to fix it. Also worked on a segmentation project (alone) for a newspaper client to identify our target and who's market share we can steal from. I'd say 70% of my day was working with others and 30% alone.

Yesterday I traveled with my team to get briefed on new pieces of business and brainstormed another client's brand character we're helping create from the ground up.

As a Junior Digital Planner my role is part community manager, part junior planner. In the morning I check a client's campaign and moderate all user content, update all of the company social media profiles and find new content to post on these properties. Throughout the day I will read articles from my Google Reader where I track important digital blogs for trends and emerging technologies that could interest my clients. I work with the technical department in my agencies to discuss upcoming briefs and pass on any case studies that may be relevant.

I pull together insight (inc research), develop creative start points, work out channel strategy, define platforms in everything from ad planning to social ideas to websites and even a bit of direct - anything and everything to do with planning (apart from really complex numbers stuff).

I was answering the phone all day long and requesting some information about the client to pass it to the creatives. Almost only some project manegment stuff.

Generel management, coming up with a new overall conceptual ideas, writing a workshop scope, creation communoication architecture, presenting at a meeting, flicking through twitter & news sites.

- Receive presentation from media agency on media plan; - Discuss status of several projects with client; - Make time schedule for Effie case entry; - Define key regions based on statistics to allow media agency to target more specific; - Discuss alterations to a campaign concept with creatives; - Give feedback to PR agency on their PR plan.

brief writing briefing creative team writing a blog post attending a focus group with a client writing a report on that focus group assitested a meeting to prepare presentations for Efie Awards

write decks deal with clients work with creatives

Researching the client's sales force. Looking for insights about behavior, the way they dress, gestures, how they talk to clients, attitude towards new clients etc

Yesterday, I was working through a creative work, after having written a brief. The creative team is not very digital, som me and the digital team was working through the idea, mulling it over for a couple of hours. After that, I spent about an hour writing a backbrief to a client who is not very good at writing client briefs. Hence I need to interpret what they want in order to determine the playing field. After that, I was working on ppt slides for a workshop on brands and branding for a client company, in order to establish common ground before presenting

their new brand platform. I then took a couple of beers, watched a live feed from the global CCO and after that returned to the digital solution I worked on this morning.

I made some admin decisions / moves like moving a favored candidate through the HR process; setting up a new employee; writing job descriptions and working with the CSO on allocations. I amended a strategy for a client. I gave feedback on a Facebook editorial calendar that another agency had created for one of our clients. I sat in two client meetings to discuss one strategy I had written and support a junior in their presentation of a strategy to a client. I went to lunch with a co-worker and tried to convince him not to totally freak out. I met with a new vendor. I began outlining a brainstorm for a client.

-talk in meetings about the internet . -talk about research I did a month ago, again in meetings -meet with clients about how a qaunt rest will run -sit down with a app developer and see what he can do for us -Stop by the creative teams space and see if they are doing alright with concepting.

As a junior planner, the main activity I do is desk research (although sometimes I have to do some coolhunting or inteviews in the street). Another main activity (but is not part of the routine) is communication anlysis. I also participate in meeting with clients and in others, such as work sessions, workshops (in these situation I go with my bosses). The agency where I work is more traditional, and their clients are too (most of them are related to the mass consummer market).

Putting out fires and having the junior planners do the more exciting work!

Looking at a brand strategy for a client, describing their brand values and personality. Uncovering new business opportunities. Pulling together new client welcome pack.

Prepared an annual planning proposal. Researched potential new clients. Developed award show entries.

Led a brainstorm on digital ideas. Met with a traditional advertising agency and media agency to agree a team approach to a client brief. Got frustrated. Tried to make sense of someone else's strategy.

Discussing brand strategy with account director. Discussing campaign ideas with creative teams. Discussing pitch strategy with account director. Briefing research team. Management board meeting.

I work on understanding the full business needs for a wide range of clients. I'm responsible for gathering full requirements, and then guiding and developing and implementing successful Integrated strategies, working alongside creative, digital, account and media disciplines. I present to client teams as well as manage effective delivery.

Figured out how to approach a client with results and information they probably don't want to hear. Met with a new biz prospect that would require an extensive discovery phase.

write millennial brand experience strategy identify actionable platforms to create brand experience ideas from

Hard thinking

client work

Manage the brand strategy of key clients

Work on competitive benchmarking of our agency's offering. Develop presentations for channel planning and programmatic development. Write creative and/or assignment briefs and brief creative teams. Oversee tactical implementation of client social media pages and day to day editorial calendar.

Yesterday was Sunday :) I have a junior planner that helps me out through all the research bit and then I focus on the strategic output for our clients. 50% of my work is working in-house with my creative colleagues and the other 50% is brand consultancy for my clients.

30% research (alone) 20% talking with creatives about jobs 15% creating presentations (alone) 30 creating a plan for a brand or event (alone) 5% talking about the plan (me and my

boss) 5%

Met with whole company to go through upcoming jobs, met with head of Planning to update him on progress of various jobs, met with Account Service and Channel Planner for client for discussion on jobs on the go, Head of Planning gave presentation to planning department on trends and changes in Account Planning, globally and the increasing requirement for media expertise, reviewed creative concepts for a campaign, arranged time to write two key briefs this week.

definning the strategy for the branding of a state owned company

lots of admin stuff, outline research project, approve film script

Plan research, oversee research, synthesize findings, design strategy, develop implementation plans, run workshops, manage clients, be awesome.

Yesterday, I: -Presented a brief I'd written to the account team for feedback before taking it to the creative team -Wrote a blog post for the company blog -Finished putting together a social/content strategy for a client that I'd been working on for a few weeks -Did my timesheets -Reviewed work that a researcher pulled together -Discussed Facebook best practices with a client -Got ready for a conference I'm going to this week

Prepared for a meeting with new clients to take them through my strategic process. Met with our creative director to discuss what we'll enter in our countries Agency of the Year submission. Planned a trip to an Innovation conference that should be helpful for people 40+ (not me) but I have to go. Took my new clients through my strategic process (they were very impressed and this should be a kick-ass product launch). Worked on a deck to present the new (post-digital) brief I worked on with another planner here that our agency is launching. Surfed the internet for ideas.

I analyze the client's business in relation to advertising/marketing mediums, then share this information with the creative team. So I spend 1/3 of my time learning about media, 1/3 of my time learning the client's business, and the other 1/3 fucking around with the creatives.

Planning in all facets, digital, traditional, social media, I sit in creative departement, help creatives who have questions, works also internally, new studies, knowledge transfer, bridging gap between classic and digital teams, i'm not in a team, just floating around, working on every possible project and client

Check e-mails Contact clients Updating the job flow Researching Start to put on paper the results and search for insights

I attended 3 focus groups and prepaired a presentation to client with account and creative people.

My junior planners and I went to a conference being held in town for the morning. Got some inspiration about the future of advertising agencies by seeing people from all around the world talk about their experiments with different models. Got some lunch together then back to the office. Negotiated with a potential hire and skyped with another candidate. Reviewed progress on a project junior planner is owning.

Cultural research reading, listening, observing connecting disparate ideas making sense of unorganized work managing client expectations

Usually start every day browsing my ""inspiring"" twitter lists, engaging with some tweeps, going through blogs (related or not to ad industry) to see whats going on around the world. Then i focused on a 1st digital project we're doing for a new client but making sure we are strategically preparing the table for an upcoming ""on invitation"" pitch llater this year. This specific client, related to fashion industry, is ready to make more room to digital so we're making sure to understand perfectly its industry, customers, history, in order to propose the right strategies.

building a brand workshop, visiting a client site for a tour and interviews, and an agency operations meeting

Wrote and revised briefs, met with account and creative team to review those briefs, worked on a POV presentation for clients, got on the phone with client to discuss upcoming research,

sat in few meetings to offer my perspective

Run workshop to look at potential strategic platform for new product Edit award entries for campaigns we have done over the last year written proposals for research into how we can evolve a current brand platform Received brief for an upcoming campaign. Disagreed with CD who disagreed with my strategy Mentored other planners

Craft a strategic POV for a SS2012 product launch, which will determine the positioning of product and lead to a creative brief for client sign off.

Listen. Digest. Comment. Re-work.

Mainly client work Big idea projects - extended to digital and experiential

My role is to develop an integrated approach to planning, going from more traditional advertsing to digital and activation approaches. For this reason, I've been more and more involved with some channel planning thinking. Most of the work developed so far is for clients, in a global basis, focusing more in developing markets.

Digital trend hunting, innovation planning, digital builds. Business strategy, business consultancy, business planning.

65% of the days spent on meetings, the rest of the time you try to accomplish something and if some time is left, you start remembering that you are here to think.

Working with creatives to open up the possibility of how we can engage consumers to interact directly with or on behalf of our client's brands. Trend research, engagement research, pushing a client to think different and engage with consumers in a refreshing way.

Yesterday I recieved a few emails from our biggest client regarding social media statistics. I took down the relevant notes and moved on to review their project status, updating my project status copy. Then our agency held status, where everyone discusses the status of projects and what needs to happen that day. There is a new accounts sup so we took a few hours together to discuss agency priorities, position, and our task of setting up a formal process. The sup and I went to lunch, came back, and sat down with our interactive producer to organize some information for needed briefings happening the next day. Our CEO joined us and we discussed the next day's big call with the client. It was a very account management-focused day.

I lead a truly ambidextrous team of brand, integrated, digital, technical planners. We design and shape the futures of brands. We give brands a story and a voice

Teleconference with client and outside agency to discuss 5 strategy opitions for unifying their brand to different customers. Working on a training presentation. Teleconference with colleagues in US discussing the plan for a workshop we're conducting with their client in our area of expertise. browsing twitter. Writing blog.

worked on an sales incentive campaign for Volvo do Brasil, a fitness challenge for Exxon Mobil, and a campaign for IMAX Pirates of the Caribbean

Designed a research approach for three different projects.

Wrote a presentation Gave an induction to new clients Researched stuff on the internet Chatted to creatives Drank tea

New business research for a brand to determine the format of its television show

brand position in digital environment. Strategy of e-commerce for the client. Strategy for a brand experience for a Bank

I was working on two different projects encompassing different regions although they are from the same client. One project was mainly desk research for competitor review. The other was on the creative briefing phase. Depending on the project, I can only interact with the account people or be involved with the creative team.

I spend a lot of my time these days figuring out how to make things work; taking our strategy and turning it into execution. Although my focus is ostensibly digital, a lot of what I do is help

take digital strategy and make it integrated.

Start the day checking emails. Address anything in the emails that is urgent (usually there's something). Continue work on a New Business pitch strategy. Lots of meetings with client teams and production on client communication, timelines and status reports. Possibly present some level of strategy, either informally to a colleague or formally to the creative group and/or account group. Hang out with the Creatives in (any) downtime and try to walk somewhere to pick up lunch with the IT folks.

I usually work with new businnes. I read my emails and answered some clientes, after that, a Iah a meeting to discuss one company´s marketing goals, after that a I had lunch with another client were we talked about his target and products, this all were by myself. After that, I had a meeting with my fellows at the agency, where we discussed the openning of a fast food store and it´s strategies. Then I aswered some other client´s email, had another internal meeting to discuss a field research and that´s it.

i mostly work for new business, so my last day was about taking a brief at a prospect's, finishing a presentation for another one and rehersing the presentation. i went to a meeting with another agency of the network on a 10 day pitch we took 3 days before for which we will work days, nights and week-ends until the end of it. I've been benchmarking a lot the reste of the time.

I'm the lead strategist on one of our client accounts. Yesterday I was writing a strategic document to answer a new brief. I was working alone, however that document will be discussed internally as a group by the client account team before it is finalised and presented to the client. The project I'm working affects the client at a business level and not just at a comms level. This is very typical of the work that I do and of course more rewarding than writing propositions for a creative brief.

(full digital agency) insight gathering & analysis company development from creative side pitch presentations & new business (doing keynotes + holding the presentations) digital concepts understanding of digital media, technologies, digital media buying feasibility design sparring creatives + concepts ux design usability following the digital world

understand the vision of my client. sheppard through the platform idea through to the creative

I spent the morning working on personas for the users of a site we are redesigning, first by myself and then with an interaction designer I am partnering with on the project. Then I met with several creatives to discuss new homepage designs for a different site (same client). In the afternoon I revised a brief for a direct mail campaign and then met with yet another team, on yet another site redesign to discuss our strategy and presentation prior to the client presentation on Friday.

1/3 I was working alone to finalize a presentation. 1/3 I was fixing some wordings and bugs within it with my boss. 1/3 we were talking about the client, what he needs etc. Between that I was discussing with some tech-experts about some restrictions we have to consider. It was a majoritian digital work we had to do, but we felt the need to get some inspiration by classic advertising, too.

During my day, I never do one thing for long. In addition to being my agency's one planner, I multi-task as the management lead on 12 different client accounts and all new business leads. My role quickly jumps from basic follow-ups and design trafficing to the creation of in-depth strategy presentations and proposals. Yesterday, I spoke to representatives from 8 of my different clients, completed billing reports for 3, sent 1 RFP response, reviewed 4 completed design projects, and proofed 5 analytics/media reports. I think my days can be summed up as ""life at a small agency"".

8.30 Walk in the agency, grab the free breakfast and spend the first 30 min of my day checking my feeds (mostly Twitter) 9.00 Review of a deck I'm working on at the moment with my boss (Strategy Director) 9.30 Work on this same deck for the next 3 hours. 12.30 Lunch is approaching, 30 min to check my feeds and emails. 13.00 Heading to the canteen to eat something. 13.30 Back at my desk checking stuff out 14.00 Start working on another deck that I'll present internally to my colleagues in 2 weeks time. 17.00 Inspiration session at the agency 18.30 Was a good day, I'm leaving!

Working with a sister company on a global pitch; working with (another) sister company on a

current client request; writing job descriptions; updating agency planning tools (creative brief etc); thinking about what I have not gotten to yet this week, including a presentation detailing a new virtual experience for a shared client.

Yesterday, I monitored trends, read blogs, checked twitter, checked Facebook, read news sites. I gave a job offer. I sat through mind-numbing status meetings. I discussed POV and tone of message for a website to be launched.

Project 1: early in the morning: Brief meetings with account executives and DGC Project 2: meeting with my boss to think ideas and review reserchs and reports about the brand that we were working in, review the category with a benchmark and the concept universe of the brand. We chat a lot and decide the concept umbrella of the campaign. We think in digital touchpoints and organize the steps of communication with the consumers.

All digital

digital, client work, user/customer experience planning as well as brand/comms planning

Reviewed creative work for client X, briefed a creative team on client Y, spoke with the PR team and media companies to align on an outreach program for client X, reviewed client documents for a research project for client Z, worked with account to tackle legal problems on client X, summerized finding from client Z. Whew.

Working with our account team to flesh out the specific problems and challenges on a given project and then work to brief the team on the business problems. Then I work to identify potential solutions I am constantly monitoring the space for new developments and interesting functionality that we can leverage to gain an edge in the space (POVs, Competitive benchmarking) Part of this involves constantly monitoring the competitive space and work hard to be the resident authority in my sector. I then use that knowledge to provide key information and perspective on strategic direction. Planning, executing and coordinating pertinent research and analysis activities Analyzing and presenting the results of these activities to clients and project teams Benchmarking existing solutions against competitors Requirements gathering sessions and stakeholder interviews Provide thought leadership on site measurement and usability I also work very hard at becoming the jack of all trades to provide thought leadership to the team.

Receive briefing from client. Do some trend, market and behavior research. Talk about the research with project manager and designer (we don´t usually have copywriters). Brainstorm some ideas. Make the powerpoint. Do presentation to client.

Mostly digital work, pretty much along the lines of modeling bought, owned and earned media - primarily existing global accounts, a bit of new biz

For new projects it's research, analysis and strategy; usually in that order. Strategy usually begins in planning then quickly bridges to include creative and then tech. For existing projects it's metrics analysis, strategy then optimization.

Wrote and ammended a social media proposal. Wrote up a full campaign report for a LinkedIn Direct Ads trial campaign. Liased over a number of social media matters.

Yesterday i took the trip to work with our traditional agency partners of a global brand. We were concepting out a communication brand strategy before each specialist agency began to share their executional thinking for their area of expertise. After the meeting, we caught up on the global communication messaging calendar where we attempted to list out the different messages going out across all channels over the next 12 months. I was responsible for updating the team on our social vision and messaging strategy across social channel engagement PLUS our campaign roll out messaging plans.

Lots of meetings. Too many meetings. Not enough time to think. Lots of telling people the right way to do things. Lots of feeling disappointed in others. Some good brainstorming with creatives. Figuring our ideas and how to share then with clients so we get by in. Very little traditional planning or research.

I mostly work alone - yesterday I spent a couple hours working on a social media initiative that involves a lot of client contact (this is not a strictly planning project), which can be frustrating. The rest of the time, I was putting together a POV report from more subjective online research - not getting a lot of feedback internally, which I find a little difficult to handle. I like to check

in and have people check in with me.

Developing user testing research proposal for designer furniture client. Developing agency marketing plan. Managing client response to brief.

Based on some existing personas, I created an interview guide that I'm going to use to interview customers about how they user our client's website.

developing business development pitch strategy creating a model to scale the planning group leading a multi-faceted, digital solutions strategy including a 12-person team

1) Wrote a deck for an internal department meeting to recap a recent research project and suggest ways to make future research projects successful. 2) Researched freemium business models for a client project and started to write slides on the implications of my findings for the client's project.

Digital, social Writing presentations

- Pulling together a proposal for a mobile strategy project for an existing client - Doing a 'lightweight' strategy project for an internal client team, so that they can use that knowledge in their own work; liasing with other employees to pull together the complete picture.

I’ve been working on trying to figure out what is the role of a brand in the digital world, how the brand behave, where the brand lives (facebook, twitter), how the brand manage their relationship in the digital world.

My last full day, I sat in a meeting to discuss our digital strategic plans for 4 brands that we are working on - specifically what pieces of research/audits we had, what we still needed, and who was responsible for them. The rest of the day, I worked on a methodology for social listening, as well as helping another planner on a social listening brief.

Worked on a proposal for a research project Wrote a POV on why we should create a Youtube brand channel for a client attended a status call with a counterpart planner

I study trends and solve complex problem into simple, well organized, emotionally touching, convincing stories for both internal and external (clients) audiences

At the agency at 8am. Start reading Twitter list and news on the web. After that, begin to plan all day tasks and to do list. Meet with Directors of Creative, Development and Operations to discuss new project. Meeting with a prospect. Meeting with a client. Around 4PM start working on a communication planning for a new client campaign. 6PM meeting with Planning and Commercial team. Till 8PM, continue to work on presention. Home.

Im sometimes disappointed for the ways we are taking. We are not doing well and still going on the same direction that took us here so yesterday i had a conversation with my boss about how we should act and think, and about planning but his too worry about selling what we cant sell anymore

Develop communications strategy, present to creative teams, sit in on the creative development and help them as they move/progress on things. Support and help them with insights/direction when needed. Help them sell in work. And develop the strategic sell-in to lead into creative concepts.

A lot of reserach or working with research team to create POV on any subject. To give thoughtful guidance to clients about our thinking, and why we're approaching an audience/project the way we do.

I'm in the middle of doing research for a larger trends deck for one of my major clients. They often are interested in teens as a target audience across many brand categories, so yesterday I spent my time trolling the web looking for interesting articles and facts and what not. My sources tend to be kind of scattered, but for this I started by looking into Iconoculture and then used links from interesting articles on the site to go all over. I also follow quite a few other planners on Twitter and find myself looking at the articles they post. As I'm going through all of this, I'm making notes in my cliche moleskin for possible trend topics and starting to form the story I want to tell in my head. Yesterday was light on normal, tangible work, but I've found that spending days just reading everything you run across on the web can

be super helpful. From there, I also found bits and pieces that were interesting for my client teams and sent off a couple emails to them.

flew to client meeting. talked about a project that is out of skill scope, but think we can bring value. Trying to add some dollars to our bottom line. Some frustations with narrowness of client organization, but happy they are considering us. Met with team after to assign work. Checked facebook. Flew home . A little new business from an existing client. - oh also wrote a digital brief for different client on lunch break.

My last day job was finishing a social media plan strategy that was develop to respond the following question: How social media can be used for that brand and for what? What this work for my brand and how the brand should act and manifest itself inside social media? Research, strategy and tactics.

Yesterday I wrote a short proposal for a $30k strategy job; lead 2 brainstorming exercises; produced a POV on web best practices, another on email list rentals; checked in on a team planning/designing a web solution for a new client; presented a entrepreneurial business idea to a panel of company executives. It was a busy day, but fairly representative.

I started the day with a weekly status meeting with my company, our partner creative and media agencies and client. That lasted an hour and we reviewed ongoing projects. I spent the rest of the morning working with the AD and CD on another client to get ready for a first round creative concept presentation the next day. At noon, we had a 2 hour call with the same client that I had the status for, and they ""briefed"" us on 4 new brand and product campaigns that are coming up. We are their digital media agency, so we also learned more about what their primary agency is doing in terms of a new brand architecture and tagline. I spent the rest of the afternoon starting initial digging on the new campaigns we were briefed on--getting the lay of the land in the new categories.

I work on 100% digital work but it's really understanding how to create digital campaigns that work well within the integrated marketing mix. Also, leveraging social media listening and other tools to understand the consumer and develop engaging tactics.

Here lately (the past year) I've found myself involved in a great deal of social media projects. Everything from social strategy (one project was global), approach, creative content, audience analysis, and how that fits into the overall communication strategy. My days seem to be mostly filled with consumer trend research, decks on audience behaviors and pop culture, creative briefs, and setup slides for creative work (adding a little storytelling to strengthen the creative ideas).

Finnishing a project, a lopt of stress since our team is short in staff and some people can't cope with the pace of deadlines.

I'm a digital planner and my last day consisted out of refining a deck for a global strategy for my client.

Researched a lot of technology trends. PPT decks. Reading psychology articles. Keeping up with blogs.

Yesterday I met w/ creatives to review digital work (digital agency). I have fast & slow days, since we're not always AOR, so yesterday happened to be slow. Just got thru a big push of projects.

I finished the consumer insights section of a new business proposal for a DTC digital AOR prospect.

Researching, digging for insights, writing decks, and managing social media.

Digital New business

Catching up on current events (general news, related industries, client's industry), Conference call briefing with the client on two projects, meeting to review creative for upcoming client presentation, internal meeting with planning and analytics department to align on all projects, writing first draft of agency brief based on earlier conference call, review competitive overview presentation put together by a junior planner on our team, read some related material to current projects, etc...

I started my day reading some blogs & tweets before getting a kick off meeting of a new project (1h lasted) Then before lunch I was thinking of a project and gathering some information via Internet. In the afternoon I had a brain storming with one jr planner about a little campaign we are working on, first it was about finding an interesting mechanic for a contest but at the end we changed everything due to our session. For the rest of the day I was involved in preparing a comms review for a telecom client together with media planners.

I'm in a digital agency. The day started with responding to emails from the copywriter, UX lead and designer in the team with revisions to various aspects of my current project. I spent quite a bit of time looking at the work, making suggestions, challenging the creative to go farther, making a case as to where we should go based on objectives and client feedback and generally arguing different points of view. We are getting to the stage in this project where we need to go beyond early concepting into proper comps of the work so now the big picture needs to matter as much as the tiny details and making sure everyone was aligned to that task. At lunch time about 8 of us headed out to pick up sandwiches and sit in one of the nearby parks to eat and generally have good chill time. Had a team phone call to look over changes since the morning's emails and discuss other to-do's on the project discussed before. After that, had a new business meeting with the creative director, content strat director, account service, and COO. As I was still in war path mode, it was a testy conversation just to make sure we were all aligned about how we plan to organically grow new business opportunities through dinners, guest speaker sessions, mixers, and attending events / professional groups. Its all about meeting new people and presenting with the golden triangle of CD+AS+Strat. Unified front. After that there was some conversation about new big project we won and resourcing and generally getting ducks in a row as we wait for contract negotiations to be complete. In between that and a few more emails on the main project I was configuring my web server, checking the twitter feeds for sneaker updates, a little facebook, a little RSS skimming, a little IM'ing with my planning mentor back in Amsterdam (as he was watching football & tv shows before bed).

Comunication analisys, market research, revising if the creatives were following the strategy, brainstorming to create a mobile app, studied the analytics of the clients to track changes e help to take actions.

manage a team of planners, so less 'doing' more 'coaching' - execept new biz, then I'm often 'the' planner

I talked to our managing director about our all agency meeting, and we discussed why only 8 people showed up to a discussion with Gowalla the day before. I had lunch with a Group Creative Director to discuss a new AOR account as well as his wishes for staffing an existing client for which we are digital agency. I met with a Senior Strategist to see how her big global social media toolkit for a major client is going, and if she needs help or support. I then met with another Senior Strategist to review the creative set up for a brand campaign presentation we have tomorrow for an AOR client. I went to an all agency meeting and announced the Team of the Quarter and had a beer. I talked to a Group Strategy Director about new client where we are digital agency to see how things were going and discuss needs. I called a candidate for an interview but she didn't answer. I met with a strategist who I'm working with on an innovations/trends project to discuss our plan of action, and then I met with the Group Account Director to discuss said trends project and our need for a Senior Strategist on this account. I don't get to do many things at work because I'm constantly in meetings and talking to people, helping people. I actually do work at night. And AOR = agency of record, but I assume everyone knows that.

New business Primary research Stakeholder interviews Presentations to clients Strategic planning Finding consumer insights

It's client planning time so I helped build a strategic framework for communicating our year to them. I had a couple staff meetings, participated in 2 brainstorms, worked on a global summit presentation and attended a social media lecture.

Planning in digital realm, doing client work AND new business

> all of my work is post-digital > say hello to the team. > discussing with our managing directors about the happenings of the last weeks > planning the following weeks > recapture the last big workshop and looking for the homework of one of my senior planners > brainstorm a little with a creative concept > bang on the table cause something went wrong >

thinking about the direction of the vision of one of my clients > 30% little political work on every day - working with other agencies, helping our partners at the clients, ... > most of the time doing client work but new business for them, building the project caused by strategic visions and plans

digital strategy, brand development, campaign planning and management, copy writing, proposal writing/pitching, article writing, presentations on digital, digital advocacy, social media training. My clients are a mix of public sector, charities and commercial brands.

Reserarch, strategy & then part of the creative solutions.

Working on digital Insights and strategies for different companys

Digital

Prepared presentation for meeting summing up strategy for a massive new digital program for a financial institution. Shared intro with clients in 3 hour meeting (30 mins was me, the rest was the intracate details of how project would actually get made - with was mind-numbingly boring for me and the clients, but a necessary step to ensure site gets built properly. Then sat in meeting with creatives and producers to try to salvage an idea that turned out to not be against the rules of Facebook - but this is the idea the client had bought, so we had to get round it. The creatives would have solved it without me, but lucky I was there as their ideas were heading off-strategy. Finally, agency management presented their vision for the agency and progress to date. Really impressive people, and good progress.

I help the client figure out what it is they should do, which is not always what they want. And work with tech, creative and other specialist people (e.g. UE, analytics, SEO, media) to help deliver this in the most effective way. To enable this process I provide stimulus in the form of research and moderate 'ideation' sessions (sorry) such as workshops and brainstorms. Then I help craft the final output and convey this to the client in what is hopefully the most effective way.

New business planning 1 h Presentation to Client 2 h Preparing presentation 1 h Brieffing the team for thei assignments 2 h Drawing wireframe 1 h Internal planning meeting, developing tools 1 h

yesterday i really dive into consumer insights. that's probably the most recorrent stuff that we do at our agency. understanding, capitalizing and getting fully into people's live.

I was primarily working on a digital/social media project for a pharma client. I was given the responsibility to conduct an indepth research on consumer behavior online and their social media consumption habits. We used the insights that we got from these conversations to guide our strategy.

Well, yesterday me, the AE, Director of Accounts and Creative Director flew to our client in Cincinnati where we had a three-hour working session with her. We got questions answered, finalized concepts and generally put the campaign in motion. We also had the opportunity to meet with another branch of their business where we delivered a capabilities presentation and outlined next steps for starting a new working relationship. My role specifically was to first and foremost be familiar with all the research we've done for our current client. This came in handy while working with their partner traditional agency because we ended up having disagreements about what the research actually meant. During the capabilities presentation, it was my job to explain our Discovery process and the work we had already done in the other part of their company, familiarize myself with this new market and target audience and have thoughtful questions to engage the client in conversation.

digital plans, new business

Wrote creative brief Presented creative brief Wrote strategic setup for creative presentation

Influencing and developing communications strategies that inform creative messaging ideas and executions within digital media. Bringing consumer context and understanding to the assignment. Inspiring creatives creatively.

Composing target profiles, working with media department on context planning projects, writing creative briefs, trying to get different departments to play nice together.

Worked on new biz with a group of creatives, strategists for digital/social piece of business for a couple hours. Spent some time after writing a portion presentation for it alone. Spent about 1.5 hours reading nothing in particular to keep up on trends, news, case studies. Managed current client work with account manager for a social engagement client that is in progress.

I work in a digital agency, so my work is fully digital oriented. However, we are very involved in any other form os communication of all our clients and we maintain a coos relationship with the other agencies (branding/traditional, in-store/promotions, pr agencies, media, etc) As part of that close relationship (clients stimulate this interactive synergy between partner agencies) I am involved in branding projects in general and with a specific lens over digital. After that work is done, the daily work starts (which I guess is the question asked here). In my case, I create digital strategies that take under consideration the target insights in general, and the digital behaviors in particular. With that information we design digital architectures, points of contacts, and other strategies for particular campaigns. I also frame the key message strategy for all forms of communications (social media through Community Managers, website, OLM, OLV, mobile, direct/newletters, etc) By the end of the day I don't even want to check my yahoo mail!!! :)

i worked with my clients to develop a richer segmentation approach to how they look at their target. in a 2-hour meeting, i convinced them to reject their old segmentation model in favor of a richer, psychographic model i developed, largely for the powerful insights we could then tap into.

Yesterday my day started with a client presentation for a digital campaign. Then I worked on making changes/suggestions to a deck containing ideas for a social media campaign. At noon I attended a vendor presentation that introduced us to new technology available for ads on mobile devices. In the afternoon I read research decks.

I worked on creating a channel strategy with our UX lead, helped a junior planner on creating digital profiles for our account, and started 2012 planning for the account with the account lead.

Met with media partners, worked on new agency procedures, built a case study on a past project, approved client social media messaging before sending to client, managed various client social media projects.

I spent the most of the morning brainstorming a way to map out the digital environment of a target audience with the heads of digital strategy and media at my company. We use this as a way to communicate to our client what the customer expects to see from their site, as well as identify opportunities in the market. The middle of my day was spent building a presentation about Facebook best practices and strategy for a client. The afternoon I participated in a meeting with our labs team where we reviewed ideas submitted by coworkers and voted on which ones would become projects in the lab. In between all of these activities I answered requests for powerpoint slides and case studies.

Research into how social media impacts on television viewing, new business meeting to promote company credentials and take a brief, communicate the benefits of an existing strategy to the client that is being carried out.

I solve communication problems for clients using tools which help me evaluate the situation (develop insights), plan for a solution (brand planning, comms planning etc etc), and evaluate the outcome and turn it into more insights. Daily, I work within the broader team to structure a project (how are we going to get things done), coach the broader team on what we're doing and why, and fight the good fight to retain a high quality of work amidst constant budget & resource pressures. Sometimes I actually do the work which means doing research, and documenting outcomes in a way that tells a universally understandable story in a fun way. So, my days mostly consist of meetings with people to either structure projects, review work, or present work to clients and gain feedback. As a regional planning director, I'm also involved in meetings to set global planning vision and also to review finances for my region and discuss various billings vs hiring vs performance issues.

Checked into the office after lunch, helped out analyzing a few alerts our social media monitoring team had to sent out, and spent most of the day juggling ideas and references with our creative director, for a presentation we need to make next week, on a campaign to launch one of our clients' new website.

I'm a digital strategist. I'm responsible for creating social media/digital strategies for clients, with recommendations. I present the strategy, sell it through and then work with creative and accounts to get the work made. I was a planner in a traditional agency, and this is much more tactical. I do miss a lot of the bigger picture work I did, but this is much more stable (money is more easily tied to strategy when it's more tactical) and I get to work with brilliant people who are in a similar life stage as I am.

client work, bringing the brand perspective to digital clients, inclusive, briefing traditional agencies.

Segment trends Competitors benchmark Consumer insight research Brand study Strategic proposition Tactical actions development KPIs definition Implementing and optimizing results

Developed a customer journey using qualitative insights in time for a briefing session. Set up the online tagging of a Social media campaign

Understand organisational objectives and produce insight driven user centred creative communications

I'm a digital planner, so the core of my time is spent on: 1) creative planning e.g. campaigns, creative brief, talking to creatives, presenting creative to client. 2) experience planning e.g. customer journey, ""how to make 10 activities 1 campaign"", talking to UXP or IA, presenting user journeys or activity maps to client. 3) data planning e.g. measurement & analytics, KPI & target setting, research briefs, presenting results to client. The ideal day would be to spend 1 hour reading industry news to learn and keep up to date (e.g. mashable), 3 hours on work (see above) and 3 hours meetings. The reality day is reading in your free time (e.g. wired), 7 hours meetings, and 3 hours work in the evening after everyone else has gone home :-)

I have been working on a website rebuild for one of our key clients. Yesterday, I conducted some primary research (man on the street interviews and survey monkey) followed by some secondary research on the consumer (e.g., reading a mintel report). After some of the research I sat on my own for about an hour and just thought, jotting down some ideas on my pad. After ruminating I went back to the brand team for a collaborative brainstorm.

I'm working on a digital brief for repositioning an energy drink in APAC with a colleague supervising from another region.

my work included managing 2 projects, giving the client feedback to a designer and a developer. then i started to research for a new product release campaign and i followed up the work of our social media department

I spent the day presenting a new eCommerce strategy that outlined how the company should be utilizing its brand and brand content to reach its target more effectively.

Yesterday I started the day by having a look around on blogs and twitter. Then I worked on a research project for which I have to collect and analyse stuff about digital data, trends, and behaviours, for different european countries on all platforms. This is the initial milestone of a wider project that is to be presented to a client. Then I have worked on another client project. We are trying to sell them a social media project so we first do the audit of the brand and its competitors (direct and not direct) on social platforms, try to understand how they integrate their different social accounts to a hypothetical hub, for local and global markets. We look at both the brand publications but also at the level of engagement of the communities.

Returned from a 5 day training on gathering insights and presenting ""as stories."" Was on an emotional high, with the key takeaway being that I do love what I do. However, I returned to my digital agency, where I love the people but the work tends to not be inspiring or ""big."" I went through my email, reached out to our summer interns to make sure they did not have any questions before starting. I got my weekly ""hours"" from the different project I work on - that never add up to either how much I should spend on a project and / or 40 hours per week. Sat in a status meeting on one project where we learned that the lead / traditional agency on the project wanted to share an ""idea"" for our Facebook work (aka, we would have to use this idea). Also found out in this meeting that the lead / traditional agency wanted to reach out to me to work on the marketing plan for this project, but I was supposed to tell them no, according to the account director, because we are not scoped for this exercise. I was then left out of a client review of wireframes for a site update for which I had crafted an extensive brief. I proceeded to question the point of my role if only to brief and then be kicked out of the

process. I spent the rest of the day catching up on emails, finding the wireframes on the server and sending through my comments on them from a strategic point of view and meeting with co-workers to determine what the work week will look like, so as to schedule my workload appropriately.

I work at a digital agency. I work on very few clients. My dominant responsibility is new business. I perform a lot of quick and dirty quant and qual research (e.g. In-depth Interviews, Focus Groups, ethnographies, surveys, secondary source mining, etc,). I'm responsible for distilling this research into insights, a comprehensive digital and sometimes brand strategy, briefing and coaching the creative teams and finally authoring and presenting the pitch deck.

All planners are Lazy!

Starting out with a 5 hour workshop with the client to explore new opportunities in social/digital. After that get cracking on some buzz monitoring reports and global social brand strategies.

Checked e-mail, briefed the Creative and Media team for a national digital campaign, joined a meeting with a cliente about Mobile Marketing strategy, conducted an internal meeting about Social Media strategy for a client and conducted a brainstorm for a pitch.

brainstorm write creative briefs consult clients consult other teams manage others review their work

Write crative briefs, organize brainstormings, write creative rationals & strategic documents.

Pitch planning - and writing New hire interview Pre-planning research / document review Jr. employee briefing Digital / social networking Thinking / dreaming

On a daily basis I work with a team of individuals to strategize for and meet client requests. We work 100% in the digital realm. Though I am a member of a team, I work mostly individually, completing tasks and manage clients. I participate in and lead brainstorms. Lead weekly and bi-weekly client calls at which data and recommendations represented and discussed. I also compose and plan communications across multiple social platforms. Each communication is followed up with insights and recommendations. Often, in-the-moment client requests or situations present themselves, for which I have to quickly problem solve and execute new strategies.

stuff

I start by doing research on new clients, work with creative solutions for them and then i created a keynote on a target audience in Social Media

think and do.

I started the day briefing a creative team on a banner assignment. This involved presenting a pretty boring brief but making it interesting in the briefing with a bunch of thought-starters. I followed that up by reviewing some wireframes for the same client but a different assignment. I got to weigh in on calls-to-action, relative importance of features, and the content strategy behind it all. After that I spent some time creating a few brand platforms for a new subbrand within one of my client organizations. This involved reviewing the research we've done and notes I've made and identifying the most interesting, appropriate, and distinctive pieces. Next, I met with a planner who is leaving and go a full download on a channel strategy project she's leaving behind that I'm picking up. Then, I spent time with an interaction designer debating a diagram showing the entire digital media landscape of one of our clients. It's complicated, but our clients don't want it to be. So we had to figure out how much we could simplify without making the chart worthless. Finally, I worked very late with a creative director and an account director preparing for the presentation where we will present those brand platforms I wrote early in the day. It's to senior people, so we worked on the content, then the flow, then the presentation format.

Making sense of the things no one else on the team understands.

Most of the day was spent crafting a multi-year digital strategy for a client. I worked independently for most of the project but shared the deck with my boss and the analytics team for feedback.

Wrote a client brief for market research Assessed client competitor advertising and marketing strategies Developed programme for internal research and analysis Made a start on writing some white papers Looked through client documentation as pre-cursor to working on their new proposition development project

I pitched for media business, meet new clients and help my team during the pitched

Comms Planning to roll out an international campaign together with (social) creatives, account and production teams. Strategic proposal for existing client on how to explore new business models for them.

Review a brands current evolution per changes in consumer behaviour in Nigeria Do informal brainstorming sessions with creatives as regards unlocking a Big idea for a brand Checking out some key research report that just came in

doing research and read articles, blog entries and so on on my own. write down the end of my new business presentation and go prensenting it with an account director of my agency. Get back to work and beginning to work on a new pitch, doing some researches about the brand, the market and the digital presences on this type of market.

Decided on priorities for optimisation of a branded utility tool Wrote recommendation for marketing and communications opportunities for this tool

I help clients and brands steer a path through a complicated set of choices. We use creativity to give them incremental advantage and a more interesting path.

Planners think about what should the team do for a project, how to deliver what the team would end up delivering for the clients

working alone with others digital client work new business

Ran the prospects list with the staff, closed a small website deal, Planned wrote & published a search term portfolio for a travel company for this quarters activity, mentored a young staff member in SEO about minor meta tags, planned SEO for a wedding site, researched 2 templates for a low cost job, updated ppc campaign for a sports travel group, planed some SEO optimisation work for a client, reviewed the business funnel

I help to energize a team to find and bring insights to our clients and our internal teams we work with. My day could be spent researching, pulling measurement data, analyzing data, facilitating a session and working with team members to collaboratively push all of our thinking to the next level.

Developing a years direct and digital strategy to help maintain brand leadership in an FMCG marketplace. Involves workshops with clienst and agency partners (especially ATL). I will also either write or contribute to creative briefs during the day and generally be a ""brain"" for the account to bounce things off/test ideas.

I work in digital projects for social media. And how my agency is tiny, I do the planning and the production of content. So I start my day with a research for news and informations, for then post them. After that I make the planning of the week and e-mail it to approval with clients, if needed meeting. then I post the to-dos needed to me and my colleagues. Right now I'm working with a new account, so daily I check the layout, html and fmbl production. And I have weekly meeting with clients. On my free time I search for new functions, news, and play some social games.

I created a digital strategy for a pest control brand, celebrated winning a big new business pitch (for which I had done a quick online research panel session and presented the consumer insights in the pitch), l sat in two team meetings to 1. understand and plan for upcoming online advertising projects and 2. review analytics deliverables for my telecom client.

Creating an online video distribution strategy. Leading a team in creating a mobile app distribution strategy.

I work mainly with new clients, receiving briefing from them and working on their digital or social media strategy. So, in an average day, I have 2 or 3 meetings, with clients or with my team at the agency, the rest of the day I read on the internet about new social media tools or

case studies. I also help some account executives or community managers to solve some minor problems on implementation or execution.

first of all, i have always my twitter open to have an eye on what's going on. i try to save time everyday for strategic watch. Yesterday, i did that when i arrived at the office. Then i focused on my main subject which is thinking of a relevant communciation operation on the social media for a french brand. i did a benchmark and analysed the different strategy involved to measure the best practices. I've prepared it along the week and i prepared a brainstorming document to go with it with the values of the brand, the target and the market (concurential brands...). this document was acted by my boss and i can now start the begining of the presentation.

Twittering Bookmarking Reading Benchmarking Writing lots of slides on power point brainstorming with creatives

Long hours

Meetings followed by meetings! Client calls, internal creative reviews, writing strategic deck or creative briefs. Working with creatives to make their work better, chatting with account folk about business objectives and client needs, being the connection point between account, creative, UX and media departments to build cohesive stories and push internal communication.

Got briefed on a large global digital campaign for a client, and then started working (alone) on the creative brief for that project. Ran a creative brainstorm for another global campaign (me plus five creatives). Attended two client meetings. Had four internal meetings.

we interview people from the client's organization and try to identify whats the problem we should be solving and do research (mainly deskresearch) about competitors, consumers, trends etc., Then, working with a parter (most of the time) we come up with strategy that should solve that clients needs and produce a keynote to present all that.

Cull consumer insights in service of a digital creative output.

- Started off the day with a department status meeting (We are planning for our Planning offsite.) - Half an hour of work time. Prep for my next meeting. - Lunch meeting on mobile opportunities for our client. I think it's great but a lot of work has already been done by a team and client hasn't bought it yet. - Work Time: I'm finessing a positioning deck to be presented next week - Did Timesheets (We have to have them in each Friday). - End of Day creative review: this takes a few hours. This a bit contentious. The team's work is 'on brief' but it doesn't culminate in a compelling idea. I spend the next two hours and part of the weekend discussing feedback and suggestions for ways to approach the work.

I work with my team to define and execute digital engagements across platforms, for existing accounts and prospective clients on a daily and weekly basis..

Website reporting, social media behavioral analysis, social media strategy presentations, integration with digital properties, trends seminar

I worked on creating a competitive review of social media activities so I could compare my brand's efforts in social channels. I also worked on a brainstorm to try to figure out the deliverables for a social media strategy.

Developing an editorial mission for an online magazine with content living across platforms

Write decks (sorry, I want to go in depth, but don't have it in me)

Mentor junior account team, produce Powerpoint decks, whitepapers, and creative briefs, and read.

Truthfully, I don't remember my last day. That's like asking a student what they learned at school yesterday. I would say this: Project after project after project. As a digital planner, everyday is different yet everyday is the same. I'm constantly changing projects and everything needs to be done quickly. Quantity is more important than quality, unfortunately.

I led a digital campaign planning workshop for my clients. 30 people from around the world came together to learn about new trends in digital technology, mobile culture, and in

campaign planning. But most days, I sit in meetings, get asked to pull together a couple of charts with some insights on them, which are then mostly just used to tick a box that the account team thinks the client wants. At 5pm I actually get to start working.

a lot of teaching other disciplines what planning is and how we help make their work better and bring them great insights. the rest of the time is 1) fighting for appropriate time on projects, 2) making sure teams don't forget to include us, 3) finding insights because we know the team needs them whether they ask or not, 4) fighting the good fight.

Digital client work

Trained in MAS - Account Planning: I plan digital led campaigns in the small digital shop I work in.

Worked on a presentation for a Mobile Strategy. Worked with creatives on a concept for a pitch. Had a brainstorm on an exciting new project. Searched the internet for interesting things. Sat in a couple very boring and useless meetings.

Yesterday I ... - wrote key learnings from review meeting with client and advertising agency - facilitated a brainstorming session with a creative team to develop campaign ideas for an FMCG brand - checked a debrief document from another client on our digital campaign ideas together with account team and gave recommendation how to proceed. - wrote an internal newsletter on trends going on - did some sparring with a planning colleague on a new business presentation

There is a mix of new business, building a brand deck for an existing client, working on a few small projects for that same client... and I also had to leave to find a place to live... I'd sum it up as being prepared to answer any question that comes your way, being smart, being resourceful, and having people (teams and clients) trust you.

Email, check in with teams, write back to a few clients, attend a work-session with team members to set the course for next phase of a project. Review deliverables and provide feedback and encouragement. Get biz admin stuff out of the way, paperwork, financial stuff etc. Brainstorm, read some blogs, write some scopes of work, check twitter, check personal email. have a snack, do it all over again, play a game of ping pong and go home.

Yesterday I was working with the creative team on a digital content strategy for a financial services company. It's a boring category so my job was to understand audience attitudes to the category (and the lack of), what the barriers are to caring, what other stuff the audience actually does give a shit about and how we use all this to develop motivating digital content pieces. I developed a proposition (although this isn't often such a focus in digital agencies) and we worked out a few interesting creative ideas for content / functionality that makes people think differently about the category and their lives. I then developed a rough channel / touchpoint framework and basic distribution strategy to present to the client. They're one of those clients that seems to care more about how you roll something out than what the emotional hooks / ideas are (bit frustrating).

My day started, as it usually does, with checking e-mails and my RSS feed for anything new and interesting in the world - could be related to digital marketing or about something completely different! Most of the day is then taken up with completing a content strategy for a client's new website - this is based on research, including an audit of all their existing digital content, as well as sector best practice and the overarching digital strategy my colleague and I developed for them.The last chunk of the afternoon and part of the evening is then taken up with reviewing a site map for the same website with the user experience and project management teams to ensure it is on-brief and ties into the strategy.

For a iconic worldwide brand, I wrote the brief for a tvc that the client didn't bother to have written for us.

Having a full-day meeting with 15 clients in Brussels working out the communications planning for the rest of 2011 in Europe. Lots of listening, talking, advising, questioning, directing.

Almost the entire day was meetings. The day included preparing for pitches and proposals -- both for new business development and for the growth of current accounts. The types of work were: social media strategy, mobile, and customer research. A combination of preparing my

own work and sharing/discussing with the team.

mostly digital, working very closely with the client to understand their business and deliver solutions that go beyond communications and beyond digital to support their business needs.

I'm a social media strategist at a digital agency. My role is akin to a modern day connections planner where I help to write briefs in conjunction with traditional planners. I think work with creatives to concept the campaign making sure to infuse social media into creatives thinking. How consumers use social media, stats about channel usage, psycho and technographic information and then build the deck to include target audience, social media landscape and how a campaign not only lives but what the platform it will live will be like. After working with creatives I then work with technologist to help ensure the platforms we build are technically possible, in accordance with current policies (e.g. Facebook or Twitter). Once this all hashed out I'll build an engagement strategy that includes a conversation calendar, the voice of the brand in social media and areas the brand has permission to discuss on an ongoing basis. I'm at times a planner, content strategist, creative, and a technologist.

Write briefs, brief creatives, read blogs, write presentations, think about stratgies, evaluate creative work

pitch meeting at a major car company in the morning, steering committee meeting for major food client in the afternoon, phone calls in between on the topic of brand creation in the mail-order fashion business, occasional updates on the status of internal knowledge-sharing tool, update on 2nd pitch ""tissue"" meeting

Last full day working: Talked to a couple of media reps (I'm temporarily running media planning at my office as well). Briefed a Flash designer on some simple creative for a launching campaign. Prepared some digital trends info / talking points for a client meeting. Took a look at some concepts the creative director prepared for the client meeting. Sat through a 3.5 hour client meeting / brainstorm session. Had drinks with the client.

Online Campaign analysis. Phone calls and emails to clients. Meeting with CEO. Lunch. Helping creative team. Write proposal. More emails.

worked with a junior strategist conducting consumer research to provide insight to a client developing a new entertainment/mobile technology. These insights will assist in planning strategy, campaigns and tactics along with the brand work that follows in the next phase. Presented final insight findings to a financial services client as we prepare their digital strategy along with the account/pm team based out of another office. Coached a junior resource in brand strategy work and another in approaches to social listening/client communication.

tried my best to stay out of trouble

creative brief + case study for a most famous award in France (EFFIE)

I'm short on time but I work about 50 / 50 alone and with others. I write planning summaries (approaches to campaigns), I read through a proposal for an account i'm being brought in to help on, I had a new business meeting with an app development agency about potentially helping them strategically within their very techy pitch..I liaised with someone in marketing about how to recommend search to a global client at a basic level.

I presented at the social media kick-off session with one of our clients. I outlined the process of discovery through social media listening. When the meeting was adjourned, I jumped to conducting social media listening. Using radian6 I put in relevant keywords and pulled data and proceeded to score posts to get an idea of topics and sentiment.

Got in early around 7:30 to make some progress on a mobile trends deck for one of our international clients, went to a SCRUM for a new product/service we're developing with another one of our clients to talk about how we want to run demand testing for the new product online. The SCRUM included CT, Planning, PM, Media, Creative, etc. I spent the middle of my day working on questions for the demand testing, continuing to refine the almost-done mobile trends deck while eating lunch at my desk. At 2:30 I went to a meeting to kick off the demand testing round with copywriting, then spent the last two hours of my day in meetings with our technology director and a senior account person going over my mobile trends deck for final changes before we send it off to the client later in the week. I left around 5 for a bike

ride, but am in early again today to keep up on everything.

In chronological order: - Published a long-form article on mobile strategy that I'd written in the past month to our ~4k subscriber list. This happens monthly. Worked on a bit of promotion around that content. - Weekly meeting with President and Board to review various issues (sales, marketing, strategic direction, personnel management, etc.) - Met briefly with a few account managers to review their blog posts (I manage our editorial calendar and content strategy). - Meeting with an agency partner to discuss a current project and the strategic direction we're recommending to the client. This meeting included two Account Managers from my firm--my role is consultative. - Kickoff meeting with our team (President, Account Managers, Creative Director, Developer) and new client for a large project. My role, again, is consultative during the strategic stage. - Led a meeting with client services team that included some information architecture planning exercises. This is part of our ongoing enrichment/education program that I oversee. - Met with our development team. This is a weekly meeting to review the ongoing status of projects, review any technical issues related to individual projects or overal CMS/component releases, etc.

strategy planning, organisational change, product development, client liason

I feel very proud of my job in the end of the day even though I have to live together with failure and success every single day!

Training a new planner one-on-one, meeting with a client to discuss strategy, working alone on numerous sales proposals/leads and client budget tracking & planning, checking in with my supervisor, planning a meeting agenda for the next day

I get in earlier than most (8) so I like to get in, check my e-mail and chat with who ever is here. Then I had a huge unfinished project (competitive set/audit on a new client) to complete from the previous day. So I started digging into that, solo. I did have 3 media planners working on this with me so I checked in with them a few times. Mid-day, a media planner and I planned our weekly planning/media meeting, where we share cool stuff we've done. Then I worked on getting my research and deck done til 5:30.

i am currently defining the process and day-to-day

I spent a couple of hours studying for the IPA excellence diploma course that I have just started followed by pretty much non-stop meetings on all kinds of different projects from national to international, a lot of them with an digital aspect. Also picked up a couple of pieces of internal work. Finished off with a presentation to the agency.

I attended a client meeting with a new digital client. Also started constructing personas for another digital client, still working on those today.

Lots of meetings and running around, not as much heads down work. I often stay late to get things done or work from home. The line between personal and professional life is kind of blurred (and I like it that way). The types of projects I work on are digital, with some extension into offline. Almost all of my work is for one client, with some ad hoc projects for other accounts. I rarely get a chance to work on new business at this point in my career.

Meetings with; department, client strategy & creative, higher ed college, CEO, new employee. Planning telecon with client. Creative review for internal and client work.

i was working on a client work (with one more person) and on a prospect (alone). For both i did some research and decided some social network actions for them.

I am focused on 50% to few big brands and 50% other, new business, consultancy

Attended a conference with some heavy weights from Microsoft, Google, Aol, and facebook

Yesterday: * Updated delicious with filtered bits of interest (favourited twitter posts, blogs, newspaper bumph). * Coached colleague on briefwriting. * Updated creative team on client feedback. * Took two internal briefings: a) social media extension of existing work b) revision of brand presence online for niche audience. * Had working session with departmental head on my first draft of a strategy presentation.

Read, write, and respond to email from clients, teams, and partners. Brainstorm meetings. Project meetings. Deck or document creating. Research. Internetting.

Client presentation. Collaborative work session whiteboarding with coworkers. Digital research including empirical data collection, qualitative observation, and trend analysis.

Online planning. Strategy and media. A few business to.

I'm in the middle of a business trip kicking off some work with a new client group (7 individual brands under one umbrella). Our team spent yesterday at the client office meeting their team, going over expectations of the partnership, learning more about each other, learning more about the brands, their goals and current initiatives. It was our first date post pitch. While not a typical day by any means - it is a critically important part of starting new client relationships, and something I spend a large amount of time doing.

It's mostly digital work with some branding. Can include things like content management and analytics stuff but generally social media and website strategy

For the fisrt time planning digital strategy, I struggle to ""realise"" how to colaborate, and actually add some value to the planning work that comes from the Offline agency (since we share clients). Therefore, planning channels role is the main goal here.

9-12 - writing script for client's presentation to the local markets on facebook activity 12-13 - sitting through walk-through of Vitrue Social CMS 13-14 finalising response to a Limited Edition product UGC brief 14-15 Agreeing content for end of campaign evaluation report. 15-17 Discussing responses to a social media brief to help get awareness/ views for global ad campaign 17-18 timesheets and preparing for next week.

Wow. My last day started with putting the last minute touches to 2 client presentations. After a late night the night before, which is becoming the standard unfortunately. One of these presentations is pretty indicative of planning at our agency. We presented a PR campaign culminating with an online game. During the planning process, I had to work with 2 other planners in the agency, our art director (formulating the game) and our account director. Planners unfortunately spend a lot of time on PowerPoint at our agency. From time to time we've presented using boards or even iPads but these will be for pitches. The rest of my time is taken up with internal meetings with production and online PR teams (referred to as Marketing team) for current projects. Planning here is 50% planning 50% creative. Creativity is mostly applied to what how we use the channel to get the message out, but sometimes it's conceptual as well. This is usually done in conjunction with either our art director or creative director. We have no concept teams here. The last thin to note is that every planner here is meant to spend an hour a day on creative blogs like contagious, mashable, trendhunter etc. The reasoning behind this is we're the propagators of ideas, so we should be collectors of them.

There isn't one specific thing I do on a daily or weekly basis. If I had to narrow it down it would be developing strategies. Digital Strategies, Web strategies, Mobile Strategies, Email/CRM strategies. I work in a digital agency and most of my time is spent on current clients but about 25% is spent on new business. For the most part, our clients give us project work so 90% of what I do is related to that, rather than becoming smarter in their industry as a whole.

consumer ethnography creative concepts SOW writing for a new client POV writing

3 hours finishing a presentation about gamification and gaming and practising it. An hour giving that presentation. 5 hours finishing a brief - reworking ideas and wording with another planner.

Social media audit for a new business client. Kick off strategy meeting for a new client for us to develop communications architecture. Presented to existing client about how we can turn social media into an acquisition tool.

competitive landscape be in meetings brainstorm around ideas look at research powerpoint decks

Brainstormed with Creative team on concepts for websites, worked on ""pitch story"" for a new tactic to sell to a client. Educated Project management about when to include Planning. Review brand's segmentation study

social media monitoring, briefing social media updates, reporting, analysis

I usually balance 3-4 client projects at once. We are a digital agency, and my role is to paint a picture of what the consumer is doing online, what competitors are doing, how consumers view the brand, and how the brand stacks up. I use about 4-5 social media monitoring tools, as well as data from other online sources like Pew, to pull information, and then put that into context and build insights off of it. I am almost always working by myself. I spend about 10% of my day supporting new business pitches, another 20% just reading so I can be on top of industry information, and the rest working by myself on clients.

I work for a digital agency, but for several years I used to work for the traditional big machines. In here unfortunately I work a lot on my own. But my deliveries are nice, I do the same as I did back in the big machines: positioning products sometimes, developing campaign concepts and in the end building channel strategies for how the ideas work best - mostly online, activation, guerrilha, events and so on.

Meeting with one of my planners, which is overworked and unsure of direction. Wrote two presentations for large FMCG client

The last day I was analysing results (mostly interactions data and consumers speach on social media) from a digital project (website + social media + media) so I can improve things not working and re-plann it for the rest of the year.

Morning: - Refined the global analytics report for our client's branded online community which included analytics metrics, CMS data, SEO, social listening, facebook and twitter analytics as well as recommendations for the brand community manager and next steps. Afternoon: - Spent 1 hour reading blogs/stats - Created case study deck for most recent projects completed - Evaluated brand strategy from the ATL agency and thought about how to execute brand strategy in digital. Will write creative brief EOW.

I work on both digital and traditional - my main account is integrated. Spent 1.5 hours educating my managing partner on what social media is and how to give a workshop. Strategy presentation to a client Writing a brief Discussed resourcing on a few pieces of business Discussed what planning should be at our agency Told my boss I needed more money =)

managing the team's workload, preparing for a pitch to a financial services brand and recreating our processes around strategy.

digital brand presence of competitors, iconic brands, inspirational digital executions, and formulation of the digital brand strategy

Managed a market research vendor and analyzed / synthesized their qual and quant data to create actionable client insights and recos. Creative Briefs Planned a US campaign for a product launch

Research, strategy decks, meetings, creative briefs, more meetings

I got up at 5am to catch a 6.30 train for a 9.30 meeting. 1st meeting for an industry body where I sit on a committee promoting Social Media ( 2 meetings - main committee followed by subcommittee) 11am - travelled across town for client meeting 12 - 5.45 - client meeting with client and 1 other agency - reviewing strategy for product launches, agreeing interagency working practices, 5.45 - 9.15 - travel and train home on train both ways worked - phone calls including initial interview for a freelance planner, presentation written for multi client strategy day, supplier contracts reviewed, team catch up calls

I work on all the accounts, so typically on any given day I am handling work for at least three different clients. Since we are a new to the world agency, my job also involves New business work. So yesterday, for instance, I wrote a strategy for a new client for building their website. Later in the day, I had to sit down with the senior creative director and go over the strategy to get her buy-in and check if the strategy was inspiring enough for her team to begin work - since briefing is planned for Monday. In the afternoon, a quantitative concept testing results came back, had to quickly review to at least get the top headlines. I will review the detail analysis over the weekend. Had to squeeze in time to talk with our digital strategist out in California, to check progress on another client's work. Had a meeting with the creative team to review first round work for an important direct campaign for an existing client.

Last Friday, I developed a benchmark study for a global pitch, after putting together a couple of case studies for that purpose.

I worked on a project that lasted four hours. I skipped lunch because I had no time. In the afternoon, I googled news about planning and general knowledge.

My work routine begins with the reading of the briefing. After this begins the process of research, analysis, market research and whatever else is necessary to understand the challenge and be able to generate insights for the creation, ie, delivering a creative briefing with the most appropriate strategy for the case question. It is presented for the creation involved with a brainstorm. From there, the creation starts his work but planning is integarindo to ensure that the creative will follow the line that was set. With the creation of work completed, I create a presentation to the customer.

My last day at work was all dedicated to a relationship program between a farmaceutical industry and their sales team. I started up my day on a brainstorm with four other. It lasted for 1,5 hour. After this I retook a searching I'm doing for references I can use to improve my project till luch time. During the afternoon I prepared some briefing documents for internal areas which will take responsability for a part of the project. The rest of my day was to start making the presentation I'm going to bring to the cliente next week.

- Researched social media conversations of new/expectant mothers and drew up a timeline of what they were talking about at particular stages of pregnancy and motherhood.

Competitor research Decision sheets for email and integrated campaigns Creative Concept Briefing Mail Planning

Presented a qualitative brand scoring model which helps to prioritise which competitor brands are more susceptible for conquesting. I then overlaid this model onto some customer migration path analysis to arrive at a source of sales targeting model. I then presented the implications this targeting model will have on all digital and CRM channels and programmes.

-- Worked on an onboarding presentation for a new manager at a client company -- walking him through target audience profiles that I developed based on research performed by our agency's analysts (direct and digital) -- Participated in a meeting with analysts and client service to determine scope and objectives for a research project to support an online acquisition strategy -- Brainstormed with another strategist and an analyst on updating a segmentation strategy for an e-newsletter

Earlier this morning I was in a meeting by video conference with the client to align a project campaign to encourage sales team. I returned to the agency and finished the presentation for a competition for direct marketing materials for a bank, and soon after went to present it. By late afternoon I began a strategic part of a retail event for a car manufacturer.

Review of customer research to identify insights, review of data analysis to identify insights, develop strategic recommendations based on those insights and develop creative proposition for the creative brief

I work with new media, guerrilla marketing and internet for traditional clients. Its very complicated.

Gathering Consumer Insights, understanding the markets, deriving a strategic route on the basis of the two and creating a communication route for the creative team

research, ppt,

Wake up at 7am get into work at 8.45am Coffee, breakfast Check emails from last night and read news and check social websites 10 work on client work, often competitor reviews and research Meeting to discuss findings Lunch Write up findings in a deck Print out work and email to boss Go home utterly bored at the lack of creative opportunities I have been given

Yesterday I worked on a plan to close the current marketingpipeline gap at IBM. For IBM Also worked on a yearplan for their storage portfolio. I had an internal meeting with the BP team an there was a review on the new POS range for BP.

9 am- 10:30 Interviewing a (very bright) candidate 10:30 - 11 sorting out emails and schedules 11- 12:30 brief writing on a major new project 12:30 - 1 lunch + emails 1-1:45 crafting a client presentation + senfing 1:45 - 2:30 travel to interagency brainstorm 2:30 - 5:30 interagnecy brainstorm 5:30 - 6:30 conference all 6:30 - 7:00 mop up emails

In an agency. Category audit with Planning Director followed by starting to write topline thoughts comms plan for retail client the agency is wooing.

6:30 = getting up and checking emails. 7:00 - 8:00 = breakfast and scanning of various information feeds to make sense of the night and week so far. 8:15 - 11:00 = rewriting sponsorship proposals based on feedback from and further insight into client 11:30 - 12:00 = progress report on projects with partners. scheduling larger meeting later in the week to discuss particular client and how to move the work along. 13:00 -16:00 = researching work for next project. 16:00 - 17:00 = setting up meetings for next week, checking in with contacts (weekly round) 19:00 - 22:00 = filing information in database, to be used in future presentations and rewriting briefs.

Generating two long list of 'starter' ideas to inspire creatives for digital campaign pitches. One to provide digital engagement extensions to an existing ATL idea. The other an interactive film idea to follow an exiting linear brand film for a global luxury brand.

Yesterday I was working in the release of a new medical product, in the next Hospitalar fair that will happen in a week or two. At this time, we are talking about the packaging of this product (materials and design).

As a freelance planner, yesterday I was briefing a new client for a branding process. The company is an agency and they are interested in focusing in digital services and interactive marketing. We spent some time debating about the focus of the business, analyzing the business analysis (competitors, strengths, weaknesses, etc) and trying to define the next steps for their company's development.

Yesterday researched the expressions of the brand on the web to evaluate their actions and draw posion digital magnification of these forms be in consumers' lives.

I worked as a planner at a medium-sized digital agency: - ""scrappy"" research - online surveying, phone interviews, recruiting for those interviews, - research synthesis - meetings, of course. some productive, some not, though meetings were very collaborative (acct, planning, PM, creative, tech, media). - client education (trend decks, analytics findings, etc.) - lots of advocating for planning internally. some were less familiar/comfortable with the role of planning than others.

I spent the day reading material and coming up with questions to be addressed at the client's meeting today. Since it is a broader marketing project, we are still not talking about digital or even communication so far.

Reading through research and starting to extract insights and form hypotheses about my client's brand. Reviewing work by some of the other planners and making suggestions (integrated) Reviewing a website design to ensure on-brand and on-strategy. Talking to new prospective client and taking a pitch brief (integrated) Reading, reading and more reading!

creative problem solving related to brands business issues, understanding consumer culture and identifying ways for brands to connect with their audiences, inspiring creatives with strategic ideas, understanding consumer journeys

My day starts by reviewing all the information in local newspapers and publications specializing in marketing. I conducted a focus group in the morning (about two hours) and then had a meeting with the client. In the afternoon, I had an internal working meeting to put together a presentation to a client. The rest of the afternoon I did office work, schedule meetings with clients, review presentations and talk with providers of market research.

digital experience planning & service design for global banking client: strategic document exploring the business case & recommendation for a project to pilot the development & publishing of APIs work with a small team in a small experience planning agency, me as a freelancer them as permanent. also responded to emails & some management of my other freelance client, for whom I consult for on other days - a major mobile phone client, for whom I am reviewing their overall digital strategy & making recommendations about how to unite their disparate activity a lot of keynote and powerpoint!

did some brainstorming on product innovation concepts for the first few hours of the day with a collegue. in the afternoon did fine tuning on a presentation that is a strategic review of current campaign strategy and worked out how to best distill the relevant parts to work in

order to present new creative work. after that went on to get feedback on a b2b strategy on a presented brand story and positioning strategy. wow what a day!

Insight mining. Deck writing, Business development, Blogging

A blend of digital and brand planning.

working to build a Social Media strategy for a CSR .. this was a lot of basic numbers work, as close to SKU marketing as possible actually. the work was not terrific fun!

focused on projects with social impact

Teach my team to: write. find an idea. tell a story. write a brief. understand the marketing opportunity. Analyze data to prove to client worth of campaign/media choice. Prep management.

Alone, a traditional job for an unconventional client -- a revolutionary online tool. Compling verbatims for a mid-project summary and briefing session

I basically made researches online for a pitch: news on the category, competitors, and consumers.

Yesterday, I got a briefing from a new client. It`s a huge task. He wants our support to structure an integrated marketing communications plan for the corporate brand and five services brands.

Not all in one day, but majority of what I've done in the past year: writing briefs or briefing creatives, client strategy meetings, planning/moderating client ideation workshops, researching new business, developing strategy decks, conducting qualitative consumer research

I worked on the following: A research plan to get some customer insights A brainstorm session with other team members from other disciples (creative, digital, account service) Worked with account director on creative brief Monitored social/cultural trends Participated in client meeting Worked on client presentation to be presented later in the month

Spent most of the day with a client working on a presentation to use at a workshop. The presentation draws insights from a number of pieces of existing research (qual and quant, older and newer). I had done first pass at the presentation and we thrashed it out, drew up hyopotheses, refined the flow and so forth. Also dealt with email inbox, usual trivia and admin.

brand plan, ad plan, qual

I spent most of my time crafting strategy, briefing the team and noodling with ideas. The results are then brought to team members (who have also been noodling), comparing noodles and then building on the results. There are some formal meetings, but most are informal one-on-one discussions with account or creative folk. A lot of time is also spent on crafting presentation materials, whether for new business or existing clients. That could include just strategy and messaging or set-ups to creative presentations. I do a fair amount of new business strategy as well: figuring out how to position the agency as well as how to target/message prospects.

Trying to make sense of it all.

Yesterday I had an all-day client meeting. I'm working with a local agency on a fairly new piece of business. We have been working through brand positioning with them and had an all-day worksession to refine the positioning/brand pyramid and to walk through marketing and creative strategy, as well as some early campaign ideas.

I spent yesterday alone mostly working on a deck. It was a lot of thinking trying to crack the nut of looking at a problem in a new way -- how to approach finding new solutions, new hypotheses.

Attended a planning group status meeting and heard a presentation about a study the agency planning leads had just completed; wrote a point-of-view about in-store / at-shelf media and

how to reach a specific audience with it; had lunch. The POV was for a U.S. based client, and the retailer I was focused on was a large, global retailer whose name rhymes with ""small fart"". I just started a new freelance gig, so things are sort of slow....

My last working day I spent with my clients listening the pitch presentations of two advertising agencies and discussing the presentations .

researching a LOT. Checking what other brands do, what is going on in the industry, in relating industries. Figuring out what knowledge there is on people´s relationship with the product, similar products, the segment and how the product will fit into their lives. Asking, googling, focus grouping, thinking, thinking, thinking... Then you brainstorm with colleagues, try to put words on your instincts and influence the client and creatives to express your insights into great campaigns.

Working on a CPG business as a freelancer. Working at desk on trend presentation. Status meeting with team. Client calls to present work or review briefs. Gathering info for writing briefs. Brief writing. Review secondary info and reading articles/blogs.

I only work in the digital space as a freelancer. Outside of putting together a strategy conference in Toronto, Canada. I was doing research for a new business pitch with a start-up. Trying to get a better understanding of where the brand is position compared to the competition. Also looking at consumers and customers in the market to better understand the industry.

Writing a presentation for a client's CEO that distills the campaign idea. Reviewing creative work for a pitch, and writing the set-up and idea rationale for the pitch presentation.

Did some secondary research on the product. Reviewed documents sent by the agency. Attended agency briefing for the project.

I do one of two things- Research- interviews, focus groups, in-homes, etc. that mean I'm driving all over the city I'm in/flying all over the country. Application- report writing, photo organizing, analyzing data and then creating ideas and strategies for everything from branding/marketing to HR policies and organizational management. Meetings, phone calls, etc.

Reading newspapers on line Meeting with team to prepare an innovation workshop for a client. Working in analisys of communication for a report an social trends.

I research new trends, discover new cultures, take part to several meetings, lead creative teams to create into the planning suggestions, coin great ideas to fit into planning, manage my team members, motivate them, learn from them.

I work as a mentor / consultant between creative teams of ad agencies and brand management teams of the clients. Finding / supporting a common ground between a creative idea and the marketing strategy is the core of my consultancy work.

Yesterday I was doing some freelance work by editing content for a new product that will be launched soon. I also did some research on what companies have done recently in order to stay more relevant in their industry. As well as some data analysis for a recent event.

Traditional and digital projects. I work alone. During all day, I basically do that: study the clients market + think + read + write + exchange ideas with creative friends (e-mail) + and specially go outside to see real life.

I presented in the final round of a new business pitch. Was hired by a small agency that doesn't have a Director of Planning so they tell the client that I am the agency's Director of Planning. I had worked 4 weeks at the agency on the pitch and had met the client several times. I crafted the strategy and wrote that part of the presentation along with several other parts, like the intro and the market situation that the account person presented. I also did the RFP response. I am a jack of all trades and a new biz pro.

As a freelance, I have to do everything by myself. Everyday starts with my iPad: - Check e-mails - Read rss feeds (strategy, social media, news, culture...) with Reeder - Check Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin Of course I check mails and social media several time a day, but I'm not all day long on the platform. I tend to do it when I have a coffee, or so. Here are

some things I did yesterday: - Wrote a blog post about expense issue with mobile data roaming. - Put and monitor some contacts and next meetings on my Highrise account (37signals product). - Gathered stats of social media consumption for the next release of the report ""Defining Social Media in Switzerland"" I publish now twice a year. Analysis, writing. - Monitored my social presence through UberVu and discovered they had just release a new version. Trying and playing with the new tools for a while. - Organized my time for next week on several project (work with a digital art director + client meetings) for: presentation of a digital strategy in the politics field + a workshop for gaining a new client - Benchmarked companies in the field of medical radiology. Searching for best practice of great UX and neat social media engagement in my country and abroad. and of course: - several Skype chats, phone calls, e-mail with people I work with. - chatting and joking with my colleagues: I shared a big space in town with 4 other independent people in the field of architecture, design, photography and web. - yesterday there was no meeting, but when I have to meet, I tend to concentrate them on one day per week, so I don't lose too much time.

I brainstormed with the team. Wrote a manifesto and a slogan for a political campaign. I helped to develop the user experience for a new website which will be launched in a year.

As an independant planner, I have wear many hats. Needless to say my time is divided between various functions from managing clients to outsourced talent. Next constantly being updated about whats going on in the world around and over time spot a pattern in it and work towards the promised deadline and since I am ex-creative, I still do work on the briefs I write or give starter ideas to the team.But I must confess a lot of time goes in email correspondence as well as trying to maintain a twitter profile.

Observing people and researching trends on one side and connect the findings and trends to brands, people and organizations.

Answering numerous e-mails. Doing online research. Long phone call with a client, talking about strategy and trying to make them not dilute the work.

Researching on the web and speaking to people over lunch / dinner / drinks Writing powerpoint presentations Meetings/discussions with suits and planners and clients brainstorming and reviewing work with creatives Skewed traditional work (mainly print) with some digital and activation

I developed revised and new concepts on Sunday, then had a flurry of email exchanges with the Account Director and The Creative, then a conference call with the Account Director. All this, for groups on Monday/Tuesday in Chicago...3rd round for major WW bank.

A lot of the time, I do research online - but also irl, walks in city, goes to shops - rest of the time is spend on meetings, writing briefs and talking to people.

Joined a phone conference with the design agency that hired me and co-presented a creative strategy with the designers that worked on it. Met with two business partners and discussed the desk research on the market I did for a new business model that we're developing for ourselves. Gave per email my suggestions for the topics and questions an agency leader should cover with a new client as he will pick up feedback on our successful (won) pitch presentation.

During my last full day of work, I was juggling multiple projects for a number of clients, but wrapping up one (a direct mail campaign). Not only did I assist my client with obtaining a mailing list for this campaign by helping him identify his target market, I also assisted him in developing copy for the piece. Once that was all in place, I then designed the postcard and put it through two rounds of revisions to reach a final design.

Catch up on emails received but smartphone means there are few surprises. Chased invoices. Spoke with bank. Met with prospective client for coffee and discussed what my company is doing. Back to office and went through Twitter, made a few posts. Wrote blog post for website. Updated Linkedin. Contacted a previous client from previous job to arrange a meeting got text back saying she had a pitch project for me. Arranged briefing meeting. Read media presentation. Read brief from client. Then started desk research into client she was pitching for. Called a few friends to ask them to help me with mystery shopping activity. Continued with this over weekend.

Building research/strategic planning project proposal for a new client. This is a big study that

includes a number of different planning and research phases.

I'm now unemployed & moving into self-employment. My last position had ""Innovation"" in the title and was probably part of my demise at my last company. That being said it was a great position where my role was to bring the latest ideas, philosophies and technology outlooks into the mix of planning and thinking for our clients. Unfortunately it never got much past internal education and while there was a promise for this role to be part of planning and ongoing thinking it never really materialized. I generally worked alone and was somewhat separated/silo'ed from the rest of the agency.

I attended a regroup about a brief for a line of products that is experiencing soft sales. I talked a few times on the phone with a CD who is hurrying to update an integrated campaign before a client presentation scheduled for Thursday (four more days). I edited a screener for qualitative research that I'll be moderating in early June. I tracked down whether or not the EVP signed a research proposal and learned she did not, so I need to follow up or else.

Met with a client to discuss building a retail side to his largely commercial business. Created deliverables, began the process of developing a proposal for that gig. Spent time following up with another client who works in healthcare and needs a strategic plan to get out in front of the client. Will most likely require internal and external brand and behavior learning so I'll need to develop methodology for that.

Right now I've been working for a political client, we assemble a research plan for our clients and then executed a statewide poll of registered voters last week. Yesterday, the results came back and it was my job to make sense of them. After proofing the numbers first thing (my company has everyone proof everything) I spent half an hour catching up on blogs/ adweek. Then, with over 400 pages of cross tab data to analyse, I spent the first part of the day reading through and pulling out notable data points. Then, it was time to author a report for the client, telling a story that connects the various data points for them in a meaningful way. Where are the supporters? Is the incumbent strong, why? Are people dissatisfied with the status quo? And finally, who are the persuadable voters -- possibly the hardest group to identify. We charge extra for strategy recommendations and message development, but I always spend some time taking notes on these just in case I'll need them later. Finally, I sent the report to the team, we read over it together, I made edits and then wrapped everything up into a PDF (I'm the only one who knows how to use Adobe Photoshop and Acrobat and thus I am responsible for designing a report cover and assembling a PDF for the client).

I was working on a brand architecture for a cell phone company. I met the rest of the team and we went through the structure of the architecture to complete each section (main insight, point of view, personality, etc) with inspiring concepts and phrases in order to transmit the brand positioning to anyone who could read it in the future.

I tried to find a way to talk about a program that would cause people to care and get excited about it

Client work, mostly desk research.

(in order of most time used for each) brainstorming: alone at home or in a group setting with others in office trend forecasting, color direction, micro trending, macro trending, design direction: alone at home or in a group setting with others in office presentation/deck creation: alone, collaboration, group design/graphics: for internal use and external pr/marketing: in house and consulting, usually alone, b2b and b2c

Played with my kid til 1pm, checked emails, looked up stuff on web (half keeping up with industry, half looking for stuff I can use for specific client), brainstormed territories/ideas for positioning (the fun bit), chat with old client about how new project fits strategy

I cleaned up my parents garden. Yes, it was a Monday. But that's what makes freelancing so great. If you would prefer to know what I did last Friday; I finished an article, wrote for my blog, did some administration, and talked with a possible new employer.

Freelance planning: consumer research (qualitative interviews), visits to point of sales to understand how the product is displayed and how people interact with it, and designing a new brand positioning.

I worked to uncover what was happening with my client's competitors in-store to help them better understand their position opportunities in the market -- and marry that with what

potential consumers need/want.

Researching client competition websites and digital exposure; analyzing effectiveness of their digital executions

My last full day of work was in a client branding workshop. A consultant from Europe led a day of brainstorming, group breakouts, creative ideation, all that usual nonsense.

I help agencies bring together all their different kinds of people to develop marketing, innovation, brand and communication strategy. So i deliver all of those things but also advise them on how to deliver all those things themselves.

varies extremely from one day/week to the next, but a fair amount of analysis of existing and secondary research, versus primary research. The meaty projects are repositioning a brand, or establishing a new marketing communication direction.

Working on defining a product by principal brand values

Brainstorm new projects/ideas over Skype. Talked on phone with potential new clients to talk about scope. Worked on proposals. Reviewed video edits for research project. Checked in online for flight tomorrow. Preparation for presentation to senior execs at client.

I had a meeting via Skype with my boss. He told me they are still restructuring the team for new challenges, which I will be part of. I'm very excited about what is coming. They want to offer new services to the market and pro-actively I'm already working on the strategy for the company's new positioning (while answering the planner survey, while editing a video I did).

Comms planning projects that includes both conventional and digital. Now are a lot of new business, my company is very new 84 months) but start directly with clients.

Digital account development

My last full day of work was, as it happens, among the more conventional-sounding ones I'll have in the course of a month. A client is in the process of restaging their brand for accelerated growth that's being asked of them by their new corporate owners. The company has not historically had a strong marketing culture and there is no formal history or process for what they have to do to make this happen. I've spent the last few months putting their brand on a clear footing and institutionalizing this internally - I believe the better circumscribed and more culturally driven a brand is, the more naturally it will integrate across platforms - and my last full day of work was focused on advertising. This was the day when we all held hands around the creative brief and agreed on what it meant, followed by some back channel dialogue with the creative team on what it REALLY meant. If planners were plumbers, this was the day I installed a toilet: routine, but essential.

Creative solutions to clients business problems

I spent the early morning finishing film festival submission packets for a short film I'm working on. After that, conference call with a freelance client on a research brief to discuss survey design, followed by a discussion on the client's website. Next, I touched base with my boss at the small agency where I am part-time to get assignments for the day. Spent the rest of the day working on those, finishing a deck for presentation and prepping for two major conference calls the following morning.

Wrote a deck debriefing focus groups and recommending strategic direction for an energy supplement. More interesting are partial days of self employment: do thought leader interview, send off video, write an estimate, go to yoga.

I received a client's brief and spent some time doing desk research in order to substantiante and expand the concepts that there were on the brief. Then I went on researching their competitive context, as well as the category's macro indicators. Based on this information I prepared a research proposal, which included the design of the methodology and an approach to the sample. The proposal included new hypotheses additional to those from the Client. I was working on my own, alone, and the project was for an existing client concerned with the effectiveness of its communication in traditional media, interested in coming up with a IMC strategy that will include digital media, particularly social networks.

I started the day with a 9am to 11am presentation to a client, then checked emails out to lunch 12pm 14pm, did two presentations, meeting with the design team to give a briefing and began search references to the presentation that I have today, I left home at 9pm.

Tradtional. Work with creatives. Draft creative strategies. Sell the best work to the client (my creatives love this about me. somehow i do it better than they do b/c i help the client understand the strengths of each campaign and what it does for their brand).

All the following are about digital planning, and for my client (I'm an independent consultant after leaving a fulltime job at a digital marketing agency). Full day yesterday was working from home but normally I work on-site with my client. * Prepared a research plan for my client to show him how we'd need to gather feedback from prospective customers to affect the design, valuation, and prioritize of a system's features. * Assessed methods of using customer feedback to value the potential system. * Continued work on a qualitative research moderation guide. * Scheduled two interviews with subject matter experts. * Drafted key survey questions for participants.

I sell my consulting marketing and communication service for a company which helps social business to grow up. And on the evening i worked with my 4 partners developing our new web social project (still a secret)

I work as a freelance planner out of an office at home. Yesterday I started with a Skype conversation with an ad agency in Melbourne [I'm in Sydney] who are pitching a piece of tourism business. I offered some advice and feedback on their first presentation thoughts and we agreed to reconvene in two days time to review things again. More normally, I'd probably travel to Melbourne, but not this time. At lunchtime I travelled to Landor in Sydney to take a client through a joint submission we had put together for a project to help define a business vision, values and strategic focus. i will hopefully do that work through a series of internal and external interviews and Landor with execute an internal Engagement Programme and external communications. In the afternoon I spent time writing Effie submissions for a couple of agencies who are employing me as a freelance strategic writer.

Branding project. Meetings to define the insights that would transform a simple desk research into very important considerations for the client's business.

I am a freelancer. So I plan my day, and try to follow the projects schedule. Sometimes I work with partners and share responsibilities (co-creation).

prepared a presentation for the workshop gave a strategy planning workshop at an NGO

innovate thinking, briefings, new business, trends, creative thinking

Yesterday I worked with creatives to make sure the work accurately reflected what we know of the target audience. In addition, I helped sell work into clients using consumer insights gained through research.

Each real planner should have, create and experiment his or her own methodologies. Mine are confidential and the result of 12 years of practise. I work as a spin doctor and people pay the high price for this exclusive service.

Digital projects only, on my own.

Simple: briefing in client, debriefing at agency, planniing, searching new references, timing-end of project and act to client.

I am working freelance right now. I did data entry so I could analyze everything and create a report of opportunities for my client from the data.

I wrote a brief, prepared a presentation to sell some already developed work and presented it to the client, sat in a number of meetings with clients (briefing the agency, having research presented to us) and with creatives (briefing the teams or judging internal submissions) and did some work to prepare cases for Effie.

strategy

Coffee, Morning email and status. Meeting discussing a rebrief based on pretests for a campaign. Summarizing the research results, outlining brief. Solobrainstorm rephrasing

campaign's key message. Lunch. Teleconference with client outlining a workshop. Creating a task list based on objectives. Report to Head of Planning. Outlining the activities in the workshop based on objectives given by the client. Drafting homework for workshop attendees. Mail to team. Lights out. Home.

Worked on creative brief, got on plane, sat through an incredibly long meeting, had dinner with clients, worked on a presentation from my hotel room.

Digital strategy presentation pitching for business, Measurement framework for ongoing campaign, brief for press campaign

I did some training on writing Creative Briefs. Helped on a new business pitch. Sent in some results for an Effectiveness awards I am helping to judge. Gave a brief on the creation of a brand book. Answered some emails. Tweeted a couple of times to keep the 'self-promotion' index up. Dined with clients and bought champagne to celebrate a colleague who has spent 10 years with the company.

Wrote a brief for an upcoming pitch, and starteed the correlating deck for the briefing. Was in two creative reviews and one creative briefing Wrote a deck for a creative workshop with clients Lots of internal meetings Did some research into the world of beer.

Given that I'm working out my notice period, yesterday was a bit slack. A more typical day would include: international conf calls with multiple markets; battling Millward Brown over LINK test idiocy; working with planners in local markets to adapt/implement global strategy; meetings with global team (creative & account)

Brand positioning Competitive Review Market analysis on new client

- having an internal meeting (with creatives and account) to discuss research findinds about creative routes (tradizional adv) for a existing client. - refinement of the strategic tools we used at the agency (with all planners) - people training about the new evolution of planning and branding (with junior planners) - finalizing a document (the strategic introduction) for an upcoming pitch (alone) - bs session for finding the best strategic scenario for a new brand launch (with a junior planner and creatives; traditional; new biz)

I had a meeting in the morning to take a senior client through the work we have done with his company in search and social media to discuss acquisition in Social media. Overall we were looking to build relationships and grow the share we have of the business. I was working with the MD of the partnership and the MD of search as well as a mid weight client. I did part of a competitive review on student campaigns as a part of a work scope I am writing for a different client. I spent time with a data planner analysing the online and offline effects of a recent DR campaign for a telco client. I signed off three sets of final scamps to go into artwork for an account manager in our DR team. I reviewed plans for the ROI model we are developing for a social media campaign and microsite that we are launching next week and fed back to the comms planner, CRM data planner and account director. I presented initial retail and digital artwork (including facebook builds) for a telco client for a hardware launch. Earlier in the day we reviewed these ideas with offline and online production, account management and creative teams and assessed the feasibility of these concepts within timeframes as well as their fit within the overall campaign idea. I went to a 1 hour orientation session for an 8 week training course I am about to start. I also filled in my timesheets from last week. Yawn

Try. Learn. Collaborate. Experiment. Inspire.

9am. Breakfast and double espresso with account director whilst revising communication concepts (western europe fmcg brand). Grab creative director on account for sanity check and input. 10am. Planning department meeting. Shared exercises I'd used recently in a workshop (aim this year is for the department to build a set of shared resources of stuff that really works). Group discussion on strategy for new business pitch. 11am. Skim the newspapers for UK, France and Germany. Monthly women's magazines have arrived from these countries too. Flick through - bookmark key trends, anything relevant to my category, interesting ads etc. 12.30pm. Lunch in local cafe with client services director. Discuss team appraisals, and our weekend plans. 1.30pm. Brand character work. Review mood boards for different approaches with creative team. Share with design agency for input. Revise brand character presentation. 3pm. Conference call with client to share brand character presentation and get feedback/input. Then pop-out to grab a coffee. 4pm. Do revisions to brand character

presentation. 4.30pm. Spend some time with creative director and account director reviewing latest edit of TV ad and music we want to recommend. 5pm. Admin - email mania, timesheets that have piled up, expenses to submit, desk tidy. Spend some time 'stumbling' on the web - 'brain candy'. Print out 2 papers to read on the way home. Leave at 6pm.

competitor research, inspirational presentations (trends, whats going on around the world, etc), brief writing, powerpoint! powerpoint! powerpoint!

Creative reviews for a brand activation pitch Channel planning for a brand activation pitch Interviewed a potential head of planning for one of my agencies Reviewed and worked on awards entry case studies Drink with managing director of our ad agency Agreed press release and PR plan for a high-profile departure Seven minutes lunch break

I closed a claim for a client, organized a digital strategy for a new client and thought on how to reach young people with street marketing actions,,,

Worked about 50% of the day on existing clients, in meetings discussing a new brief. I ran the meeting and teased agreed points out of others. Today I am writing the creative brief that came out of that meeting. 25% of yesterday was new business, designing a presentation that I handed over to someone else to start inputting data into. I also helped generate the ideas. 25% was spent researching online - new trends, ideas and technologies etc

I do the common sense work account management should have done - like say no to clients. I'm also cheerfully smart in meetings to help disconnected creatives sell work. I rarely do research unless it's to sell existing stuff.

Yesterday I spent the day with a coordinated planning for a pre launch of a product involving five different about agencies. Each agency has participated as an expertise in their field of play and we are responsible for the overall strategy. So my work wasn't in any line, it was the macro strategy.

Planner catch up - we all get together and share work, discuss internal processes related to planning etc once a week Catch up with account team to discuss our response to an awful idea that the client is trying to make happen, which will influence our campaign. Prep for planning catch up Catch up with my boss about planning for next year on our main client. Also chat about my accounts, stuff going on in the agency Read through new brief, prep for meeting - Meet with account team about potentially contentious client brief attend a lunch and learn session with an external speaker - not very enlightening Account team catch up on reporting for an upcoming campaign - getting all parties involved early Client catch up on contentious brief meeting with acct director on retainer fees and my allocation for planning on the account. Try to get some work done in the last remaining non-meeting minutes of the day. (Write response to client idea, review digital work for upcoming campaign, draw up a comms architecture to try and help everyone see how it's all going to fit together)

Thinking about a strategy I had to present the next day, while asking myself why the client only give us 2 days to prepare something this big.

I am working on a pitch project and we are at the last stage of preparation. The day was spent on going through research data and thoughts, scripting them and finding the best way to put into the power point slides. As usual, I had to retro fit many of my points to fit with the creative output. There were a couple of internal meetings, and reviews for different clients in between, that really affected my work flow and concentration on my power point deck.

Had a lot of meetings and updated a bunch of decks following those meetings. Wrote a lot of emails to clients and to my fellow workers. When you think about it, it's kind of shocking how much time we actually spend writing emails. But also got to work on the first draft for the 2012 plans for the main brand I work on, which is exciting stuff. Possibility is what keeps me going.

We were pitching yesterday so it was a mad scramble to assess where all the work was and then bring it all together and ensure it sold our overarching idea. The morning was very chaotic and there was (and always is) last minute tinkerings and then rushing to get stuff printed etc. Once the pitch team left for the meeting it was pretty chill. Caught up on some admin (timesheets!) and just waited to hear back on how it went. It went well.We then went to the pub.

Got to work at 11 am by subway (30 min trip). Had an instant meeting with the accounts and

fellow planners in the backyard (about 2 hrs with one 5 min break) on the topic of a new brief from an existing client. Ordered lunch (chinese food :) while also writing things about the project. Actually reached my office and computer at about 2 pm. Answered all possible emails about deadlines, meeting requests and tasks for 1 hr. Went outside to eat lunch and give feedback to the creatives on a digital proposal for a pitch. Came back upstairs at 3 pm and got ready for a meeting with a client. Meeting was canceled 5 min before it should have started. Went back upstairs and finished a presentation that was urgent to be sent by email to an existing client. At 6 pm we celebrated some colleagues's birthday. At 7 pm I found out about a new meeting for tomorrow morning and prepared my research. At 8 pm I left for home.

I've been mostly working on 2 pitches at the same time

Experience deck, status, creative review, scenario plan deck, partner agency meeting, client deck

Looking through data to create charts that help provide strategic direction for a new client

I lead of team 4 planners so I spend most of my day spending time with each of them on their projects and pitches i.e. the thinking, the approach, the decking etc. The rest of the time is ""admin"" (making it easier for them to flourish via training, ways to grow the department, internal schmoozing etc.), reading up on what's happening in the world and occasional brand work.

Yesterday I made a research on how people actually get what they watch on eletronic advertising pannels. I've also written a few ads, because I'm also a writer, and worked on a project for a mobile company to invest money on bike-based city transport.

I mostly work on new Business doing researchs on the competitive arena of the analysed brand. I always work in team: the analysis I do are always split between me and my junior planner colleague. I usually work on ""traditional"" project.

Working on a pitch so the whole day was new business focussed - we have got through to the second round and want to reinforce the strategic arguments we have put forward.... I spent the day doing desk research alone - more interesting than it sounds, honest... Read a really great report from thinktank Demos on young people and public policy looking for parallels between their findings and the key insight we are using. Also hung out on target's social networks - did a bit of analysis of that to see what else I could find that would build an argument.... Also spent ten minutes looking at some quant data from research that we commissioned but found it less fruitful so gave up...

I did some research on consumer feelings and competitive arena for a new business. I was trying to understand what are the most relevant insights for creating a new brand in that market.

Overview of competitors, Strategic presentations, writing briefs, creative briefing, meeting with clients, general reading and searching

Yesterday, I worked on a global charity brand, perhaps the best known global financial brand and some preliminary work for a new business pitch for a sports lifestyle brand. Worked with different sets of people - as these projects are in diverse stages. Worked with our CD to develop a deck for the charity brand, worked with a larger group to help refine the scope for the financial brand, worked with our research team to help define the target audience for the sports lifestyle brand. Pretended to work by spending oodles of time on Youtube and Twitter - research is a good descriptor for goofing off on the Net. Had a frantic night, when our deck was threatening to come apart at the seams. Some deft juggling around of slides and it was fixed. Oh, i also went to lunch with a colleague and bitched about another senior colleague. Sadly, the senior colleague's even more senior boss came to pick up a sandwich at the same cafe. Wondering if she heard us?

I work alone on digital projects. Basically, right now, a brand planner will hand off their strategy and as a digital strategist I take it and try to make it applicable throughout a variety of digital channels for my clients. I also spend part of my time educating clients and internal stakeholders on emerging technologies.

Scenario and competitors analisis Think of a strategic platform that can be used for different kind of medium (on/Offline) Creative brainstorming

I'm a fairly new planner, so I'm happy to report that a lot of the time I get the opportunity to work in teams rather than alone. I've heard the first few years can be lonely, but that hasn't always been the case for me. I spend a lot of my time as a young planner trying to stay up on our clients from as many different angles as I can. As a junior I spend about half of my time polishing my skills and lucky for me that means exploring culture, reading, and building relationships with those both in and outside of my department and agency. I've been tasked with writing briefs, presentations, working on new business, client workshops, focus groups, and performing vox pops as well as editing videos.

So, I made some corrections on a project for a bank Concept Store. I made some appointments on a quantitative questionnaire. I briefed a press campaign focused on running. I had some talk with the company CEO about a Flip-Flop brand.

pitchbriefing at client giving interview to a magazine on our latest study on smartphones lecturing at university on criteria to judge advertising to be honest, not a typical day, but it shows the broadth of our job

- preparing a presentation on dance trends and influence on pop culture -

I was attending series of meetings for our major client. Actually 4 meeting which takes 30 to 90 minutes. The meeting was with our creative team. I checked out the current situation of artworks, did creative ideas serve to brief, did they align to the claims. At the end of the day i read some articles and some blog posts.

Yesterday I worked on a competition/concurrence. So I worked editing some videos of a consumer group research to use in the final presentation to the client. I also participate in one big meeting with all the areas of the agency involved (media, creation, etc) about the big strategy of the competition.

I was trying to figure out what the target think, do and would like to have. How can we invite them to participate with our message. *sorry about my english =p

I'm currently on the global bran platform of one of the ost important international beauty brands. I wrote most of the day this presentation than I shared with the WAD who's in charge of this piece of business and the VP of my agency... I now I'm making some changes according to their comments.

2 Meetings to present the strategy and ideas for the general manager. About 3 hours all. Rest of the day, doing a power point presentation.

- Organizing a focus group about seniors people. It´s a co-working job with the client, the researcher, physicians and a lot of other people that are investigating the seniors behavior, habits, desires, dreams, etc. - Also worked in a communication analysis of players that figures in the same segment of my main client. - Scheduled a meeting in wich the client will present the results of a research.

RESEARCH! Yesterday my day consisted of secondary research to support a hypothesis we are attempting to prove/disprove for a client. Today will consist of primary research- talking to coworkers, consumers, friends and family and supporting my research qualitatively.

- Working on a strategy/positioning presentation - building a Key Note presentation that laid out Brand/Culture/Target audience insights and research to arrive at 3 possible positioning statements that I will present to the client. - Managing/setting up qualitative and quantitative research for several clients and projects - Briefing my creative team on a project

It was really a non interesting day...

at morning: I started to monitor the other players of finnancial sector at afternoon: I finished a monthly work where we study what the other players of financial sector did in this period, and what they said.

presenting trending info to creative teams generating new bs insights creating research plan for major client

I sat in a few meetings and reviewed creative concepts with other team members and provided feedback and guidance to better the chances that the work would get sold. I then

continued to work on a deck that we're planning to send to the client, it's not something they asked for or are looking for.

Wrote a proposal for qualitative research. Checked sources for an ad (for pharmaceutical products ads, claims and other stuff in the ad need to be sourced from research papers) Reviewed resumes and set up interviews for an open planning position. Wrote a creative brief.

Review briefs Creative meetings Client meetings Staff reviews

I've done some periodic competitors analysis, identifying the brands differentials and opportunities - looking the whole communication, PR and trends. Also I've included some references and strategies. The research (desk, Marplan/TGI, field) was the mainly point to make it possible. In the end the intention is to direct the brands to a remarkable positioning, that will pleasure the consumers.

Yesterday, I began work thinking about and drafting a deck for a partnership opportunity that strategy is bringing forward for a client. We think the partnership will drive excitement, buzz, and sales, something that will help the declining brand gain relevance. I spent the morning getting the deck tighter, linking the brands to partner in an even stronger way than before. I moved from that into a meeting with the digital strategy team on social listening. We are creating the inaugural report for one of our clients and the draft was sorely lacking insight and implications (often the case when digital strategy swoops in on clients they don't work on daily). We worked together to draw out better implications for the client and challenged the digital strategist to mine specific areas we know are of interest to the client's business but weren't represented. After that, I moved into an added value creative ""presentation"" to our clients. Our media team was pitching an added value interstitial / mini-show to the client and the creatives and strategists weighed in to say why we thought the added value was worth doing and which opportunities were best (creatively and strategically) within it. I then moved into a meeting where a high-level core team asked the question of how to hit the reset button on the creative for a client. The frustrated creative team laid-out areas they want to explore executionally, while I pursued a hard agenda with the account team about creating a strategy or message for this client, who is intent on not having one. The creatives backed me up and said the work would be better with a message, but the account team has cold feet about bringing strategy to the client-- strategy / message is something the client is afraid of as it requires thinking, rigor, and the courage to stick to something-- all things the client dislikes. They heard me out and agreed to think about whether or not the subject will be broached with the client in the upcoming meetings or whether we will keep it executional in hopes of having a better meeting. I attended a status meeting for a client and spoke in brief terms about long-term projects we are working on for them. I surprised a colleague with a happy hour to congratulate them on the completion of a project.

LTV analysis to determine target audience priority; developing the estimated $ value of my client's brand to help them sell in the need for additional marketing $'s; create brand architecture and persona for brand restage; program and analyze brand tracking results

- i work alone - read trends and news in google reader - concept with creatives - write briefs every couple weeks - help write strategy decks (research and set-up for creative) every couple weeks - dont attend too many meetings - mri research every week - travel about once every three weeks i sit with the creatives. and, for the most part, have their respect in concepting. this is the best part of my current role. not sure how many places have that luxury.

Monthly global call with planners to review brand purpose, architecture and key projects (1 1/2 hours). Review recent shoot with Creative Director to select final direction. Prep client for speech in Europe to Fashion/Beauty Industry, including changes to presentation. Discussion about new project for next year. Meet with outside vendor to review proposal for closed community platform for a global brand. Wrote conclusions for large scale study recently completed.

My day yesterday - working alone and reading research reports to develop a presentation for a brand strategy workshop

Wrote a creative brief. Briefed the creatives.

Sat in a creative review and critiqued work for a campaign. Wrote a creative brief. Planned a brand workshop session.

communication analysis

I’ve been working in a project about how it will be the education in near future. How technology does influence the way of teaching and learning. So I’m reading a lot, doing some desk research, and the next step is talk to some teachers to know more about the subject.

Wrote an article for the company blog Spoke with consumers Made internet research, monitoring

Traditional. Client work and new business.

Got into the office at 9:15 am. Presented a new way to use Twitter to a partner Public Relations agency. Participated in a two hour working session with a client. Mentored a junior account planner to help him sell a transmedia storytelling idea. Grabbed a quick 30-minute lunch with the head of client service. Worked with our brand invention group on an IP idea they have. Organized a phone call with a manufacturing partner that may want to do a joint venture with. Meet with the director of innovation and the account creative director on the Twitter conversation I had earlier that day. Left the agency to meet with a transmedia storytelling production shop about an idea that we want to sell the client. Grabbed the 7:00 pm train home.

Usually get in to about 20 emails from over night, after that it's usually a series of pre-planned jobs and meetings. Working on campaign messaging and strategy documents. A few internal meetings to discuss where we are with projects and creative offering guidance to refine accordingly. Preparing a presentation for a clinet meeting, doing some research for a new business pitch or some competitor/audience analysis is also commonplace. Then at the end of the day timesheets zzzzzzz!

Yesterday we began working quite early. We had to finish an important survey analysis for a major client of the company. That’s what we did during the morning. In the afternoon i started working on the 2011 project of the planning area of the agency, where we are studying consumer behavior in many aspects besides shopping. in the end of the day was called to an urgent meeting to help solve a problem in one of the sales channels of the largest client of the company.

New business chemistry meeting followed by brand architecture conversation followed by working on an award show case study.

Desk Research Focus groups Brief writing Strategy Writing Though pieces (IP)

I'm focused on a new business pitch right now for a global client, I spent a lot of times working with creatives on some initial platform ideas, talking to the account team about my thoughts for the product portfolio story, and talking with junior planners about some insights they had uncovered, then finished off the day meeting with the new business team about an another upcoming new business pitch.

I worked alone doing some research for a pitch we will attend next month, i researched its competitors communications to add as information for the briefing we will present to the creative area for the start up.

Basically I spent my day doing research about consumers, brands and categories, in order to develop an strategic point of view for the brand I`m working for. Also I spent a lot of time in meetings, trying to advice my clients about how they should do something. And finally, I spent a little time studying what`s going on in the world, reading blogs and tweets and trends studies.

meetings with client consultants to strategize action plan, writing briefs, present strategy to clients, learning more about new sectors (gaming)

Yesterday I walked a client through 5 discussion guides that will be used next week for a large research project I am conducting (ethno's, friendship groups, shopper intercepts and in-store shopalongs). I also read up on industry stuff for my client and for advertising.

Analyzing primary research and started building a deck of opportunities for a prospective client

Within the last few days, I've put together an on going non-campaign based Insights Report to

show the digital performance of multiple platforms (social, .com).

my job is to decide what needs to happen next.

Searching info, reading, talking to creatives, thinking on strategic ideas

Amending the thinking for one brand to another in the same category, for new business purposes.

lots of desk research. fiddling around on social media. putting together powerpoints.interviews. summaries.

I wrote an entire new biz deck including all the insights and the ""business"" portion (what the agency is etc.) including pulling all the logos and gathering content - even edited a video. I prepped the team and made sure we got out the door. I attended said pitch and presented with my team. I had a prep meeting for another pitch which is today and made its deck. I counseled each of my 2 planners on positioning and brief problems they were wrestling with and provided some solutions to think about. I held a management team meeting to discuss some hiring and firing issues. I sat in a conference call to discuss positioning an athlete with one of our brands. I interviewed a guy for a digital production job and wrote up my thoughts. I reviewed 4 documents and gave my comments (an employee review, 2 media insight decks, and a scope of work) Helped to price out a scope of work Timesheets

I was making a presentation with a recommendation to one of our clients. In the presentation I explained how we could get better results if we diversified our presence in the internet and used crowdsourcing. The day before I made an extensive desk research so that I could give that recommendation. After all the content of the presentation was put into slides, I spent the rest of my time making it beautiful and compelling.

Writing brief about Digital, BTL ,AbL, inspiring people, being the knowledge manager...etc

People Management, KPI definition, New Business Planning, Meetings

I can best be described as a connection planner focusing first on who to reach then where and where. I spend a lot of my day researching a specific category for trends and looking for a target opportunity. Then profiling that opportunity so the rest of the agency knows who we are aiming for.

Yesterday I had 2 projects that I work on intensely. First project was a digital campaign for a famous restaurant chain in our country. Digital strategy is still a new animal in our country. Usually when I have spare time, I dig up learning from great planners who are generous enough to share their knowledge online. One of the planner's job, besides strategising, is to help sell the idea, meaning provide the rationale to get client's buy in on the idea. Yesterday, I sat down with the team for a creative review. Our creative team presented their ideas based on the creative brief. Then we gave our comments. First, objectively, did it answer the desired response? Second, a little bit subjective, was the work interesting or creatively outstanding? It's on strat and it's great. Then we discussed on how to sell the idea to the client who was not digital savvy and insisted to apply the traditional media principle to digital (she thought a viral is a TVC put in youtube, hence expectation of problem-solution formula). So we discussed how to tackle that issue and I advised the account management team to find case studies on successful digital campaign. Then we talked about the flow of the presentation. After that, I moved to the second project, a brand positioning project to launch a global brand in our country. My team (me, the creative director and the account director) joined a telecon where the regional team presented our aligned point of view to the global account director of that particular brand. It's a little bit funny that foreigners talked about my country and they managed to convince the other end that they knew a lot about our country. It's because we provided them with loads of information and insights that me and my team gathered in just one week. Sometimes as a planner, I have to do dipstick research, go to consumers and interview them, go through forum, blogs, twitter to find insights. Sometimes it's because the client didn't have an ample of research data. And although the client has loads of research data, I still feel the need of doing a dipstick research to immerse myself in the consumers' shoes and try to really think the way they do, what will motivate them to change their behavior, what's their fear and unanswered need. Hm... Probably you asked why didn't we present the point of view? First, it was regionally driven. They took the lead of the strategy. Second, our telephone connection was not that good (indeed, we got cut off several times during the telecon). After the telecon and chit chat with my colleagues for a while, I sat back

in front of computer, browsing through websites like adsoftheworld.com to update myself about the campaigns out there and posted several campaign on my agency's facebook wall so my colleagues can also view it and get inspiration to produce better and better work.

I wrote/revised a brief for a tactical piece in a prostate cancer drug campaign. I also attended a conference call readout of the concept testing findings for our branded concepts for the same product. I also attended a client meeting to review a brief drafted for the launch of a new product. Additionally I was installed and had some preliminary training on MARS.

I lead a team of thinkers with different approaches to business problems. Our output varies, but in the end everything we do is at the service of identifying opportunities for the application of creativity. In some cases that might be changing the direction of our client's business priorities. In other cases, it is changing an individual detail in creative work. In yet other cases, it is changing the weight of funding for different communications disciplines.

Appraisals, mentoring, writing presentations for industry events, battling it out with senior clients and agencies, drinking beer

We're in a period of major internal team ""transition"" (turnover) so as the person with the most history on the account yesterday was me being an account person/planner hybrid. Had to work on inputs for 2 integrated marketing comms (IMC) decks. Having just presented a product launch strategy and creative brief to CMO the day before, yesterday was also spent regrouping internally to discuss how we were going to proceed with next steps and what changes needed to happen to the brief based on feedback. I typically spend my day working on several of my accounts, but due to the personnel transition it's all hands on deck on the one account. I had to sit out of some pretty cool briefings on other accounts to focus on this one, so that's really frustrating.

created a quant questionaire, briefed a creative team on an international brief, had a creative review on a global campaign, had a conference call with a research institute, mentored a junior planner, wrote a presentation for some creative work

Working on a more traditional job, doing desk research along with my senior planner so we can immerse and understand a new universe we'd like to bring one of our clients to.

Developed a strategic keynote for a mobile phone company summer campaign; Meeting with a client (brief); Briefed a creative team for a new telecom product campaign; Read two articles from the sector.

I do lot's of research almost everyday. Working in projects such as traditional media (strategic thinking, concept etc) to events as digital (tactical thinking). There's is a important part of it, that is understanding consumers and brands and how to conect one another in a more natural way. Is how we connect brand's soul with people soul's so the creative dpt. can do their magic.

Attended a meeting with design agency updating them on recent commercial Link testing. Received updates on new packaging directions, online game directions and general info about client. Attended a briefing with client selling in creative brief for new product variant. Brief varied greatly from original discussion and much of the meeting was spent convincing clients new direction was for the better. Sat through a 2 hour research debrief about the tested ad, strong positive results with outcomes to amend the tested comm and make shorter. Attended half hour talk with media agency clashing heads about broadcast schedule and budget. Held internal meetings discussion strategy direction options for tying new campaigns together. Held follow up meetings to discuss re-written brief for tactical campaign. Worked on developing social media strategy for old school brand who has made initial social media steps but could be doing more.

Yesterday in particular was a fairly slow day, though I still got in at 9AM. Our client just released an impressive product of theirs, so it was a day in which the brunt of the work fell on the account, project, and trafficking teams, as planning had already done the background strategic work to make sure the creative was up to par and connected with the targets. I had my performance review (four months after requested), whereupon I was told that a raise would not be happening--a disappointment to be sure, but tends to be industry standard nowadays. I had a couple ad hoc meetings with project management and account to iron out some details of a landing page we're working on, but they were informal and spur-of-the-moment. The rest of the day was spent doing desk work. We got results back from the brand

tracking we do on a monthly basis, so I was busy with Excel and PowerPoint analyzing data and making it digestible for those who don't look at the numbers all the time, as well as pinpoint some observations about how we could adjust our creative in response. I left at the reasonable hour of 7PM, making it a normal 10-hour day.

Recently, I was assigned a new role to work primarily with the creative teams - briefing teams, supporting the concepting process and selling through work. We have such a large team that we have other planners who work on the up front business strategy with marketing clients. Most of my day is spent in meetings, but I like my teams, so I don't mind.

Staying up to date with trends, brainstorming, writing briefs, researching for proposals, putting together strategy presentations, social media planning and implementation.

A team of 4 planners, working for all the clientes of one of the most important portuguese Ad Agencies. Integrated communication planning for our clients and for new business pitches.

After wirting the brief with my manager in the last week, we had a briefing session with creatives, account and media. Brief is traditional + digital addressed. Had a meeting with the creative team to know the creative routes and criticize/improve them. Read 3 different annalisys from my managers and made inputs to improve it. Presented the strategy and the creative strategy to a client - Advertising + BTL actions Helped the creatives to write a video case to Cannes Festival, wich was related to a Digital Idea (Cyber Category in Cannes), that I helped them to conceive) Started do list key points to the jay chiat awards entry. Meetings + Meetings + Meetings Tweet + FB + Blogging

First, I reviewed and audited some of the agency's proprietary research tools with two colleagues Next I had a meeting with two different colleagues to set a theme and agenda for an upcoming client meeting. After that i spent the afternoon first writing up an internal brief for how we approach that upcoming client meeting. Second i spent a few hours working on a client new communications platform brief

Yesterday was spent predominantly on the strategy for a new business pitch. Over and above that, there was also time spent on a segmentation project for one of our existing clients, as well as working on another presentation on retail trends for a separate client. The day also included a meeting with a specialist media strategist who partner with us on one of our clients, discussing the 2011/2012 campaign and aligning media and creative messaging.

Spent time preparing for a workshop, working out the objectives and what exercises would work best. Read through a document put together by an Account Manager on Macro Trends. Spoke to some research agencies about the types of products they offer. Then general department admin.

mostly traditional advertising but increasingly digital projects / new business and pitches / research and analysis of market data and social trends / loads of client presentations / briefing creative teams

developing mobile marketing strategies for database development and exploitation

Combination of digital and integrated planning, however with some account handling caretaking thrown in. Developing internal reviews of the year's work, successes, challenges and failures. Picked up 2 new pitches to work on. One's a sister company of one did last year. Working closely with the sub-team, as opposed to the other planners, as I specialise in Digital, Social Media, Direct and so forth and they're in activation and advertising.

Yesterday I: Interviewed people for one of our projects. wrote a presentation for the digital part of one of our new clients' business was invited into two early brainstorms. was briefed for a new project. went home at 5:30 PM

found an cross media long idea prepared a strategic platform prsentation briefing the creative team search for new stuff abput marketing read a book for an hour

Learn about people way of living and habits Give brand a role and relevance for the company, people, society and world, Find the best argument to convince client Make it alive and connect it to people Help client, agency earn more money Lot of meetings and presentations Lot of fun

Thrown into brainstorm on no notice with kick ass freelance Creative on global brief that needs ""Big Ideas."" It's only 9.30am and I have had no coffee, which is always a bad start. I never turn down the chance to play creative so I say yes without even knowing what I'm signing up for or who has asked for my services. The future is creatives and planners working together as a team, like copywriters and art directors do/did. I view these opportunities as my chance to persuade the top brass that this should be more than an experiment. I loathe going to meetings about meetings but am forced to go to several in the day. I desperately try to return to desk to do some thinking on a brief I need to write, and a workshop I need to help run in 2 days but these meeting suck up most of my day. I find myself scribbling notes about other things during these meetings and struggling to listen to much at all. I end the day meeting a planner from another agency my client have employed to do some thinking on their ""positioning."" A great guy but hard to know where my job stops and his starts.

Meeting with broad team about changing media and creative strategy on a client. It's been all fashionable, social media and digital stuff to date and basically useless. Their objectives and consumers need basic old school channels. The creative strategy is generic and bears no relation to why consumers buy the product. I spent much of the rest of the day working alone on briefs and other stuff on this. I also spent far too long helping an account exec make word clouds. She's very attractive.

Brainstorming, think in strategy and how brands connect with young consumers' generation.

I wrote a research report that I followed for 2 weeks; I finished a campaign presentation that will be presented today

Yesterday I spent half the day reviewing focus group film and cutting it up into key insights. I organized a focus group for the following week with a new account. In the evening I prepped for a focus group we were hosting in house. I spent the night filming the focus group, taking notes and capturing the footage so that the next day I could cut it up and begin editing.

Spent the morning reading up on road rage from various reports, then putting together the insights on a big piece of paper with plenty of post-its in different groups, after lunch was spent working with creative director on coming up with different concept for a ""road politeness"" campaign. In summary, I work part on strategy and part on creative, which I think is great because it makes it a more circular and collaborative effort instead of linear.

10 to 12 am: working on a presentation to a new concept about the online/social presence of a recent client. Structure, slogan, social media directions e social brand strategy 1 to 3 pm: Meeting w/ creatives to talk about some directions to a recently won campaign 4 to 6 pm: Meeting w/ freelance developers to align setups, delivers and explain the nest steps to the client.

i worked to finalize a brand idea after a client workshop & resulting presentation. i vetted the brand idea through creative & account teams, and put the finishing touches on the presentation. i also took a look at some raw data from a survey that a vendor is running for us. i need the results faster thanthey can pull together the presentation, so i pulled a quick summary together myself.

We work completely integrated with the creative guys. We do researchs, market, product and public, and try to find a better way for people to create a very good campaign. Nothing new, really.

Worked ~ 15 hours: - Wrote 2 briefs for 2 smaller clients - Attended 3 client meetings (2 in person at the egency, 1 via conference call with a global client) - Pulled Simmons research for a new business meeting and contacted research vendors to put together a proposal for new business research - Pulled together a report on Millenial segment to preesnt tomorrow AM

Everything a traditional planner is doing, plus some BTL and digital planning. Plus taking care (and responsibility) of the entire operational part of the agency.

I received a new client brief, so spent half the day researching and getting my head around the product, putting some initial thoughts down for the creative brief. Then I put together the weekly creative inspiration newsletter that goes out to the agency and friends of the agency.

I was writting some post for our blog which is about a sociocultural observatory. I went with a client to two different focus group.

Had a conference call with several co-workers and a client to review the results of a quant study that we did to get consumer feedback on several positioning statements. Had a lunch & learn with a photography rep and a group of co-workers. Chatted a bit with some different members of the account management team about travel photography. The buffalo mozzarella from Balthazar was amazing. Developed a 'fake' facebook page to help bring to life a consumer segment for part of a deck that my boss is putting together for a presentation in early June. Met with a Associate Design Director to discuss how to improve our creative brief over a glass of bourbon.

Strategic brainstorming Brief develop Competitive review

1 - Helping the Midia depto. in a presentation. 2 - Working on a presentation where we introduce the strategy to launch a new product. 3 - Meeting with the client about the progress of the jobs we are working at. 4 - Sending references of others players communications to the client.

Crafting a creative brief, finishing a case study video, debating woth general manager, reviewing creativity and presenting it for a new business, briefing to creatives a multiplatform campaign (also for a new bussiness), reviewing agency´s blog posts prior to publishing them...

Rolled in just in time for a 10:00 meeting with someone from Kelton (a research group similar to Hall & Partners) about their creds/capabilities. Checked Twitter feed for references to #SpaghettiOs. Met with my account team about an issue the client is having with the creative brief, and how to accommodate him while retaining the spirit of the strategy. Reviewed a work-in-progress report on the DIY beauty phenomenon. Also reviewed a work-in-progress presentation for a brand fundamentals workshop next week with one of our newer clients. After grabbing free lunch from a lunch & learn with an illustration house (I think ... all I know is they brought balthazar - yum), I attended back-to-back meetings to provide feedback on the two presentations. Briefed one of the planning directors on some desk research I need him to do. Cheese & fruit snack - left over from a client meeting. Caught up on emails, called it a day. This sounds like a lot but I actually shot the breeze quite a bit.

I tell the creatives: go as crazy as you want, as long as you say ( place message here ).

I am working together with planning colleagues, information architects, ux designer and creative or art directors in a very close way. But: ""Both planners and creatives drink from the well of inspiration. But planners piss in it first."" and ""The job of a creative is to create. The job of a planner is to inspire that creativity, to guide it, to nurture it."" (Tod Norman)

I had a conference call for a brainstorm with multiple agencies who work on our client's business. Then I had a client call to review a creative brief we've been working on to get it approved. After making a few tweaks, I briefed creatives on the project. After that I did some research on cool examples of sports marketing.

Planners help the agency to develop efficient advertising

Yesterday i spent most of the time with nothing to do. The planning director was working by himself on the final presentation of a job we spent the whole week working on together.

It was a slow day, so I decided to build an inspiration deck. No one had asked me for anything like this- the traditional agency world I live in tends to be consumed by clients that need constant attention, so having a little time to put together inspiration was rare. I looked at all of the decks from last week's Boulder Digital Works- didn't get to attend due to out of town meetings. Lots of really great things in there. After that deck was done, I had a few conference calls about scheduling, kick-offs, and status for some ongoing projects we have. Then talked with the account director for a while about some of the current issues on the account and some ways to potentially solve. Created a document with those ideas, and sent to the head of strategy so that he could sign off. Then had a call with him, talked about those ideas as well as some other things he had on his mind. Took notes for my deliverables, went back to my desk, finished them in 10m, and left the office.

Reviewed pitch brief Spoke with marketing technology vendor Had several meetings regarding status of certain projects as well as agency management discussions with sr leadership. Worked on client presentation. Provided specific work direction to team members on their work. Trashed talked with creative director.

Yesterday I had to finish a project that shows how the digital strategy presented in the past month would be reflected in sales. So after describing how the strategy will be conected to every media, I called the creatives so I could show them all the gaps in terms of media and message they had to fill to deliver the full plan. There was just a few gaps, so we brainstormed a little and got the answers really fast. So I came back to my desk and finished the project.

in the morning i went by my self to visti my clients competitors POS. After lunch i've worked by my self on a communication analysis and in the end of the day me and my boss finished a presentation to a client - our client has a new board and therefore we had to present to them what we've been doing for them for the past years -.

Yesterday I sat almost all day watching videos of participant observation and interviews with people who bake bread.

- Desk Research for Benchmarks of reposition and specifically communication messages. - Weekly Communication Review of my current clients and their category. - Client conference calls and meetings. (2 hours with other agency disciplines)

Yesterday, I stared the day making edits to brand positioning concept boards which I wrote and designed. Most of those edits were language-focused, not the imagery. I feel like I spend a great deal of time honing my writing skills to say things emotionally but succinctly. I'm getting better at it. I also spent part of my morning editing a brand logo usage and standards book that I took on as a little extra project for the same client (trying to help out our very busy studio since I have mediocre design skills). For the afternoon, I participated in a new business pitch where we presented media strategy and creative concepts. I was there as part of the planning duo (myself and the head of planning). It was actually my FIRST new biz pitch and I felt lucky to have been so integral to the team-- I had an abnormally close relationship with the brand we were pitching and knew it more intimately than some others. The pitch went really well and the client practically handed us the business right there and then. It was cool to see them as excited as I was. I ended the day a little early, around 5:30. Typically I stay till 6:30 or 7. It was definitely a busy, but good day, at work for this junior kiddo.

In our agency planning is a shared service between the different disciplines. I work primarily with the digital discipline, but sometimes with the traditional advertising when we want to bring a trad client into the digital space. I'm 100% digital. Because we are digital, we spent most of the last 12 months on new business. Now we are focusing on client work for our wins. I spent the entire morning at a client presentation to one of our traditional advertising clients. They have a website but haven't done much with it. We presented the results of IDDI's with website database members and the resulting strategy toward the role that digital can play in light of the brand's business issues. Approval! I went straight into another meeting, this time with a digital client. They are a web brand about to revamp one of their website from a social media site into an e-commerce site. We had a brainstorming session about marketing plans for the next 90 days. I spent the remainder of the afternoon working on client presentation decks for next week, sometimes consulting with account team members. I worked by myself except to chat with other planners.

I spent my last working day in meetings with the creative action in order to create a relationship to a client.

First, i was searching some things of companies in USA, who does the same of one of our clients, to know what kind of things are happening over there. Then, i start to search for some videos in Youtube to make an edition to a internal job. Then i had to help my teammate to analyze the website of one of our clients and propose changes.

Pitched new business - immediately went on vacation

I grabbed coffee, checked in on foursquare and opened up my email. I had client a client call where I tried to understand their new Mobile App development so that I can better explain the future of mobility to them in a trends deck I am working on. I worked on that deck while also pulling Simmons data to quantify a target for a New Business meeting. I worked on a consumer pulse deck for another client/account/creative team as well. I also tightened up the language for a consumer journey. I ate lunch at my desk - read some cool articles and looked through a boulder digital works deck for inspiration, i found these all on twitter. I worked from about 9am to 7pm, stressful fast gritty and fun. I love being a planner.

I started my day working alone, i was making a new creative brief that i have to present

tomorrow, at the same time i was completing another brief that i had to present yesterday, i spend all the morning doing that. In the afternoon i sat with a creative team, presented the strategy, discuss it, and stablish where we where heading with this brief, we sat down an started to think directly in creation right away and we stayed like 4 hours in that. at like 9 pm i left.

analyzing data. writing POVs. Concepting with creatives writing briefs new biz stakeholder interviews coming up with big ideas telling the digital guys that a tactic is not a strategy

My last full day looked something like this: get coffee and eat breakfast at my desk while catching up on Twitter and blogs I like to read for mostly work-related stuff. Meetings, more meetings, talk with my planning partner (we work in teams of 2 mostly) about stuff we can divide and conquer. Talk to a research vendor of ours who's helping us with a big segmentation project, and relay that info to the account team. Plan a trip to planningness for all of the department members who are going. Chat with an art director so he can bounce some of his early ideas off me. Send some quick brand examples to another planner who's building a deck for a new biz pitch. Get some shit signed by finance and call it a day. Most of my clients only involve me in the traditional type strategy stuff. My agency is big and just getting its feet wet in having real ""digital"" capabilities, although we've been pretending we have them for years. So, digital peeps are more involved on that part of the business.

new business presentation, conference call reviewing research with vendor and client, desk research prep for strategic plan development (new client), lunch, editing survey questionnaire, reading...

At the moment I am interviewing managers at our clients headquarters. Each interview is approximately two hours long and involves 12 out of the companies 100 employees. My team (one senior strategic project manager, one digital account director, one senior partner ""new business developer"" and me) is in the midst of a pre-study that will lead to rebuilding our clients website. The client is new to us, so a big part of the job is about making the client trust and feel comfortable with working together with us. Moreover, their existing brand strategy isn't well defined so we are rewriting/redefining some of the basics of this a long the way. (another company produced a brand strategy book for them last year, but our client is not content with the output this) The time that I'm not interviewing goes to putting together/preparing our next step, which is an online survey that we will send out to our clients customers and partners. I am also writing a report/summary of the interviews, that we will present to our client next week. Furthermore, our team meets up as often as we can to share info and to make sure that we are following our time schedule/not costing too much. Yesterday's procedures involved a whole lot of google searches, briefly looking up our respondents on linked in and in articles/videos, analysing the client's current websites structure, looking for references (other websites) to present to our client, answering email from our client, meeting with the client and reporting my hours.

Arrived by 9 o'clock; 9:30 - Benchmark Analysis Global retail Trends 10:00 - Campaign presentation; 14:00 - New Business Meeting; 16:00 - Internal Kick Off Meeting about New Business; 18:00 - Research Brand Activation 18:30 - Creative Brief 20:00 - Went Home

I run the planning dept for JWT Minneapolis - which is a pure digital office. I have 3 digital strategist (including myself), one traditional planner, 4 UX strategists and 2 analytics people. Essentially I am building these teams to work on projects while working on my own account as the lead planner. Here was my schedule yesterday: 7:30-9 am - Meet with the new head of digital from JWT Toronto to brief him on capabilities, etc. 9-10 am - 1-1s with staff. 11 am - Pitch prep for General Mills. 11:30-3pm Stakeholder interviews for client project 3-6 pm - Work time.

I developed the messaging strategies for a couple of Client initiatives, sat in on several multi-agency meetings for initiatives set to launch in 2012, consulted with a Client on some product research they want to field (discussed timing, methodology, stimulus), worked with my creative team on a POV for some spokesperson talent.

Check briefs with people's accounts participate in customer reviews brand built a presentation on customer behaviors review an investigation of perception of a new product.

I started off by finishing off some strategic brand planning for a global sports sponsorship for a bank, which was then presented via conference call to hong kong and london later in the day. I then checked in on some ATL and experiential campaigns for singapore and two indian

digital pitches - checking that the creative work was coming along nicely. I reviewed a creds deck for a new senior person at an existing client that had been written by a board director. i then went through some twitter feeds and other links on feedly, saving some reports and sharing some interesting links to relevant teams around the global network. Finally i did some desk research for an upcoming pitch brief. the sort of work i still love doing. then i met up for drinks with two other planners from other companies!

Yesterday i was preparing a presentation for my client about their comunnication strategy.

- contribute to the strategic direction for the agency's clients - Help creative department to develop good ideas (interactive as well as ""traditional"")

Summarize the outcomes of a client workshop Work on a creative + media global collaboration methodology Participate in a planner's monthly working lunch Brainstorm with a fellow planner on Twitter about a paper on the role of brands in a cluttered world Go through a pitch deck with the agency team in Brazil

put together an inspirational presentation about modern communications and sensory marketing responded to a brief updated me on the industries my clients are in read blogs, watched youtube, looked through my rss feeds, checked facebook

Summarized a latest trend report for my client. Emailed it over to them with possible implications/considerations for their business. Worked on a target profile deck. Summarized what we know about them and how it matters.

Managing four pieces of business for three separate clients, so much of the day is spent meeting with my planners and discussing projects we're working on, discussing how to advance/develop the creative ideas, and talking to account about how to get the clients to think more creatively about their challenges. Then bitching with creatives about the projects we're working on.

Yesterday I spent about four hours working on a presentation of research for a new client. I spent the morning pulling quotes, images and making slides for that particular presentation. Then, I spent about an hour dealing with some issues with a quantitative survey vendor. This part of my day was very administrative... and not my area of expertise. This sort of thing creates the most stress in my day. Finally, I worked on an award entry for a couple hours. I also conducted an internal work session with employees and an 1.5-hour interview for some client research. In summary, a mix of research on the fly, guiding employees, and analysis of research. Busy day!

There really is no typical day, but I work on a global piece of business and I think most of my time is trying to get all stakeholders to align on a global idea, but specifically how it can work in the US market - often the largest and most valuable market. It's difficult to get global clients to embrace US customs and culture. They believe what works in one setting, will work in another and that's not (always) the case.

get to oficeby 7.30am. conference calls with USA, write presentations, brief crewative teams, develope workshop for client, staff meeting, review agnecy research initiative, Board meeting for local office. Conference calls with europe. leave office 8.00am

Arrived earlier than normal for a pitch- job meeting (home care business) where the agency presented strategy + creative. All people around were directors. After lunch, did a plan for a 'below the line' strategy (beverages market) with costs and the help of a partner agency. Later on, studied another client's marketing plan (financial market) in order to prepare a strategic planning presentation for next week. Account director was present.

now I'm the person responsible for design and management of ethnographic research to build communication strategies of the agency

I discussed how to sell a campaign, prepared a presentation that captured the idea while purposely taking the client to a thinking process that would lead him/her to understand that there was no better idea than the one presented.

I worked on writing 2 creative briefs and did some research into the attitudes and aspirations of 'moms'.

- work always with others - mostly digital work - 90 % client work / 10 % new business

Yesterday a group from my agency (including me) attended a multi-disciplinary meeting sponsored by one of our clients. It was one of those typical off-site gatherings, at a hotel, with lots of presentations made by diverse managers: sales, finance, medicine (the client is a pharmaceutical company), product supply, marketing and such. From our side, we shared a media review. The objective of this meeting was to be aligned as a team when designing 2012's marketing plans. It was a little bit tiring but exciting to learn about everyone else's goals and responsibilities. Plus it's always nice to leave the cubicle for a while. My day ended with a Service Marketing class, which is one of the subjects from the Master in Marketing I'm currently doing at a local business school (I'm a chronic student, so I usually combine work and school)

Worked on quantitative proposal and approach for a locally headquartered global company to understand how customers perceive their current market positioning in comparison to a recent acquisition (company) they purchased to guide creative direction for how to position the two companies. Developed an idea for an iPhone application to help build excitement, awareness and audience connection to a new city public installation. Developed proposal, rationale and benefits. Worked with creative team to develop concepts of how this app would work and look. Lead a brainstorm for a new product for an industrial company and how we would differentiate this product from competitors and demonstrate the product features in a industry changing way. Conducted one of several stakeholder interviews for a non-profit brand refresh project.

The real planner job here is mostly about generating add value presentations of different themes like trends, creativity, particular investigations etc. The plann is to migrate and start generating innovative ideas with the creative department

I usually work in 2-3 projects per day. Exploring territories / writing presentations. Half of the work is done in pairs.

Partnering with the client in owning the brand strategy, and bringing in the consumer's heart and mind into every idea, brief and project. We value the idea, overall, and are trying to kill the digital/traditional chasm that still exists in some clients / categories / countries.

Competitive analysis, tea, write briefs, inspire creatives, write concepts, analyse researches, develop researches, leverage costs of research

I studied the consumers, narrowed the target based on what I was finding. Then I studies the client and their culture and where they fit, could fit among with competitors based on their values and services. From this I developed a creative brief and a positioning for the brand that would be the center of a national TV campaign. This was a very short notice pitch, so I only used existing information and consumer information (qualitative and quantitative) from the web.

Spent about 20% of my time on the phone for meetings. About 25% of the day fielding emails and getting things done that way and then about 55% of my day actually completely work that are specific deliverables.

participated in a NPD session on a global product. Briefed two digital projects. Reviewed creative for ongoing corporate campaign. talked to head of planning about replacing a planner who has resigned. Talked to our Atlanta office about a forthcoming client workshop.

a.m. i briefed a team on developing an iAd for a popular magazine app for the iPad. it was all about getting the right folks in a room and getting minds a-brewing - connecting to media plans in place, current partnerships and cultural context and how to just turn the opportunity on its head. then i reviewed digital banners with clients to ensure all was strategically sound and on brand - meaning, are all the pieces aligned? copy driving home our core brand message at every point? does it bring our 'reason to believe' to life at every consumer engagement??? pm work on a proposal for qualitative research continue to work on a cultural deck on how to start a movement

Bounced between acct management and creative offices reviewing and amending creative work that we presented to clients in the afternoon. Wrote strategic slides for those presentations, and continued writing another deck on target audience insights; also spent some time searching youtube for the right clips to help bring this to life.

9h30 arrived at the office 9h30-11h: answered emails and put together inputs i got from an online survey to one of our clients: a media corporate who wants to expand it's business to online media and struggles to find it's human resources. 11h-12h: helped my boss (the planner director) to figure out a way to show the latest logo trends to our supermarket client, who inteds to change it's logo. 12h14h: lunch 14h-15h: researched news about credit card company's marketing budget for our supermarket client, who is also expanding it's business. 15h-18h: continued to analyse the answers to our survey for the media corporation. 18h-20h: helped two account executives to figure out digital strategy for a governmental aids campaign

Although it's less than ideal, the reality is that I often work in isolation...translating research findings or consumer insights into implications or recommendations for Creative, for clients, etc. I am constantly running any relevant information I have about a client's business objectives and their customers needs/wants across all media types (e.g., social, digital, trad) for implications.

Developed an Audience profile and discussed it in meetings with account. Reviewed Internship applications.

Conversation with social media analysis company about a trial research project, revising a strategic presentation with new territories for international positionings, updates from Global Planning Director on changes in business

Write brief, share brief internally. Work with client to approve brief. Write messaging deck, refine with client. Research cultural trends.

I usually have to work for different brands during the day, yesterdayn for instance I had to think & build the digital strategy for one of them, create a creative brief for the launch of a brand in a new market, and receive the debrief of a preview.

Wrote a trends presentation for a client (alone), updated my database of interesting articles/info (alone), corresponded with a research company for some information I was in need of

Half the day writing two creative briefs Half the day managing two different research studies that are launching soon: an ethnography and a conjoint study

6 am global conference call (these happen on monthly basis) - discuss upcoming briefing, audience book on our global target get to office by 9 am -- caffeine influx 9:30 am meeting to discuss upcoming client mtg, and how to structure strategic discussion 10 am meeting with ECD and GAD to update on upcoming global creative briefing and project a few hours on my own checking emails, reviewing data on audience for a pitch I'm involved in, surfing to find more interesting stuff for the pitch 1:30 call with partner agency on pitch to discuss needs from them in terms of audience understanding 3 pm meet with HR to discuss implementing new training program for jr. planners 4 pm - 6:30 pm meeting on new biz pitch with core team, discuss strategic platform possibilities, as well as plan for next meeting head home, check email after kids in bed, surf web looking for information for CCO night-night

I'm working on multiple projects simultaneously. Yesterday I crafted an online survey for a government client, worked on a new biz proposal, a POV for a client in Health Care, and brainstormed for hours for one of our largest accounts.

Sat in feedback briefing on creative work Deisgned a brainstorm Ran a brainstorm Produced a report of how our client's campaign is doing to date Read stuff online

Work alone on developing strategic direction for communications plans. Work with integrated team to ensure all creative is strategically sound.

Mixture of my 2 retained clients and 2 new biz projects. Mostly brand direction work rather than in any particular channel.

Worked on pieces for my client's marketing summit. This included a mood video script bringing to life our aspirational target audience and how we as a brand will engage them. I also had a client call in which we discussed a brief for the 10th time and changed one word...in a section header, not even in the content of the creative brief. Siiigh.

Briefed a remote, non-US creative team on a big new global effort, retro-fit 4 creative briefs to creative projects already in the works, and took a late night global conference call from a bar.

My job as a junior planner changes everyday. It is all about getting as much exposure to things as possible. It consists of coming into work and checking in with my boss. Seeing what's on the plate for today and then executing. Daily activities consist of everything from compiling estimates, going to focus groups, sitting in on client calls, organizing decks and trying to crack at a brief. When there is nothing to do, I browse the internet trying to find out trends and educate myself on the digital end. Reading RSS feeds has become a daily routine.

Worked on an automobile brand -- (1) structuring a Jungian archetyping study on the mindsets of car buyers in the country; (2) studying how design and features illicit reactions in the marketplace. Worked on a household brand -- structuring a new digital-focused campaign with some of the tenets of 'transmedia storytelling'.

drafted a creative brief wrote a video script for a marketing summit had a conference call to discuss next steps for a brand initiative and project brief reviewed a portfolio strategy for a global client

Directing a pitch for a telecom client Managing tracking research on one of my main clients Helping the US on one of their pitches Fine tuning some local ad concepts

Primary research (conducted stakeholder and end-user interviews); Wrote outline for APG case study; Talked to a social strategist about how to work together; Shared insights about ""doing good"" and Millennials with planning director from Singapore; Left at 5:15pm to go do yoga

Shopper Marketing strategy across multiple channels

Spent the day doing a lot of internal stuff: working on preparing a meeting for the department meeting about the new strategy and creative development process, looking at staffing, meeting with a couple of strategists to see how they were getting on. Went home and worked on a deck for a presentation the next day

An hour brainstorming with another planner the main message on a brief. Half and hour reviewing creative work. An hour on a conference call with clients reviewing a research study. Half an hour for lunch. One hour looking at Simmons data runs to help define target audience for brand and competitors. Half an hour on a client call getting feedback on some Radio creative and trying to understand the different tonality and nuance in messaging they are looking for. One hour in status meeting with client reviewing current projects. Half an hour briefing designer for visuals for super at end of TV spot.

Got to work at 9AM, regrouped with my director on the days objectives. Had a call with a research partner about upcoming concept research, reviewed screeners, homework, etc... Spent a few hours online catching up on e-mail, reading articles. Breaked for lunch with my team. Had meetings with the account team. Spent a few solo hours building a deck. Briefed creatives on a project and then finished up for the day.

Spend the first part of the morning reading news, answering urgent emails and scheduling stuff. The rest of the day is pretty chaotic, but usually a mix of different activities: a third of my time is spent working (alone) for my clients on decks or projects, a third talking/brainstorming with creatives (mostly on clients related stuff). The last third is a mix between working on some inspiring, transversal subjects that i will present to the department or in a conference, doing team management (reviews, motivation, checking on progress...) or just slaking on youtube/twitter/facebook.

Got up early. Hopped on a plane. Spent the afternoon meeting with clients. Drank heavily.

Doing research on new business, booking travel, opening estimates and working with finance to rush purchase orders to pushy vendors, talking, chatting, sharing ideas, listening to a guest speaker on digital.

I synthesized global pre and post measures for 8 markets (BPM/FPI) and worked against a global competitive comms strat review.

Putting together a powerpoint deck on an agency case study, putting together a deck for the client to use internally to make an argument, google research, reading blogs, creative briefing, brainstorm meeting on a new campaign, weekly status meeting.

Started the morning with a meeting about our ad tracking study for a recent campaign. Then I helped pull together some sales info, campaign details, etc. and provided input on a new

business case study for our department head. I worked on editing an article for a client about Gen Y and the retail experience that will be used to educate people in the field. After that I had a coffee meeting with my boss/partner-in-crime on an advertising awards entry. I put my late-afternoon caffeine buzz to work and wrote the first section of the entry. Then went to meet some former coworkers for after-work happy-hour.

research

I woke up at 6am. I drove to my work reading my twitter. I started a meeting at Pepsico by 10am. then, I went to have a fast lunch break. after lunch i`ve joined a brainstorm meeting with my creative team. around 5pm I started doing a presentation, till 11:30pm, to be presented today 8am.

Facebook & Twitter

We organize the thought-fuel for everyone else, so we're often pushing out summaries of reports and blog posts whenever we've got non-client time. I'm still learning the ropes of things, so I'm not quite at the point where I'm writing briefs and organizing surveys, so I often get the tasks that are nice-to-have or extend the capabilities of the two full-fledged planners. That often means a lot of internet time, partly because I seem to have pretty strong google-fu. Yesterday I split off my time between researching the australian and european competitors for one of our clients and digging through our neurology and ad-testing books to try and find evidence for why humor is important and useful in ads, so that we can pull that out if we get pushback from a client. I guess that's an indication of the mix.

provide market and competitive insight

Spent an hour reading my Twitter and RSS feeds to keep up on what's going on the world. Scheduled several tweets to be sent throughout the day on topics that I find interesting. Meeting on a social media program for a global CPG brand. Advised partner agencies (digital, PR, etc.) on overall strategy. Developed plan for measuring success of the program. Attended briefing session for holiday program for another brand. The session turned into a brainstorm on other ideas. Reviewed creative work for the first brand and sent feedback. Helped a colleague gather research on online behaviors and usage for women, to be turned into a report.

Arriving late at the airport coming from the US and going directly to the office to brief creative team for a campaign that should be prepared in a few days. Preparing a seminar for the APG Spain Getting familiar with some data mining digital tools

I receive the brief from de account executive. We have a meeting with the creative team, production team and decide the path we'll follow. Then I have 3 days to come up with a creative concept, along with the creative team. We have to approve it with the rest of the team, anda then I'll develop a paper describing the project. Along with the creative team I discuss support material, approaches, etc. We buil the presentation together. I present the project to the client.

i create decks, pull research, create research projects, conduct research, create videos, help pitch assignments, think about new opportunities for biz development...

-Arrive -Spend 2.5-3 hours planning for a strategy work session happening in California with clients next week. Wrote out agenda, read through most recent research and took notes. (Alone) -Worked Brief Clinic. Helped team refine a creative brief (alone) -Team meeting between account, creative, project management and planners. Announcement of Group Director having a more day-to-day role in helping manage clients. Pep rally for the team. (Group) -Working lunch with other planners on the same account as me. Review new strategic framework for multiple work sessions happening over next two weeks. (Group) -Internal creative review for a major meeting between our clients and national retail chain. 1.5 hours to review and discuss ideas (group) -Spent 2 hours working on strategic work session happening in California next week. (alone) -Met with AE and Account Sup to review agenda for work session (group)

came in... got coffee... chatted with a few people, caught up on my google reader.... a big part of my job is keeping the agency smart, so a big part of my job is taken up by reading up on things. had lunch with our digital producer and then returned to the office and had back to back meetings for about 5 hours.... my role in the meetings varies from low to high, so i

always bring my machine and work throughout- piping in where i need to. ended the day doing some brainstorming with a few creatives. left the office at decent hour.

agency collaboration, creative inspiration, client problem solving

I spend most of my time planning strategy for specific initiatives. This is done mostly in the form of creating presentations. The remainder of my time is spent on new business or drumming up new opportunities for current clients that are not specific to an assignment.

openned computer, filled the time sheet, had a coffe, read emails, finished a presentation ( competitive overview about market and communication focoused in Latam), had a call with work colleagues from UK, sent the presentation to the regional client, the global agency team.

I'm a event planner. I work with a 15 executive producers team. Usually, It's a specific client in the automotive area. We design all kinds of events for employees, media and consumer. My last work was a competition for the awarding of the best suppliers.

I would say I spend my day working on a balance of ideas that are integrated across media types and working on digital specific projects. I also have a healthy dose of time dedicated to looking at research and turning it into relavent insights.

I'm working on a digital/traditional championship for a major mobile company and a CRM programme.

Pull data on shoppers (many different ways), analyze it to look for patterns, discover insights from patterns, develop engagement strategy to inspire creatives

As a junior planner with a focus in market research, I spend a lot of time developing surveys (both internal and for paying clients), analyzing consumer data for insights, and scouting for new business or innovation projects with current clients.

I'm doing a LOT of selling these days of segmentation analyses and dashboard development projects. Clients are *talking* a lot about metrics and analytics, but when it comes time to pay for them....well, they're still just talking.

Traditional and digital

As an assistant I do a mix of anything and everything. I got into the office at 8:30am. We left for the clients for interviews at 9am. I started the day conducting interviews with the leaders of different areas of our clients business to create brand videos that will go online. The interviews were conducted by my senior planner and our account lead while myself and an account coordinator took vicious notes. When I returned to the office in the afternoon, I immediately met with my director on instructions to design the format and layout for a case study for our new business pitch. This utilized power point design and image gathering to assist in telling out story. Two options were created and printed for my Director to view in the morning. In between working on the case study, I had to book travel for one of the associates traveling for research. I also worked on obtaining bids from research vendors for creative testing that needed to happen in less than a week. Emailed and called vendors to get timing and pricing for our specs. Myself and my senior planner communicated with our client, the account team and creatives to work out details and approval of the research. Ended up leaving the office at 8pm.

our job as planners is to ensure our creative products are grounded in strategy/ consumer insights

Developing a tricky creative brief for an upcoming pitch - 4hrs Write up from a web content strategy workshop - 1hr Meeting account director to plan another web content planning session - 1hr Reading and planning training sessions for a social marketing scheme - 2hrs Amends for creative for an internal enewsletter template - 0.5hrs Phone calls, emails, admin - 1hr Thinking - not enough hours

I worked with the broader account/planning team to develop potential positions for a brand, after research drastically shifted the client's current expectation. I wrote a brief for another client, and shared it with the ECD on the account, before briefing teams in a few days. And I presented revised creative for another campaign.

worked on traditional as well as digital project. drafting social media engagement & content strategy. as well as desk research as its beginning of a brand positioning process

planning digital, planning traditcional, activation, planning promo,

Managing the work load of the other planners, creating new briefs - repositioning, and large campaigns, selling briefs and creative, staying abreast on culture and the latest internet craze. checking-in latest research project, and reminding clients of their true business and brand problems.

Working as a digital planner, I help clients create a digital strategy looking at what digital channels would make sense given their objectives. On channels have been established I help work with the client to find the optimal way of communicating with consumers through that channel and making it as effective as possible.

distilling market intelligence, consumer knowledge and product information and then transforming these into a provocative and inspiring perspective

Searching the web to help me biuld some insight and get information to do a creative brief. Talking to the creative team about a presentation we hace to do. analizing some data I recently got

1) working on new beer brand positioning concepts 2) finalizing presentation about video in digital age for telco/mobile client 3) quick review of status of desk research with Jr. Planner 4) sharing few pieces of great digital work with collegaues

moderating focus groups defining the brand's tagline writing a creative brief managing planners work reviewing creative concepts

i start my days, always, in search for new references, trends and things that somehow help me to enrich my work. i do that by reading news at blogs i am interested or maybe some chapters of a book, or presentations on slideshare... this takes, honestly, at least 20% of my day. then i try to apply all this gathering at work. i try to instill some content in a presentation, or try to finde another angles for the things i've been studying. also, i have my everyday ""routine"" - get to know about what clients are doing and if they need anything about me. poping up in reunions, following up how the work is going or adjusting some projects. when i have something to be delivered, my work is distributed in another way... i tend to focus on what needs to be done and the references part or the routine and reunions part is smaller.

Right now we are working for a telecommunication company and we are in the first parte, so I'm doing an investigation that let me be all the time that I need with consumers for looking insights and try to capture the essence of their life. It is very exciting because It's similar to do etnoghraphy work

Yesterday I got up at 6am and got to the office at 8am to meet with a client. It was a good productive meeting! (which is rare). I spent the rest of the day (until 6:30pm) working on a competitive analysis deck on the market chained to my desk. I was really depressed by the end of it. I'm working mostly alone and with very little human to human interaction except meetings. I'm very good at technical things like using computers, Photoshop, Powerpoint etc, but that sometimes makes me feel like I have a disadvantage on the planning team since I'm the go-to guy for that instead of my thinking...

I've spent 8 hours in several useless meeting and 3 hours doing real stuffs.

I work as a strategist for digital business. I spent the last workday developing a campaign brief for a CPG client, writing a stakeholder interview guide for a financial services client, attending a digital training session, and reviewing site work for another client.

Yesterday I spent the day analysing survey data and trying to craft an interesting story out of it.

I spent yesterday turning the output of last week's brainstorm into possible territories for our brand. In the brainstorm, which I had moderated, a dozen clients and agency people had collectively identified a number of relevant truths about society, industry and our brand, and from this we had generated a long list of purpose statements along the lines of ""our brand exists to... "". The day before yesterday I designed a framework for representing / explaining each territory, and then yesterday I wrote the content, working with the best ""our brand

exists to..."" statements and the most pertinent society / industry / brand factors until they made sense together. I did about six on my own, then I sat down with my account director and another strategist from a different department to get their input on what I'd done and to crack out the last four together. Then we emailed them to the client for discussion this morning.

1. Presented a communications strategy to the president of a commercial bank, which included a recommendation on how they should focus their marketing dollars based on interviews with their key sales people and competitive review. 2. Provided creatives with feedback on work, including how to sell in certain tactics based on target insights, which tactics to kill because they were off strategy, and what messaging to change based on the strategy outlined in the brief. 3. Wrote positioning statements for a new product based on reviewing industry research and qualitative interviews

Creating a brief for content on a digital site Brainstorming strategic direction with creative director for a pitch

I prepared stimulus for testing brand promises. I worked on a survey analysis that was done to verify segmentation hypotheses.

Meeting with my biggest client Briefing with creative & account team (new project) Desk research & presentation development for a global pitch call conference for a global pitch (i'm conducting a research study) Finish a presentation for other client (communication review) and send it by e mail. Meeting (informal) with my jr. planner for some searchings and other works for the next day.

I usually start my days by doing an online search of what's been happening around the world concerning advertising, social medias and basic news. I go on, by working on brand strategies, where I analyze market research given to me prior to this. I support my statements with those research. At the same time I attend to communication trackings where the commercials and media mix are evaluated. Along side the desk research using inspiration sources, I often go to the streets and talk to the consumer directly. This won't work if we don't have the proper brand knowledge, which is why we attend brand reunions, briefings, and business reviews.

- 4 hour meeting with cross-functional agency team in the morning - worked alone on a deck all afternoon

Yesterday was pretty typical. 9 AM- Review of client feedback from creative tissue session the night before. Involved Account, PM, full creative team, and myself. 10 AM- interviewed a Sr. Planner candidate for a role on one of my accounts. 11 AM reviewed a brief for one of my team members Noon- Core team meeting with Account, PM, and Creative leads to discuss staffing and general state of accounts 1PM- Creative brainstorm session. Designed territories, explored options for 360 campaign. 4PM- New Biz kickoff for 360 creative pitch. 5PM- New biz pitch brief review with head of planning and team member. 7PM- home for dinner and family time 9PM- Revised brief for pitch and sent for feedback 10PM- glass of wine

Global Digital Platform Local Digital Platform Arranging a Brand Vision Workshop IMC Planning Connection Planning

In the morning I rebriefed creative teams on a slight change in direction of the strategy Throughout the day I fielded lots of questions from creative teams as they developed work, mostly on insights around the target In the evening I hosted a call with the client about a communications architecture that had been developed for the brand, and we brainstormed the best way to explain / visually represent the customer journey to some of the global teams around the world In the evening we had a creative review of the rebriefing that happened in the morning, and I critiqued work to make sure it was on-brief

I spend more time in creating a more collaborative, insightful, innovative, effective and creative environment for the agency as a whole. I try not to get hung up too much on executional details of creative etc. A big initiative with us right now is figuring out who to present more social ideas that people will actually participate in, versus extensions of Big Ideas into Facebook or twitter, etc.

9-10 reading newsletters, news about agencies and companies towards marketing topics, reading diverse special interest magazines 10-11 having meeting with collegues (art, text, project management) and discussing about a new campaign for a product launch 11-12 working on a presentation for this product launch campaign 12-13 doing research on

competitors of the client, who will do the product launch within a few months 13-14 having a nice lunch sitting in the sun and the lovely blue sky 14-15 having a meeting with another team of collegues and looking at campaign ideas and first layouts 15-16 doing research for a new business customer on the web (customer website, blogs, facebook, twitter...) 16-17 preparing another presentation for basic information about search engine optimization 17-18 meeting with collegues about another project, discussing about the user experience of a customers´ website 18-19 preparing a presentation about the website analysis By the way: Checking my emails and facebook and twitter updates takes place parallel to all the described tasks - sitting at the desk this is about 20 times per hour.

Traditional client work as well as special projects, thought leadership, etc.

Co-ran a digital brainstorm Wrote a creative brief Participated in a creative presentation to the client Prepared strategic set-up for a new business pitch Weighed in on how to evolve the work for a new business pitch

I work full strategy my job it's about to think the big concept idea develop a rationale and strategy and develop a full strategy in all media

Had 2 meetings about stimulus material for qual research, met a client research guy, read a load of trend documents, reviewd some creative work, wrote an email about recommendations for stimulus.

Assist in helping clients to formulate the appropriate retail strategy- including pre-store, in store and post store. I work on Shopper Marketing Specifically.

Thinking, ideating, modelling, channel planning, creating graphs and charts of (social media) strategy, working on presentations, contact with team member and supporting both creative and account teams in all digital questions, thinking and training.

I got a presentation at morning, and in the afternoom i reseach about some target, adn after that i got a focus group for a client

I make sure that there exists a happy marriage between medium and creative idea, specializing in digital channels.

reading research report finishing pitch presentation presenting it to agency management meeting with creative team - judgment of concept for new campaign

I had client meetings to discuss research I had a digital content meeting (internal) I had several meetings about creative content for an upcoming campaign I wrote & designed a quant questionnaire I wrote a research deck

My daily routine is meeting with the client, understanding their business problems and try to translate them into a creative brief, where I gave them the strategic input. the creative team and me work on the concept, and together we develop the campaigns.

Think, write, think, write, discuss, complain, send to hell, sent to hell, rewrite, rethink, feeling better. Day ends.

Attended 4 hour-long meetings, wrote a pitch outline/deck, scoured Simmons & Mintel for consumer/category insights for pitch, briefed pitch team, wrote creative brief, revised current client strategy program (including a robust research methodology), revised said deck for the 12th time per client direction, put family pet to sleep. yeah, my day sucked.

writing briefs for 2011 international 360 campaign reviewing a piece of creative from Hollandcrtiquing a presentation that is to go to Global CMO re new area of comms development meeting with client to discuss creative briefs sorting out invoices that need to be paid to freelancers writing a questionniare to senior marketing people who receive our campaign to find out what they think we could do to help them implement better in their markets taking new market research person through the background to the International creative idea talking with media agency and research company re possible tests to help evaluate the effect of the campaign more accurately discussing possible sources for a segmentation analysis to help portfolio planning working with digital people and ethnographer to create new cut of ethnographic interviews for client presentation

I traveled sat in a creative briefing, wrote some fodder for creatives, got on a plane, flew to

the client's headquarters, created a powerpoint on the flight, met with a client for dinner.

I started off out at the offices of a personal care client. Along with my planning director, my account team, and mid-level clients, we presented the business strategy, communications plan, and brief for an upcoming project to our senior client. The agency team and I then met with another client on the same brand, where I presented a different brief. We then discussed revisions to it as a group. We headed back to the agency, and I had lunch with one of my team members. After that, I spent the early afternoon working on a brief for a different client in the apparel category. In the late afternoon, I met with my planning director, account team members, and a creative on my personal care account to wordsmith parts of another brief and discuss creative strategy. At the end of the day, I regrouped with a different planner on the apparel account. Then I messed around a little bit online, finished this survey, and left!

Reading news (newspapers and twitter) Searching information about Insurances for a new business I am involved in. Metting with the creative and account team to discuss some creative routes for one of our clients (automotive). Preparing a creative brief for the pitch I mentioned above. Briefing to the creative team. Meeting with our client for sharing the results of a research we developed (beer) And some twitter, Facebook and web surfing again.

Client 1: Review Qualitative Research Insights Call Client 2: Review Feedback to TV Creative that was presented in storyboard format. Worked with creative team to revise execution. Client 3: Developed social media tone of voice and strategy for a brand's first-time attempt at Facebook Client 4: Reviewed a concept for a mobile phone app being developed for launch later in the year

Preparing four surveys/tests for different clients. Ranging from test of concepts, eye tracking test of packaging to more ""regular"" surveys where we need some information for two pitches were are in. Also working on a business plan for a client that need investors for his idea.

I work as a quatitative research support to SP. Yesterday, I did a training for a survey building tool, checked a survey link, communicated with several vendors and scheduled several meetings to follow up on current research conducted by the agency.

- Partnering with account services and creative team members to prepare for a creative presentation on Friday - Competitive auditing (online), specifically looking at unique messaging and/or positioning of new product launches in the space - Providing context around QR Codes for a client interested in testing them - Researching tried and true as well as progressive brainstorming techniques to try in upcoming internal brainstorms with integrated teams

Craft strategy, typically with minimal analytical rigor.

2 hrs Reading interesting articles about strategy & trend topics 2 hrs of brainstorming with the creative team 2 hrs checking out projects that are on going 3 hrs doing a presentation Types of working: traditional & digital

Research our target.

I’m working with this technology company, on a job where we're supposed to have an overview of trends of products, consumers and how other companies are communicating. so yesterday in the morning I worked by myself searching for information on competitors. after lunch, I sat with my boss and we both thought of possible strategies our client could follow on its communication, and so we decided we had to lok for other benchmarks, competitors or not, t have a better idea of what kinds of promises are tech companies doing to clients. So after an hour, 1h30 talking, I went working by myself again, looking for these benchmarks on the internet.

Today: client briefing, internal pre meeting, banner tracking w media agency Yesterday: internal idea workshop w creatives and account on a specific project, client presentation on new ad concept for retail market Day before: briefing creatives, qual field study with experts and consumers (observation and interviews)

Yesterday I started a desk research about Singles. With this information we will develop a questionnaire and start an online research. The idea is to find insights for a new product.

- Analyze results of ongoing campaign, both online and offline - and create summaries for

client and internal teams. - Work on collecting data from third party sources like Census 2010, Simmons, MRI, etc. - Create a brief for a new online campaign to be launched in a couple of months' time. - Plan and create a proposal for a qualitative focus group for another client. - Spend some time on the net to check all the latest industry trends and news items of interest.

Most of yesterday I spent researching an online note-taking program for our strategy team to use and keep each other up to date on global trends. I did it alone, sent out a couple emails about my opinions and findings. I also spent some time reviewing applications for our in-house school and sharing my opinions on the candidates with the director of the school.

My client just hired a new CMO so I was working with our leadership team to develop a script for a video that encapsulated what the agency has accomplished during the 20 year span that we have worked with this client. This same client had recently launched a new device what was not selling well so far, so I had developed some ideas about connecting with a new audience segment and exploring a new tone for our creative efforts. Shared this with our lead team and scheduled some brainstorm session. And initiated a quick quant survey to demonstrate the potential lift the client could receive from a new effort toward a new audience.

Conference call 9 AM for client A with social media agency to discuss strategy of a branded community in Germany and ensure strategic alignment with all agency partners. Status call with client A 10 AM with entire German core team (media, planning, client, social, digital) to discuss ongoing campaign next steps. Switched to client B and wrote a strategic vision document including concepts for consumer facing themes for an upcoming event. Consulted with junior team member who is managing research for a pitch A. Did a phone interview with someone to gather info/insights regarding pitch B. Had a conference call for client B to discuss new ideas for the event put forth by the PR agency. Integrated PR ideas into the master vision document.

Wrote a brief. Sat through some meetings to review creative. Looked at some digital ideas to help them craft the ""story"" behind what they were putting together. Worked on a research proposal.

Got briefed on a new client, learned about online video strategy, wrote a presentation for another new client, went to some meetings

stuff

Design the primary research for my client, an insights research. Listen for the most powerful insights from the target audience, at research. Convince internal team of the importance of the insight and validate it with quant research. Present insights, validation and recommended strategy to client. Present research results. Write brief for creative execution.

digital client work

Worked on a strategic positioning deck. Talked over some creative concepts with the ECD. Participated in a sales presentation. Jumped on a conference call with a client. Read and sent a lot of emails. Reviewed some research findings. Drank coffee.

Time spent working with others in meetings and reviews: 3 hours. Time spent in independent research 2.5 hours. Time spent in applied strategic planning with others 2 hours. Time spent documenting planned actions 1.5 hours

Sat in a huge meeting with clients and multiple agencies working through the details of a large scale global integrated campaign: what happens, where and why to achieve brand and business goals for the client. How to showcase produced content, leverage existing platforms and assets, and catalyze social media and harvest consumer conversations and consumer generated content to amplify the campaign. How to segment the campaign across markets around the world for consumers with different levels of technology sophistication (smart phones to laptops to texting.) Make sure the maximum bang from the marketing buck through integration, and maximum consumer participation by making sure the ideas are motivating and culturally stimulating.

Watched focus groups; debriefed with Global Planning Director and Group Creative Director for a new business pitch

Wrote a brief with an account rep, met with account and social media to develop social media strategy, reviewed research results, worked with a vendor to set up a survey

Spent the last week trying to make sense of our client's social media sprawl.

new business 90%

Yesterday I met with the client to share a brief on a communications assignment, stayed afterward to discuss the broader, brand platform and returned to the office. When I returned I met with our account, media and creative teams to review work on a separate assignment and then met up with my account team for my second brand. Somewhere along the line I was able to sit down and write a research proposal, and sent it out to the broader team for feedback. At that point I reviewed existing research we were given from the client for a separate advertising assignment and began to craft the story for the brief. This was interrupted by a few more meetings and I eventually left the office by about 7:30 PM.

Address: 25 percent new business 25 percent old business 50 percent current business 33 percent research 33 percent strategy 33 percent composition of materials

Powerpoint, moderated groups, timesheets, write brief, several creative reviews.

Meetings

Client work, insights, positioning, brand strategy

i work mostly on traditional advertising projects & briefs for one client across different products in the realm of broadcast, print, & OOH

Yesterday I went to a client to participate in their yearly Brand Planning sessions. They shared with all their agencies where they are in terms of segmentation for 2012, business opportunities identified, etc... Once back in the office, I re-grouped with one of my accounts' team to share our notes from some phone interviews that happened last week. I shared a top line of the interviews I listened to and what the highlights were for me. I am new to this target and category so it was a good learning experience for me. This target are doctors (I just started in Pharma), so it all was new to me.

Attended an IMC kickoff for the first part of the day; as a part of that, competed in a Top Chef competition. Had a 2 hour conference call to discuss a new strategic direction for one of my brands. Met with my creative directors to talk about how best to frame up an upcoming client meeting. Went to an internal creative meeting to review new scripts.

Met with regional planners, reviewed strategy from our digital agency, reviewed creative revisions, prepared a strategy presentation I had to give to clients, started to write a POV.

Wrote for 3 hours (strategy presentations) Researched digital trends for 2 hours - some syndicated stuff, but also a lot of industry advancements Spoke to a creative about an upcoming creative presentation - giving feedback about an idea and offing some thoughts about how to proceed Hung out and talked about some new websites and services with an interaction designer

Did some communication analisys checking, than I finished a group discussion script and a strategic meeting with the client.

Used online qual tools iconoculture to look for early insights for an upcoming client project, met with creative department on print portion of campaign to confirm on strategy, coordinated scheduling and screener details for ethno study

Figured out research budget Read survey open end responses Pulled survey quant stats re wrote a brief amazingly, no meetings

I met with my Director of Digital Strategy to figure out a mobile strategy for our client, and brainstormed how/why/and why shoppers would use mobile. Presented a deck from qualitative research I had done on how the web has changed the way people shop for cars and discussed implications for our client's website. Created an 11x17, one page version of that presentation. Gave our head of planning my perspective on where our global network should take planning. Finalized a new brief for a campaign we're planning.

Read academic theory, brainstormed with colleague on how to use academic theory within digital strategy, met with creatives to refine brief, met with third-party vendor to figure out potential opportunity with client.

Between client and new business work. Mainly discovering insights, a motivational truth within consumers towards a given behaviour, through taylor-made in-depth interviews and adjusting our messaging strategy for a pitch.

Yesterday I did some final massaging of a brand strategy summary. The brand already had a god brand strategy, but after several workshops and review of research we (the client and me) decided to make the brand strategy more meaningful and pithy. I then saw the offlines of a couple of TVCs we had been working on for the last 6 months. THis is always exciting . I then went to a client meeting to discuss an up and coming workshop to come up with sponsorship & content opportunities for their brand. I was determined to use better workshop techniques as I feel like a lot of workshops have been losing energy lately. I had been reading up on better techniques so spoke to them about them. I also suggested that while I develop the workshop, a more junior planner actually run in so I was able to participate instead of remaining neutral as the moderator. We had already had some behind the scenes meeting with comedy producers on this project as I am trying to get the brand involved in comedy in a more meaningful way. After the meeting, I had lunch and spent an hour or so looking into an award entry I need to write for one of my brands. We just finished the Effie's so it was a little like 'here we go again'! After this, I spent an hour reading trends and articles on the internet. I have one client who has his finger on the pulse and I am really determined to send him something he hasn't seen which is relevant to his business. Out of this, I found something more relevant and inspiring for creative so I emailed it to a team who I knew would like it and went and talked to them about it - this was a piece of pop culture making comment on society in an interesting way. I then had a meeting with the junior planner about an internal project she has, the purpose of which is to educate and inspire the agency via insights and knowledge. Later I had a meeting with account service about putting together a campaign analysis for a campaign currently on air. I spent the rest of the day on this.

Tradicional planning job for two major clients, involving research, insight process and briefing for creative and media.

Got to work, checked the blogs, worked on a few charts, attended a few meetings, checked more blogs.

Coached/coaxed creative excellence, developed a Strategic Direction for Digital Video Eco-System, Wrote 5 creative briefs for dotcom, mobile refresh, in-market OLA, had 1 beer, stayed late to bang out an idea for a pitch the next morning, ate 2 egg rolls.

I got to work and put some final thoughts to paper on the language in a ""creative brief"" I'm writing. Then I split time (double booked) between a research vendor's capability presentation and an review of some ""assignment briefs"" that the account team had been working on. Then I had a ""creative brief"" review with an account team that I've been working on. Based on that feedback I tweaked the creative brief while stuffing my face with a sandwich. Then I switched gears and attended a webinar on ""enchanting"" people to get some ideas for briefings. Then directly into a creative competitive review from our tracking vendor. Then I made some final changes to my creative brief and put together some juicy visuals to bring to a second ""creative brief"" review, this time with the creative leads. Then the agency fed everyone tacos and XX for Cinco de Mayo and I caught up with a Planning Director on a recent pitch I'd worked on, and talked about upcoming projects I wanted to get involved with. Then I spent some time mentoring our Planning intern. Then I returned to my office, re-organized, and started preparing for tomorrow's workload. That's about it. Pretty typical day.

worked on writing an idea brief attended meeting with the media agency to better understand how we can reach our target developed positioning statements for a brand

Kick ass holistic Creative presentation

Ideation with clients/creatives. Cultural exploration (usually online). Working towards creative briefs. Trying to sell in digital ideas.

Working on a new business pitch at the moment, pitch is in 2 days so writing the strategy up into the presentation for the day and a long-winded version for the leave behind document. Recording Vox Pops tomorrow to bring things to life. Attended a brand planning workshop with

the client to work out the brand 2020 vision. Need to devise strategy, whether keep old positioning or something new.

I spent the first part of the day at a new client's office, learning about their business. We had discussions with several key staff, took retail tours, and reviewed past and current communications. I returned to the office in the afternoon to an internal planning meeting for an upcoming consumer workshop with a major client. In the evening, I led a creative briefing for our first campaign with another newly won client.

Meetings every half an hour. Then a brainstorm, with beer. The high point.

I spent today with my clients doing a ""brand footprint."" They hired a consultant to come in and do a series of participatory workshops to help the clients and agency determine how the specific sub-brand we were working on fit with the larger brand.

Yesterday I was working on my own agency's strategic plan.

Reviewed 3 briefs. Reviewed a trends presentation. Ran a team meeting. Had a one-on-one with one of my sr. planners. Wrote a brief. Reviewed research findings. Prepared for today's senior leadership all day offsite.

I spent today conducting man-on-the-street interviews to put a face to a certain clients' target audiences.

Here's what I did yesterday: - Pitch kick-off meeting with the senior leadership team in the agency. - Writing a presentation on brand strategy for next week's regional client meeting. - Interviewed planning internship candidate. - Drinks with a research company MD.

Conducted an internal brainstorm regarding barriers to ice cream purchase then went straight to a client's office to propose the strategic direction for the launch of a new car. I followed this with a quick swim and lunch. After lunch I reviewed creative for a sporting goods company and later internal chat with creatives around beer advertising. The day ended with an ad hoc print insertion for our car client given breaking news in the paper about a competitor that day.

- i made a research about the 10 best fashion photographers for a book that we are inventing to a client -alone - i made a presentation for a content app the we are planning to do for a new client - alone - i share my ideas for a job of ""gifts to adv professionals"" to others who are involved in the job - i made a brainstorm with more 3 people about a new concept to a client - i discuss about to build a new creative area in the agency

Ran business strategy workshop with Global CEO and national CEO and direct team Worked on internal brief process and working with CEO and Creative Director on this.

Well, yesterday was a fun day as usual. It began with a 4 hour Fusion session with a local banking client where we came to some very interesting terriority and executional thoughts. From there I had a new business lunch (I look after OgilvyOne Consulting in this market). After lunch I approved (with tweaks!) 2 direct/ digital briefs, I facilitated a 'naming' brainstorm for a new loyalty program, worked on a pitch document and then had a head shot taken for a press release. They I went to my sons' school parents evening!

Developed new flavor, texture, description and naming ideas for new products.

As a Jr. Digital Strategist, my role is very open ended. I can be involved from the very beginning of ideation, or pulled in at the end of a campaign for a post mortem to figure out what was a success/failure. The times I work alone are when I'm collecting information and research that build into consumer insights. Internal work meets are usually project status oriented. Depending on the client/project, we will sometimes have working sessions but this is rare.

1. Part consultant to the client on the strategy for how communication can help their business 2. Part philosopher about the meaning of the brand in people’s lives 3. Part psychologist on how people relate to brands, media, comms and culture 4. Part trendspotter on all of the above 5. Part simplifier of all of the above into clear and inspiring ideas to kickstart the creative process 6. Part analyst of the performance of the communication and it’s effectiveness in achieving it’s objectives

Working with my team & client sersivce. The project i work are more traditional and mostly

client's current work and some new biz.

I spent the day juggling ... The main client I work on is currently in the middle of a global review. So we're balancing the needs of the local client operation for normal 'day to day' development, and the US-based global agency team's needs for help with the review. I'm part of the team working on the review, so I'm keeping in touch with colleagues in the US and other key Asian markets while we develop our response to the pitch brief.

Yesterday I gave two creative briefings and read several reports on a mass retailers. I read several blogs about enthusiasts in my category as I am trying to create a blog for the client where we can collect the entire team's (account, creative and planning) energy and knowledge of our category and consumer.

understand people and create ideas

planning.....

70% of the time I work on client projects. The rest of 30% is on new business. - Sat in a 15 minutes Planning Department meeting and went over our individual projects and upcoming work with the Head of P. - Obligatory reading about trends and new campaigns in the categories I work on: telco and Salty Snacks. I try to do it weekly (daily is impossible) and usually at the end of the week, when it slows down, which was the case today. Shared a few worthy things with the broader Account team. - Spent about 30% of the day in meetings with Account teams on upcoming client projects and reviewing work with creatives - Outlining research proposals for exploratory research on a new product launch and emailing vendors - Spent about half of my afternoon looking at case studies on low engagement categories, so I can get inspired to rewrite a brief (traditional campaign) - Looked at an insights deck I put together a while ago to refresh my memory and pull fresh insights from - Worked on a digital brief - Met with an aspiring planner and gave character-building lessons, hopefully

Qorking on a new business pitch. Selling the strategy and creative. >Listening to the prospect's feedback and selling how our campaign would meet thier needs.

I was in lots of meetings--which I think are really productive time because I get to give people feedback, advice, ideas, guidance, and enthusiasm. I didn't get to check email much because there were (and always are) 2 or 3 things I had to do at my desk: write something, finish a presentation, review data, etc. I worked on some thought-leadership stuff, some futuristic stuff, and some very nitty-gritty research proposal things. My day was packed.

Developing a communications strategy for a company, working with various levels & job functions to gain input. My job in this instance is to listen & refine before completing the master strategy to be taken to the executive. I provided guidance on some PR initiative. Later in the day I met a different client to get an introduction to their CRM strategy, so that I can pinpoint opportunities to pursue so that the inititiative gets more traction in the organisation. So in effect my day contains creation & refinement of strategy plus consultancy in various areas of marketing communications. There is no such thing as an advertising planner any more.

On a regular day I switch between writing creative briefs and market research. At least once a week I get to think about larger strategic briefs. I also get to spend a lot of time with my clients, which I really enjoy. I work on a variety of mediums from traditional and below the bar to digital and more gurillia tactics.

To start with, sitting with the client team of a renowned global FMCG company , and figuring out where growth will come from , then helping them craft a brand plan - with tasks and Marketing initiatives , then comming to specific communication initiatives. Commissioning / doing research . understanding market / people . coming to an idea / conept , then creating a brief . sitting with creative , then evaluating the creative output.

target audience research (primarily desktop and reviewing whitepapers), and brief writing. Then plotted customer journey and started planning a creative workshop (not finished yet).

Writing a strategy presentation for a new business pitch with a senior account person, attending a session with our Retail expert to explore how we can make a difference to our clients, writing concepts for a watch client to be tested in the local and international market, reading up on digital...

Trying to keep creative excited about the work that they are creating, interpreting research to find opprtunities that our brand can cash in on, presenting the work to the client,

I finished a presentation about the particularities of the peruvian supermarket to a supermarket chain from Chile who wants to enter the market. In Per√∫, many people still go to the market for fresh food and supermarkets for other, so after some research we tried to picture the best of both worlds to create a hybrid in order to connect with local consumers.

reading, processing information, thinking (formulating point of views), going to meetings, listening, communicating, summarizing, leading (by providing working/thinking process and directions), briefing, reformulating thoughts, experience life

Digital Strategist

Typical scan through my google reader to see what is new in the industry, latest ads on adforum, read trendwatching and check out the sites examples. Meeting with client and battling out because one failed idea does not mean one failed brief - especially when we spend 3 days doing the brief together with the media, client and creative team. Digital planning project with the digital team. Challenging because FB is overated but in MY, clients are only NOW seeing potential in FB when the digital world has already moved on to twitter and geo-location apps Brainstorm on ideas for a project and did some research on tonality. Shared something interesting with whole of office

I worked on a strategy for a nationwide competition, began work on a social media strategy for a client, and had a client meeting about a global sponsorship.

Full Service. Everything from print over internet until TV Spots.

Traditional 1) 2020 Vison/brand strategy for one of my brands 2) Wrote creative briefs for brands 3) Presented creative work to client

new business opportunities, leadership training, staff development, research tools

I worked with the commercial director (client) to run a workshop to develop a CRM strategy. The client team were all at the workshop. We ended the day with ideas to move forward with and actions to start making it happen.

Met a partner and PR team at a final edit of some films for client A to review copy/discuss my rollout plan for showing posting our work to the world (via social channels). Did a working session with client team B to revise a brief for a digital platform (read: app) we're going to build for a client. Sat in on a client C briefing of two new projects (4 hour session). Mad amounts of data, questions and answers. Posted to our social accounts. Reviewed some comps for a social campaign for client D. Revised the client B brief again and sent it out to the team to get final feedback/approval.

Presented the strategy in a pitch for a new bizz client. Spent the morning rehearsing my script and the did two run throughs with the team. Spent about 3 hours in the pitch with the client. Went home at 5 and crashed into bed as I had spent the previous night in the office putting the presentation together with the team. So much fun when you work with such an amazing team!

We had a brand workshop with our client. Discussed his brand architecture, branding, product portfolio, and positioning.

8am-9am: review a digital trends/strategy deck with head of insights and strategy director from media agency. 9am-6pm: full day of meetings - a regular monthly review with the head client decision maker. We discuss all projects, raise any major issues to resolve, and get approval on objectives, strategies, insights, creative ideas, and finished work. 6pm: review state of key account with MD 7pm: glass of wine

Intense brand reviews and ways forward for one of India's iconic brands, with the CEO, consultants and the marketing teams. Was the only one from the agency (the account leader was on a film job in HongKong!) The energy in the room was overwhelming - and the drain at the end of the day was total. Fielding questions, making hopefully significant contributions throughout the day, correcting glass room misconceptions can take their toll.

Brand building, brand positioning, brand portfolio strategy, media advice, briefing creatives

and partner agencies

Idea brainstorm Presentation outline

am- Worked on writing a ppt for a client's status presentation. Had a meteting with accounts to fix it and finish it, then meeting with head of planning. Then changed clients and went to another meeting regarding a creative evaluation. Debriefed my boss. Contiued working for the first clients ppt.

Collecting all the input of a brainstorm session with the client. Put it into a strategic framework, concerning the market, the consumer, the competition, the society and the brand. Come up with some insights per segment. Do a customer journey. Come up with a communication strategy and proposition. This all in preparation of a creative brief.

We look at the bigger picture and try to see the actual whole picture of given communication - what it actually is and how will it look when it's already out there presented to the consumer

I discussed client feedback to our creative executions and rebriefed a team. I was in a creative brainstorm in response to a brief with CSR, digital, branded content and other specialists. I met the MD to discuss a thought-leadership report we're writing.

Completed draft of an Account Planning Group awards entry paper. Worked on final roughs with creatives and then presented a new b to b campaign to airline client. Lunch with a friend who runs a series of web clubs on the net. Did some admin stuff. Began assembling thoughts for a strategy presentation relating to the emergence of electric cars in Europe and its likely effect on my car client. Went to the pub after work with one of our account directors.

Yesterday I spent the whole day on preparing an annual meeting with the client and the media agency. The subject of this meeting is the development of the society within the next 10 years. I took a broad research on topics concerning this. And prepared some insights for the interactive part of this workshop.

Ran briefing sessions with creatives on a pitch, sat in meetings, faciliated workshop, did desktop research, ran a brainstorm, went to a client function, presented to a global client on a concall in the middle of the night! Totally integrated from social to tv to point of sale wobblers...a true Global Hybrid role!

I do competitive analysis for the new clients and check out the daily news published for the current clients. I am constantly checking out the internet for the new technologies that has been used for the brands adverts such as new technology for the ambient or OOH ads also looking out for the viral videos.

Wrote a creative brief Developed some audience architypes for a forthcoming workshop Wrote some strategic guidelines to help a client put into practice a communications strategy

9-10.30 Got a coffee and read through some background notes on a project I'm working on. Needed to get a better understanding of the market this client operates in. 10.30-11.30 Met with Account Team and Creative Team to review new print work on a project. Discussed the various merits of the work and agreed what would be presented to the client next week. 11.30-12.30 Started writing an Awards Paper for a client. Just drafting the structure. 12.30-1 Started filling in my expenses form. 1-2.30 Had lunch at a local restaurant with an old work colleague. 2.30-3 Did some preparation for a meeting with my boss at 3pm. 3-4 Met with my boss, took her through a presentation I'd written, got her feedback. 4-6 Redrafted presentation, following my bosses feedback, and sent a few emails related to the Awards Paper I was writing. 6 - Went home.

- Learned about future technological developments in the mining industry. - Attended a breakfast talk on the new 'Mom' of today - Had a call with a branding consultancy for a project we are working on with them for our Mining client - Had a creative review with the creative team for print work we are presenting to clients in a few weeks time

I write creative briefs, and engage with research agencies (briefing them and attending the research and applyingthe results). I work with my clients to help define an clarify their brief to the agency. I evaluate creative work before it goes to the client and I interpret their feedback in creative development.

Strategic workshop with client introducing new tools and ways of working.

Channel Planning Brand positioning Creative inspiration Unserstanding of client business challenges Campaign Planning Insight work

Competitor Reviews Strategy development for New Business pitch work Reviewing Creative Work 'Back-rationalising"" and helping to sell creative work Team Brainstorms Presentation of strategy to local and global teams

Looking for best practice case studies for a client who wishes to rename. Finding interesting case studies for a brand review. Sending out interesting news and articles to all staff

This morning, I addressed a group of 25 mid and senior levels managers on sustainability, at a top MNC, sharing the insights from a major project. I caught up with my team on their assigments, having been travelling earlier in the week. I wrote up my deck, for our regional planning conference next week, and gave an interview to Reuters about how marketers should be treating social networking and microblogging sites differently.

new business communications planning

50% Client work; 50% New Business; Qualitative/Quantitative Research; writing presentations; work togehter with account/creation; doing workshops; presenting work

I had one to ones with a number of planners to understand where they are at ahead of a global planning meeting next week. I briefed work for a pitch. I helped a planner with a project they are working on. I sat as part of the exec team on a decision about the future of one of our business units. I talked for ages to recruitment consultants. I sat in on a presentation on some global research to a prospect. I did a bit of thinking.

focus on digital projects

Crystalized the principles in changing behaviour with social media and how to acheive this Travelled and worked with CRM agency to do so

Check e-mails for interesting content from sites I am suscribed to, ad bloggers, news, etc. Prepare and exchange info/cases/material with Ogilvy Planners Finishing Do Brief for two clients Meeting with AExec and Creatives for briefing and brain storming from strategic concept Look for deeper broader insights on subject came up in previous creative meeting Prepare presentation to client of brand repositioning for the next day with contact

In the morning I finished a presentation to go with my boss to the client in the afternoon.

Yesterday, I started meeting the Global and European Mktng Directors at my client's offices to align on our Global Brand Strategy after months of work done by my group. We held firm. Then met to debrief research results and led a workshop on implications for launch. Was informed by Acct Mgmt that they had promised the clients I would deliver something for 730 tomorrw ....flew home from Client country; arrived at 1030 and wrote presentation for today. Not a great day...but pretty typical.

In the last few days I've worked for an actual client of the agency, but not the same I used to work for. As most of jobs begin over here in Brazil, it came from nowhere and was to be ready yesterday. Obviously, it was ready yesterday, as usually it is. The job involved strategic thinking for a brand asset that need to be communicated, but also some tatical thoughts that crossed digital and traditional borders.

let one creative team down gently, celebrate with another, try to convince a third of something, and make sure a client sees the value of a fourth's idea.

I worked with a Creative Director on a brief (video for digital), attending a project team meeting to set strategy for influencing a client to select our recommended direction for a mobile app, worked with a Creative Director on a capabilities deck for a new prospect around Digital Shopper Marketing, worked along on content strategy for our own website, and attended a client status to understand their feedback.

I ran a brand essence workshop with clients in Boston, MA. I was joined by 5 clients and 3 agency (creative/acct) colleagues.

meetings with creatives and media directors/VPs over comms objectives for a pitch, meeting with client for masterbrand strategy (workshop ahead), reviewed video of in-store interviews prepared for another pitch, discussed new launch of another client with account manager

Content Calendar planning - writing posts and pulling content from a variety of sources Social listening training - Testing out a new social listening platform for a client of ours Social media brief - helping to craft a social media brief for creatives on a new campaign Community Management - Managed several Facebook/Twitter feeds Website Strategy - Continued working on a strategy for a website redesign Digital strategy for non-profit - Met with our probono client to discuss their needs and plans for their digital footprint going forward Digital Property Discussing - Working with YouTube to discuss a client's interest in expanding their YouTube account

I'm half planning half assistant so am very junior. I sorted out diaries, helped with some research for a pitch and helped make an internal creds presentation.

Working together nearly all the time now.

writing a creative brief (alone, reviewing with senior planners) audience research (alone) data analysis (alone)

I reviewed a screener for groups, participated in several meetings, wrote up a deck for our creative teams based on focus groups from the week earlier and presented them our new brief for a new product launch. I also presented a creative direction of my own creation (I worked on a creative team, answering someone else's brief) and interviewed a new junior for my team.

Reviewed 2 presentations written by different planners in my time, sold a creative brief to a client, gave some career advice to a young planner, wrote a thinkpiece on how digital tools can shape the relationship between moms and kids and facilitated an ideation session between a creative team and some account people

spent the entire day doing ethnographic research for a large retail chain. we're currently involved in a high profile research project to best understand this clients most valuable customers- what their lives are like, how they go about their days, where they look to for information, how they prefer or choose to make purchase/shopping decisions, how they evaluate and share what is good and bad. while the research itself is face-to-face, the outcome will heavily influence the clients digital output, not just marketing but products and solutions they offer as well as the platform for their online business

Worked on a strategy for a retail pitch, wrote concept statements that are going into testing, briefed a team of creatives on a new project.

Brand strategy, creative development, competitive context

Yesterday I reviewed creative concepts, prepared a presentation deck to set up the work for an upcoming client meeting and discussed upcoming market research plans with the client.

Read NYT, tweeted throughout the day Met with managing partners to discuss agency state of the union Helped shape creative brief and sat in on the briefing for new project - digital/non-traditional effort Gave feedback/suggestions to planners on their projects Gave agency managing partner advice on implementing a qualitative research project for a client to evaluate creative work Dealt with travel snafus for upcoming focus group travel for existing client doing positioning research Offered a freelance job to a graduating grad student to think about our agency website strategy and UI/UX Gave an informational interview to a different graduating grad student Went to an agency happy hour Worked on a high level corporate brand management/brand architecture strategy, recommendation for a client that is currently US, going global

Completed a digital video strategy and a digital vision for the next year.

Yesterday I woke up really early to do an investigation of the people from lower class from Ecuador so I first got an interview with a sociologist so he can explain to me how this people are, what do, what they believe, think, etc. After that I went to spend the morning with a person of the target so I can really experience her life. I saw her in the daily activities, took photos of her house, products that she has (I felt that I was part of Dr. House team). After that I went to the office and got a new account so I was surfing triugh the web to get to know the

new client.

Traditional projects, research, compiling interview responses and providing key insights, brainstorming strategic positioning statements. My job is primarily as an account manager at a very small, regional agency in Baltimore. Whenever I can weasel myself into doing strategic planning work, I do. I'm about to leave the company to have a baby and would love to continue to do strategic work for this agency while I'm at home.

Yesterday I presented a pitch for a new retail brand with a full analysis of the category, consumer and communication. Also included a plan for a future strategic analysis. Also prepared a workshop about digital technology to present in-house.

Re-briefing creatives for a TV launch campaign to run across 20 countries. Conference call with client (packaged goods) to discuss their brand architecture. Completed writing a paper for the APG awards A few uploads to my Tumblr Conference call with my creative director and a creative team in Argentina who are working on a global TV brief to review work. Preparing the a PPT deck with one a senior planner that works with me as a set up for a creative review with client.

Yesterday, I worked on a digital media learnings deck for a client, Worked with UX to discuss user experience fixes to a group of websites, Researched target markets and created mood boards for a client disruption meeting, worked on developing a Mobile 101 presentation for the internal Account Service team

I went with the account manager and the agency owner to show the results of a preliminary test campaign. We also brought a few ways to solve the comunication problens that we detected. The days before, I was working on this diagnosis.

I began the day making a to-do list (I do this every day) of the things I needed to get done specifically for that day. I began by meeting with my creative director on a presentation we're giving to the client on Tuesday to discuss executions, the setup, a communications plan, considerations, and a tagline exploration that has been haunting us for two weeks. ironically, i worked for an hour or so on writing the job descriptions for the department. we've recently grown to the point where more definition and structure are necessary and it's my job to make sure there's clarity and integrity in that realm. For an hour I met with a sr planner to review her first 6 months at the agency Took a phone call with our team and a strategic partner to get their input on a draft of the presentation i'd mentioned. Met with a Sr Media Strategist to get his help pulling consumer behavior data and competitive analysis on a beer client that we're digging into deeper. Met with Group Planning Director to get an update on the new business phone call he was on that morning. Spent a good portion of the afternoon shaping a presentation and running through a draft narrative with a creative director. All agency meeting to end the day. Had drinks with everyone at the bar downstairs.

Moderating focus groups, creating POV and summary decks, working with account and creative teams on project development, researching and reading about industry news, attending meetings

Along with the global account director, lead our team to hold a large workshop with clients and agency folks from many countries to develop a new vision and strategy for a new global CPG brand. After this 8 hour workshop, we had to pull together a debrief that evening as it had to be presented the following morning to the VP of the company.

I work a lot on my own when i do brand annlyses, trying to understand the brand ideas of all the players. And, once I reach the informations I need, i sit down with my boss and we dicuss the follow steps.

Yesterday, I did the following: -Cut out images from a magazine to create a mood board/collage for creative team -Wrote a brief for online videos -Met with client to discuss the segmentation study and deliver a POV on other customized research -Brainstormed with creatives about potential partnerships for client -Put together a deck about media extension opportunities for client.

reading articles, thinking, jotting down ideas, writing strategy part for pitch creative, playing one or another little game, having coffee, discussing ideas with creatives, providing some inspiration and information to kickstart thinking process, discussing upcoming possible project with acccount management.. well yeah.

consumer insight, client meetings, creative briefings, ideation, agency business

Worked on my own to develop a quant/qual RFP for an existing client. Ran MRI reports for demographic and behavioral info relating to the same client. Regrouped with an internal task force to deliver recommendations to the executive team on our digital advertising philosophy.

Yesterday I supported creatives while they presented work to a client, then I worked on a deck for a brief, and began working on some concepts for another account. I spent most of the day working alone but prefer to work collaboratively. I find that when I communicate and bounce ideas off people, I'm much more productive.

I spent yesterday watching creative development focus groups online with the research team from my clients office. We were testing potential creative work to make sure it communicated the main message, was clear, resonated with the target audience, etc. 1/2 through the groups we collaborated on common themes that were emerging about the pieces of creative and issued some top line thoughts to the client ad team as well as the agency teams. After the groups wrapped (around 9pm) we again debriefed with the moderator to compile a full top line of all insights and issued them out to the broader client/agency team.

Lead an inter-agency brainstorm for global strategic work.

Yesterday I stayed home until 10 in my slippers watching ESPN and calling people for a qualitative study we are conducting. I came into the office and sent a report to one of our clients that had video highlights of some previous Qual studies. Once in the office I went and worked with our new business team on a digital RFP and presentation we were preparing for the next day. That lasted a little while. I called up a few vendors for some Qual testing we were considering and did some research for my agency wide weekly 5 cool things report. After that I regrouped with our presentation team, helped iron out some deficiencies in the presentation and helped them rehearse for the pitch. Then it was cinco de mayo cellie, good times.

Half the day was spent in a workshop in another City with clients developing campaign ideas. Every wall of a large room was left covered in ideas. And every client was buzzed about the next workshop. Spent the rest of the day flying home.

While our bigger brand strategy has been developed for most of our clients, I am in the midst of working with our media team, account director and CD on connection planning for a host of clients.

I've been assigned a key role in a big new business pitch, so yesterday I spent a good deal of time getting the story laid out just right and rehearsing the presentation.

I love work with prospects and piches and yesterday I did this! I started work at 9A.M and stoped at 11 P.M.

Attended meeting at Client's offices to get a brief and immediately discuss a debrief there and then. Back at the office brief the creatives. Answer creative questions regarding other ongoing projects. Check mail, review tweets, read some articles or newsletter related to consumer trends, competitor's news, digital or ""industry gossip"". Plan with account team upcoming meetings. Work on powerpoint for next meeting, this time mainly analysis of tracking & market data. Talk with trainee to help us find new crazy, trendy urban ""sports"" happening around the world. Find some time to think about something new, or inspiring, or a solution, or a concept, or at least clever...

Yesterday I worked on a presentation on cultural learnings for a client that we are presenting on Monday and designed/assembled the walls in the room to reflect the presentation and encourage discussion.

I worked the whole morning in a clients job alone, making researches and preparing a brief presentation. And the rest of the day in a meeting with creatives and accounts.

Research and strategy development for pitch for a new global client; reviewing market reports and data; putting together a competitive review; starting draft of creative brief for an existing client; attending 1 x internal creative review meeting and 1 client iter-agency meeting

Help creatives to brainstorm. Learning everything about fashion to impress prospect client. Survive boring meeting.

Met with my account team to discuss the input brief from clients and questions to prepare for writing the brief. Reviewed recent research and drafted first round of brief. Set up meeting to discuss the brief with my department head tomorrow before we share with account team and eventually client next week. Take a call with another client and a research firm about a piece of qualitative research we're putting into field shortly. Reviewed screener step by step with clients and research firm. Discussed accuracy of target profiles, geographic locations for groups, timeline and the forthcoming discussion guide. Follow up with clients about the call, answered residual questions. Confirmed a few details about the screener (key competitors and industries targeting) with research firm afterwrads. Emailed the team an interesting study I came across that spoke to our specific research design and target for use in informing the discussion guide. Interviewed summer intern candidate. Reviewed recent positioning work on another brand that we're getting close to final client sign off on. Spoke with media planning agency and retail strategy arm about impact of positioning on these areas. Mailed a DVD (focus vision) of recent focus groups tapes to another client. Read some industry reports on their industry and emailed clients about some recent news regarding their industry that seemed pertinent. Took a call with these same clients and a vendor concerning a brand tracking study we're putting into recruit today. Final sign off on surveys. Answered brand managers final questions about details of the survey and confirmed markets with vendor. Reviewed next steps documents just sent over by a new client we won last week. Read through their past research and objectives/issues. Started a folder with industry trends and pertinent articles about their industry and brand. Set up a meeting with the other planner on the account to go through this onboarding documents and figure out next steps including setting up stakeholder interviews.

Surf the web

Desk Research looking at trends Writing a brief Discussing a strategy with the suits to work out where to take it Examining appropriate channels for a campaign.

Yesterday I was in people's houses and offices doing unconventional ethnographic research.

Catching up on the news, especially from Ad Age and Iconoculture is key when beginning my morning. After doing this I spent some time planning the day and prioritizing accounts. After doing this I like to work on things that I like, then things that I have to do or things that I dont like, and to close the day things that I love doing. Yesterday I spent the majority of the day writing a white paper for a client, sourcing was what took the longest. At the same time I also had to write a creative brief, but sadly this only got a couple of hours, since the WP was more pressing.

Meetings, meetings, research, brief writings, meetings, meetings

I will spend a good part of the day reading blogs that are related to an industry we are working on and try to see patterns.

Yesterday I spent the day at the client's for a 2012 Planning Session. The clients were mostly brand managers, but there was a guy from innovations, a few from shopper marketing and one from integrated communications. The agency folks were from creative, planning, account management, media, PR. The beginning of the meeting was spent understanding the client's business this past year and what their business objectives for 2012 will be. We were then introduced to what the overarching brand platform for 2012 will be and what some possible executions under it might be. Then we broke out into groups to brainstorm ways to achieve the client's key objectives for 2012. After 2 hours of ideating around that we reassembled as a larger group and did a share out of our ideas. The others were asked to share what they liked about our ideas and any ""wish-fors"". We then also each selected one favorite idea from each group.

To start with, I prepared what we call ""The Brand Spa"". It's an internal procedure that takes place some hours after the clients briefing where all creative, account and media people as well as the client participate. The purpose of that is to expose ourselves to possible ideas, insights, creative routes, concepts etc. There is little filtering. It's more like a semi-prepeared brainstorming that will allow us to understand the brand in a more enhanced manner and will also give the client the opportunity to express before we go into the briefing. So the planner's role is to collect several insights, trends and other inspirational material that could serve as the basis of our strategy. After the Brands Spa, I had to write the brief and of course to make the briefing. Close collaboration with all the creative team and the Account Director is a

""mandatory"" for the success of the procedure.

Writing briefs and presentations. Briefing creatives and discussing with them ideas. Going to meetings with clients (briefings & de-briefings). Helping Account Management by applying a ""strategic leverage"" in mundane conversations with clients who just want their logo bigger. Acting as a buffer in order to protect everybody including myself from our CEO's emotional ups and downs. The usual stuff.

attended a job fair representing Memac, increasing visibility, and collecting resumes

Part of new business terms negotionations and presenting a strategic roadmap for the soon to be client Participated in comms idea development discussions for a brand and discussing ins and out prior going to testing Was part of a creative briefing session

In the morning I run a small workshop with our client in order to plan how to best launch, position, and market a new range of products into a region they operate in. In the afternoon, I planned together with other colleagues the launch of a car with a view to broaden the audience they appeal to. Towards the end of the day, we brainstormed some ideas on how to help one of our clients become more customer centric. In between, I had a couple of conversations about a couple of creative briefs in preparation that need to be ready for next week. Before I left the office, I attended to an emergency where a client had left the office at 17.30 explaining that it would be great to have first thoughts on a strategy by 9.00 the following day!

working on a strategic document that showcases the thinking that was done on the brand over the past few year and take a new member (brand manager) through it.

With the first coffee I scan Twitter & my blog roll for interesting information in general but also regarding current projects. Afterwards I am setting up my schedule for the day and go over some project details with my colleagues. I probably open Keynote next and start to work on an LOHAS audience presentation for a social media project until lunch. After lunch I am looking for cases & numbers for online sweepstake for an upcoming digital pitch. Afterwards I am collecting data as prerequisites for a digital workshop presentation.

held a briefing session with a creative & servicing team ran a brainstorming session for a regional PSA campaign met with a client servicing team lead to discuss an upcoming pitch provided feedback in a review meeting with the creative team for an existing client analyzing statistics and preparing slides for an FMCG client business planning meeting and competitive review researched a new market we expect to launch a campaign into

competition reviews creative briefs reading marketing and advertising news reading innovation newsletter such as springwise

Brief for tactical campaign Concepts for New Year communication Workshop on Brand Architecture Presentation for VP on Digital Capacity

In the morning I've put together a presentation for a pitch in the healthcare market. This included many discussions with the creative team, client services and other planners. This took pretty much of the day. At the end of the day I organized a scope of work for a client in the Finance sector, including a research proposal and some planning premises for the brand positioning.

reviewing brand tracking studies, writing a script for a new business pitch, designing a packaging graphics online survey, etc.

Did background research for a brief, read articles and watched commercials related to a new business pitch, designed a qualitative research plan for new work.

started with ego stroking of a creative team, shifted to presenting a research proposal to a client, then doing an expense report, then a meeting with account management, then addressing client feedback on the research proposal and sharing with account team, back to logistics (travel) planning for the next week, hearing venting from the account director and going home....

1. New business kickoff meeting 2. Status meeting 3. MRI data analysis

Setting up research projects. Overseeing creative brief developments. Attending new project client kick-off meetings. Reviewing creative. Conference calls with client to discuss the next year planning initiatives.

Creating brand strategy marketing and advertising strategy Giving guidance to our clients Looking for new ways and new products , sometime buildings brands structure

Business and opportunities analysis

360° (new) business

Online research, contacted bloggers, brainstormed with team, worked on putting together a strategic deck (early phase), wrote a brief, took care of a few client related fires (emergencies)

8:30 planning dept meeting 9:30 client meeting discussing online extension of TV campaign 10:30 catch up with different client on a brief they're due to give us 11 start writing a presentation due for next week interspersed with catching up with creative teams on brief put in last week 12:00 sandwich for lunch and a quick birthday beer! 13:00 more deck writing 14:00 back to back meetings including clients/creative reviews/touching base with suits 16:30 cup of tea and catching up on email (88!) and doing some admin 17:30 timesheets 18:00 finish early as it's Friday!

Absorbing & chiseling diverse inputs Ideating Documenting Convincing

Finalized quantitative Link research QER. Reviewed qualitative research results. Worked on competitive analysis. Prepared presentation on 2011 'mission' for client.

Im in the middle of a transition so it ain't that interesting at the moment. Project meetings, follow ups, organization stuff

I attend focus groups, help prepare stimulus for research, co-author discussion guides... I run creative brainstorming workshops, write creative briefs, contemplate & discuss creative strategy.. I also spend loads of time exploring the world through the internet - news, trends, pop culture, etc...

Last week was strange. It included petting seeing eye dogs, attending hockey games, and golf. The last day or two were spend meeting with our social media team to create strategies/tactics for one of our large client's first Facebook promo efforts. Also briefing our Account team on a new biz win and getting started on research projects/strategic frameworks for that. Working with Account team to iron out a miscommunication with a new pro-bono client. And evaluating a media planning/sales reporting tool for possible insight planning for another client all together. Recently my client load has gone from 2 (+new biz) to 4.5 (+new biz). And managing a jr. planner. I was encouraged to log more than 10 hrs a day on my timesheets.

I wrote a creative brief using information from secondary and syndicated resources, as well as primary research from the client. No primary research in-market, but I'll start planning the next quantitative study next week. Attended meetings to prepare for a new business pitch that will be all-hands-on-deck for the next month or two. Far too many meetings today, and too little productivity!

I'm a digital strategist in a traditional agency

Spent the day in the back room of a focus group facility watching groups/IDIs and managing my clients.

On Friday I started the day with coffee with a small client. I then had a huge pre-pitch meeting (we pitch today - Monday) to finalise the deck etc. I then travelled across town to a client to give them a point of view on another area of their business where we'd like to help them. Then I met a potential new planner who was visiting from her home country. Then I did a bunch of desk admin stuff like answering emails while listening to the new Fleet Foxes album for the fourth time. Then we had another pre-pitch meeting. Then I had my hair cut for the pitch. I decided on the 'short in the hair/long in the beard' situation. I probably did other things too but those were the main ones.

My day today will be: Traveling to client for a briefing and traveling back to agency Attending

a creative review Catching up with another planner to see how we can work together Attending a session with creatives and suits to talk through clients business (open forum) WIP for a current project Media discussion and recommendation

reviewing draft creative briefs; reviewing creative for digital, events, and a PR release; revising a tracking study; developing an outline for a brand architecture study; finalized a research proposal for copy testing; had a catch up session with a junior planner

Started the day by looking over news. A status call with the client to update on a few projects I'm working on. Tracking study, developing an analytics dashboard are the two hot button projects right now on this particular client. After that call, I went back to my desk and knocked out a research proposal for another client who asked us for a POV on taste test research. Made a few calls to research partners who could help us put together thoughts on this.

Creative planning Write briefs Develop Customer Journeys Educate clients, account service

Traditional work. Spent a chunk of the day in meetings, another chunk waiting for replies I needed to move forward (and never got). Stressed about a research report that's going to end up being late, but didn't have time to work on it. Spent the bulk of the day working on a presentation to a new client.

About 20% - 30% of my day is taking in new ideas - reading artiles from the web, reading books etc. About 20% if I am lucky is thinking time. 10-15% is spending time with creatives talking about work or getting to know them more. The rest is usually meetings helping clients through their strategic process, reviewing creative with them etc.

digital ethnography research > new business pitch > research proposal for product launch

1) Had to write up a quarterly plan including the state of the planning dept, current and future projects, expectations, etc. for clients. 2) Oversaw one of our junior planners helping direct a competiitve review for our emerging market clients. 3) Provided feedback and direction for another planner working on a background doc for client and account teams working on new projects in Africa. 4) Sat in a new business meeting and provided framework for planning responsibilities in building materials for our first pitch meeting. 5) Miscellaneous checking in with other planners on ongoing projects.

Recently I have been educating the agency about new media, digital, ideas that do and many other topics. In addition, a big part of my time goes towards researching trends and applying them to our client's business. Winning new business is also a big part of my job as is writing all award entries and PR for the work our agnecy produces,

On my last day, I worked pretty much all over. Worked in a team as digital project manager on a client website; part of an internal new bizz strategy group; almost alone on a client film (manuscript, editing etc.), meetings about future strategies for a client; and then mails, reading articles and random small tasks.

Relationship marketing thinking. Integrated channel planning, brainstorming, gossiping, lamenting!

- Think alone a on new strategic platrfom for an account - See creative people on an on-going brief to check what they've found - Receive a brief of an account guy on a new project

Yesterday I researched the rise & meaning of (branded) experiences is people's lives. I spend half the day in the library going through philosophy & psychology books learning about the relation people have with 'experiences'. I spend the rest of the day discussing and writing my findings with my planning collegue and translating my research into usuable insights.

Lot of client meetings, a visit to the market for understanding how better the brand could connect with its audience, discussions with media partners and internal meetings and working on plans, plans and more plans!

Wrote quick presentation on train to summarise the brand strategy of a global client. This presentation will be given by my colleague in a bi-annual review with the client - traditional brand positioning stuff. Then amended a creative brief and discussed it at length with the creative director. Upshot was re-writing the brief which will be done over the weekend. Next continued writing final bits of an awards paper for a local client the agency has just won and is

likely to be a creative jewel. Then went to an induction session on a new account I'll be running soon. The induction was on an upcoming research project taking in qual, quant, ethnographic and semiotics.

Reading + research about new developments in the digital space, craft a POV on a digital development, work on a recommendation for client to develop something new in the digital space, work on a strategic framework for a client's digital presence

I spend a third of the day dealing with emails. I spend a third of the day writing Keynote; basically, selling stuff (strategies, pitches, creative work). I spend a third of the day doing the 'creative bit'; building on ideas, brainstorming, thinking about new ways into branding issues... I spend 10% of the day equipping myself with inspiration. Not just other campaigns or blogs. But magazines, books, culture in its widest sense. I spend 10% of the day wasting time on football websites. Which is why I tend to work longer than 8 hours each day (120%)...

Lots of research and taking out the ""cool"" parts

i got this new job and started the conversation with creatives. we got some ideas, and then i searched for references and insights to help them being relevant. after that, i monitored a focus group, to another client.

brief writing, meeting after meeting, analyzing copytest results, research reports

- Discussed with team different possibilities to re-position a brand, in a latin america role. - CWted a creative brief for a new campaign, and discussed it with Creative Director, before it became an official document to the account director; - Feedback to digital team reg an assignement for a pitch within a current client

During my last full working day I completed a situational analysis for my current client and also worked on a new business pitch for another potential client. The new business work involved outlining the consumer's decision journey. I also sent my team a competitive alert which I discovered via a Google alert that I set up for my personal email.

I was working on a shopper marketing program for a major beer brewer. We analyzed trip types, emotional platforms associated with our shopper audience, and tried to find a strategy that would also appeal to retailers. We've since kicked off with our creatives.

working with the director of planning to reveal the following steps to launch a stealth mode tech company in the states--esp. in the consumer realm by planning focus groups and competitor research.

Global and US positioning, advertising and multi-channel marketing for Siemens

Following up on issues that came up in a client meeting; revising creative briefs; gathering relevant info for client business; supervising junior planner; developing 'value-add' projects for clients; talking to clients, usually on the telephone/via email; giving advice to account management/media/creative colleagues.

I tried to find information and examples about digital trends in Brazil and all over the world: YouTube, Mashable, Facebook and other socialmedia websites. But I had to stop and to finish a presentation (and make it beautiful) for the client. But it was fast. After that, I had to put together all the digital info that the planner manager, the planner intern and me had found.

Consultancy work, lots of new business pitching, digital, activation, CRM, account planning, research, you name it we do it.

I spent my day organizing and managing future research project, and collecting and summarizing insights from current research projects. Some of it is somewhat managerial, but most of my time is spent thinking strategically. Wish I could dump the managerial stuff on someone else, but unfortunately for now I need to do it myself.

I worked mostly alone, taking care of the details of a ""traditional"" comunication analysis for LATAM.

Deck writing Brief writing Research analysis

Presented a document via conference call to global clients on a consumer journey, briefed a

junior planner on a project to create a magazine for a client, briefed a digital creative on a digital idea

tried to maintain an empty Google Reader, presented some emerging consumer studies and results at a client, negotiated a commercial ad test, informal meetings about new business and put some inputs in a keynote for students.

I was working on both client and new business projects. I was mostly assigned to do research on cultural. consumer and category trends.

status meeting with heads of account, meeting whith CEO of holding company to discuss business strategy, meeting with client to set up next steps for new brand launch

I work first with my team to determinate all the jobs we have for the current day. I work with creative planning most of the time, with the creative team and the account managers. I work with desk research and searching references, leading brainstormings and writing some briefings and some diferent details for promotion and guerrilla actions.

Stratehic thinking.

Communication analysis, build my boss presentations, planning minor accounts. In my account group, for lagest accounts digital and traditional advertising are almost merged in.

Working on digital plataform specially on Social Media area. Monitoring buzz and keywords, analysing data, discussing with creatives and account executives and putting all together in a ugly and boring Powerpoint!

I researched and compiled information on a few topics for a new business pitch. We're getting ready for a big meeting, so pulling together the content for this meeting is very important. I also wrote 2 assignment briefs for a financial services client. We already have a campaign that is currently out there, but there are smaller, interesting media opportunities that we have to concept for. I also attended one client research briefing for a global client. We're not doing any work for the US, but for the LatAm and AP regions.

Attend a lot of meetings, debate creative work (usually retail POP and TV spots), work on a creative brief, spend time online finding fast facts to help compile a decent POV for the creative brief.

tired

Identify a problem or opportunity at the client's briefing and explore the potential of the job. Build a strategy or manage the tactics to achieve the communication goal.

projects: 90% traditional vs 10% digital 80% alone vs 20% team competitive analysis (ads, website, etc.) online brand monitoring write briefs slice/dice client's market research help with brainstorming sessions 95% client work vs 5% RFP + new business developement

I worked on multiple projects, spent part of the day in meetings both internally and client facing, researched projects using research databases and worked on presentations in powerpoint.

Started the day by watching a live broadcaston the web from a foreign office from the agency I work for. It was about creativity but they had technical issues and interrupted in the middle of it. Then i talked to 3 different planning teams, that are working on 3 different presentations. Had lunch quickly and came back to present the agency credentials for a senior executive of one of our clients, that was visiting Brazil for the first time. Then made a presentation to the agency CEO about some suggestions of new ways of working internally. Then off to home!

Consulting on traditional projects, side projects of a charitable nature, style guides for digital media, digital strategy to introduce a brand to the digital space

Regional plan that included search media and banner ads, but also included mobile strategy, with SMS campaign tied to it.

Deep dives into the ""culture of"" something. Reading articles, digging into visuals, finding quotes, inspiration for a group discussion the next day. Help prepare thoughts for ongoing

strategy discussion for a new biz pitch.

A finished a presentation, had some meetings to talk about interdisciplinary issues, like digital and tradicional media.

Currently, the department, which works by pairs of planners and assistants, is working with digital projects and research projects, we perform for clients. In Brazil it is common to see agencies working with creative planning. Our agency works focused on Strategic Planning.

I researched some blogs and sites to analyse with one could be interesting for our campaing. I made an apresentation for my boss. All of my work was alone, without other people.

researched digital trends in the brics

Completed a creative brief. Met with my account teams and executive creative director to get buy off on creative brief. Held several meetings with new employees to get everyone up to speed on where we have been over the past four months. Presented a creative campaign and media recommendation to clients and received very blunt feedback about what they liked and disliked.

- I'm working as a link between the client service team and the creative team to create communication axis for ad campaign. -I'm working on building brand positionning - I'm working on research tools

i search for case study for a pitch or a requirementt from a client. I also help my planning director to create the strategy we're going to do. Also do some consumer and marketing research and also give information to the acccont director about their clients

Six internal meetings - about half calls with clients on five different verticals in the same industry. From meetings started 2 briefs, one POV and a consumer profile

Compiled competitive creative for a new technology client we're working with. Finished programming a conjoint analysis survey. Received client feedback regarding a big idea campaign creative brief and briefed the creative team.

I got a brief in the morning and requested some informations from my team. After lunch, a was in a conference and write some insigths. Now is 11p.m and im trying to find out market informations to start a new plan tomorrow. However, it doesnt piss me off! A was an art director by 15 years.

Reviewed creative Analyzed research/creative test results Wrote proposal for insight research Reviewed and finalized concepts for client

Internal discussion with account managers and creative director about a recently winning client. Research more information(product, service, and target people) about the client and use models to identify the best solution.

lots of meetings, wrote a draft of a creative brief. sat in a brainstorming. flew across the country and moderated a focus group. it was all fun and stimulating

- Usually, i arrived early at the office so I have times to read newspaper and coffee. We have 5 planners here including me; but the two others work for sister company. Here; I have two superiors. - On Monday;we usually sit together and update ourselves with our work-in-progress; my strategic planning director usually hands me tasks when she needed me. - As a junior, I handle one major brand and one minor; I handle telecommunication brand and one pharmaceutical. Most of the time, I handle the telco, making rational approach for campaign; conducting fgd, etc. - I usually work together with the account directors but mostly alone. But my superiors always supervised my work at the end of the day.

Recently I had been working on a brand name exercise for a major brand wanting to penetrate the desserts market; involving the theoretical assessment of available and new branding options. Other than that I had been working on defining a communication model for the chilled dairy segment, keeping the communication practices of different brands all-over in mind. Also, yesterday we (Creative + AM + me) sat together to have a discussion on a concept direction for a variant. lately have been involved in filling the strategic sections of a lot of award entries.

Internal briefing meetings with team, Working with account managers on refining briefs, Working on digital strategy proposal for client, Industry research, reviewing planning processes and working out ways that planning can help the agency evolve via training of staff, etc.

Yesterday I spent the whole day working on a pitch presentation, which we performed in the afternoon.

Campaign Planning discussions on a specific campaign A new business prop for a specific brand project Contributed to a new business prop with a large agency piece of business A team wips

Yesterday I lead the team to a new business presentation for a kids food brand. The last two weeks where spent in organizing and recording the kids workshops, preparing the strategy slides and working with the creative team I was assigned to. After the presentation I spent the rest of the day drinking water, doing some paperwork and collecting the CVs for the account executive position that just opened up, hoping I will not get asked back to the client service department where I was quite good, but unhappy with the work as well.

i wandered

I work in an insane place that knows and cares little about planning. What I do is unfortunately irrelevant.

daily triage. write, ppt., present thinking, create charts, spontaneously pulled into hallway discussions/meetings/conf calls to troubleshoot situations or help keep creative from rolling off the road and into the deep dark woods...

writing strategy for new business writing brief insight research creative insight development

My day today: Woke up in the morning around 6. Quickly revised the summary of consumer research learnings I pulled together the day before. Came to work around 9 - went through the emails, checked couple of blogs. Met with a fellow planner and account guys for an insight session - nailed down some nuggets. Wrote up the insight paper, shared with client. Got onto a phone call with a client, went through the insights, had a discussion, agreed on the next steps. Revised another brief on a different project, shared with account team before proceeding to creatives. Had a quick chat with a mate on FB before leaving around 7. Got home, filling up this survey, soon will have a look at some work stuff before going to sleep.

>go through all emails including any research emails I subscribe to for anything that applies to current work. >Understand deliverables for the day >Pull any research I need to get my work done >work on current project to write a blueprint of content for creative copy writer to edit into client's brand speak >handle several emergency asks for input on creative briefs, client concerns, client presentation >share knowledge of consumer group an account team is targeting for a new project - get all grounded to their main issues >organize work load >read research papers and pull out key info and insights and write a white paper to get to the team for brainstorming in an hour >conference call with client to survey them for content to the current blueprint document - pulling best in class examples of what worked for them to direct other regions onhow to launch successfully >go home

making sense of what our clients want and working with creatives to come up with innovative solutions for their problems

I started the day solving two important projects: one about a new way of using communication channels between truckers for a truck dealer shop; another project about engagement and sports events for Brazil - both of them thinking for myself. Then I attended some meetings about other clients such as a shopping mall, a Audi/VW dealer shop and finally for the marketing strategies related to the ad agency itself - all of these meetings included project managers, the operations manager, other planners, media executives, digital specialists and the art director.

It started with a meeting with all the senior staff of the Agency, to see what's going on the major accounts. After that, I read a strategic recommendation for a summer campaign (targeted to teens, with TV, digital and street) done by my fellow planner for one of our clients of the non-alchoholic beverage industry. I wrote a long and detailed email with my comments and my improvements suggestions. Then, I read an advertising brief for an important agencies competition launched by a major actor of the transportation business. After reading the

document, I had a meeting with the general manager of the Agency and the people from accounts to talk about the competition. I told them about my first impressions some ideas I already have for our strategic response. That took us to lunch. I spent the rest of the day working on this strategy, mainly trying to understand the industry, its issues, its key players, its traditions, its conventions, etc... All the preliminary work I do before starting the ""real"" work on the strategy.

I just got back from vacation so I spent most of the day catching up with colleagues - mostly from planning and account management - in small groups or one-on-one to get up to speed on what had happened last week and what the most pressing projects were. I also spent about 2 hours reading up on the 200+ emails I had received in that one week and going through several presentations from colleagues that I have to be aware of. also, along with a colleague and my planning director I went to a client meeting to present the results of a research project we completed before I had gone on vacation.

I spent the day developing a brief presentation for a new business opportunity. It is actually a new client, but the project is for additional business with them. While the client provided an input brief for the project, we spent a few days putting together a PPT that better explains the opportunity, challenge, and main idea of the project.

working on restaging a domestic brand in US/Canada including, sr. managment presentations, organizing research, creative development/feedback, insight reserach. Working on concluding two new business pitches - both global. going into creative development for another US brand - legal reveiw, creative revisions, etc. day-to-day meetings for both, broad planning trends deck, department meeting, drafting review/goals for year to share with dept. head, weekly - expenses, time sheets, clean-up, lend and ear to colleague, help brainstorm, draft/propose new ideas, read industry news, scan creative, find inspiration, etc. This agency, toooo much is done alone. I miss the days of working with another planner 80% of the time.

Yesterday: - I helped my Junior Planner analyze and understand quant data that could lead to the beginnings of some insightful findings - I put together a research proposal with Quant/Qual components - I briefed the creative team on a possible new biz opportunity - I perused articles of interest and industry news

Always working with a team, but some things must be done alone. I work on a global piece of business and we're undergoing a huge strategy project for them -- helping a notoriously disjointed company unite under a single brand idea that works across all the business segments. After doing a workshop with them, I spent today writing a debrief for the entire team, then we did an informal meeting to talk about what happened with everyone. I then collected and wrote mini-concept statements around the top ideas/territories that were getting the most energy from the creatives. Sent out to team and now we're all writing manifestos to the ideas we like best.

I usually spend my time in work making researchs, finding new things, new trends, etc for the projects that I have to develop. Like yesterday I use all the information to make two plans for the endomarketing of the company holding that we belong and a store of home and decor.

Worked on competitive audit, wrote and edited positioning statements, caught up on Industry news

Attend a board meeting for a non-profit Write a global strategy deck Work on IP Advance a global study Negotiate the hiring of a staff member Meet with the CMO Meet with the CEO Discuss how to improve the quality of creative work on an account Meet with the President A client call about a Global project A client meeting about a Global project Brief Creatives Review research for a Global Client Meet with Head of PR

In the morning I went into a meeting to discuss user personas and user journeys for a website we are developing. I was with an account manager and a UX designer and we talked about the role the brand's website should play in the bigger scheme of things. We discussed a document I had put together on what competitor websites were doing good and what they were doing badly. We identified 8 ""need states"" customers have when landing on a website in the category and proceeded to map the journeys to fulfilling that need state on competitor websites in order to see where things can be improved. After that I had a new business meeting. There was a lot of energy around (another planner and our head of new business were in the meeting). We decided what the next steps would be before writing a brief and started thinking about rough costs and gathering a few ideas on what the brand is, does, who

its audience is and what their business needs are. Rest of the day till the afternoon was filled with some data analysis from a few reports on a third client. I was looking at data to help a colleague who needed a fresh pair of eyes. Added some comments that would help his presentation that he hadn't thought of. Started researching audience for the new business pitch. Hung out with the creatives prior to a review for a big client in our agency. They looked exhausted. I tried to cheer them up. I don't know if it worked... (it wasn't my client) And last but not least...organised a biscuit & tea session. As you do.

Client meeting on a new brief. Creative review with ECD Working on a new presentation deck.

Met with my creative director and creative team to review latest campaign concept. Located a blog post that would help fuel the thinking around the idea and sent it to the creative teams. Met with the other 3 strategists on my team to brainstorm and concept a ""strategic foundation"" deck that outlines the brand purpose, cultural moment, and target insights that will provide the foundation for our new campaign. Spent the rest of the day writing the deck, regrouping with my strategy team and account director to see how it's working, rework, add, build, etc. And then spent the rest of the day/evening polishing the deck to present to the CMO today.

Creating the deck for the creative campaigns presentation.

First, I usually to search about our clients/brands, trends, consumers e medias. Most of times i do creative brief and all the time i be side to side with creatives, media and production.

Usually I look for informations (on internet) about prospects, That includes market, competitors, etc. Sometimes I make the apresentation with some conclusions. When we have a new project, my chiefs briefs me and I make the apresentation based on what they told me. I put some thing that i think it is important, i make conclusions, make it beautiful. I participate of internal meetings, when we have a new planning project. They ask me for ideas. Also I go on clients works accompanying my boss, which will make the apresentation that i made.

email - task list - meeting - read some articles, blogs - email - work on a presentation - think about a brief - more meetings - talk about a trend - lunch - vent about a client - internal creative review - argue with a creative - present a POV on a phone conference - more email - make up with creative - write a brief - re-write a brief - finish a presentation - make an excuse to family for getting off late - write a long email to client - beer - catch a late train home.

Uncovered target attitudes and behaviors via syndicated research to figure out a solution for a marketing challenge facing a particular brand. Went to status meetings Sent through POV on how to leverage a particular media channel

Yesterday I went to our client's office to present a research proposal that will inform our next overall brand campaign. Once back at the office I ate lunch at my desk while I ran a few new data runs using mtab to look at psychographic elements of our client's target consumer vs. a competitive set. Then I worked on putting together a proposal for a different research project which included a lot of background slides about what information we currently have on Gen Y.

yesterday: - started at 10 in the office polishing the train of thought for a new business proposal for next week. (together with a project manager and a new business manager) - from 12 on brainstormed over lunch for an integrated campaign for a retail launch (together with our Creative director) - 1 to 2 a brainstorming session for how to market a movie we are currently co-producing (together, with PR, Creatives, Digital, and Entertainment team) - from 2 to 6:30 led a client workshop for a digital campaign (17 people, 5 from the media agency, 6 clients, 6 from our agency) - quickly discussing the details of an upcoming business trip with an assistant - at home preparing some follow up from the workshop to send to clients (between 9 and 10)

Briefing creative team with client feedback on changes in the campaign Video conference with client's global team and local team with agency global team on new campaign Discussed the approach for a new business pitch with account management and creative team mined company intranet knowledge site for global refrences for a clients challange

Got into work, had a theoretical discussion with other planners around me about the benefits of attending client conferences, read some emails, the digested approx 10-20 different decks to pull together a strategy for a new retail path to purchase for a client. Meet with stakeholders, discussed and built out a plan to deliver insight to the client. Went home. Drank

wine. Cleared emails. Wrote a recommendation/ presentation for a pitch document.

The day starts by checking email, Twitter and Facebook before I get on the train. Twitter is now my main source of new info/inspiration. I check Google Reader once a week now - I tend to find most stuff is tweeted anyway. I am beginning to detest people RTing everything from Mashable. Spend journey either reading newspaper, industry magazine or my book. Or OK, I do sleep too. Sometimes I change the world with PowerPoint. Sometimes I just tinker. I use evernote to capture any thoughts I may have. This doesn't happen as often as it should. I get to work, straight for coffee. And fruit. Wince if I see the voicemail light flashing. I know it will be a salesperson. Mac is fired up; email, gmail, facebook, twitter, IM all open. The day starts with some analysis and recommendations for a new client campaign. It's focussed around Facebook but has a lot of offline media support. We're getting lots of views and buzz in the client industry and in the client organisation but the dreaded Like figure isn't budging. Write a one page summary of what is needed for the next stage of the campaign dveelopment including interaction examples, ideas, reactions and tests. This also involves some number crunching of Facebook insights. It is a bastard. Next up is a creative review. Some new outdoor posters for a campaign that has been going for a few months. My perspective is to assess the posters from the person on the street we are trying to target and elicit a reaction from. I think the ideas are weak and not strong enough. I think some contravene the rules for the industry. I feel a bit pissy that the campaign hasn't moved on. I feel even more pissy that the history with this client has diluted the passion. I focus more on the digital side of this project because I can control this situation more. I then write some community management guidance notes for people internally to start stepping up in this area. Afternoon is spent writing a creative brief for a new client product launch. The project is like a moving target. The headphones go on and to hours later I send it to the MD. He likes. More Twitter. Then home.

read marketing survey/ report on what chief marketing officers are saying. watched 3 hour focus group and wrote analysis of client. did online research on how client's competitor's business is changing and their moves, to be better informed of industry. presented idea to client

Morning agenda: a day full of meetings, decisions. How we can seduce our client on this presentation? What could be our best approach? Everyone together, discussion. All morning in a room. Lunch with another director to discuss another client issue. Afternoon. Lets put the think tank to work. Work with my team. Coach, work together to put the presentation structure upstand. All fine. 1 week to the presentation. Back to my email: hundreds. Helps, problems, bullshits. Time to go home. Tomorrow is another day.

Responded to a lot of emails, both client and internal. Had ideation session on revising strategy for new product launch - captured thoughts and wrote up brief POV. Reviewed research results with client and internal team. Wrote 2 decks - completed one, need to fill in some data and pictures for another. Had creative internal, rescheduled another creative internal 2 different times. Checked on my creative teams once. Sifted through relevant industry magazines for competitive ads and editorial content. Processed vendor invoice. Set up travel arrangements.

I had several conference calls, I invested some moments to read, I participated in two brainstormings, I reviewed a presentation and I had several cups of coffee,

Integrated communications planning

Meetings with interagency partners to discuss planning process for new brief alone to write brief for small project and work on a deck for a onboarding for new client review recent copy research learning to defend some work discuss creative research learning with teams to find solutions

I lead a strategy group that includes departments that do brand planning and audience intelligence, connection planning, and analytics. So I do everything from strategic positioning and brand messaging, to audience research and performance measurement and analysis.

Seeking inspiration for a Facebook Campaign. Exploring cases of what has worked and what did not work as a prepare my strategy document. Twitter and Google Reader can slow me down at times but as Trendwatching.com would say "" I got the INFOLUST""

I study a client Study his market Than i talk to the creatives than search for excuses and make the ppt

Let's see...yesterday was a pretty average day of chaos and mayhem. I wrote two briefs, discussed staffing needs (I need more, the agency doesn't agree), finalized a global brand strategy for a client meeting today, reviewed three creative projects, briefed creatives on two new projects and put together a presentation for the CEO

I lead a small group inside a large strategy department, and we make ethnographic films as a form of bespoke research for agency clients. I also do some brand planning. Yesterday I reviewed recruiting options for an ethnographic film we're about to shoot; brainstormed ""Sampling"" ideas for online education, presented a proposal for ethnographic research among small business and very small business owners using a particular type of retail business service, worked with management to assign rotating junior people to teams in need, and got a new battery for my dead blackberry.

I had a meeting in the morning (client+ account people + me), to get a new briefing. The meeting was very confusing, client had written a terrible document. Came back to the agency and worked on some product concepts to be tested next week (for another client) and started working on the debrief of the morning briefing. Traditional demand and client work.

Meet the client, discuss the brief with my team, share the ideas with the creatives, aprove the project with the account people, meet the client again.

Ensuring that projects stay aligned with strategy.

We are prospecting 2 clients in 2 different categories (education and diapers), so yesterday with had 2 meetings (the whole board and planners) and another freelancer from a non media agency. These last days we organized all the researchs made (interviews, deskresearch, non media and social media surveys and now we are finally find a path on the way for positioning the brands. I spent the whole day today on writing (and rewriting) the presentation and on changing ideas with my collegues in the planning, media and attendance.

I started my day with a meeting reviewing client feedback on a strategy deck i put together for a global program on the piece of business I work on. Met with an internal team about putting together a proposal for a client day to help with communications planning on a new program we need a 360 campaign for. Next met with a client about feedback on copy for an ad we're trying to get out the door in the next few weeks - right after made plans to sit with the creative tomorrow to discuss options and ideas. Next met with creatives about what help they needed to prep for a creative internal later today. Grabbed a sandwich to eat in the next meeting. Next saw a concept for a new ad - made a few comments on how to make it better. Next sat with client about making revisions to a brief for an ad. Next met with an internal team (account director, ECD, CDs on an upcoming brief for a new campaign. We discussed how it could and will fit into the larger brand campaign creative development going on. Next met with my jr. planners about some up coming projects and sent them home early. Finally ended the day by sitting in on a creative internal on our next big brand campaign. Now time to meet up with an old friend who's in town from Amsterdam and drink.

Client calls/meetings. Brief writing. POV writing. Reviewing creative work. Researching aka reading articles online.

I had yesterday a huge meeting with all of my client´s agencies (us, the digital one, the activation one and the Rlationship mkt one) to define together the goes for its next product launch. As the principal agency we conducted the meeting, exposed our first impressions and directions and started the dscussion. It took all day long.

My day yesterday was primarily spent on three different things: 1. Trying to set up a tracking study for a campaign getting ready to go into production (and making the case to my clients that we need an insightful, diagnostic study). This tracking study will help us to see how our campaign is affecting the brand and learn about opportunities to evolve the campaign in the future. 2. Identifying a pov for our agency on a new discipline that we're not currently very involved in, but may be intereseted in exploring more deeply. I worked on a presentation to get our agency management more familiar with the discipline and some initial thoughts on how we might approach it. 3. I worked on a research report from a quant study conducted with passionate users of one of my brands, sharing their reactions to a new advertising campaign.

Analyzing results of a recent social media monitoring exercise to find insights and areas of opportunity for the brand in question. Wrote a creative brief for a promotion - to include ATL

and digital and social media components to drive it. Workshopped the social media creds presentation I have been pulling together with a few key bods in the agency ready for a client presso next tuesday

Pitch work

Yesterday I had to do research for a communication strategy for a restaurant. I had to look at general trends in SA, as well as specific trends in the food industry that are relevant. I did a lot of reading! I also had a look at the historical development of the brand i.t.o. its communication, to see where it comes from and what we should avoid, and what we can leverage. I am now busy looking at 2 different routes for the brand to explore, and what each route will imply for the brand.

more or less 1 hour dedicated answering mail to arrange internal meetings 2 hours to write a creative brief 1 hour to discuss the feedback of a client meeting of previous day 2 hours to discuss with account people about a presentation to a client next week 1 hour to discuss about new creative ideas for a client 1 hour for sharing the last projects in the planner department 1 hour to read a new advertising brief from a client 1 hour googling and downloading documents / info

I had a meeting with creatives in order to share researches that I made on target and competition and to brainstorm togheter about the concept. Then I read some articles and posts on-line for our internal newsletter that has to be inspirational for all departments.

- alarm clock at 5:30 a.m. - cab to the airport - meet team at gate - mute presentation rehearsal in the air - cab to the client head quarter - tense, inexplicable awkwardness coming up - new business strategy presentation - happy client, happy me - cab back to airport with planning chief - interesting conversation on future planning capabilities, investigative journalism, beautiful data visualization, royal wedding and ugly sisters, ... - post presentation depression (empty me) - fall asleep in the plane

I was working on preparing a workshop for a big international food brand, that is having a 20th anniversary in a certain country in Europe. In order to develop the strategy for this, we wanted to prepare an influence workshop, a one day session, when we will examine our targets closely, try to indentify them as precisely as possible, and try to find different touchpoints in their lives. I was also preparing case studies of different anniversary communication around the world in different categories, categorizing them according to the different brand messages.

Making sure ideas get done. That's my job. That's what I do.

consumer profiles based on segmentation, MRI data, additional secondary and culture sources like Iconoculture and Yankolovich; competitive audit and social media mining; understanding media habits and the media consumed by our core and halo audiences; accessed market size and opportunity to capture new users; wrote case studies and best practices

I am writing creative briefs for several products in our current creative campaign and I am presenting them to senior client marketing leadership. I will be briefing the creatives later after approval.

observed focus groups wrote a top line report created 2 consumer presentations reviewed 1 trends deck worked on a media database generated consumer mindset output

I prepared a presentation for a new client. I worked with Creatives, Media Planners, Account Director to organize all ideas into one presentation. I had my assistant edit some videos we made on the street to get the feeling of the target about the client's product. I slept only 3 hours but the presentation was a hit. The client approved all the ideas presented.

inspire the creative product create permission drive strategic thinking through everything we do

Facilitated a new business strategy meeting. Spoke with employee about growth and career path. Wrote proposal. Contributed to RFP. Internal client meetings. Worked with CD on potential theme lines for client. Laughed.

Doing some searches on the internet, meet with client to discuss some digital strategies at social medias, thinking with another planner what we should do for a client, making some ppt

presentations, indicate medias;

Writing presentations and two creative briefings.

Review client sales data Read planning blog Write up focus group summary for client Contribute to a departmental planning vision Develop digital strategy

Allocating work on different brands to my planners, spent some time brainstorming with my National creative director, in a conference room meeting with account and my National Creative Director planning a workshop on a client. Put down three new ideas for a presentation to our global Chairman for growth in India

Worked on a Search and Social Media strategy for a local client; Spoke to someone in the USA about a fantastic CSR initiative for a global NGO; distilled outputs from a workshop planning the regional launch of a new FMCG product; prepared a plan on a new internal business unit; spoke to a global media vendor on new developments in digital and offline convergence... And finally placated a few clients as a result of not spending enough time talking to them after being so busy on everything else

We are currently hurdling towards a total overhaul of all work for a very large retail client that wants wholesale change. So yesterday I spent a good deal of time with the ECD (which is always delightful and part of real planning). He and I were working through (and re-working) the main idea that drives his teams' new campaign ideas (integrated but very high level). We also spent 3 hours meeting with individual teams (one at a time) listening to their specifically digital ideas--(aps, widgets, microsites, social, events, etc.) The less enjoyable part of the day involved standing in for a sick planner on my team and presenting a brief (different project) with the account team to a committee of at 7-8 clients. Account team stepped to heavily on a delicate part of the set-up and conservative client took cover. Then they re-wrote brief by committee and ended up with the same idea they had on it last year. (integrated) Also reviewed and provided POV on some online qual research our client has done on another round of campaign ideas and program names. They will be sharing with the larger organization, so you could call it a sneak peek. Also reviewed a deck written with EVP of planning that helps senior clients better understand what Planning is and what we do for them specifically. (This seems to be routine) Also had a one-on-one presentation from head of our digital team on creating how-to content. Did not have enough time for him, sadly. And brainstormed with my team a long list (30) of consumer desires with an eye towards figuring out which ones our client can resolve.

I either spend some time thinking about new business or writing case studies. Or I hang out with the creatives and make stuff up.

prepping presentation for intern creatives about game changing work following consumer field study in pitchproces creating pitch idea

crisis meetings with creatives, account people, me and consultants about a job done that didn't meet the clients' expectations.

I'm currently working on a social media strategy for a well known toy manufacturer

Yesterday Part 1: Hash out creative brief with creative team and account leads. An integrated brief for all mediums. Yesterday Part 2: Research/ Analytics Stuff. Four projects on go, one required custom inputs to a questionnaire to help us understand copy options. One starting out at exploratory stage where we want to introduce a whole bucket of behavioural learning. Another whereby our tracking approach is causing confusion so needed some tweaks. Lastly a digital KPI report required a layer of insight and interpretation on top of the numbers. Yesterday Part 3: Have a strategic document in progress to evolve our integrated planning process. Worked on that with team of 3. Yesterday Part 4: Two creative internal reviews. Looked at concepts, chatted with creative team, provided some observations, feedback and suggestions. All current client work. And no interface with clients however generally interface with clients one to two days per week.

I'm mostly working on digital projects, especially in the field of mobile and social media marketing. A lot of clients demand thorough analyses and frameworks for their future activities in these marketing fields. Most of my time is thus devoted to research and trend presentations.

IM write a book

- working on a soundbranding project for a nacional client. Develop ways to analyse the sound project of the others brands on the client market. - developing a study about last 4 years of recall research from an specific client - Re draw the estrategical comunication for a retail client - Developing a big track research to our clients - Analyse and abstract the BrandZ study to share witch my crew - Strategical and creative brainstorm witch the agency board about a new competition, for a new client.

Went for a ride. Went to client's store and discussed how we can build the brand experience in store. Back to the office and hired a senior planner. Lunch with CEO. Reviewed work. Went home and fell asleep on the couch.

I spent the whole day separated between searching the biggest export and import companies in Portugal and thinking as a beauty consumer, i.e., searching good and insightful things about beauty and all its miscellaneous.

New business pitch - alone and with others. Writing capabilities presentation - alone. Writing performance review - alone. Research project - alone and with others.

Review a piece of research with client. have a meeting to discuss a brief with creative team. work on an understanding map of the consumer of client.

brand positioning overall communication strategy creative briefs creative presentation mostly traditional media but more and more including digital.

started my day at a client's office (a wine maker client) where I had a meeting together with the account director and a research company to define the bases of the exploratory research we are going to kick off for this client. After that I returned to my office. I had an internal meeting with the creative director to hear ideas for the mainthrust regional campaing we are developing for a coca-cola brand. in these meeting also account people participated. we heard the ideas and gave feedback to the creative directors to sharpen the concepts and executions. after that i meet my junior planner who shared with my her advances in a market trends proactive analysis and proposal for our retail client (a mall), gave her my feedback to keep on working on that. I sat down in my office to return phone calls, answer emails and keep working in the presentation structure for the creative work I heard earlier that day. Then I meet the Founder of the agency and had a chat about whether we should enter a pitch for a local creaditcard or not, evaluating the potencial for doing outstandig creative work worthy for the agency or not. Finally we decided to participate. after that i did some advances in a couple of cases I'm writing for the effies that are very work in progress and the I left the office.

discussions with creative department, preparing presentations for clients, defining priorities for the department

Myself, with the Account Director and the GM were finalizing a big digital strategy presentation for a major pharma client. We spent most of the day working individually, then met a couple of times throughout the day to review the progressa and finalize the details. In addition, I sat in a client/agency discussion on social media for our restaurant client. We talked about how we were going to prepare the joint presentation to sell it into the senior level VPs. A lot of the material was how to present the story to them in a way that makes sense: What is the total social media universe, what are people currently saying about us, what are the opportunities, and what are our competitors doing. Afterwards, we followed that up with our IT Director and discussed the process of the website redesign project. We took them through our process, a sample timeline with all the steps we would put together for a project of this scope, and what needs to get done throughout each step. Elements like stakeholder interviews, collaborating with the IT team, integration into the store operations, and setting up milestones to track progress and manage calendars. The third part of my day included sitting with the creative team to flush out a ""viral"" idea. Yes, I said it, and I should be shot, I know. In my defense, when we sold this Idea through, I made sure that I set it up with a section called ""Viral is a Dirty Word"" to manage expectations. It was important to me to do this, b/c I honestly hate that word with a passion. And pepper these things in with some Twitter updates for the Agency (which I manage), lunch and coffee, and shooting the shit with some colleagues and talking abou the weekend.

I spend the day on meetings think of a innovation project for one of my clients

Present a PR & Events project to a client, work by myself checking creative lines for a new campaign, work with interactive department on a new website for a brand, call with art director, calls with account directors, check visual artist proposal for a brand intervention.

Morning began with a meeting with a client for briefing presentation. He's thinking about redesigning the store architecture from top to bottom and we wants us to take a close look at consumer trends, behaviors, prejudices towards the category and how to overcome this and allow for a positive purchase experience. During the afternoon, I dedicated my attention to designing and arranging contents for a new trends and insight newsletter, dedicated specifically to a client of ours who often feels disconnected from the less commercial (number crunching) part of the business.

I am a digital strategist so I work on a variety of different accounts in tandem with a strategic/ brand planner. My day usually consists of working on 2 - 3 of the 8 accounts that I work on. I spend the first half of the morning working with my team and giving direction for what they should be doing on the accounts that I have them assigned to. I spend the late morning working on research & other documentation/ decks that I am directly responsible for. I usually end up skipping lunch because of the large amount of meetings that I have to attend for the various accounts and new biz. My afternoon is typically packed with meetings (internal creative reviews, new project briefings, client meetings, etc). My evenings are full of work as well. I try to ""shut off"" work between 7 and 10pm before going back to work. In the late evenings 10 - 12 I usually answer emails that I had not answered during the day and working on research & decks that I am preparing. *The above description of my typical day is not accurate for the days that I am traveling -- which is about 25% of the time.

i got to work early. it was the first day all week i wasn't in a suit and tie -- which is rare. usually, i'm in jeans. i spent the morning writing a deck i've had rattling around in my head for a few weeks. in the afternoon, i prepped for a monday new biz pitch (which i hadn't thought about), walking through a client's new mock branch and then meeting that same client for beers to discuss the deck i wrote in the morning.

Yesterday, I worked on a mostly new business but I also made sure not to neglect my existing client. In the morning, I made sure my account people were happy and that I provided them with information that they needed. Luckily, I have a great relationship with them and since I was busy with other projects they took the lead on creating a POV for our main client based on previous information that Planning had already provided them. /// Next I devoted the day to an exciting new business pitch (and no, I'm not being sarcastic. Pretty exited to work on it because it's a category I'm really passionate about...). I worked super close with the SVP, Planning Director and we fleshed out our presentation portion. In this job, more than any other - - we rely on quant data heavily, so we tried to show our due diligence (aka we know what we are talking about) and hopefully created something interesting. Most of the day was about collaboration (internal with the president, media, and creative).

traditional and digital (odd distinction). client work and new business. planning for the agency.

I spend my whole day in a workshop organized by the client to kick off the launch project to alunch a new product in asome countries of the region.

Morning: Conducted focus groups in Minnesota and then had a working session with clients and agency team Afternoon: Read my RSS feed and caught up on the day's news. Afterwards, I spoke to a vedor regarding an update on the survey that is currently in the field. Early Evening: Wrote a brief for client

i oversee not onnly what my agency does but what all partners do digital pr shopper, i also work closley with clients (P&G)

Developed communication strategies in the areas of CRM and digital for Clients Continued development of a research initiative looking at off-line and on-line communication platforms

I was working on 4 different business pitches, researching insights to support the campaigns being developed. Also sitting in on other meetings, providing perspective on what would work with certain retailers, as it pertained to planning the marketing allocation of spend.

A while back I wrote this blog post about what I do - so including it here: My Job is about Change, Agitating & Activating Depending on who I’m talking to, I find it very hard to describe

what I do a lot of the time I talk about “digital strategy” but I know that if I find it difficult to explain, that probably means that others find it even harder to understand it’s a logical conclusion. What is digital strategy? Where does it start and finish? How is this different from business strategy or communications strategy? Invariably, when I start to try and answer these questions, I end up talking about the tasks I cover, or what I deliver, or how a typical day looks but really this doesn’t get to the heart of the matter, and it usually leaves people looking even more vacant since if they didn’t understand at the start, it doesn’t really help that much to see what the output is. So as I try to find a better way to explain, here is an interim solution ‚Äì my job is about change, and really this comes down to two things: I’m an agitator and an activator. Agitator When I say that I agitate, I think I probably cover many different meanings of the word. Not only do I try and shake up the work and the projects that I’m involved in, but also the people trying to make them see things differently, move out of their comfort zones and generally ‚disturb them enough to make them understand that the world around us is changing, and we need to change with it (if you look at another Wikipedia definition than the above, this has a very political connotation, but that still says the same thing ‚ person who actively supports some ideology or movement with speeches and especially actions). Sometimes this is a painful process, too much change can be hard to take on board, moving into the unknown can create different reactions including fear and aggression, but hopefully the end justifies the means. As I engage with people and projects, the outputs of this part of my work tend to be more organisational and process focussed as we change the way we work and the people we work with. Activator On the flip side, I also activate the work that I come into contact with (much like the enzyme approach, binding to the existing and making it evolve), by this I mean that I act as a catalyst to drive the most out of any ideas that we come up, either as teams on specific projects, or as an organisation in terms of how we evolve. This is the core of my work and where I can use my experience and knowledge to make things bigger, better and more exciting ‚Äì at an agency product level it helps me input in terms of how we should be using technology (much like a creative technologist) and tools (like an experience planner) to deliver the maximum effect for the end consumer; higher up the value chain it means driving the presence of the organisation in social media and new PR, but overall it means getting the best and most out of everything we do. So when it comes down to it, my role is a change agent, nothing more and nothing less ‚ sometimes I work higher up the value chain and it gets a little fluffy to explain, and sometimes it’s on the front lines, but wherever I input it’s about doing things differently, about changing what we do and how we do it and above all, about bringing the new digital world into our lives. Please don’t be agitated with me.

Always come in half an hour before the rest of the office. Start my day with an double espresso and skimming the headlines of the Global newspapers and any creative/agency magazines that just came in. I am currently in the middle of a new business pitch. So, to get into the mood I skim the assignment and the documentation provided by the client. I have a huge pile of research work done by our assistant and intern. So, that is next. First I select relevant articles and research papers and toss the left-overs on the growing file pile. I go back to the set up of the new biz presentation and go step by step through the upcoming meeting. Trying to get a mental picture of how and when we would like to use of the key findings. Number one rule: Insights and cases must be fun and inspiring to use in a presentation. Anything that doesn't cause the imagination of the client or our own creatives to kick into action is not useful. Probably, around noon I drop by the senior creatives and CD to discuss my recent findings and specific ideas or issues I would like some creative insight on. Lunch, 2 deluxe sandwiches and a salad. Straight, back to work. More reading and meeting with the CEO to discuss progress. Pop into the general planners area to quickly check and gain insights from my peers. Afternoons and evenings is where my work moves from rational and factual work to more creative approaches. I play scrabble with the presentation. Plus I always try out the 180 approach. What happens when I reverse the whole presentation, every model upside down and replace creative work with strategic insights and vise-versa. Every convention is challenged, this is where my account and fellow planners find my most difficult to work with. I challenge every previously used rule and method. After an hour of causing chaos I assess the results and cherry pick the results. It's getting late I restructure the rough outline of the presentation and print a copy. Gives me something to digest and think about when I get home. 3 more days until the new business meeting. We are getting somewhere. Lights off and grab a banana for the way home. Tomorrow an early day.

advise clients and brief & review creatives

work on an xploring presentation to present at a global meeting

I supervised brand pages on social networks, gave my contribution in a brainstorming for a

prospect, made a presentation of a new digital project for my main client.

This last week, I worked on a pitch for one of our clients: the pitch was about a promotion operation for a cheese brand targeting kids. We wanted to do something more original than a classical game with magnets in pack, and developed an integrated campaign. As the account management team was overwhelmed with work, I spent a lot of time myself on the brief for the creatives, talking with them and writing a strategic brief. The input of the account management team was low, they simply didn't have the time to discuss the strategy, so it was mainly a team work between me and the creatives. After the brief, I worked a lot with the creative team to develop the best universe for kids (giving them references, etc...) and to develop also the best mechanism for the game we wanted to propose.

New Business Research Trend Research Consumer Insight Research Data, Insights, Numbers Reseach, Research, Research!! Sometimes Brainstorms and Finally what matters written in a Strategic Proposition

helping creative teams do a better job

Scratching my head to find an interesting angle for a brief. Getting the creative director to like it.

Start 8.30am, coffee, wrapping up a (current) client briefing. prepearing it for the briefing for the creatives. incl. small desk research. Lunch time. 1pm- 2.30 compleating the stoyboard for the Cannes Lions Entry. 3-8pm finalizing briefing from the morning.

Developing a new brand idea for a global luxury brand; collecting and proofing stimulus to go into research to test a new strategy / proposition for a global financial services brand; finalizing and selling-in creative work on a UK kids medicine brand.

- early morning making final presentation for pitch - giving creative director direction on new insights & findings and presentation - working with copywriters on concept - making a ""new"" final presentation on findings - writing some business strategy options for a client - checking pitch presentation studio - coffee with new client after successful presentation last week - meeting on strategy in pitch presentation - on our way for presentation - presentation - drinking beer, and one more with the team - back at the office status meeting with all the staff - debrief meeting with another client - bikram yoga with creative director - home

I don’t feel like planner as traditional or digital. Planner is a previous think working in a digital world, not working for a digital world. Concept is the key.

It was a Sunday. And I took 3hrs to prepare a creative briefing session for today. Thinking, writing, finding the one thing that was insipiring.

Project wise I cover everything from upstream tasks like brand definitions, new product concept work through to communications planning and creative development. I also pitch a lot.

Writing up a qual research project, attending a pitch brainstorm and summarising findings from some quant research for a client.

Mainly New Business, working on my own, but asking support for data and insights to the Market Research Dep, discussing with creative team to share/sharpen the strategic concept and inspire the creative work, fighting against the executive creative director to establish my role as the responsible for the strategic stuff (we don't have Head of planning anymore, the situation is simply bloody), discussing with clients to go deeper in their marketing issues strategy and share data and thoughts.

Spent the whole day in client-led workshop.

i have a slightly odd planning job in that my role is primarily an innovations role that sits within planning. The last real day of work that i did was spent in a combination of meetings and flying back from the states to the UK. Before flying I spend my day meeting clients, presenting early ideas to them on a very rough brief, attending a series of workshops, and finalising the presentation that I had to give.

A mix of everything : traditionnal and digital

Meetings

Day mostly revolves around meetings for several accounts/clients. Some meetings are spent riding shotgun with a creative director as we review work. Others are spent defining a business problem with an account lead. The fun stuff lies somewhere between as we are ideating on touchpoints, functionality, content and value to motivate a customer.

9h30 - 10h30) I was in an one hour call with a client from another city. 10h30) I had a conversation with my boss to align a brief. 11h30 - 12h00) Twitter and Facebook. 12h00 - 14h00) Lunch (was friday) 14h00 - 17h00) I wrote a creative brief 17h00 - 18h00) I collected some opinions about my brief.

Last day: doing analysis of competition's communication and finding similarities between the fluctuation of our brand's equity and the launching of different campagins.

I did a report about how our competitor brand is working (building equity).

Attend a brainstorm for a new business idea (with full team) and worked on logistics for qual reseach project for that same new business pitch (alone)

In preparation for a client briefing I read the brand manual and looked online for past commercials and iniciatives from around the world. I also collected case material from a series of presentations passed on to me by my boss, who attended a digital workshop last week and wanted to share it with other colleagues.

many type of clients, retail, institucional, branding,web, everything

Tradicional, client work, usual planner day-to-day jobs. Analysis, meetings all over, strategic discussions, powerpoint presentations. Pretty much these everyday, alternating theis weights.

*Pulled data using cross-tab software for the sr planner to look at for work on an automotive client *examined the market situation for a tech product, including how the public views the client's product as well as the segment as a whole

i worked on a new business pitch, a brand portfolio positioning, a brand re-positioning, and had a client briefing. all in a day's work.

My last day was pretty full, for this and next week is full of jobs with time limits, as usual. The latter job led me to spend much time doing research on the Internet and the public markets concerned.

-Bike safety course at the agency in the morning. Got a free helmet. Am now cleared to take out an agency bike. -Attended creative review (traditional). -Wrote strategic POVs on various issues -3 hour brainstorming session with client regarding an upcoming digital initiative -Presented a brief to a client

Traditional, BTL projects, client work

Talked to a client to sell in some ethnographic research so we can understand how our brand positioning comes to life in consumer terms. Wrote a creative brief and shared it internally. Worked on different claims that my brand could say next year and put it together in a deck to share with clients. Worked with the client's market research department to determine the best action to take regarding innovation into a new category and how we were going to get there.

Worked alone writing territories and thought-starters to help creatives get going on a new brief (existing client; integrated campaign but at conceptual stage at this juncture). Sat with creatives and bashed around set of new routes - then went off to find and feed in stimulus based on those areas. Worked with Act Dir on presentation to sell in creative work (existing client). Reading and research on new client. Made a lot of coffee.

Wrote briefs, wrote strategy presentation for clients, briefed teams, reviewed creative work

Brief writing, working with creative teams

Branding & digital branding. Target. Crowdsourcing. Strategic Creativity.

First thing: I met with the account leaders on my account to discuss a project. Briefed a

creative team on another project. Reviewed a brief with clients for (yet another) project. Had a quick lunch. Met with a different account team to discuss strategy for a different client. Briefed a second set of creative teams. Finally, tried to write a draft of a presentation.

Wrote a deck intended to change the way the agency is addressing our creative challenges to include paid media, earned media, and user media.

Lots of meetings, planning traditional and digital strategy, how to approach clients, how to set up creative, how to sell work, looking up facts and figures, dealing with legal, dealing with lobbyists

crawled through the internet researching for new business, wrote an informal discussion guide for an internal focus group, made some powerpoint slides for a competitive review, went to a few meetings to see progress of creative work for a campaign, sent out e-mails to creative team with interesting/inspiring stuff I found, scanned through our social media monitoring tool to see if there was anything interesting going on.

I am going to split into ... main areas, maybe it will make it easier... 1) research: when it comes to consumer // mkt research, there are different things I usually do. - develop the whole project to the client: identify the questions we have, define type of research and the best institute // person to do it, coordinate the research, watch groups (or interviews, etc.), have the results before the client and discuss with institute, present to client. - define methods and institutes when the client already knows what he wants. - go to groups and presentations of the researchs the client is running. - research for the agency // pitchs // clients: we have developed some projects for the client in which I did the research design and also the field work (usually interviews with consumer in their houses), video and final presentation. We usually do that for pitches and the agency as well. 2) planning presentations: thank god we do that too ;o) I am already a Group Director, but I still do a lot of presentations (""2011 communication plan for brand x"", ""launch campaign strategy"", etc). Depending on the project, I have an assistant or trainee that will help me, but that´s what I most love... 3) managing people: I have a trainee and an assistant working with me (and sometimes I can ""borrow"" people from other groups), and I have to train them. I usually don´t ask them to do ""basic"" and boring stuff such as select pictures for my presentation, desk research, etc. I prefer give to them the whole project - and then help them, train, teach, etc. 4) ""running"" the dept. : the Head of Planning and I are always talking about how the work should be done, where do we go from here. Of course he is responsible for that, but he opens the room for my opinions, which is great. 5) brainstorm with planners // creatives // account // media... 6) brief creatives // media

Description of my last friday: Presentation of the new 2011-12 campaign to the sales team (made alone, integrated campaign) Meeting and briefing of the social media partner to lanch the Rock in Rio campaign. (digital) Worked with my assistant on an easter analysis: portfolio, consumer, trends (brand/business) Meeting with the planning team to work on department projects. (planning)

Sold a new brand campaign for a huge US pkg goods brand (bravo!), spent time on the phone working with clients on brand POV/personality for a dying brand we're trying to re-invigorate, put a staffing plan together for planning for a specific client, wrote a brief for an internal agency project

Meetings, meeting, meetings. Write a POV on something or a Brief. Have a meeting where 10 people wordsmith it to death. The 10 people could be internal or clients. Debate process. More meetings. Fin.

Althought it is not normal, preparing the entries for some of our clients. These contest are specialized in the results and the efficiency of the communication that's why I have to do it.

research a retailer to uncover ""retailer insights"", tried to uncover latest information about my category and set up informational emails for my team, revised a brief

Write decks, briefs, do briefings, research facts and insights, brainstorm

Facilitate and moderate research Work with internal and external teams to produce creative products with stragey behind each

I read some blogs about general news (culture, arts, politics, gossip, etc) I went to a meeting regarding the branding project we are delevoping (with other planners and research people) I

saw the new layouts the creative team has developed for a client of mine. I worked in a keynote presentation for this same client (tea category). The chapter I'm devolping is about positioning.

Working on the market position of a client.

Ecnomics

My work can be broken down into 3 parts: 1. Put together research plans that aim to understand how people behave and what would motivate them to behave differently. 2. Translate behavioral research findings into actionable insights. 3. Develop activation strategies that solve for business goals and design target needs.

Traditional cpg client work.

I flew to Kansas City to meet with clients for what's known as our weekly ""agency day."" Since the client is out of town, we try to schedule all of our meetings for 1 particular day of the week. First we saw an approved animatic of a holiday film they're producing. Next we presented holiday creative. This was a joint presentation between us and their internal creative department. Then they briefed us on a new product they are launching at the holidays. All meetings were attended by me, 1 other planner, 3 account people, the creative director and our head of account management. The clients ran 2 of the 3 meetings and in those my only role was to ask questions & make sure we understood what's expected of us. In the creative presentation, my role was strategic set up of the work.

I worked with the Account Director and a Planner to develp benefit statements for a suite of products to go into testing, We engaged the clients (who are in Korea) - in a meeting and a series of emails - and made revisions based on feedback. I sat in on an internal creative review (TV work) for another product that will be launching and provided feedback on how it met strategy, etc. The meeting was comprised of Creative, Account and Planning...total of about 25 people. I am managing a research project for the client, so I went marked up the 95-page ""final report"" for changes and then had a teleconference with the supplier team to discuss.

Marketing planning, advertising planning, marketing and advertising researchs, branding new business.

Managing a deep dive on consumer targets through ethno projects Creative brief writing Client calls to address objectives, vendor selections, and output expectations with research vendors Discuss quant results and implications for creative Meet with creative team to discuss campaign point of view Provide point of view on recent consumer trends

Planned a workshop on building better briefs in preparation for training local agency planner on the art or brief writing.

I spend a lot of time as a 'data-desk' for account people who are apparently unable to look shit up. I fill in a lot of decks for account people who are apparently unable to think - they leave spaces for me to insert insights. I read endless emails and websites about various studies. And 20% of the time I actually work with creative strategy - my favorite part.

Responsible for brand's communication strategy. Responsible for mining brand, category and consumer insights. Guiding light for creative work.

Had a meeting trying to get an exciting piece of work through, but it turned out to be a dead end. After that, a window of non-meeting time to work (building a deck on sourcing new ideas from FB or blogs for a new client initiative) and then a 90-minute status meeting where we all listened to what the other planners are currently working on. Since it was a Friday many of us had drinks at 5 at the agency. Wound up finishing my work over the weekend.

spend time reading up on industry/cultural news and trends reviewed video and transcripts for certain client groups; pulled out quotes for highlight reel review supervisor feedback on brief; revise and resubmit for approval attend brief meetings for several client projects check in with account team on status of creative put together online survey for new biz pitch go to gym and sweat out the day's stress and frustrations :)

Got to work at 8:45 for a 9 am meeting to review client comments on major creative review and research stimuli needs for communication check study. Checked into to a syndicated

research resource, read some articles there and in my email, found some stuff to share with team members. Made some comments on a brand strategy deck, reviewed user personas for another brand, made a presentation on a shared network planning resource, set up a client meeting, addressed a follow up need from a new business pitch, contacted potential guest speakers for a client seminar. Somewhere in there I got out for lunch, which I ate at my desk. Half the day was working alone, following up on on-going projects, half in meetings; half on traditional, half on digital, lots of time spent thinking up ways to spread the planning love and integrate with other team members. Very little time spent on the phone with clients. A great day.

prepare workshop for client prepare junior training materials senior meetings about clients

Attended Agency Day at our client's headquarters. Three-hour drive each direction with a carload of co-workers for two major meetings - the first a creative presentation for a new brand launch; the second, a quantitative research results debrief (copy-testing) where we were recommending moving forward with one particular TV spot over the other. Blasted bad 80's and pop music on the way home to celebrate a good day.

Reviewed Jay Chiat Award Entries Conference calls with client reviewing brand strategies Reviewed research presentation on brand tracking for client

I got to work, attended status meetings for my three projects, had some conference calls on partnerships and the plan for the year for our brand, went to a creative presentation with our creative team, manager and account teams to get ready for next weeks presentation, worked on some positioning decks with our jr. planner and did my expenses.

Combo or brand and biz strategy to grow clients biz's and uncover opportunities for agency.

Worked as a part of a team, but with individual deliverable responsibilities on projects ranging from writing briefs for traditional and digital media assignments, website evaluation and correlations to sales analyses; conducted qualitative video-diary shopping process research, developed an online survey to measure a promotion's ROI, developed implications from the findings of a proprietary tracking and modeling study.

uncovering & understanding human truths/behaviors/needs and finding insightful way to leverage these within the creative work.

In addition to the traditional roles of planning, (research, strategy, creative briefs) I lead a group that makes stuff that clients don't ask for.

Led agency team in proactive promotional themes/tactics presentation to clients. Developed ideation session agenda/plan. Reviewed and provided feedback on TV scripts.

Plugged in, checked my work and personal e-mail, plus a few selected websites to get the pulse of what's going on in national news, pop culture, the ad industry, and my clients' markets. Attended a meeting to review research stimuli. Wrote survey questions to verify facts for another campaign. Expensed receipts from a research trip the previous week. Wrote a POV on product naming.

Worked solidly on a campaign strategy for a large technology brand. The work is for Asia Pacific so I spent a great deal of time thinking about cultural difference both within a country and between countries. In many Asian markets you have to think about tier 1 and tier 2 cities/ towns/ rural areas. For a technology company there are massive difference in the decision making process to be taken into consideration.

So on Friday we were trying to finish all the spadework for an upcoming global research that 2 of our planners will be on. So drafting a recruitment guide and finalizing the recruiting process for focus groups in China, N. America and Europe. Figuring out costs for travel, research, translation and transcription services, research-output etc. We also reviewed a rough draft of the discussion guide for the focus groups.

At the beginning of a project I generally spend a few days conducting a dozen interviews that have been setup with customers and/or stakeholders. I then spend some time discussing my findings with my the director of strategy and start writing insights and findings. The next step is generally a presentation deck to present my findings and most importantly the messaging platform (that introduces the most single persuasive idea we want to convey). This deck is presented to the client and after approval we generally brief the creative team and go from

there to complete the creative work.

Check in on clients Check in on account, creative teams Read (client industry, culture, business, etc.) Write two briefs, talk about them with creative teams, rewrite Work on white papers Write for blog Talk about research needs with client Talk about purchase journey with client and media agency Drink beers with creative and talk about upcoming work.

constant meetings with way too many people in them.

Most of my time is spent dealing with the fall-out of 'the system' ie. people who are being 'played out of position' becuase integration means their skills are being used in different and not entirely successful ways, trying to get work out that is being stifled by the process. I spend a lot of time with high level clients who just want pure vision - all killer no filler .They don't get that from other agencies (media, brand, PR etc.)

Yesterday I´ve spent all day waiting for an approval of the presentation that I developed from the person that is responsible for attending the client. I also went to the meeting with this person because he wasn´t sure that he could explain the strategy to client.

Meetings about a presentation deck, strategy and creative for global client team Brief-writing, about sponsorship work, USA only Worked on a global workshop plan, regarding sports marketing More meetings Hurried lunch Cross-agency briefing of partner agencies

Began with a conference call to discuss progress on a microsite for a new function we're adding to our global capabilities. Held a meeting to go over a new brief with the next level on the client ladder. Spent some time actually working on making changes to a few project and campaign briefs coming out of meetings from the previous day and built the changes into the existing powerpoint. Held a work session followed by a meeting to discuss messaging strategy across various media phases with our media partners.

Last day I worked I was doing a job for a big national company about diapers. I analyzed all the competitors brands and products, including communication, websites and internet presence, POS, promotions, etc. After analyzing everything I transformed into part of a presentation to the client, which my boss was going to present.

Recently, I've been working alone on a few research projects with outside vendors, and enlisting the help of our interns to edit video from qual groups to insert in the qual portion of this research. Mostly, I work with two other planners and our account team of five people. Write briefs mostly alone, and then bounce ideas/revisions off a few tohers before presenting to account/creative/client.

Background research and reading the quant studies. Outsource the group moderation then work collaboratively with the freelance planner to build the story, insights and strategies.

Conducted interviews with stakeholders to help arrive at new value proposition for a brand's service. Worked on a brief for creatives. Developed some strategic set-up slides for a presentation to the client. Participated in several conference calls with clients. Had an internal creative review on a current project - presentation to client is tomorrow.

Well, I have brainstorm sessions with Creatives and Account Handlers to discuss the strategy and ideas for a major client brief. Then I go to review the briefs from other planners to give input and approval. Some days I just review strategic directions with fellow planners on key accounts within the agency.

I work less in actual planning but more in the management of the department (check payments, new hires, talk with the team, etc). Also in managing the times of the team (distributing projects through the whole planning team), and ""supervising"" or more giving feedback in the projects the team is working with. Also I'm involved much more in the decisions of the office as being part of the ExCo. In the only projects that I'm involved directly in the ""art of planning"", is with big projects (regional ones), and also in pitches.

coach team, write product launch brief, moderate client discussion, meet with partner agency to fight over positioning work, sit down lunch (aspirational), one hour to catch up with reading, staff meeting

Keep a pulse on the industry. Look for interesting developments or trends that may inform my work or that of my peers. Look for ways to find insights about who my target

consumer/user/shopper/person behaves that can be used to arrive at creative that transforms peoples experiences.

A typical full day should include: Analyse communication of the category Discuss brand strategy, positioning for a briefing Investigate consumer research data or look after information available Write concepts or hypothesis of consumer insights Build presentations for creative team or clients with the communication strategy

I spent all day yesterday working on two big segmentation studies for two different clients. In the first part of the day I was looking over the segmentation schema and findings and providing guidance and context to our research partner who is crunching the numbers. That was a 3 hour phone call for the two studies. I spent the rest of my day pouring over the draft research data slides to craft the story - what are the key findings and implications not only for advertising and marketing but for product development, employee relations, brand development, etc. I'll spend my next several days on the deliverable and figuring out what that needs to look like, both for internal and external audiences.

Working on a new website, spent the morning at a client's office sitting in on focus groups with key stakeholders. Spent the afternoon back at the agency in meetings. Also had a kick-off call with a research vendor.

Today I worked for our current clients. One job was to research what kind of attributes other brands of alcoholic drinks use in their communication to talk about its products. The other job was to define what a particular target (young and rich people) considers reference in the artistic world.

Performed a secondary search to frame-out the business issues for my client; then performed rough focus groups to smoke-out the emotional issues; finally, did ethnography to learn whether behavior supports the hunches we developed with research. Began shaping findings into a deck and a rough-cut video...

Concept writing, creative review, POV writing, survey analysis.

yesterday, i orchestrated and moderated a strategic planning session and brainstorm for full year 2012 with head clients and partner agencies, finished a blog post about the future of social tv, and interviewed a couple of jr planners for a new spot on one of my accounts.

a few client meetings during the day to either present work or to talk through feedback on already presented work. collaboration with strategy partners and creative partners on current projects. spend an hour or so looking for inspiration in books/magazines/sites spend thirty mins or so outside watching random people walk around

Reviewed creative internally for new big idea for client. Worked on strategic vision for Strategy department as part of leadership group. Reviewed presentation for Global Planners meeting. Led internal planning weekly meeting to review projects and status. Worked on two agendas for upcoming vendor meetings. Reviewed and approved quantitative research survey tool.

I come in to work each day and try to tackle as many items on my to-do list as possible. These items include things from writing powerpoint/keynote decks, to briefs, to research debriefs (from the most recent quant or qual study). I travel at least once a month - and working CPG accounts, see tons of quant research. On the good days, I hang with creatives and critique the ideas they come up with after being briefed by me. On the bad days, I am butting heads with the clients over short-sighted decisions they may be making. It's a rollercoaster of love and pain :)

A lot of meetings. A good bit (1/3rd or more) of new business. A kickoff mtg for an interesting digital/non-traditional assignment. Writing and meeting about award entries. A chat with 2 creative teams about a challenging assignment for an existing client.

Wrote a new brand strategy. Read research reports. Worked with creative teams on a new creative idea.

Assessed research results, wrote a creative brief and reviewed work presented by creative teams on a different brief.

everything from post-campaign analysis to audience insights and segmentation strategy. And

don't forget creative brief writing, creative review and messaging matricies.

Wrote a social brief. Met with creatives about taglines. Interviewed a planner. Had a client call about messaging strategy. Discussed how to ""contemporize"" a spot with CD's. Discussed a briefing for tomorrow. Got up early for an 8 am call that was canceled. Sat in on a status meeting. Talked about media strategy for next year. Sat through a status for a different client. Decided on some music for my DJ gig tonight.

Research and brief development Ran and idea brainstorm workshop Analysis of a quant study I just conducted Wrote draft speech for agency CEO (for an upcoming formal agency party)

New business pitching, in home interviews, strategic planning

Briefed a bunch of teams on a current client, worked with client to develop research plan for new campaign, cattled partner agencies in the brand planning process

competitive research, reading tech blogs, concepting with creatives

Ad analises.

I met with two freelancers that are working with me in a Branding Project to reposition a Tabaco brand - specialized in cigars. This meeting last all day long.

put together a training program for a new planner we just hired. attended status meeting for one of my accounts. started to outline an agenda for a client agency workshop to educate our clients about shopper marketing, multichannel shopping, and the future of retail (and hopefully win some new assignments as a result.) Took new hire and two of the planners in my group to lunch. Attended a creative brainstorm for a new project I am working on, helped ideate activation ideas. Had a working session to outline a portfolio strategy for three of our clients brands. Wrote a POV on some research we just got back and then went home. Oh and I took this survey at 11pm at night since I can never find time for this stuff during the day.

come into work, get coffee, spend a good 30 minutes reading my favorite blogs (ad and non-ad related). work on a brand proposal deck, review award submission materials, and then off for a 3 hour focus group session.

Met about developing an online community and what kinds of interviews we need to do to develop personas and user journeys. Met about a Facebook strategy for a client. Wrote a discussion guide for 1-1 interviews. Met about how to tell the agency about learnings from a recent conference in order to spark change. Worked on a brief for a Fall retail campaign.

presented a listening analysis and strategic recommendations for my global FMCG client.

A brand strategy presentation working with a media partner Quant analysis using an Omnibus A couple of HR discussions - identifying KPIs and job descriptions. A New business research debrief A discussion about increasing the planning retainer on a client A filmed interview with a prominent media identity for a new business presentation.

Moderate focus groups attend brainstorming meetings prepare strategy documents

A day of back to back meetings; all agency, client and research/econometric. A dash to pull some set-up slides together for an all agency conference call. A catch-up with a creative team on a thorny client issue. Briefing another team.

Think and write.

I'm actually spending far too much time with agency and client management,which has it's interesting sides but... Other than that, we try to focus on the overarching organising idea, not on individual disciplines. A lot of my time is spent with different client teams (both creative and commercial) and the planners who work for me. That does not leave enough time to actually work though...

1) Retail Communication Strategy and Planning 2) How to build a Communication Campaign outside of ATL and usually measured media 3) B2B strategies and B2B program development 4) Internal communication strategies and change management strategies

I do a little of catching up on industry, innovation and technology news when I get to the

agency but yesterday was quite a bussy day so I was tight on time: 1. worked on the preparation of the study cases of last year's campaigns for the effie awards. 2. conference call with a client that needs help with a SEM strategy. 3. Post-campaign research for one of our clients. 4. Concept brainstorming for New Business.

It was my first day! I've been brought in to establish a planning culture and function within the business. Sat with creatives and suits and listened to them and saw how they work. Lots to do!!

I spent my friday looking for new insights.

The last time I went into the office was for them to tell us that they had started the redundancy process for us all, following our senior managements incompetence which has led to the loss of the account that I almost exclusively work on!

I led a couple of meetings with clients, coordinated work on two new business pitches scheduled for the coming week, reviewed creative on existing work, ideating in a small group of planners and creative on 360 ideas, issued a digital brief, had a conference call with a couple of my global colleagues in London and Sao Paulo on a global project, and still managed to leave for home an hour earlier than usual :-) Not something I'm able to do on a regular basis though.

Yesterday I worked completely alone, guess because I'm a intern yet. I did a lot of researchs, working for a local client. I did benchmarking. Where I work it doesn't exist anymore traditional vs. digital, it's everything together so everybody has to be both.

Some creative reviews internally with creatives and account guys. A long conversation with the clients, marketing and market research on upcoming research. Read some interesting articles.

I went to our team status meeting at 9 a.m. for 15 minutes. Between 9:15 and 10 a.m. I worked with our senior strategist on a PPT deck for a client meeting we had at 11 a.m. Between 10-11 a.m. I worked on analyzing results from an online survey we just completed a week ago. Had a client meeting from 11-12 to talk about testing some new consumer friendly verbiage for a natural pork product. 12-1 I went to lunch with my team to welcome our new copywriter. From 1:30-2:30 I met with my team to talk about conceptual direction for a non-profit's new oral health campaign. From 2:30-3:30 I worked on analyzing more of those research results. From 3:30-4, I talked with our senior strategist about the progress of the research project and get her initial feedback. From 4-4:30, I was downloaded by a brand manager on a brief that's needed for a new project on our banking client. From 4:30-5, I surfed the web to get caught up on industry stuff (advertising and client).

Today's actually my first day back from over a week of vacation, so it's been an interesting, if not totally typical day! I came in this morning and got a coffee, booted up my computer and opened my email. While it slowly attempted to load in the couple of hundred emails I got last week while on vacation, I checked my personal email, did a quick scan of Facebook and poked through AdAge and my 4A's Smartbrief. I spent the better part of my first hour this morning wading through emails (solitary business, no one wants to hang out with me while I do that), responding to meeting invites for the rest of the week, and trying to get a basic idea of what happened while I was out. At 10, I went to a weekly internal team status meeting for the brand I work on, chatted a bit with my AE about my vacation and then proceeded to spend an hour listening to our Account Director and Creative Director argue about staffing and process. While this status meeting isn't always super relavent for me as a planner (I do like to keep up on everything the team is working on), today's meeting was especially painful. I spent the better part of the last 30 minutes trying to find a way to gracefully sneak out and get back to clearing out my inbox! At 11, I met with my boss to get an update on the status of a few projects I'm actually working on - a proposal for a huge piece of research we're hoping to do this summer and the re-(re-re-re)briefing we're going to be doing this week for a commercial innovation idea at retail. The client has changed the scope (and objective) of this project so many times it makes my head spin! She (my boss) and I had a good chat about the progress of both of these projects and what needs to be done with them over the next couple of days. The two of us then met with two people from our Account team to discuss the set up for a deck of creative work that we're presenting to our clients tomorrow. We wanted to make sure the strategic set up was outlined clearly and distinctly so that there's no confusion about what we're doing with the work. At noon (or about 10 after really!) I hustled upstairs for a regroup on an agency IP project I'm involved with. There's a large team of us working on a few

different pieces of this project and we meet every couple of weeks just to check in and see where everyone is at. We had a working lunch (mmm sandwiches and cookies!) and talked through our different pieces of the project. I left with a quantitative survey to edit and a qualitative proposal to review. At 2:30 I headed downstairs for one of our artist in residence performances and listened to Steve Earle, a songwriter turned novelist, read from and discuss his new book. Afterwards I headed outside for what I call “recess” when the sun’s out I like to take 10 minutes in the afternoon and go for a quick walk just to get some fresh air (and usually a Potbelly cookie). I spent most of the afternoon reading through and making edits to the research proposal my boss and I discussed this morning. I had an end of day creative review, where I, my boss and our account team got a preview of the creative work we‚Äôll be sharing with our clients tomorrow, and now I’m working on filling out and awesome survey!

Augmenting the brand and creative direction with insights and ideas on how we can create better connections between people and the brand.

(think and argue) loop!

It was a busy day. Research on the generic market for some customers. Development of action for internal customers, assembling flowchart for the actions you are suggesting to another customer. My work I only get 95% yourself, when has the information with the service agency.

A day in my job is great. I'm in one of several planning teams inside our agency (it is a Global Network) and we plan for 5 accounts. One is a credit card (align internationally, with Brazil being a planning and creative hub). With this client we had a call with our agency in New York (we are at S√£o Paulo) to define the last details of a video that is being produced here to help our client in US present our targets to the board of directors. Since my boss (a planning director) is traveling, we (my assitant and I) are taking care of this to help her. After that, still during the morning, I answered some e-mails about a national toothpaste brand that we plan for. We presented several weeks ago a new positioning proposition, which was approved and now we are supervisioning the details of the plan execution and elaborating the digital plan for this brand. For that, during the afternoon, I had a meeting with my assistant to share the work with her. Aldo during the afternoon, we had a metting with the account executives and media planners of our chocolate brand to get the details on a target media behavior study they are working on. We are finishing a ""brand essence"" presentation for this brand. I love the autonomy our actual agency offers to planners, but at my old job we had no autonomy (was also a Global Network) and as young planners we suffered to not have recognition or participation in the process. So for those who are not happy, try changing the place you work. There are good agencies that wants you to be productive and happy, just research the market first.

Currently I'm involved on three types of projects: 1.- Give strategic support to main business challenges. It includes the development of key learnings based on trend topics, communication analysis and brand positioning and essence to main briefs. The purpose of that is to have a clear direction to brand in the market. 2.- Develop strategic skills over the internal team. The purpose here is about to create a strategic culture inside our company,and our main challenge is to integrate different skills and previous professional histories into a integrated way of working, and: 3.- Develop a full integration of teams that works on total communication projects or 360º developments. It includes special focus on working based on the achievement of two types of goals: market results and creative results. I personally believe that creativity leads market results.

Read PSFK & some other newsletters. Developed brief for traditional project. Briefed digital developers for a brand project. Worked on internal planning blog. Aided in creative development.

Think about how to change a habit of an specific target (young) Think how to say something new creative and relevant about a new beer Think which digital learns Nike should present to ABA - ""Client"" Advertiser Association Think a workshop to inspire client and agency about friendship and another moments related to that - to inspire agency to another new beer campaign (Skol)

Yesterday I presented internally some qualitative research findings that we are preparing for our client.

Worked on a new brand strategy Helped the account team put together a proposal Did some

internet research Began planning upcoming qualitative research Meetings, meetings, meetings Worked on a product design brief

Most days are meetings and getting prepared for meetings. Other times a junior planner, I am doing small research projects to inform creatives and support the work of the senior planners. A lot of my time is spent being a fly on the wall, gaining experience and gaining respect so that I can become a great, more productive and impactful person on my team.

Yesterday i worked on a presentation that i gave today. It had research analysis, insight and a strategic idea. Also, i presented a brand pyramid for the region that i developed on a workshop i led with the client team. At night, i thought about a couple of campaign strategies for two well stablished brands

check email, tweet, read tweets, research online, attend meetings, present to colleagues, present to clients, throw together a last-minute creative brief, update timesheets, manage/give direction to junior planners, celebrate a graduation in the office kitchen, pull/run data from strategic vision, MRI or Polk, work on competitive reports, send out RFPs for research, analyze transcripts for research report, make new charts, make gorgeous Keynote presentations, find time to eat, hydrate and visit the ladies room.

Worked with senior leadership of the agency preparing for a new business pitch, writing the deck, reviewing creative, setting up the pitch environment. Conference call with another client to review tracking study questionnaire, reviewed recruiting summary for upcoming focus groups (to which I am travlleing to tomorrow in Texax) on yet another client, completed several expense reports and dropped off in accounting/picked up expense check and ran to bank to deposit, talked to the recruiting manager in HR about a how we're doing on recruiting an APD and senior planner, ate lunch at my desk, had a quick internal meeting with an different account team (GAD, Sup, AE on a moderator's report for recent groups), revised a customer journey path for the pitch (worked by myself in office), analyzed CrowdTap discussion board for pitch, collected quotes and gave direction to studio manager who is creating a banner for our pitch, worked one on one with Creative Director on Target Audieance profile/personae for pitch and discussed how to best bring target to life in an empy office -- then spent about an hour (from 8 - 9pm) creating our target's office environment-- including emailing a friend for personal photos, working with IT to build the target's iphone and ipad, writing day in the life scripts, etc. Checked in with key another account director on a different client on annimatics about to go into copy testing, reviewed tracking study results on yet another client to prepare for meeting with client, remembered I owe a follow-up POV on what's next -- guess that will wait until tomorrow...maybe I can write it on the plane to Texas...

Spent most of the day in meetings Mentored my intern

Stalk consumer behaviour Talk to people Listen/ eavesdrop/ have conversations Deck it out Make it easier for creatives to understand the end consumer and the brand Make it easier for clients to understand the market space Be the voice of reason Disagree Debate Discuss

FGDs, testing commercials of our new campaign together with clients, creatives, and accounts. Discussed revisions for re-editing of the commercials.

Inspire creative teams with insights and provide them with actionable communication platform

I'm between jobs right now, so i'm really doing nothing. And I have no idea when this situation is gonna change. Sorry :(

In 9.30am. Tea. Mails. Creative review. Client conference call. Brief writing. Calm confused creatives. Another client conference call. Write strategy deck for creative presentation. Lunch at desk. Further creative review. Panicy phone call from client. More deck writing. Someone orders in dinner. Deck finished up 10.30pm. Work culled. Home midnight. Presentation at 8am...

Yesterday was a public holiday here in South africa and I worked most of the day. Focusing primarily on trying to solve highly complex business issues that the Client is facing and in turn identifying where communication can play a role in solving these challenges. Other than that, reading a white papers and case studies.

Working on a tedner so a lot of time spent reading and summarising economic reports and statistics and studying strategic models.

I had a full day immersion session at a new client.

Sold in a pitch idea to agencies we are collaborating with on a pitch. Did planners reviews. Revied a brief from one of my planners

writing creative briefs, setting up a research project i'll moderate in toronto, boston and minneapolis, writing a strategic set-up deck to preface creative work for a client presentation, industry happy hour drinks preceding a conference, webinar on gamification, brainstorm, account meetings

Writing creative brief.

Spent half a day at home reviewing sources of inspiration for a workshop on retail innovation and half a day at a client meeting

I did a Branding Workshop (full day) to develop a new brand for my client.

Review project brief (knowing little of the client briefing or background), client meeting to present research findings, brainstorm session to develop a trend report in our area of expertise for the agency to leverage with clients

I'm hunting trends and share it with creative teams, PR teams, operational teams... My work is to have ideas to spread

Yesterday I started the day in a meeting at client's office, discussing two surveys I'll manage. The first one is to know consumers behavior to find out new opportunities to create and position a product. The other is a survey to check the performance of a new product that is being tested in a small market. After that, back to the agency, I had to write down a case that will be presented at one creative workshop in order to support a huge project we're working for.

Analyzing market data, studying audience personas, working to develop creative platforms that will make a difference for the client, managing people

Talking to clients Content outlines Writing business & creative briefs Educational learning series development Speculating about macro trends

Brand planning Creative brief writing User experience design

I set up the strategy during a meeting to sell work. I wrote a brief and shared it with my CD's then revised it per their feedback. I helped work through a search strategy to brief our media partners. I discussed upcoming research.

I was working on new business, specifically writing and formatting a response to a RFP. This included several phone calls/emails exchanged with the people I work with, but mostly it was me vs. InDesign for 8 or 9 hours.

i plan strategy for current client; leading the brainstorming process with people from account management, or in the case of yesterday, with PR team from another division at my office. Just last week, i finished presenting a brand strategy plan for a new business pitch. at any other time, i also make research plans and proposal for current client or for new business purposes; most of the time we look for freelance moderators/researchers to do the job, but at any other time (dipstick research), i would like to do it by my self, since i also need to have a grip and deep understanding of the people I will going to talk to (in terms of communicating the message/campaign). between traditional Vs Digital, you can see that i am more to a traditional planner.

Creating a presentation, sending an offer, following a launch of a new project.

A ordinary day

Develop a brand poitioning for a new company launching on a very competitive market, workshop with a 360° team on scenarios for the brand architecture, brief a creative team for a ""brand print"" video and a brand manifesto; workshop with clients on the bref for the next product launch based on concept test results; select creative partners to work with on a project that entails developing prototype sensory experiences for different brands belonging to a major food company; coach a planning intern on a competitive review; workshop with

colleagues from digital on new ideas to develop for a new client; pull together the agenda for the next client meeting; etc.

ran a strategic brainstorm session with client and agency partners developed and presented a creative brief to a client reviewed creative work to ensure it was on brief took a client out to dinner

I spent the day crafting a global strategy presentation.

I check my iPhone the minute I wake up. I check email (both personal and work) and then Facebook before I'v even gotten out of bed. I took a taxi to work and arrived at about 9.30 this. I took my Junior Planner to the cafe for a coffee and to go through a competitor review deck she has been working on for one of my financial services clients. I spent about an hour with her helping to make changes and tighten the flow. I came back to my desk to check emails but had another meeting at 11am with the MD, CCO, ECD, AD and head of planning. We want to have an agency meeting in the next couple of weeks to get our creatives excited about creating mobile campaigns. I've created a strategy deck to outline why this is so important and this meeting was for CCO and ECD to take us through some great mobile examples they had found. It was a really fun session and ran a half hour longer than the scheduled hour. We laughed a lot, in fact it was probably one of those meetings that reminded me why I came into advertising in the first place. I had lunch at my desk and browsed mashable and some global news sites as well as Facebook. I then had to work on finishing a discussion guide that I have created for a focus group I am moderating tonight. Its going to be an interesting one as I'll be talking to local hipsters (I live in Asia) about their style influences and how they feel about technology and brands. Might be a hard group to crack. I'm still pondering over what to use as my ice-breaker question. I then had a meeting that I hate about preview tests for a very large beauty brands. I find their reliance and obsession on the minutiae of these results to make every little decision quite disturbing. It's definitely the biggest brands that can be the worst dinosaurs and slaves to the past when it comes to advertising. The outcome of the meeting is that I will now have to slave over the reports to extract some data to back up the edits that have already been edited and are final. It'll be a hell hole of post rationalisation! It's only 4pm now but my plan for the rest of the day (before my focus group starts at 6.30) is to work on a brief for the launch of a new phone. I need to brief the teams on Monday during a brainstorm so if I don't finish it today then I will have to over the weekend. My group finishes at 7.30 tonight so after that I will go home.

I usually start my day but checking into each of my clients various social media profiles to make sure everything is ok and there is nothing that has happened overnight that we need to act on. I then skim through my google reader subscriptions to see if anything interesting has launched overnight that we should be aware of and to keep up to date with what is happening in the industry across the world. Yesterday we received a new business brief from a potential new client so I spent the morning reading through it and discussing it with my team, gathering questions to go back to the client with and beginning some topline desktop research on the topic. As I start to see themes and key points developing, I make a note of them to investigate further and delve deeper into. I am also developing a social media strategy to accompany a major event being held by a client. I am developing a detailed strategy, implementation guidelines and a detailed editorial calendar to go to the client for ongoing reference when their team updates their profiles. I work on this about 2 hours a day (give or take) for 2 weeks. Later in the day I check back into my reader to see what has been happening through the day and go back to some bookmarked posts to use as reference when developing an internal trends presentation for the agency.

We do everything. We are trend watching. Quantitative nerds. Qualitative savants. We build decks that fade away into stories. We (hopefully) inspire creatives with our thoughts and enthusiasm. We protect, nurture, and grow brands through every touchpoint.

creative review (with others), conference call with client to review a project (with the entire team), wrote proposals for a quick research project and worked on the questionnaire (alone)

Talked with clients to get a change in direction to revise briefs, reviewed product claims for upcoming research project, updated my fishing blog, revised the briefs and talked with more clients.

Too many meetings. Client review of recent focus group research meeting. Client asset review meeting to discuss research. Creative review meeting. Client meeting to review brief.

5 minutes of YouTube presentation. Expenses from trip to Europe for focus groups.

I'm still new to planning/strategy so I'm not sure I'm the best example. I've been looking at a lot of websites to see what companies are doing online. I recently worked on a pitch and investigated how social movements happen online.

Yesterday, I did the following... + Caught up on e-mails. + Provided direction to a summer planning intern working on a few projects. + Attended research vendor's capabilities presentation with other planners. + Sat in on a client status call, per acct team's request...absolute waste of time + Tweaked a new product creative brief once again (everyone was on board with it the day before...things change...wanted to find out why, so talked with CD about it). + Skipped a mtg to present creative work to client partners...too much going on + Followed up with Acct Mgmt team on projects on three different accounts. + Set up mtg with experiential company to come in and present capabilities...not a normal responsibility, but they reached out to me and it might fit with an engagement mktg campaign we're working on + E-mailed Jr Planner @Planningness to see how it's going...jealous I'm not there + Heard from an old intern (just got a job at Chiat)...Yeah! + Sat in on group presentation of radio scripts to client...third time...SO inefficient! + Communicated with a research vendor about a project they're working on for us. + Reviewed brand ""on-boarding"" deck for one of our clients to use internally. It stinks. They did it. Will need to redo, but don't have time today. Maybe tomorrow. + Reviewed new brand campaign ideas (with entire team) for one client...talked about coming in on Sunday evening to prep for Monday presentation...ugh + Sat in on presentation (via phone) of creative campaign to another client + Attended mandatory agency mtg (announcing new hires, b'days, and sharing new work). One Blue Moon. One Guinness. Caught up with new Acct Planner. + Made tweaks to previously mentioned brief on two more occasions (timing change and sentence order)...I stopped re-saving under new name after ""v5"" + Follow-up with creatives and give props for earlier presentation of engagement ideas (finally, TV scripts aren't first...only took three years of working here) + Follow-up with Intern who had a few thoughts about projects and new ideas + Continue to check e-mails throughout evening

Yesterday I made a benchmark about the bank segment how they communicate, what kind of message and channels they use.

1. helped my account manager strategize an approach to a life science client's website redesign. 2. wrote creative brief for new business pitch and briefed the creative team 3. did trend research around fitness, dieting, and Gen X lifestyle and parenting to create a secondary-research driven profile of a target audience for new biz pitch 4. collaborated with svp of strategy to finalize discussion guide for B2B client - guide will drive brand hierarchy and vertical-specific workshop with executives 5. had a strategy department status (with beers) where we outlined 10 cultural trends we will research in order to compile a thought leadership ""trends briefing"" piece

60% working alone 40% in meetings. I write creative briefs, attend meetings to review creative, and do secondary research including surveys.

I do a lot of open research on industries, current events, consumer trends, etc. that are relevant to our clients or the advertising industry as a whole. I also work on preparing findings for clients in the form of presentations, briefs, video editing, etc. My work is mainly independent.

Wrote two integrated briefs for a client

Traditional, New Business, Client Work

First thing in the morning I wrote a sheet detailing how different types of creative workshop might help a client and what they could expect to get out of a session. I then talked the client through some questions to work out what they are expecting and what their business issue is. I was working on a new pitch so reading Keynote and Mintel reports on the topic and then starting to hammer together a structure for the pitch presentation. We also looked at the creative work and gave some direction on where it might need to head towards to meet the clients brief. In the afternoon I met with creative about a promotion we're running, and then with the digital team about how planning could help content strategy. Last thing before I left I was planning with the research team a new project and putting together some consumer typologies and brand propositions which can be tested in some qual research groups.

Help brands tell their stories better by getting a better understanding of how their products could play a larger role in peoples' lives.

Leading the discussion with account team about client's business issues, what's going on in competition and initial thinking on the strategy to move forward.

Analysis of global cultural differences--papers and presentations. Advice and counsel to planners around the world on documents, briefs and strategies. Global quality control on the discipline. Creation of IP--studies and papers.

Set out the strategic rationale for a 360% (global) content led idea and accompanying comms plan, with specific recommendations for roles for media and messaging Prepared stimulus for a small UK based biscuit brand's annual planning day - 3 trends they should embrace and why

Integrated campaigns, with a healthy dose of new business/client management.

Research, channel planning, deck writing, digital strategy, business forecasting, award entry submissions, workshop moderation.

Breakfast status meeting with my client team, planning week ahead and action lists Read the newspaper Surfed the web looking at nonsense replied to email Spent several hours in creative reviews and working with creative teams Wrote a document and added to a stiumulus deck for a forthcoming brief went out for coffee with friend Stayed late writing an APG awards entry

researched consumers, looked at good creative work, did creative reviews, managed people, tried to be interested and interesting

O Writing a brief for a new campaign for an established client and sketching out the briefing session for creatives O Meeting with colleagues on last minute radical shift in direction from client; on conf call with client learning ins and outs and arguing about it O Meeting with colleagues on handling new Marketing client going forward, planning Agency visits, etc. O Thinking of ways to refresh and keep relevant a campaign that's been on shelf for awhile O Conf call with client to review print creative My role as a senior Planner could be described as ""chief strategist, senior client service person, and decently compensated clown.""

Global, digital workshop discussions between agencies on format and point of view. Managing the internal planners workloads and trying to keep them inspired and looking at objectives from different angles. Wrote a brand manifesto and partnered w a designer to visualize the strategic presentation.

meeting with my direct reports; meeting with account team and planners; phone calls to cleient; a face to face with client;briefing revisions to 2 Brand Stories; sandwich at desk. Personal stuff on internet. Texting wife a dozen times.

I dove into several research decks from around the world to understand how best to edit an existing TVC that ran in the US for another market. From there I will write a presentation summarizing the research findings and outlining a point of view on how best to take the TVC into another market and what changes need to be made to that spot.

Editing a brief, researching for 2 smaller projects, talking with creatives about an approved brief.

ReadingMail SendingMail Meeting Thinking --LUNCH-- Meeting Thinking PPTmaking ReadingMail SendingMail

I'm currently in AS but working on a pathing plan into Planning, which basically means I'm working 150% Account Mgmt and 150% Planning. Gotta love the agency. Therefore, I'm getting whatever work comes my way — writing briefs, researching potential client backgrounds, etc.

Worked on putting together a presentation for a client with another planner for a good portion of the day. We basically were figuring out the story for the deck and were compiling qualitative data, trends, and images that supported our points. Also spend the second half of the day with 3 other planners working on a new business pitch. The 3 of us just sat in a conference room putting up possible positionings and brand personalities for the pitch. We talked a lot about our target audience and how these positionings could or could not connect

with them.

Attended Planningness for a half day, and then frantically worked on a trends presentation for the remainder of the day, scouring news and syndicated services for relevant tidbits.

I got in and checked my email, then took a look at headlines and my twitter feed. Then I had 2 meetings back to back where I internally briefed our account teams on project briefs--one that I had written, one that my boss had written. I then met with 2 people from our media department regarding Simmons and a target definition for a new client. We've been working on a lot of new business, so I worked for about 3 hours on a deck that we'll use during the pitch, mostly defining who we believe our target consumer is, and what we can do to spark word of mouth about the brand. I went on slideshare and clicked through a few decks on Facebook/social media ROI, because we're in the process of working on a social media strategy for one of our clients, and I feel like I need more baseline knowledge on how social media ROI works. I put some preliminary thoughts together for a Tumblr project we're doing for another client, and started writing up a content calendar for that project.

training/mentoring brand strategy creative briefs new business pitch strategy research

last full day: 1. finishing an apresentation to a prospect that my part was a compilation of some researches about the category. 2. cancelling with a suplier a big research project that the client give up when everything are up. 3. meeting with some contacts to feasible a project that will create a new service in our city related to sustentability.

Worked on a repositioning point of view for one of the products within the brand portfolio I work on. Presented a creative brief to the clients and received feedback.

On location the day before a pitch with a cross-functional team of 15 people. Pulling together the final presentation, rehearsing, sampling the product.

Worked on new product portfolio positioning and compiled a deck with my director after we met with heads of planning and account on the project. Also worked closely with account to finalize a social monitoring report based on previous presentation feedback from the client. For lunch, ran across the street to pick up food, then came back to eat at my desk...but got to leave on time because two big deliverables were completed!

Signed off on global creative briefs, discussions on scope of work with clients, conducted a client workshop, had ideation session with 3 countries

I put together a research plan that would get my client to a new positioning for their launch.

Internal meeting to review updated creative concepts 2-3 hours research for a new business pitch 2-hour brainstorm for new business pitch assignment 1-2 hrs thinking about/outlining insights presentation

hell, hell and meeting hell

Day begins with a little round-up of mails and news (RSS feed + twitter + intranet). This takes around 1h30 max so I can focus the rest of the morning of non distracted working session. Basically there is 3 types of working session. Preparing : Alone where I try to gather data, informations, insights, about a current project to fuel the team Creating : Using this information, we do brainstorming meetings with people working on the project. These sessions are 2/3 hours longs and uninterrupted. As I work mainly on digital projects, people around are creative ones but also r&d ones, even if r&d ones may not always be in the first meeting. Explaining : Alongside of following up with the team working on the mechanisms and illustration, I start writing down the presentation. It starts with a text file with the speech written words by words, and after the keynote that illustrates key moment of the speech

Reviewed and provided suggestions on the positioning statements for my employer's brand. Outlined budget requirements for a .com overhaul for a regional client. Comma planning for a regional client, with specific attention given to clearly defining goals, strategies and measurements.

I work in a 'traditional agency'. most of my time is spent on trying to crack TV campaign ideas with creative people.

I spent half the day working on an on-going country research project for a client who is

entering that market. In the evening, I presented to the internal team about the previous country I had researched. I also spent time researching industry news for a weekly newsletter that we send to another client.

Brand planning, Account planning...specifically to do with digital, integrated marketing, direct marketing, Customer relationship marketing campaigns for both existing and new businesses

Last full day : getting the basic guideline for an intranet

I attended a four hour meeting on a branding project to which I am tangentially attached. I participated in a conference call with clients to review some research for another branding project, began centralizing IA/CS Interactive strategies for a new department I am ru Ning, reviewed outcome of creative strategy meeting for a third client, spent an hour on the phone arguing with my company's insurance company over a claim

Research and finding a strategic angle that would open up avenues. As in what is the role of this service/product for people, in people friendly terms? How could that be turned into an interesting springboard for creatives?

Updated a brand campaign bible for one market; wrote product concepts for a new NPD; provided feedback to creative teams in 3 regions on their creative work on a global brief

Yesterday I spent a lot of time on administration. A director's meeting, a planning team meeting and building the action plan to follow up on an all client presentation from last week. I also did a small amount of work on our biggest client.

spent morning crafting ""claims"" language coming out of qualitative research. Presented ideas to client for feedback. Attended creative presentation of video created to celebrate a new website we're launching.

I spent the whole day in new business meetings

Yesterday I did a research about one of the poorest regions of Brazil to find a way to improve the performance of a diaper brand in the region that seen as expensive. I spoke with the team about all the ideas and prepared a presentation with data collected.

Everything. Testing, writing briefs, research, brainstorming, meeting with clients, preparing pitch-briefs, etc thinking, analysing, writing, talking. More integrated projects, 60% client work, 40% new business

Staffing issues, connections brainstorm with broader team, travel

Wrote weekly consumer/category insight updates Worked on client product intelligence briefs which are deep dives in the products, consumers, category to find insights and strengthen agency knowledge Wrote creative briefs

Meetings on integrated launch program (digital, social, traditional, experiential) for new client Moderating focus groups on tech toys Draft of brief for integrated holiday drive period More meetings Beers

Conducted a strategic workshop with senior clients

Mix of new business and traditional client work.

Presented new creative TV to a client, worked on a brainstorm for an activation idea for client's internal pitch, talked about storyboard quals with a research client, discussed innovation processes to drive organic growth internally within the agency

Traveled to the client to give a presentation on creative ideas for next year. The presentation was the output of a creative brief given to two creative teams who created four separate ideas. These were massaged to reflect the assignment and the creative ask and then presented by the account lead, myself, and the creative director. Other than that, I worked on a positioning document for another brand and a creative brief for another brand.

Currently working on repositioning a brand. We are engaged in a discovery face trying to utilize unusual research techniques. A lot of digital discovery.

Desk research

I am a healthcare planner. Have studied healthcare and also worked in this sphere all this while. So a day in my life may not be very cross-category. However, let me assure you that its probably a very dynamic sector in itself, with every therapy area demanding a deep understanding and a customized approach. We had recently done a social media listening project for a client on a specific healthcare segment to gauge conversations in that therapy area. My day was well spent assessing the findings of the project for the second time, as the previous round of findings and recommendations did not really materialize into a must do agenda for the clients. Felt like going back to the research all over again to assess if we had missed anything interesting to explore. Also was working on another therapy area - which involved talking to various secondary influencers and understanding the extent of their influence in buyer behavior. And finally, as slide decks are an integral part of our lives, spent a decent amount of time in converting a research report into an interesting story. Not a very hectic day, but definitely satisfying.

My day is broken down into segments. A lot of time is spent finding resources for data that we can report. Quantitative sources help us prove our qualitative insights so I spend a lot of time looking for those data points from reputable research sources. When working on new business, I attended focus groups and then have to gather findings from those groups, put them into themes and find supporting quotes from respondents to paint a full rich story. Pulling data from our survey studies as well.

traditional planning, some comms planning, some digital. strong suit is traditional - working with teams to create ideas, shape ideas, etc. i enjoy this.

went to meetings, made complicated things simpler, got people aligned

Moderating Focus groups with Brazilians to uncover insights into that market. Secondary analysis of business sales results in terms of volume and dollar sales. Writing first drafts of Effie cases for four of the brands I work on. Doing a writeup of Focus groups I moderated with Israelis for insights into the market.

I was working on a confidential new business project - sorry, can't release details.

Lots of meetings. Briefed a creative team. Wrote a brief. Finalized a creative presentation with a different creative team. Presented work to client. Had a research debrief. Sent some emails. Went home.

Important client presentation on strategy Preparation of Effie award submissions Meeting on second half of the year comms plan Regroup on evolution of strategy coming out of meeting

Fielded emails. Wordsmithed key insight on brief to address client concern while still staying true to consumer. Met with account manager on early stages of 2012 brand planning. Revised training plan for new junior planner; lunch with new junior planner. Wrote email updating agency VP on current research. Caught up on client politics that may impact research this week. Took new account manager through creative brief/brand background. Status with head of department. Confirmed delivery date for research report with vendor. Discussed what to present to client for a brand planning pre-meeting. Browsed blogs (mostly relevant). Filled out timesheets. Almost all broadcast work; some iPad. All client work.

Looking for clients to bill time against

I work with a Fast Food client, and we have new products coming through the pipeline weekly, or so it seems. My day typically is consumed by conducting research on the product, how it fits within the brands product line, and our target audience. From there, I work on creative briefing decks to help inspire the creative work for the product. When we have time, my team tries to work on any white papers or other cool deliverables that can provide inspiration either for our client or our creative team.

Meetings, meetings, meetings: global strategy, website usability research, concept research, new business, agency culture...

I started my day at 8:30 am, cheking my mail and answering a few. After that i got together with a a brand team ( Account director, creative Director and creative) to work on a positioning strategy for a big telecomunication company. We spend almost al day bainstorming ideas. we finally had something we liked, i came back to my computer and

started the presentation. At the end of the day another account planner asked me to join the team to review some pre test reaserch results for a bottled water brand and the new campaing, that consumers did not undestand. We spent more than an hour trying to figure out the problem. At 8 i finally got home. In the back of my mind the water campaing problem was still taking over my thoughts.

Spent time on 4 of our 10 clients. One was against the continuing major re-positioning of our largest global technology client, including reviewing creative ideas, organizing the new fiscal integrated communications plan and dissecting client politics. Another client is an actual country, reviewing a campaign testing and launch. Third was determining the right social strategy. Fourth was a new business pitch, preparing for a strategy work session.

Yesterday was an above-average day because I got to do good ""thinking work"" and I wasn't tied up in a bunch of formal meetings. I... - met with account team to discuss communications strategy and communications plan for a Fall 2011 product launch - drafted a mini-deck on how we might evolve the communications for (the brand listed above) to support its new global positioning - stopped in to talk to the CD on the account menioned above about a social media campaign we're launching and to plug a related idea I have - went to the garden store at lunch to pre-plan the confirguation of my summer annuals - worked on a presentation about how some companies successfully manage multiple brands within the same category (I'm calling it ""Siblings"") - checked in with the cmo to see if we've heard back about the big pitch we recently wrapped up (there was no answer, but all signs are good); spent some time talking about updating our planning process to make it more visual and generally sexier for rfp submissions - did my timesheets - read some blogs and tweets, checked Facebook several times and looked to see who is checking me out on LinkedIn (I'm not looking, but it's nice to see that people are looking at me)

I am more in a consulting role now so I spend almost all day putting together proposals for clients. It is like pitching everyday and being creative with the approach to solve problems. Very stimulating.

Work on new business pitch. Research a lot about social media. Give a presentation on digital audit competitive. Learn about a completely new industry. Vet research vendors. Talk with clients.

I was in major pitch mode. We had two very big pitches a day apart (on different sides of the country), which involved 2 months of development work leading up to each final presentation. In each case I was the strategic resource for the creative work that was done, and was also a lead presenter in each pitch meeting. The nature of the pitches (and pretty much all the work we do) is a blend of traditional and digital. We tend not to delineate these streams - it's really more about figuring out what needs to be done and selecting the right mix of channels/environments to deliver the idea.

Working on product concepts for FMCG client in a team. Developing new product ideas from a workshop. Writing a Point of View for current research results from an other client. Research studies and consumer behaviour for a Digital related Pitch-Project.

Three things. 1. Follow up on the creative idea we've sold to client. How we can amplify it with the whole team. Outlined areas to elaborate further (acct-mechanics, creative - flow to the desired effect) 2. Prepare for client's discussion on their brand positioning (fine-tuning). Pulled out consumer POV on the current positioning that's in progress. What's the essence they liked it to begin with. 3. Summary on the China consumer insights & implications on the global brief to be discussed with global clients.

Working on the channel strategy for a pitch for the Australian Coal Association, meeting with the business director on St George Bank to discuss planner requirements for the business, following up with some planing candidates potential roles, looking at forecasting for our melbourne office, reading the strategy for A melbourne client, meeting with other planners for update on workloads, meeting with Chairman for agency update on staff changes, meeting with CFO on revenue issues with payment....and so on - a vast majority of tasks!

Dug up insights & teamed them with tasks to provide inspiration for creatives & clients.

All day client meeting - Reviewed borad finding from recent research study - Presented different positioning - Presented revision to creative work - Met with lead client to talk about the ""state of the business"" and how we needed to really understand what our master brand

stood for and how the variants live under the master brand.

Competitive reviews, signing off briefs, writing briefs, developing strategic responses to client briefs, developing social media/mobile/digital/retail strategies based on new trends, general research, posting on twitter, attending conferences for learning, wips.

I flew home to Australia from meeting with the global planning lead. I presented my latest positioning for a co-brand card between Amex and Australia's favourite airline, Qantas.

I attended consumer IDI's and that we have commissioned for a client to ensure that the output will be conducive when we start on the brand strategy. Worked in a consumer segmentation exercise for a client to see how we can segment the market for them.

Wrote the strategic set up for a 360 campaign for an FMCG client in the morning, presented it along with the work and Creative Director in the afternoon. Helped train our young planners and account managers in the evening by setting them a live brief on tackling climate change in Asia using social media.

Currently working on a number of papers for various award entries and forensic planning documents for local media (Adnews etc) Also putting together a new brief for a government pitch (tedious), writing a social matrix for a clients' on-going social strategy (monthly) also working on a document for same client to outline proposed social strategy for the masterbrand including tone of voice, audience and content. And finally putting together a brand umbrella proposal/brief from recent research findings. Phew!

There's this huge campaign I am working on for a local client - mix of traditional & digital (more traditional). The initial part of day wasspent on analysing data o teh consumer connect activity which undetaken over he lst weekend to undestand key barriers/triggers in relation wt brand perception & usage. Thereafter, I was laying down the framewrk fo the basic strategic thought process using consumer learning as well as some relevant case studies. Large part of the rest of the day was spent in jamming wit creative partners on their initial campaign thoughts & arriving some sort of consensus to ensure strategy & creative idea are complementing each other.

Planners are the bridge between clients problem and the creative solution to it, their insight, knowledge and understanding of the consumer is key to brilliant brands and thats what I do every day!

- Attended a U&A presentation at the client's, by their research agency on their brand - Brainstormed and wrote a creative brief

I feel there is a lot of collaboration needed therefore a lot of work I do is with other people account service teams, creative and client. We are constantly striving to do less traditional and more media neutral. This however defaults back to traditional. So I would describe how I spend my day as ""greasing the wheels"".

I attend a lot of seminars, workshops and talks so yesterday i was in one. Met with a client to take them through a Brand Manifesto and began the start of a communication strategy.

My day consists of meetings with client and internal, brand conferences now and then, creating comm/brand or campaign strategies to present to client and internally. Coming up with ideas and platforms for campaigns. Proactive ideas and research

Usually when I get to work I spend a good hour, reading ad blogs, going through e.mail. When working alone it is mostly geathering information from market (WARC, EUROMONITOR, independent researches, GOOGLE, ADFORUM, AdsOfThe world). Then it is about making sense from that data and trying to boil it down to usable insight. Once or more times a day I meet with accounts or creatives do discuss work in progress/new work. There is just a few planners so we work on many clients at the time, plus new business, which makes it difficult to get real proficiency in particular market segment, but one gets a pretty good overview. I work usually from 9AM till 7PM (technically I suppose to be here only till 6PM) To be compleetly honest, last night around 22:30PM we were still in meeting, but that was only because we got last minute pitch oportunity with 30hours to work on it.... good times

Discussed with Account Management on the strategy of a project, met with a client to present ideas, worked alone on developing portfolio & communication strategy for a client and

organized a trends presentation for the agency.

I attended a semiotics research session and discussed what stimulous for my client we should be entering into the research project. I worked on a brief for another client for a tacticle piece of communication spanning print, digital and email marketing. I briefed a creative team on some feedback from a client suggesting tweaks and changes to the work currently on the table. I conducted some desk research into a new brief we have recieved from a client to flesh out some ideas and insights.

My most recent day consisted of analyzing and trying to draw insights from some qualitative research done for a client in a particular industry. I also put together a proactive analysis of one of a client's main competitors- looking at everything they are doing both locally and internationally.

3hs putting a creative brief together 2hs global video call with Ny headquarters 2hs gathering learnings for next debrief presentation 1h random internet surfing / readings 1h chats and coffee w/ account and creative guys

Team working session on a pitch. Three meetings with account teams where I made actual decisions. Met with CEO of media trade marketing body. Drinks with new tech director. Rewrote brief from scratch.

with others, doing research, trying to find new angles, writing briefs, lots of new business pitches, throwing things away and starting again.

this week is all concepting with creative teams and studying up on jquery via online courses during work.

Yesterday we had a bad meeting with the client over some creative work that wasn't working for them. I spent the day talking to the head creative and head account guy about the strategy and how we can re-work it to get closer to the work the client is looking for. We sent emails back and forth, had live conversations/arguments and finally got to a good place. After that I was on a few calls getting ready for a big thought leadership presentation I was giving at an industry event and for a global webinar for our agency network. Beyond that, I interviewed a potential planning director for a newly available role in our agency. I'm always looking for good talent in this market!

I was preparing a pitch. In two weeks we will meet a new client to make a workshop. They are a big, full service, IT company whos market I need to understand. In the pitch they want to target c-level in any larger corporation. My day was spent doing research on how to achieve that objective.

As a junior planner I'm responsible for the day-to-day work; the radio briefs, the briefs for digital banners; that sort of thing. Where I get to grow is by being the eyes and ears for the client; sending them new digital campaigns, great work from their category, innovations from others.

Usually I get briefings with goals and expectations from account managers for their clients, expecting a solid plan to reach their clients goals. I make calculations and call publishers what's possible whether it's social, search, bannering or other forms of advertising.

Brand strategy (B2B); IMC; cultural trends

Managed a couple of account meetings Create two internal strategy presentations Send a bunch of emails and scheduled meetings Planned travel Gave input on project work Coordinate with other offices on bus dev Tweeted, checked Linked-in and Facebook

Find creative ways to achieve best results with less effort and less money from our clientes. Find creative ways to get jobs done.

Working with research institutes to give instructions about different projects. Briefing creatives and media professionals and working within the department to help other professionals and developing presentations for my own projects.

Met with entire account team for status meeting on an account, reviewed traditional and digital work recently presented to client. Met with a media planner to discuss a communications strategy we are developing for a pro bono project. Sat through a conference

call media plan presentation delivered by one of our media planners for a different client. Checked emails throughout. Grabbed a quick lunch and headed back to eat at my desk, catch up on emails and work on a deck analyzing client's social media practices and applying newly-developed brand tone. Went to another meeting with creatives and account managers to review digital creative before sending to client. Back to desk to research some stats for consumer video piece. Worked on that for a couple of hours. Left office. Quick turn at gym. Went home to work on deck and eat dinner. Worked until about 2am.

Finished writing an award show entry, edited one drafted by an account person. Checked into what was going on with one of my brand's social media presence. Suggested our team check out a live event related to it. Tried to fix an admin issue in our planning group, to make it easier for our teams to communicate with each other. The issue is a confusion about who should be in the ""planning group"" email alias. Do we need an email alias that includes all planners PLUS media? Where is the alias that has account planners, connection planners, and insights and analytics people only? Approved the timesheet of a freelance account planner. Talked with a colleague who wanted to bounce a question off me about how to tackle strategy for a new client. How much foundational ""strategy"" should we do versus a more targeted and iterative approach? Leaned toward the latter. Reminded me of a planningness presentation I'd read the night before. Mentioned it to the colleague. Sent this presentation to our internal team with a cover about how it relates to what we're doing, and not doing right now to be both smart and quick. Collaborated on a new business pitch by reviewing thoughts I'd written during an internal brainstorm/briefing the day before, doing a little online research, and emailing some observations and implications to the team of planners involved. Talked to a group creative director about what he learned at the AAAA's creative technology conference. Sorted out the data cuts that I want to receive from the research vendor who is in field right now with a quant study. Prepared a recommendation and ran it by the planners on my team. Reached agreement, shared it with vendor. Booked time with our CSO to review the draft findings and direction on a briefing we're kicking off in one week. Screwed around on Twitter briefly, reading #oldmansearch. Laughed. Wondered at the marvelous stories buried in search patterns. Thought of that Google Superbowl ad. Wondered if there were a new qualitative research angle to this. Chased down an extra person to cover a POV I feel my team needs to write on an online ad effectiveness study that was fielded on our campaign. We don't do the media planning, so this involved also explaining to a the department head why we should do this, though we are the creative agency, not the media lead. Secured the person (borrowed from another client), and briefed him on the purpose, background, and desired outcome. Checked in with an account supervisor on a meeting she booked with me and four others to discuss the evolution of our client's Facebook outpost. Made clear who was going to prepare a draft POV for that meeting, to be sure that we didn't all show up just to talk about the need to talk. Checked in on work being done by two junior planners on positioning map and a ""why, how, what"" summary of the brand we're working on. Gave them suggestions to make it sharper, and defensible. Attended a meeting about client comments to a TV edit. Explained what I'd heard on the client call, and where I think we still had questions that needed clarification. Got an email about a social media webinar related to financial services. I no longer work on that account. Sent it to the planners who do, in case they missed it. Read the interview feedback colleagues provided on a candidate we'd brought in for a planning position that will report to me. Debated whether the person was a good cultural fit, and experienced enough to do the job. Voiced concern about candidate being under-qualified for his title and whether he would collaborate as expected in our department. Received a thank you note from said candidate that reinforced gut instinct. Shared that with colleagues via email. Received an email from Dynamic Logic about their new product that marries attitudinal feedback with sales data from IRI. Discussed with our insights and analytics director. Agreed we should get a demo.

- get into office and crank out a deck about brand architecture for client A - my art director comes in to ask if i am mad at him (because i went into the elevator without waiting for him to finish paying for his coffee?) - i assure him i'm just swamped - send out deck and then send an email to client B with a recommendation on research methodology for upcoming campaign - two creatives come in to bitch about an assignment. i go through what my officemate calls ""creatives therapy,"" which is basically a lot of nodding and hand holding - meeting to present a game/activation idea to client A - email to research person at client A with some thoughts for upcoming brand positioning work, after going through their screening and proposal from a vendor - bug HR to finally go make an offer to a junior planner i am pursuing - status with client B - creative briefing - creative regroup for project, offer up some thoughts to CD on how we get back on brief - write a setup for the creative pres we're giving the following day - general administrative, meetings, a few more follow ups on things and then try to sneak

out by 7pm to hit my yoga class...

I was working on a presentation about the history of the web, trying to set context for a client who is unfamiliar with digital opportunities. This was to help them see digital and social media as part of an integrated planning process, not isolated 'channels'. I work primarily alone and serve as a consultant to the agency. I get input from many people and work across all our brands. I spend a lot of time online and in powerpoint. I also help people understand how to use social tools in the insight/planning process. FOr example, what can we learn from youtube? Digital ethnography... as well as social listening, how to use technology to understand the comments and information people leave online. I've a unique and fluid role within the organization and luckily our planning officer recognized how these skills can add value to our process.

Loads of research: Trend and insight hunting.

Did some online desk research looking into customer experience in a new category. Meetings to recap client call, put together pov on competition,

I did research for a brief and had to find trends and insights, conventions and implications from all those trends.

put together communication plans/ strategies for clients based on a brief research competitor reviews

Heavily involved in a frustrating pitch for a global tech brand. Agency less so, agency very much so

liase with european markets and their planners there. Train them up teach them to write briefs!

As a Content Strategist I collaborate with disciplines all across the agency to ensure that I am creating a holistic, well-rounded strategy and approach that both meets business objectives for the clients and provides a unique and exciting result for the user. A given day can include a 45-min brainstorming session with creative and 4 hours locked in a room writing a brief, or it can be 6 hours of brainstorming with the larger team. Each day is different. The community of content strategy is exploding, and it is great that we are introduced to the process during the planning phase.

Managing staffing issues Reading a book to find thoughts/ideas for a client Writing a discussion guide Helping creative people with a digital app Fielding new bus projects/requests Helping other planners with their work Managing a training session

Wrote the creative brief of the first campaign for a recently won account

I spent most of my day doing some research (on my own) to pull together a ""state of the consumer"" deck, outlining the latest consumer trends as they relate to lifestyle and finances. I also attended a couple of meetings. One was a creative internal review, preparing for a client presentation and the other was walking through the schedule and timing of an upcoming copy test so we could finalize when we would need the final results by, working backwards to determine when we need to get the final ads to the vendor by.

Participated in a brainstorming session to identify tactics that would result in modifying behaviour.

Creative development and testing Brand strategy and positioning Continuouslly developing strategic POVs and presentations Plan development

I am an Anthropologist working in Planning. I create our research tools, design methodology for different accounts, and provide research support for the other planners in our group. I do some work on new biz, but have very little client-facing responsibilities.

As an intern, I went along on an ethnographic study and took notes and worked the camera. I also, researched users of my clients products and wrote a creative brief. I mostly work independently.

Created and moderated a conference on an important business issue for our client. Led post conference brainstorm and produced next steps document on flight home.

I divide my day in tree parts: 1) information 2) writing 3) meetings

I work on a newly global brand and spend a lot of time in foreign countries outside the US trying to figure out how to make the brand (and its offerings) relevant to different consumers. I also spend a lot time working with product development, helping our clients figure out what to make, what to call it, how to position it, etc. Lastly, and most importantly, I spend a lot of time creatives trying to inspire them to do their best work. And once they have a great idea I spend a lot of time with the holistic team trying to figure out the best way to bring that idea to life.

Yesterday I had a creative kickoff for a new website we are designing. I starting doing some research for a brief for an upcoming campaign.

Worried about somethings that got bad.

In the morning sat in a client briefing for an upcoming national influencer ad unit, then put together initial thoughts for a creative brief, didn't start it yet. Did some research on a competitive audit type assignment in an area of focus for our client in the upcoming year. Went to a 3 hours segmentation shareout from a third party research company and began to overlay our existing understanding of the consumer from our own proprietary research.

I spend my day solving problems. At night, I really stop and think about my clients and their problem. It's also the time to organize my paperwork and files.

- I've been working on a moodboard to fit the new brand discription we have written for one of our clients. Looking for images that fit the brand story, target group, proposition, etc. - I've been working on a document/research on brand characters. What kind of brand characters are there? (spokes persons from the company itself, celebrities, animated mascots, etc.) What are the pro's and con's? Etc. - I got a briefing from one of our account managers on making a brand movie for one of our clients. About what the brand stands for, what they did to change the business, etc. I'll be working on this project together with one of out editors.

all digital, mostly new business driving & conducting research forumulate driving idea and more tactical digital approach formulating POVs on the role of digital, social, mobile focus on social listening & discovery

client presentation of a commercial program I'd spent the previous night (6 hours) developing with the creative team. solo call with another client on evolution of band campaign. brief freelance creative team on a school program for K-5 - a lesson plan for hygiene in the schools sponsored by a client. Meet with creative team to redirect headlines that were off strategy. tighten up a competitive analysis of in-school hygiene programs. tighten up a creative brief on a new product launch to incorporate client comments.

planning is people, not process. creates chaos in order not order in chaos, intuitive not logical, operating principles not models

9AM Led a briefing with creatives in Brazil and China on a naming project for a global technology client. In the room with me were account, Project Management and US Creatives. 10AM Met with a VP digital producer re. wire frames for some upcoming global usability research for technology client 11AM For utility client, led a briefing of a qualitative vendor for some product positioning research happening this month. In the room were my department head, account, and three people from the vendor including the CEO. 1:30 Call with energy clients (managers) to help them think through an upcoming energy-saving program for consumers and SMB 2PM Finished gathering digital producers' and account input for an RFP for the global usability research. Wrote up RFP, researched potential vendors, sent RFP to vendors. 3PM Over the phone, took technology clients through the RFP. 4PM At utility clients' offices, helped them think through an upcoming social media program and the energy-saving program we'd discussed earlier in the day. Ended about 6:15. 9PM From home, checked email, provided feedback on Brazil creative. Sent in-house quant guy notes on how to crunch a survey.

My day-to-day involves checking current news, trends, product launches, research results, and latest in public opinion. I spend 2-3 hours each day doing that. Next I check in with my account leads on current strategy updates or upcoming client meetings. That is a big one because you need to always be prepared to present your ideas on a specific part of strategy or consumer analysis. I'm not asked to do this but I also work closely with social media

strategist and our PR manager to keep up to date on best practices and industry events. Sometimes my agency is looking to sponsor an event, a talk, or a keynote. Because I used to work in communications and PR, and now contribute to a popular marketing blog, I am able to offer insight on latest agency thinking, esp pertaining to digital and technology.

Understanding what makes people tick, what motivates them to action, how and where they connect, their brand perceptions, decision making process, etc. Developing fodder for the holistic team and briefing creatives. Writing strategy thought starters for a new business pitch. Conducting 1:1 interviews. Reviewing early stage creative ideas. Researching trends.

Wrote 2 creative briefs, had 1 creative WIPs with creative teams. Moderated 2 Qual groups. Went to the pub after groups!

Work on brand positioning statements Research debrief Creative presentation

Writing digital strategies for our core client Helping account teams organize their thinking Attending research and developing insights Pitching (lots of it!) Creative concepting

Yesterday I had to help my client and I made a presentation about their company. In that I wrote a bit about the world's context and what is happening in Brazil, then I described our communication process. Not really a planning job, but something we do a lot around here, helping in ppts.

Good question! I went to meet an agency search consultant to talk about how my agency positions itself,and to learn from them which agencies they think perform well in their search process.

Writing a positioning presentation on a line extension / sub-brand for the coming year's communication strategy. Meeting with account team and digital strategist to discuss that presentation. Reviewing questionnaires for pending quant and qual ad testing. Discussing staffing needs with Head of Planning.

developed a strategy plan for evolving the creative for next year wrote a research proposal gave input on stimuli summarized some focus groups on new product testing set up creative in a client presentation worked on a three year strategy plan (Platform development & business strategy)

lots and lots of new business (briefs, work with creatives and final presentation - strategy part only) Support for research qual & quant Preparation & organization of workshops Strategy preparation and presentation Brainstormings with creatives Training sessions Competitors review and market analysis

flew across the world to help architect a regional/ global CRM program for one of the world's leading tech companies. we discussed differences in consumer behavior and how that impacts the implementation of our global marketing plan

I was working on the 2012 planning strategy for the luxury automotive client that I primarily work on. I was going through research from syndicated venders to substantiate my strategic direction. I work closely with my account lead and creative lead to solidify the deck.

surfing on the internet for trends and insights writing product concepts writing creative briefs, creative briefing, attending internal creative review & client presentation, developing set-up for the presentation designing and attending research, and developing analysis assisting in clients' development of brand architecture, long-range marketing plan

I made a brand idea presentation and helped the client run a brainstorming workshop on developing a media property for the brand. This was a half-day session. The rest of the day, I was at my laptop working on a creative brief and catching up on my reading, interspersed with brief discussions with the account management team.

Qual group animation Video editing Writing ppt recommendation Writing creative brief Creative meeting + briefing

As we are few people in the department we do new business as well as client work. Our main objective is get insighs but also we build brand proposals. Sometimes we have projects that are more consultancy.

literally touched 5 or 6 pieces of business including: set some KPI goals for a communications plan briefed a creative team on a new business project heard that we won a new client discussed and planned a brand's architecture interviewed a sr. planner candidate worked on a brand strategy

Looked at some creative work that we're about to present with the ECD on the account, had a strategy catch-up with the team and looked over decks and briefs that are in progress, took care of a fire drill with another market (strategy wasn't aligning with global guidelines and it was affecting the creative), worked on a staffing plan, spoke with clients about some upcoming work, worked with some creatives on new ideas.

digging through secondary research to find crucial insights that creative can be launched from Mix in a few primary research studies to see what's actually going on. Writing creative/strategy briefs to get projects rolling. Reading a few general interest articles trying to get inspired for new client ideas

I came off a redeye from the west coast and headed to a new business opportunity with a company inside of a private equity firm. We spoke to the CEO of the company trying to figure out if we could help them hit their growth numbers with some marketing counsel. Left that meeting and headed back to the agency where I got on a call with a research client to discuss positioning statements and urge them to try and think outside the category a bit more. Spoke to a senior planner about her performance review and what might be some good promotion-minded goals for her next year. Talked to the CEO about staffing a new business win. Read some research on an IP project we are working on for the agency. Headed home... Everything I do I do with other planners/agency people.

I spent a good part of the day re-reading my notes from a series of focus groups we conducted the previous two days in which we were testing a series of product concepts that our client is thinking about launching in retail. I spent the time making recommendations about which product concepts they should move forward with and which they should remove from consideration. My recommendations will augment the moderator's report. I spent the rest of the day writing a series of questions that will be used as a website intercept survey that our client is going to use to uncover how to optimize their site.

DM/CRM Planning - very new to the agency so the current focus is to improve the current profile of DM internally and improve what we offer to our clients in this channel

Meeting clients to evaluate a set of creative ideas and options to rework Understanding the digital strategy and working at improving it Discussing with creative team on a particular creative concept Internal meetings and discussions Knowledge gathering on the internet Gaining knowledge through interactions with a research agency

> Supervised to create a measurement and evaluation metrics on owned and earned media for two key clients > Wrote a short case on the on some past work that i had to showcase in a regional summit > Met up with the creative team on a new biz pitch.

Worked on a digital presentation, followed by a few concept notes for an FMCG and then closed the day with a meeting on some new scripts for an alcohol brand

During the last days I've been working on a project for an existing client regarding the launch of a new Direct Insurance brand in Greece. Aside from making/giving the brief and having a short presentation to the people in the agency, during the last day we had a long brainstorming session, in which planning had an active role. I think planners should be more involved in the creative process, something we usually do in the agency I work for. Creative ideas usually come up from planning.

I work with someone almost al time. helping someone with a specific thing or asking for help. I looked numbers of market like sales, growth, investiments. I analysed communication of my clients' category (ex. cars, beverages). I looked in websites for benchmarketings, marketing cases, communication cases to think about, and give ideas about that job for my boss.

Brand planning for launch of new product and brand Client meetings Writing briefs Writing or completing a CSR strategy for new brand Meeting regarding forthcoming client visit and what we want to present

Global innovation - liasing with client in head office and agencies around the world. Providing rationale for olympics presentation Dicussing creative work for UK and Spain

I work in a small agency so the amount of actual ""planning"" I get to do is limited. Most of the work that relates to planning is writing briefs and developing an overall strategy. My day to day will not be as interesting.

im working in the new website of the company that i work, so i spent almost all morning talking about how its blog it's gonna be. i was with the creatives involved in this project, an art director and a copywriter. we talked about content, writers, how to engage the whole company to participate, this kind of things. then, in the afternoon, i was building a creative brief. i was working alone. i was talking to people through internet and researching about it. my boss didnt like my insights, so i had to work at home to finish this work.

Worked on an RFI for new business.

I created a holistic brief about reinvigorating the story/mythology of a brand. I also created a smaller social/word-of-mouth assignment brief. As part of these briefs I edited videos I took on location for the briefing. I also wrote a planning award case for an online video campaign. Note: this was Memorial Day. I worked 13 hours on my day off...

Isn't that terrible, I had to look in my email inbox to remember what I did a day ago. The morning was spent writing a presentation on Digital Natives to present as part of a client's presentation to internal stakeholders to achieve buy in on a campaign. The afternoon was spent finishing a brand positioning project for a piece of new business - this included competitor analysis, brand identity, guiding strategic principles and insight generation / propositions to lead into creative briefs. Also reviewed a research proposal we are getting done by an external research agency on behalf of one of our clients.

helping suits with WIP admin attending WIP meetings writing presentation working on creative ideas with creatives reviewing research documents

I spend a lot of time in meetings. The morning started with internal meetings discussing the creative work on the table for our traditional projects. This led to lively debate about what was strategically right and creatively interesting. I left the Agency at lunchtime to attend a Link Test debrief for another traditional advertising project. As the results were less than perfect and entirely from left field, the rest of the afternoon was spent with Clients. Whilst the clients wanted to kill the idea, I spent the afternoon arguing why the idea is right but the execution may have been wrong.

Mainly digital. Half new business, half client work

Try to get creatives to better work and clients to buy it. Then prove it.

3Hrs with my client explaining what digital is and and is not. At the end, he said: ""what about my banners?"" ...F!/CK!!!

We looked for more informations about an toast, for a promotional campaign. We tried to understand the relevance of the toast to the consumer and their consumption habits, to recommend an approach of insight in a briefing for the creatives of dual. We searched at blogs, suppliers and a brief survey with a few people.

Working on 3 different clients, 2.5 hours spent in internal meetings, the rest of the day going through secondary research as it relates to digital

Attended New Business meeting to discuss with team possible topics for speculative presentations or white papers to share with clients and prospective clients. Wrote two tactical briefs for a client and sent these to the Traffic Manager and Creative director for approval Contacted another client about arranging a Millward Brown trends presentation in their office Wrote a strategy paper to a client to identify potential communications approaches for one of their products which has high awareness but low uptake

discussed brief with client, whether the right issues were identified or not internal discussion with servicing & creatives on possible direction for a campaign

Begin day with reading of subscribed blogs in client category. Was briefed on a new business pitch we'll be assisting another office with. Began gathering some initial research materials for afternoon brainstorm. Attended an hour long meeting regarding a presentation for following day. Spoke with lead creatives on account to discuss approving a creative brief before briefing client following day. Reviewed competitive presentation occurring the following day -

organized creative assets for partner agency to imbed in presentation. Met with creative over logo development and worked on integrating logo thematically in presentation. Met for brainstorm on previously mentioned new business. Drafted response email for new business. Finalized presentations for following day, both competitive and other. Reviewed new business follow up note with senior planner, once senior planner sent note I left for home.

no time for this poppy cock! :)

new business presentation review scope of work approve 2 briefs learned the client loved the work but not the idea so we need to unsell the work created plan for how to expand globally read a smarter person's book

Information Architecture Client Relations Strategic Branding Email marketing Web Maintenance Print Collateral Web Design Reviews Billing Vendor Relations Employee Relations Content Strategy You Tube Videos

Communication analisis, information clipping recording and gathering, powerpoint design and construction, rational building, research and surveys.

Wrote a global creative briefing; i did an analysis of brands communication; talk to comercial about the presentantion for clients; talk to assistents to help with that;

Arrived at 9:20. Wrote an email to a vendor, providing final feedback on a survey before it launches tomorrow. 10:00 - Met with CCO to encourage him to modify an animatics so that it tells a clearer story. 10:30 - read numerous tracking reports, searching for the ideal success metrics for upcoming campaign. 11:00 - returned emails 11:30 - planning meeting with 2 other planners on account, updating each other on our respective projects on our shared account Noon - Lunch 12:15 - Met with head of social media strategy to discuss how to activate a new rewards program in the social space from day one. 12:30 - continued to review tracking reports, returned emails. 2:00 - gave guidance to mid-level planner on how to rewrite a brief that was first drafted by an acct sup. 2:30 - Met with planning dept and new biz dept to discuss what projects we could create for our new intern, who will start next week. 3:00 Planning Dept meeting with the new CEO. 3:45 - Sent revised animatics to the vendor, asking again for revisions in the final survey. 4:00 - Final creative review with CCO and teams in another of our offices. 5:15 - left early... Time time pick up the kids. 7:30 (after dinner) Back to the tracking reports and evening emails. 9:30 - read some of ""Messages, Signs, & Meaning"" by Marcel Danesi. 11:30 - check calendar for tomorrow.

Spent the morning reading advertising news, consumer trends, and doing ad hoc research for current clients. Spent the afternoon/evening working with Head of Planning and relevant Business Directors on three different new business pitches. Presented and discussed my research on one, brainstormed a proposition for the other, and talked brand ambassadors on the third.

After a full day with my client on tuesday reviewing their new segmentation study, i spent wednesday trying to catch up and get ahead on various projects. Specifically, i worked on a presentation as to how we will pull our new campaign idea over all of the various pieces of our clients business (this involved incorporating pieces of the consumer segmentation, strategy work, and creative concepts). I met with a new research vendor and asked them to bid on a new project; went back to my desk and refined the research plan I started working on over the holiday weekend. Regrouped with another brand team in my agency (they don't have a planner now so I am pinch-hitting) and discussed the brief creatives are working on; checked in with the creatives to see how work was going and if I could answer any questions. Then anxiously awaited creative concepts for a new initiative that we were going to be presenting today... In my spare few minutes did a little trend digging for the next edition of a newsletter I publish monthly for clients. Quite a busy yet generally fulfilling day.

New business pitch: with another planner, a creative and specialist in pharma New business pitch: account, another planner and an intern Mainly traditional advertising and communication. Revizing creative scripts for TVC production with account director Talking with my boss account and planning boss about how to be more consistent in the coordination of the international strategy for our client and with our agencies

Woke up at 4:30AM to fly 3 hours to a circle-the-wagons client meeting for a brand in trouble. In the meeting: finally got an in-depth business analysis where I found out that advertising has a near negligible (yet positive) impact on the business. Wow nice to know! What are we doing

here? And then 10 of us (I was the only planner) proceeded to spend 6 hours charting a new strategic direction for brand that will also have no impact on the business. Fun but pointless. Flew home. Got in at midnight. Fed cats. Had to wake up early to prep for a briefing and create a digital testing plan for some ideas that I don't have much faith in.

I send and receive more e-mails than I'd like. I try to check my twitter and facebook everyday and to me that's part of the job, not just personal life. It's a way to be informed and get a sense of what people are excited and annoyed about. I work a lot on presentations, most of the time I have the keynote open as well as the internet. I read and write briefs, I organize insights research (in and out of the agency), I organize brainstormings and love to do those, when the creatives are creating a campaign of mine I like to follow-up on their work and make sure they are on track, I like to meet new and inspiring people to work with. Mostly my agenda is organized in these items =)

Yesterdar I thought all day about one new big project for my client. Worked with my boss - Planning director, looking for some references in the mobile marketing: product and communications, around the world.

working in a group with 2 planners (one director)and one assistant for a specific client..more traditional work sometimes digital / studying benchmarks / planning / making presentations / going to meeting at the client / reading a lot / taking curses sometimes / going to confereces and workshop sometimes

Today I had a bunch of meetings, what I found pretty hard specially when I have a presentation to finish. I will have to work this weekend because of this presentation, but I don't do that (working on weekends) very often. I have soooo many clients that it's difficult to concentrate when I am at the office.

I was closing a pitch presentation. I had to remake the presentation 3 times because the Director asked. Minute after minute he/she had a different ideia and I was the person that had to change all the presentation. This is difficult. Things turn out to be stressful this way.

i am working at a new brand to our Clients portfolio, ensuring at three different elements that it has the potential to be successfull: relevance to people`s needs, a coherent totality and an unique blend of appeals.

Planning is about finding a way to do something.

Prepared for upcoming focus groups, reviewing a proposal, discussing logistics, etc. Walked a new client through an elaborative document, explaining their their new brand promise in detail; walked them through a brand brief and discussed feedback; joined a media planning discussion as related to new brand promise. Creative internal meeting for new client's holiday campaign. Gave creative team feedback on concepts. Wrote creative brief; shared with creative team and brand management team for feedback. Will share with client tomorrow. Phone interview with brand planning candidate. Secondary research on target demographic profile changes over time in Simmons/MRI databases.

Recap of A Recent Day: I spent the morning (9AM-Noon) working on my own. I read a lot, researching women & luxury. This included pulling and reading Mintel reports, etc. I also read a lot of blogs during the morning hours. This included different advertising blogs, and also a variety of design, fashion, writing, and lifestyle blogs. The afternoon was spent working with another planner pulling together a write-up on what we had found in our earlier independent reading. We talked through the compilation of the deck, and by the end of the day we had the first draft of the full deck pulled together. We were working on a traditional project, going over how women fit into the luxury segment and what resonates with them.

Arrival at the office : 1h checking mains and news aggregator. Brainstorming session (once a day). 2h work on briefs. Lunch with partners or prospective partners. Back at the office: plansboard (1h). Tweeting / facebook / networking calls & mail (1h). Work on clients' strategies (5h).

Pitches, and more pitches. Internal meetings to align strategies. More research to make sense of the data. Focus groups, interviews with consumers to get a first-hand feel.

I'm in charge of new business. I work with my planning director.

I'm working on a project about Boomers. We have compiled trends and identified how they're impacting Boomers decision-making, as well as brands how are succeeding in marketing to Boomers. The presentation also includes category trends to see if there are opportunities to make the shopping process easier for this target. We've analyzed the target's age and different lifestages that Boomers could be going through right now. Finally, we've culminated all the learnings and identified human desires for this demographic. My day to day work includes secondary research through databases and going through articles, finding relevant examples that bring the idea to life through brand examples or through pop culture. I also design the decks, so they're not ugly.

I got to work at 8:15 for a meeting that didn't start on time. The team was briefed about the need to dimensionalize a current campaign. Afterward, I attended a client meeting from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. We were being briefed on a new product, wrestling with ""who"" our target even is, and trying to find creative inspiration for finding her. This included a video series. Also, our client dissected what a vision statement and mission were. Then my agency had a creative happy hour, and I went to dinner with the clients that I was meeting with previously.

New biz, reviews, agency culture survey, talked an employee off the proverbial edge.

Developing a brand wheel for the repositioning of a supplier brand.

Competitive analysis, touching up briefs given to us by account teams, brainstorming, concepting, shooting the shit

Mostly I work on developing brands or campaign ideas for brands. This includes research, putting out surveys, brainstorming, interviewing, having sessions with clients, spending an hour redoing a fucking deck because someone doesn't like the font colour...then there are tons of meetings.

I sit in for meetings to discuss on directions for projects and make sure they are on track with what was initially agreed and signed off by the client. I read a lot, both print and online throughout the entire day.

Toplined and presented a trends report for new business Finalized a discussion guide for upcoming research with client ant internal team Prepared logistics for research trip Analyzed a survey

respond to 100 emails, reassure the client it's all going to be okay, reassure my own team that it's all going to be okay.

reviewed first-stage creative concepts for a new global campagin and gave feedback/direction to the creative teams; wrote consumer insight statements for a client sales conference

we are working at cracking a campaign across multiple regions

Not planning

Brand positioning Communications plans Clients pitch

Morning - pitch Post lunch - work on an integrated presentation - strategy, digital, outdoor, retail and activation - worked in a group 2nd meeting of the day

I spent the majority of my time yesterday writing up a case study and approach section of an RFP response for new business. Also met with a client for an hour to discuss feedback/refinements on a brand identity project. And finally was on a call for an hour talking through a new corporate brand program that another agency was working on and how it will sync up with a brand program that we have recently launched for a division of that same company.

Most days I write, write, write. Others I help facilitate discussions so that my client can make decisions. I like what I do.

Managing work form different planning teams. Thinking on the consequences of some strategies over, the last communication run by some client. Looking over some studies to understand what we should do next on x brand. Analyzing consumer behaviors for a new client we recently got.

Last friday I was with the new agency´s client with my director and the account service group. It was a working meeting to set up the next steps about the new brand campaign we pitched. We discussed about many subjects as trade events, POP, maketing comunication, internet presence and CRM. So we design a 3 days immersion program to get to know all of the company´s history and processes to plan the half year left. Meanwhile, the planning group are designing a work cronogram.

Help create new products for clients and name them. That's what I'm doing right this minute.

Creative briefs Briefing meetings Research presentation

Had creative check ins. Met with a client and a vendor. met with the account director to discuss meetings. thought strategic thoughts. briefed some interns.

i had a meeting with one of the account directors to discuss how we might address an issue for one of our clients regarding how to position their loyalty scheme - what is the real objective of the scheme, affinity, frequency etc. then i had two new business meetings in a row, then i was presenting a strategic presentation for an FMCG client. then i had a meeting with our digital strategy director to discuss a piece of research we want to commission, then i met another account director to take them through the thinking on a new brief, then i spent some time pulling a presentation together for an ongoing planning dept preoject

Working on two major projects yesterday, first part of the day was spend working mainly alone, trying to gain insights into a new target for an innitiative for a current client, which will materialize in a more open brief (trying to engage this new target through both ""traditional"" and digital media) given out to a whole creative group. The second part of the day was spend in an interim meeting with creatives teams presenting mainly digital ideas for a pitch, then led an ad-hoc brainstorming session to generate more ideas as we are starting to be really pressed for time before pitch presentation.

lead thinking, manage, articulate, organize, anticipate, simplify

1. Review Planner Presentation (1/2 hour) 2. Review Planner Career Opportunity (1/2 hour) 3. Brand Review for new Client (4 1/2 hours) 4. Meet with Client & Creatives Outside Agency (3 hours) 5. Email (1/2 hour) 6. Dinner with Client in town (3 hours)

New Business Creative Strategy Digital Planning Event Ideation Brand Planning Trend Report preparation

I looked for digital case studies for an FMCG client. Worked with the creative team on some new radio work for another client. Also did some research on a new article I'm writing. Wrote a brief for a consumer promotion. And today I'm attending focus groups. And I'm doing some preparation work for a workshop I'm hosting with a CD for one of our clients on how best to utilize Activations for their brands.

I spent the whole day debriefing creative teams from our international offices on the client meeting as well as making sure to align all the partner agencies from different disciplines on next steps of creative development.

Pitching new business Developing a long term strategy for a brand Giving feedback on a strategic document written by one of my planners Providing a counter argument for a strategic problem Coaching

research, analysis and opinion.

reviewed a market research proposal,reviewed a strategy that was supposed to be presented to client,wrote mails to understand scope of work of a couple of possible jobs, brainstormed with my collegues

reading news, thinking on a brief, having a meeting, thinking on the same brief

Invested time in a day of annual brand plans. Early a.m. onwards thru' into the evening. Exhausting, but maybe rewarding in the future.

I presented set up for creative to one client, produced a research plan and walked through it with a vendor for another client, checked in on creative development for a different project,

and prepared a creative exercise for our planning department meeting.

I have a title as a digital strategist, but since the agency I work in is much more traditional then they express they are I work mostly with traditional target group audience targeting, digital outreach to audience, strategic thinking on a comms ;level etc.

Drafted social media calendar Prepared for pitch Review social monitoring solution

Currently working on a global branding strategy for a client. Combining traditional and digital/social research of the market, the competitors and other relevant industries will help guide me to develop a strategic plan that is grounded in real insights in real time.

I've been working on both traditional & digital strategy.

cosumer research and analyses of results presentations conduct off-work srveys and publish our reports on a specific subject which is of interest to many business to communication strategy

writing a concept note, Argument over research objectives, and planning a visit to one part of the country to assess brand health, and a fight with a senior Account man over how big a jerk he is.

brieving creatives meeting with clients new business international connection agencies

Two client meetings on projects - one finalized for a social media event, another a kickoff. Made a phone call to a client to check on the status of materials that were to be sent to our office (they hadn't arrived and we need them for Monday). Spent most of the evening briefing a freelance planner on a pitch. Finished at 10:30pm

I'm actually a Digital Strategist at my company so often there's an overlap between what a traditional planner does and what I do. My focus area with Digital is in Content so I tend to work on and sell more content related projects. These involve extensive research, ideation, competitive analysis and analytic thinking. On certain projects/clients, I also play the role of a Creative. So it largely depends what the project requirements are.

Today was an unusual day, we have in our department a small version of TED, all of us should prepare our talk of ours life. It was very nice and different. To see what my friends wanted to talk about it. This was part of our StoryPlanning Classes!

Revising the global brand code; preparing communications material for research in Brazil and France, and reviewing the discussion guide for said research; thinking about packaging developments. All of which with my team of CD, creatives and account manager but no other planners

- Worked on finishing an article for publication on shopper rhythms - Reviewed research protocols for upcoming indepth interview with client and research supplier - Finalized an agency point-of-view on the client's segmenation model for one of our key brands - Reviewed the latest edits for some television spots about to be presented to client Marketing Director

I spent a lot of the days in meetings: pre-Client tee ups on strategic direction; creative review; helping a new joiner understand what planners do; meeting Client to discuss out latest projects and direction for 2012. In my short but sweet downtime i.e. not being in meetings, I caught up on emails, ran through stories that interested me on tweetdeck, wrote a creative brief and planned a workshop I will be facilitating for Client next week.

Spent a lot of time negotiating a concept statement with a client. Then brought team up to speed on negotiations. Facilitated an internal naming brainstorm for a new product we're launching. Worked with creatives to i.d. anything worth keeping. Worked with account lead to figure out a strategy for discouraging our ECD from getting teams started on a project in advance of planned research and a brief. Have found that his approach often leads to confusion, delay and unnecessary ill-will all around. Interviewed a mid-level planner. Reviewed a video and deck drafted by a mid-level planner. Goal of presentation is to get client to think differently about a key messaging point that strikes the Agency as unnecessarily murky. Wrote a discussion guide for some IDIs

- worked on a creative presentation for a local brand that aims to recruit new consumers by launching a new TV campaign - worked on a competitive analysis for 4 different categories

(consumer trends/ communication/ business & brand data analysis/ strategic solutions) for a multinational client

Every day we sit and think about new concepts for our clients. We study the market, consumers and then discuss it for hours. The main point is to fill the brief for creatives so they have a clear direction to develop the art work. Usually we discuss something, then do additional research, then discuss it again until we reach the agreement on a new concept. I think it is very important to have other planners with whom you can discuss your findings and insights, with whom you can argue and who look at the problems our client is facing with from different perspectives.

We are positioning a existing brand, so yesterday we spent the day researching about the company, their market and their consumer and users. In the end of the day we have a meeting to gather some information and keep searching.

I wrote a discussion guide for some interviews I'm going to conduct next week. Then I looked at a client brief pre-read to be prepared for the actual briefing today.

Vsharing references with others planners; analyzing I reviewng alone the last four years of campaigns for a bank client to find likes & dislikes ; thinking about the next year advertising planning for a education client with advertising account, we try hard to be more digital and finda a big idea; making paperwork for a public bidding

answering e-mails - it takes an hour a day; working on different kind of presentations for clients (competitors overview; proposals on strategy; information requests); writing the briefs for creatives; sometimes i brief creatives and take part in review of what done; presentation to clients; meeting with clients - it takes 30-40% of the time during a month but depends of the period of a year - more intensive during spring and autumn, more calm in summer and at the beginning of a year. Usually I don't have much time in the office to get to know something useful and new so I do after work.

Started writing the mainframe of an annual strategy, whilst liaising with publishers to 'get that damn thing live already'. Then onto making tweaks to existing plans for resubmission for 3 different clients while participating in a regional conference call to discuss info pointless for my region (but my attendance was necessary). Then, a full digital team meeting was held to go through how everyone's currently tracking, but as my exec was off sick I had to check and sign some IOs, delegate trafficking (but then redo it myself as it was wrong) and then do some reports and redesign some templates. Then onto starting a new deck for internal training of an advanced project I've been working on..... oh, and I'm sure I had a coffee too if I think back hard enough.

Should start by saying that I work at a media agency, in a newly established discipline that we've begun to offer clients. Essentially a cross of communications planning & account planning. During my day yesterday, for example: I defined a Consumer Journey for a brand based on weeks & weeks of research, interviews, stories, running competitive; endlessly began market & consumer research for another; presented ideas on innovative ways to integrate digital into an overall communications plan for a third. I also lead workshops on Social Media & New Media, educating clients as well as internal teams.

I worked on developing a couple of target archetypes for different brands I work on. This was done by understanding the nature of the assignment and the target opportunity through secondary (MRI, Simmons) and primary/proprietary reseasrch. Based on this, I will develop a visual representation of who we are communicating with and the most effective way to reach them (i.e. Engagement Platform -- both traditional and digital).

I work on new business and on specific clients assigned to me. My job is to work with media teams to create stronger targets, so we can align them with the right message, in the right channels, at the right time. It definitely is a mix of art and science because the data may be telling something, but your hunch may be telling you something else, but your client wants to go in a totally different direction.

3 meetings about HR or recruiting 1 work session about new biz in SEO 1 solo work session preparing pitch 1 dinner work session preparing pitch

breakfast-on-the-job open outlook & Chrome to do list & deadlines check emails take one project at a time and push it through (for new business: briefing, initial research, background

checks on the client, past market activity, consumer research, define target, select media channels, define the mix in each channel, detailed proposal, rationale) lunch break continue emailing, phoning, meeting end the day at 18.30-19.00

I am a human experience strategy planner. It´s a new job into Starcom. It´s a mixed of Strategy and Innovation inspired in human behavior to offer human experience through brands. For example I work with a planning team trying to found emotional experiences to include in a media plan. Nowadays, it's very important include digital experiences, I work very close with the Digital Team.

I spend a lot more of my time designing and building processes and tools than I used to. I've found that US clients in particular need more assurance than opinion and experience - tools and apps give this, even if they're based on flimsy concepts. My typical day is morning meetings, afternoon working building more tools.

9:30AM - get into the office, check emails, eat breakfast. 10AM - using proprietary tools, do some quantitative research surrounding a particular target for a campaign I'm working on. 12PM - eat lunch 12:05PM - get research back from some focus groups we conducted the week before. analyze the research and figure out how it fits in with the quantitative research I did earlier in the day. 3PM - meet with the rest of my team to discuss the story we want to craft for the campaign's strategy. 7PM - after the work session, return to brainstorm about the product, target consumer, and category by myself. 9:30PM - call a taxi and head home.

First of all I read the news After that I working in the several project with my colleagues, traditional and digital. A little percentage of my day is respond to international coordenation.

Media strategy Consumer insights Ideas generation Research Data analysis Client interaction Media owner interaction

Worked on running several new business pitches

Get to work around 9.15, typically leave around 7pm. My day involved, dealing with a few specific clients request to access the quality of a media proposal they had been sent and another in helping them with a planning/audience issue they are currently having. Other than that, I spent a couple of hours working on my own on briefs that have recently landed, thinking about the audience, compiling research methods (and doing research on the web, though sometimes out and about) and on some trying to develop engaging communications ideas that'll actually reach the consumers. I then spent a couple more hours working with teams, brainstorming and discussing briefs, trying to find the real nuggets and the real things that will make the greatest difference in compiling a response. I also typically spend between 1-3hrs in more formal meetings with clients, presenting strategies, receiving briefs, viewing creative work, or getting to know their business a little more. Planning in its essence in my job is about understanding consumers and how the product your client is trying to sell could be relevant to them, and which media would most effectively and efficiently reach them, and get them to act. It involves knowing media and knowing consumers better than the competition.

(Last friday) Made a report (2 hours) Some Research, and a planning meeting, with some people from the firm. Developing a strategy for an event for a client. Preparing for a weekend o work, doing public relations, for three journalists on another event (already planned and built). In the afternoon slipint taskes and strating to creat some areas of the event. Late that day more research and another report. (that was something like a 10 hours day work).

Spoke with our agency in India to gather some insights on the target. Put the information I gathered into a deck for the client, presenting qualitative as well as quantitative insights. Worked with my advisor to review insights and presentation for tomorrow. Wrote a trend report on digital and mobile technology to our global client.

Lots of new business--conducting and/or digging into segmentation info; running qualitative; turning Simmons into poetry Developing communications architecture; briefing teams; working with account head to lay out the order and logic behind the presentation deck; identifying gaps and how we can fill those gaps; rehearsing

Compiled weekly competitive analysis for client, including new releases, industry news, and innovative campaigns Met with research vendor to discuss status and next steps for cross-platform media effectiveness study Met with online video ad vendor for capabilities discussion

as part of group project to survey online video landscape Flew home from New York

Obtained rates from reps on various media, created a rep list, started a blocking chart for a campaign, researched airport advertising

9am - 11am - ran cross agency idea workshop around a new comms idea 11am-12pm - following up yesterday's meeting - pulling together a load of research material to send over to our offices in another EU country 12pm - 1.30pm - chat with digital team on a new brief - seeing their report on strengths and weaknesses in the client's ecosystem 1.30pm-2pm - call with the research manager at a record label we are in the early stages of working with 2pm - 4pm - senior management meeting about new agency positioning and structure 4.30 - 6pm - meeting international account & strategy teams on a new biz win to set out global/local responsibilities

Made a request to various markets for data. Discussed various analysis methods with some colleagues. Tried and failed to solve some software issues.

A couple of seminars at the university about strategic media planning, working on presentations for several brands, managing a strategic led project of a client from the banking segment.

Spent most of the time playing with international income data to try and work out the average incomes of some of my target audiences. Also noodling on Google.com/publicdata for the same reason.

I received a pitch briefing, read it, compare my notes with the account team, state my conclusions and together with them define the main strategic lines to follow. Meeting with the research people, start asking them questions about the target, their opinion, frequency of consumption, competitors, and so. Back to my desk to put something legible in a document. Turn to some other business on going, check with the team some doubts, review a final presentation. i´m currently preparing a 3 days formation for 80 people, so I spend a lot of time checking the list of attendants, logistics apart from preparing the educational material I´m going to teach, reheash and time it. Ufffff....i´m tired

I spent most of the day helping one of our partner creative agencies figure out how to activate the brand's creative concept in print.

At the end of the day, any day, my job is about making our strategies smart. Some days that is more related to better understanding a client's business challenge and how we can impact it. Some days it is about building great consumer strategies rooted in real understanding of their lives and how & why they use various media. Other days it's about both.

In a day I can get together with New Business / research and management to create a little 'new business courting'. Which includes a little marketing, a quick strategy and a few ideas to show to a potential client. I will put together some work on a current client pulling the brief apart. Looking into some broader trends, then business situation. Have a think around consumer insights and start to build a few hypothesis. Share them with the act management team... see what they think. Clean them up a little bit if need be. Then have a chat with some other strategy people to see what they think. Move onto another client.. trying to make something of what the creative proposition is to be bigger than advertising message. Think about ideas that turn an ad into something more participatory ... and can grow. have a chat with a social media production company to see if our idea is possible. Let them build on it

As a new division in a large Media Company I'm trying to add innovations to things that seemed to be running just fine.

I help stupid account people look smarter.

We get paid to think, most people in the agnecy get paid to do.

only digital

Connection strategy and channel planning

Wrote New Business pitch documents Reviewed others contribution to new business pitch document Ran stretch sessions for account teams Wrote awards entries Updated company blog/twitter feeds Wrote company newsletter article Updated business on innovative

media/advertising

Integrated communications planning - leading north American initiatives (Team) Consumer insight and understanding (alone) Digital strategic lead (predominantly alone)

Desktop research on competitors, communication behaviours, media spends, channels. Insights gathering and analysis Preparation for strategy planning days

I work just as a TV planner. So when we are in campaign we always start the day recording the audience of every spot and seeking for any error that could have happend (an incorret spot broadcasted por example). Then when we have all the data we analysed it in order to see how is the general status of the campaign: prime time %, investment, GRP's per tv channel... And we compared all with our marked objetives and decide the changes we would have to ask for to the tv channels. When we reach an agreement with the channels (we are use to discussing a little bit because of the differences in the audience forecast) we introduce the changes and see how the campaign looks. After all that we normally have to update the spotlists because the tv channels send them separatly in order of dates and try to analysed the campaing more deeply in order to see how accurate is the audience forecast, try to get the maximum optimization of the budget, try to achieve as much affinity as possible with the target core or try to find if there's going to be any special event like a football match, or an ending episode of someting, or even if is going to rain during the weekend.. The rest of the day we normally use to do other staff related to the campaign like invoicing with TV channels or to the client, making documents with the final results of the campaig, planning for the next month/campaign, and sometimes making some puntual client's requests (a programme profile, audience and share, the spotlist of a campaign of a competitor..).

930am - Client Meeting, 1030am follow ups from meeting. 1130am meeting with Press Supplier. 130pm conference call with UK. 230pm internal WIP meeting. 4pm planning. 530pm finish

Developing and implementing in real life media strategy for clients and their brands

Communication with a client through e-mails, Meeting media owners, developing Media campaign porposal, briefing Media buyers (Print, TV, Internet)

Lots of POVs. Lots of reviewing creative work.

Early Morning: Coffee, greeted people, read/responded to emails Mid Morning: Participated in brainstorm of how to help our brand “deal with” some heavy competitive activity that will surely have an effect on us. Lunchtime: Lunchtime Early Afternoon: Helped a fellow planner brainstorm an idea for a brief she was stuck on. Talked with my supervisor about a project I am interested in starting that I believe will help the agency. Late afternoon: Met with research vendor who was presenting their credentials, then went home.

1. Oversee the preparation of a proposal with a PM & a UX lead. 2. Gather some thoughts for a pitch, mainly on my own - and a bit with a CD 3. Review progress on a big job, co-ordinate with client - working with a CD & Tech director

Traditional and digital. Current clients and new business.

positioning, segmentation, desk research, creative brief development, structured research development, new business pitches (everything from from organizing focus groups, writing guides, moderating, editing videos from group), secondary research guru, creative work review/development, deck master!

research, client meetings, talk shit and grab drinks

pulling insights for a new client initiative through resources like Mintel, Iconoculture, etc. We are looking to develop a creative brief and program ideas. Analyzing recent internal brainstorm which explored potential new program ideas Polished a recent market research study which we just got from a qualitative research vendor.

Looking at this complex world - find the root of the problem - simplify - make a change.

How I spent my Friday: Reviewed strategy brief for a program aimed at developing eco-awareness among college students and alumni with team members from Account Services, Media, Creative and Promotion. Head of Digital group wants me to work on an account I'm not

assigned to. Could be a cool project, so I tell him to work out the politics and then let's talk. Rush to a meeting that has been cancelled but no one told me and the other five people sitting in the room. Crack jokes and grumble - there goes my lunch time- then rush off to my next meeting. Meet with Creative team to review and help flesh out their initial creative ideas for a car that's never done advertising to our target audience. Ran across the street to the pharmacy to pick up the Vitamin D my Doctor says I need because I don't get out in the sun enough (I wonder why...). Arranged for friends who have a consulting company to meet with our CEO while the two of them are in town and discussed with the CEO how we could use their services to help with our clients. Helped a junior planner (new to the agency) figure out which employees to talk to for leads on finding an apartment. Met one on one with a Creative who was out of the office when the creative briefing session was held so that he'd understand the project. Spent lunch at desk wandering through Iconoculture, Trend Hunter, Know Your Meme and The Root to find possible story ideas from emerging trends. Emailed thought starters to Creative team. Sat in on weekly status meeting held by Account Service (managed not to stick burning needles in my eyes from sheer boredom). Met with Research manager and Account Supervisor to discuss market selection for upcoming concept tests/focus groups. Hounded by admin to complete timesheets. Promise to do it on Monday. While heading out of the building to start the weekend, told by another planner that another Creative is looking for me because he has questions and needs to share concepts on Monday morning. I thank the other planner and run for the door as if my ass is on fire.

First I participate of a Briefing meeting in a client. Later I get to the agency for a creative brefing direction for another job, within planning team and creative team involved on this job. On the afternoon, it's time to manage the team for planning the most recent jobs (research and desk research, target research and first insights), and direct the current digital and offline campaigns ongoing.

I am a Digital Planner, actually Social Media. So, my day is basically looking for insights for content do social networks that we manage for our clients, report results and suggest new actions or new ways to act on social media.

try to understand the most of the chocolate universe. And i love it more and more everyday. Love to get to know it and love every different thing I learn

meeting with a client

Creation of an upcoming digital trends document informing a key client about the areas they should be working in. Followed this by starting a creative/strategy/tactics document for the same client for their 2011/2012

I work on communications planning for a large car manufacturer

I take care of the promotional marketing of a large Brazilian Internet portal. My responsibility is to get new partners, produce discount promotion and cultural contests. Aiming to promote the product from the partner and achieve greater loyalty from subscribers of the portal.

Client work - Traditional - New product development - I was working on a presentation that summarized our recent research over the past 4 months and gave our strategic recommendations.

I talked to consumers. I wrote what they said. I also wrote a report about what I've been studying (chocolate). I called to the contact of the client ins the agency to talk about the brief. I've started to brief. I've searched for consumer's opinion on social networks. I've booked meetings.

Spent my morning writing positioning statements, then went to meetings... then had to get some numbers from the census to back up something... then went to meetings... then my boss called me in to his office to talk about an acct i lead (he's a control freak) anyways i gave him an update then I went to my last meeting, the client got really pissed, it turned out Acct Management didn't advised her on the methodology to test creative... she didnt want videomatics, and refused to test that, i explain and made my case but she didn't want videomatics... apparently she was under the impression of using story boards... then after that i spent a few god hours with creative trying to turn videomatics into story boards and still conveyed the main message. After that it was almost 7pm so I answer one last email and went home to enjoy few drinks with my husband and a friend.

Write a presentation about current and future trends for client's stakeholders. Evaluate and shape creative for conforming to approved strategy. Writing a creative brief for an upcoming project.

Currently, a typical day goes as follows. We’re in the middle of launching a new campaign for the 2nd half of the year. With that being said, I’ve been developing creative briefs and working with our creative and account service teams. Once we’ve come to a good place with the brief, we share with our GM agency counterpart to make sure we are in alignment with our Hispanic and GM nuances. We recently presented the final brief to the client and are now commencing creative development. Most of my day is spent brainstorming/concepting with the creative team and making sure we’re in strategic alignment with the brief.

Browsed for up to date info on smartphones to update a blog that goes to clients. Discussed next actions on a research brief Briefed creatives on revisions to a campaign idea Fiinalised a Personal Development Plan for a planner Presented the rationale for revised work in a teleconference with pitch clients in Sweden Attended and spoke for 2 minutes at a company catch up

I spent a lot of time in meetings, reviewing and signing off on new creative as well as in a strategy session for the launch of a new branded initiative and web site (we're in brand launch mode). The rest of the day was spent preparing stimuli for upcoming market research sessions...

Qualitative and Quantitative Research, Quantitative analysis, Creation of creative brief, Briefing, Understanding of Consumer Insights and Trends

Creative reviews with teams internally. Client presentations of work. Weekly status meeting with all strategists. Weekly all agency meeting. Lunch with a prospective partner agency. New business meeting. Planning shape of departments and future hires.

1. First thing reviewing team deliverables for upcoming client meetings 2. Discussion of progress on the development of attitudinally-based consumer profiles for our brands, using client global segmentation as well as Simmons psychographic statements 3. Discussion of development of a client POV with regards to how to maximize synergy between general market and multicultural efforts during the holiday time-frame, including development of media, creative and digital work 4. Discussion with planning team on development of creative brief based on qualitative brandcept testing conducted the previous week. Time spent on ensuring brief captured the highly visual language surrounding consumers' morning routines. 5. Meeting with integrated account team regarding client interaction process and expectations for coming year 6. Internal review of psychographic profile developed for one of our brands, as well as its resulting demographic profile, and plans/suggestions on how to present to client 7. Internal meeting regarding status of client we recently pitched , as well as agreement on how to respond to their questions. 8. Planning team meeting on best way to present proprietary agency research to potential client.

Research for major international brand launching operation in Brazil; Research for recent ar line company pitch; Performance report for major inhouse client; Meeting with client for presentation proposal; Meeting with service provider for new research tool.

finding industry inside tried to finish research report for a branding case discus new biz with account

So here is what I did yesterday: Rollout of the agency vision and plan for the next few years Finalized employee performance reviews Interviewed candidates Reviewed and worked on a topline for a cool mini-research done to help our creative folks with a very unique idea Prepared for several client meetings I'm having today

talked to client for one hour on the phone regarding comms tracking methodology and last wave's tracking results, sent some emails filling in my EU Regional Hub about news of the market, watched some blogs and trends sites, worked profiling 2 types of target for 2 different car models (automotive industry), working with attitudes and consumer mindsets

I read research reports to help with strategy plans of current clients, or sales pitches for prospect clients. I also write creative briefs of budgeted deliverables, and answer any specific questions about the consumer markets. Finally, I eventually write white papers on consumer trends, as a way to promote business.

I met with the Creative Team and helped them find routes for a pitch we are working in (we already had the briefing session in a previous day). I worked on the creative outline for the presentation. I shared the outline with the Account Supervisor.

Woke up in a hotel room in Beijing and had an early morning conference call with someone in the US who didn't realize how early it is in Asia. Then had breakfast with my team downstairs where we talked about the workshop to come. Then headed to the venue an hour early to set up (oh the glamour). We then ran a workshop to think through the implementation of five new products we'd developed over the 7 weeks prior with the CEO of China, the CEO of their joint venture partner, and the heads of every department relevant to bringing the concepts to market. We had much discussion go through translators so imagine everyone wearing headphones and a few VERY IMPRESSIVE people able to operate flawlessly in English, Mandarin, and the company's European mother tongue. We ended the day and went to dinner where we sat (bored) through an endless series of toasts. We then went back to the hotel and had a drink and tried to do a quick wrap up of the day and make sure no next steps were lost. We then slept for five hours before waking up early and catching a flight Hong Kong for another workshop.

Worked on screener and supervised recruitment for an upcoming qualitative project. Reviewed focus group exercises from a recently completed creative evaluation. Worked on summary presentation for another study; made sure the key themes are highlighted and that the ""story"" of the research was told in a compelling way.

1. Help creatives sell in a brand name and identity for a global community investment programme for a Global bank. And then how to research it. 2. Work with a potential research/ academic partner on a new way of measuring ""trust"". 3. Help a PR pitch team refine their thinking on an Olympics related sponsorship.

I was involved in a brainstorm, presenting a brief to my creative team. After the brainstorm, I evaluated ideas and made sure they were on brand and answered the brief. Throughout the day, I did social scrapes to grab some consumer insights.

New business - setting the strategic direction for a pitch; beginning to undertake market and cultural research on and offline.

Researching stuff about new technologies that one could apply to personal marketing and then prepare a short little powerpoint about all that stuff

I was thinking all day and raise the taste of consumers of tea.

On any given day I generate insight and ideas that help create better creative communications and build dynamic business strategies for client organisations. I try to fire up clients and colleagues about the possible solutions ideas and trends that are driving them and the market at large.

50% of time Meetings: Client, Internal project & admin 30% Planning: research, analysing & thinking & writing 20% project managing planning work

Since I work at such a small agency I'm involved in both planning/strategy and the day-to-day execution. Yesterday was a mixed bag: answered emails/general business; corresponded with core fans/community members; reviewed client's glossary of terms for use in U.S.; created a customer service survey and survey tracking tools; refined social media strategy and platforms to be used for upcoming campaign

social and digital strategies (i say i do this if they agree social and digital means everything :) networked brand strategies connection planning influencer strategies connected content campaign oriented marketing (least of my work)

briefed creative teams, reviewed and presented creative work for TV commercials. defined research objectives & methodology and developed stimulus for research shared with other members of the strategy team opportunities to work together/ best practice

07:30 - IPA effectiveness exam study 09:00 - company meeting to talk about client and agency developments, inter-agency banter, idea of the week 10:00 - prep for an external meeting with a partner agency with whom we are launching a new online product. 11:00 - said meeting. chat around business models, long-term objectives, etc. 13:00 - day-to-day stuff, emails, client service, help around the agency. 14:00 - client status meeting. planning

next 6 months 15:30 - last minute new business meeting drops in. urgent slides needed for presentation tomorrow. 19:30 - leave office

Focused on social media and geotility

Yesterday was the highlight of the week! Wrote a brief (in the wee hours of the a.m.). That was working by myself, then gaining feedback from AM and Creative partners. Kicked it off with the team that afternoon, hosting our own version of the Olympic games. Between meetings, wrote concepts for new product development. This was also working by myself then reviewing with a client at the end of the day for the final approval.

Went over research findings and reports in order to provide brief to client. Designed research offering for another client. Pitched a client and met with a possible employee.

I am a hybrid planner and creative - so yesterday was spent in final ideation and writing for a pitch. The entire day was spent finalizing the pitch presentation, then spent 2 hours pitching to the client, along with the account lead and colleagues.

Mostly meetings. Also (in this order)writing briefs, leading brainstorms, meeting with clients, researching trends/behaviors and occasionally talking to shoppers. Working on many digital projects, though most are centered around POP shopper strategies. Some fast-paced, push everything aside pitches for new business.

I worked on developing a brand platform for a global client, the research to test that platform, and the customer experience for internal rollout.

- I participate an event (digital communication) with another planner. - Had a meeting with my internal client (alone). - Develop the structure of promotion (off-line / on-line).

With IT to sort issue with laptop. New business call with prospect. Resource discussion for new opportunity. Do some prep work for upcoming conference presentation on my own. New business strategy session with team. Do a piece to camera for internal video for the network. Prep for video conference call with significant client tomorrow. Start to write answers to a new RFI just in. Review resumes/CVs. Deal with some email. Budget conversation with finance. Check in with team leadership. Research supplier follow-up emails. Work out. Kiss kids goodnight. Help cook. Glass of red wine. Bed.

All digital (we're a digital firm), 50% working with other (white-boarding, brainstorming etc) 50% working alone.

Yesterday was a client meeting day in Melbourne. I'm usually based in Sydney but I spent time across our three offices (so I get to go to Brisbane too). So.... a 4.30 start to catch a 6am flight. Then rehersals for a client workshop where we were presenting the findings and reccomendations for a new initiative- really what we had to do was develop the business case for this team to take to the CEO and coach them on how to deliver it. The afternoon was spent in rehearsals and refinement again for a pitch- this time for an integrated and participatory campaign to leverage the cancer research sponsorship for an auto client and develop a fundraising platform that also generated earned media. Task one is to tell that story without using marketing jargon and again gain the buyin of the client team so that they can sell the idea to the board. Presentation delivered, a 6.30 flight home and then back home by 9.

presented a global insight research piece and resulting strategy for a major publisher - then went out and got pissed as it went really well

We worked for a new business. The brief was to promote sales of Porsche cars across 8 cities. We started off with looking at possible competition & how they approach such a task. We spent 1 day in understanding the target audience, their family set-ups, their socialising habits, their net-worth, their kids' habits, their recreational activities, their possible association with other brands. We were looking at new people other than the database owned by company means other than obvious who's who of a city. Thie enabled us to focus at newly reach people, owning business worth above 1000 million-6000 million rupees. Some of the constraints that we had were: the activity area had to be a city specific dealership with limited space. The other big constraint was the client was looking at a cost per lead to be 25000 rupees. An aveage estimate indicated to have 50 people in the dealership so that 4 people will come out as potential leads. With this equation in mind we started thinking of how to reach, engage these people & give them a reason enough to come to a Porsche Dealership.4 people including 2 from client servicing & 2 from planning sat down for a brainstorming & started

looking at random ideas which can be used. The strategy taken was to reach potential buyers & motivate them to come to dealer shops & to take a test drive.We zeroed down at 4 approaches & parked it for further action. In the mean time we decided to visit one of the deaership to understand the display & space availability. So, today the client servicing lead has gone to visit the dealership. We will continue our discussion post getting his views on the dealership.

I spend all my time each day checking in on my strategists, to make sure they feel they are on the right track, to help them polish briefs, to give them advice about guiding strategy.

What I did yesterday was to prepare a sports sponsorship proposal presentation for a Brazilian oil company. I analized the brand and company strategy for the oil company in order to adapt - taylor-made - the sponsorship proposal to them: values shared, stratrgic objectives fullfilled, and so on.

A pitch team were placing post-it notes of 3 days-consumer immersion findings on the wall and cluster them together to get interesting insights. Draw observation, findings and draft potential strategic direction for a new biz. It was a very comprehensive strategy development from development of brand DNA to come up with a media neutral idea. The entire process definitely was taken in few days

Wrote, discussed, and revised 4 briefs Gave a capabilities presentation to a client Worked on a digital strategy deck, with specific focus on mobile, and met to review and edit that deck.

Research for a social media thought leadership piece, new business pitching and planning

Emails on new business Emails on an agency/client event Update meeting with boss Lunch meeting with Facebook Exploration/research on different ways to document results of a campaign

On Friday, I... - Reviewed a couple of briefs and communications architectures that some of my team had written for a pitch we're working on - Reviewed plans for an integrated campaign with folks from the digital, shopper, and direct teams - Met with the folks from one particular account, for whom we haven't been doing a particularly good job in strategy, and we collectively tried to map a path forward - Recapped my expectations of the UX department, following an offsite we'd done the day before - Caught up on news from the Twitter world - Wrote a high-level scope of work and timeline for a potential new client - Can't for the life of me remember when I ate lunch, but I'm pretty sure I did

Lots of manual job and an internal meeting with my team.

I interviewed marketing managers of different brands from a company to understand their needs and expectations for the project. Afterwards a got together with the team to line some hypothesis and how can the workshop experience should be like.

Got in and checked my calendar--sighed about the number of meetings ahead of me. Attended a morning status meeting with my cross-functional team. Had a client call where we were briefed on a new project--asked lots of questions, challenged the brief. Given the quick turnaround for the project, began to draft the creative brief with my account director. Scheduled a brainstorm with the creative teams for the next day in order to kick start the assignment. Developed and sent out a survey (to people within the agency) to gather stimulus for our brainstorm. Worked on the creative brief on my own for a bit. Regrouped with the creative director to discuss the strategy/brief. Worked on brainstorm prep--pulling stimulus and developed the core questions we would ideate against.

Every single day I try to learn something about everything and everything about something.

First thing in the morning, i did a huge brainstorm with the creation team. Before that, i'd started to do a presentation that i had to delivery by monday morning. I had to did it everthing on friday afternoon, cuz the brainstorm in the morning took a realy long time.

Planejamento em Inteligência Competitiva de Negócios

* Wrote a research brief for focus groups * Conducted 4 e-surveys * Worked on a new business pitch - wrote a creative brief * Worked on an agency white paper * Had a meeting with clients about 2012 planning

Planning how to get more partners/companys to act beside the University and help it on research and innovation. I’ve been looking in the websites for financial help from the government, so we can apply it on the University. I’ve been also planning things to write on the University website and bring it up to date, Ieven been thinking about the best symbol for the University.

Estamos planejando o posicionamento de uma marca internacional de protetores solares no Brasil. O briefing foi o desenvolvimento de um plano BTL 360º e, à principio, a empresa não pretende investir em mídia tradicional. Portanto, temos toda a liberdade de pensar em um conceito de comunicação que direcionará as ativações nos diferentes canais de marketing. Ontem foi o dia em que fizemos a segunda reunião interna de alinhamento, pois a entrega será na próxima semana. Então, desde a hora em que cheguei, ás 10h, até a hora da reunião, às 17h, eu fiquei realizando pesquisas, buscando referências e estruturando essas informações num ppt. Durante a apresentação que reuniu diretoria geral, atendimentos, produção, criação e planejamento, recebi um feedback muito positivo quanto ao direcionamento do projeto e alinhei com todos as alterações necessárias para chegarmos ao melhor formato. A reunião durou 2h30min. e assim que acabou encerrei minhas atividades profissionais do dia.

- Presented an ad campaign review - Recommended new research proposal to a client - Consulted on brand performance with 2 different clients - Worked with team on the next 2 ad campaign review presentations - time sheets - budget review for Q2

I was reading and correcting the IT engineers' timesheets and organise the client monthly reports and invoicing. I also spent some time working on a lead generation campaign in relation to a specific vendor we work closely with.

In the morning I met with 2 of the creatives to discuss their feedback on a brand mood video which is being post produced externally, we then did a call together with the editor to discuss the feedback. I interviewed a colleague on ""why do you not use social media, such as Facebook and Twitter?"". This will help me write a article for the company blog. I read a few industry articles and then tweeted the most interesting content to the company Twitter account for our followers. I sent an email to the client (MD of the organisation we work for), to see if he would like to invest additional money in the brand video, if they would like to integrate a call to action prompting people to connect with their Facebook page, and also if we can share some brand copy guidelines with an external graphic art director. With the same creatives, discussed a sponsorship strategy for a new brand positioning launch. I had a resource meeting. Lunch with a planner at another agency. Spent time on my personal social networking, connected with a few people i had met the night before (linkedin and facebook). Discussed the costing/budget status of a project to see if we are overunning and using too much resource, with the resource manager. Had a 10minute guided meditation with a colleague. Researched some medical and technology blogs, focusing on new innovations in healthcare. Complied a list of awards entries and publications we would like to submit a project into. then did the planner survey :)

Just planning.

I worked on cultural projet : cinema, documentary and television programs. So I have to make «content planning» depends on the plateform (TV, Iphone, Web...and on and on).

I helped construct the positioning of a new agency that's being launched. I then checked and inputted into the progress of some ideas

Morning Banking Client (Existing Client - experience/event) Received a debriefing from Account Management on a Banking client's reaction to some ideas put together on how to structure & theme a Social Media conference for their marketing directors. Had a mini brainstorm with a Creative Director and am awaiting client's final decision on which ideas/themes they will want us to structure the conference around. Morning/Midday Fashion Retail Client (New Business - experience/digital) Helped a Senior Planner to finalising the writing of a Creative Brief and putting together a presentation for an international fashion client. I've been involved in the familiarisation, research and development of the creative brief for 3 weeks but today I was helping with the basics (checking presentation, pulling together images and checking typos). I then sat in the conference call presentation to the client and contributed to the discussion about what our next steps would be. Midday/Early afternoon Publishing Client (New Client - event) Led a strategic brainstorm with the agency's event's director, event's assistant and an interior designer. We've been asked to generate two

ideas/themes for a high profile charity fundraising event for a well known London newspaper. The brainstorm was to discuss ways to generate themes that link the theme of the event tasteful with the charitable cause, without loosing the glitz and glamour that appeals to the high profile guests. Mid afternoon Had a chat with my boss/mentor about my work load for next week and my upcoming appraisal. Then procrastinated, caught up with filing and floated around on twitter/facebook. Late afternoon/early evening Retail Client (New Business - experience/digital) Briefed onto an ongoing project for a chain Retail client. Asked to examine the client's competition and an A3 page of information/mood board for each. Also asked to create customer profiles for each of the main shopping types that are serviced by the client (which I will begin next week by visiting stores, desk research etc)

Digital research. Drafting online surveys, coding surveys, working with publishers and media agencies to make sure online ads are tagged for tracking. Drafting results reports, setting up meetings with clients to present online advertising effectiveness research results. Reviewing reports for quality assurance before sending to clients (QA)

An early morning management meeting with the other heads of departments to talk over operational issues in the agency. Then a two hour meeting with a partner agency to review and refine a new positioning statement and supporting strategy deck for a financial client. This was followed by a creative review, feeding back on first stage digital and offline advertising for a public service brand. The afternoon was taken up sitting in on a teleconference presentation of our first thoughts for on the activation element of a global pitch for a major drinks brand. A bit of end-of-the-week admin and agency drinks at 5.00 and then out of the door by 6.30pm.

Today I spent the day leading a team of 5 people, different disciplines and nationalities through the process of synthesis. That's us working through insights discovered during fieldwork - research in south china. We designed frameworks for opportunities and initial design concepts to share with our client tomorrow. I also created user personas for three different target audiences, based on their user behavior and our ethnographic studies.

pulled together various experts within the agency to help me complete a matrix containing the retail environment and opportunities for a particular brand within the uk.

I spent most of yesterday meeting with the various strategists on my team, reviewing their work, and talking to them about their growth in the space. That was probably six of ten hours I was at work. Then I made two new business calls, one to a tiny company looking to make waves and one to a huge company looking to protect their market share. That was about an hour. Then I spent an hour in a work-session trying to help a team crack a problem. Lots of whiteboarding, discussing and rewriting pieces of work, sharing stories, etc. Interrogation of ideas and that. That was an hour. Then it was an hour of meeting with the Partners and the rest of the Management Team, making decisions about the future of the company. So...not a ton of me actually doing strategy/planning anymore, but seeing/helping it get done in the hands of others. It's awesome.

TONS OF MEETINGS!! Literally in meeting back to back all day with no time in-between to pee or get coffee. Poor direction from the client. Trying to nail down pre-planning for Summer but getting a different answer whenever we pick up the phone (or I should say whenever Account Leadership) picks up the phone to talk to the client. But still, keeping chin up and forging ahead. My team is working out the situation analysis, key objectives, the audience and shopper, key insight and the strategy. While I sit in process meetings trying to get everyone on the same page and gain alignment.

long morrning meeting to design process participation with client; lunch; meeting with social entrepreneur; badminton; work

I spend the average day in 3-4 meetings guiding Senior Planners and Account Leads most often helping to organize the thinking. This can mean, applying our planning process to a specific brief, facilitating our planning process with a client account team, or revising and drafting key strategic docs and client presentations. Less often but weekly, I am making client presentations of strategies that now range from creative campaigns, to solution-based messaging, and sometimes even operational recommendations. Because I work for a PR agency and social media is a more prevalent channel here, I am often providing ""rollout"" advice as well--how, where, when do you rollout social media campaigns in more effective ways. As a planning head, I am also doing the day-to-day work of constantly sellling-in our planning process. PR is a weird animal--the PR folks are used to doing it all and they are still

getting used to having planners guide them on the strategy. Sell-in is a constant source of frustration, but I do realize I'm gaining traction when strategy is highlighted as contributing to the success of a campaign. Sadly, the insight work is rarer and rarer--as much of this is facilitated by clients, brand teams, and their consumer market group. Its more like ""translation"" of a product insight into a behavioral one. Lastly, as a manager, I spend about 20% of my day helping my planners solve routine problems--like integrating into their teams, working their way around stubborn account folk.

We offered to this company, that is launching a new line of nail polish, a way to present the products to the consumers in a place that can represent the campaing they already have about the new line.

Working on an RFP - writing up front slides for the deck, brainstorming with creatives, meeting with account team

sat around. designed things. planned some things. did emails. did some private work. bounced a ball around in the studio.

Participated in a pitch to help client look at growing business in secondary/emerging markets. Designed programme to understand dynamic in particular disease area.

desktop research everyday, to study the clients; brainstorming; presentation on power point

I can describe my work tasks as: Get the brief, understand it, thinking about the real problem, planning the solution, share with creation area and sell my ideas to them, aprove the idea with accounting area, brief the production area, get all the stuf together, make the presentation, sell the project to clients. In this way the agency board always ask for some work that they need inteligence and workflow, but it doesn't mean that is a planner job.

Oversee strategy development, teach planners how to communicate and tell their stories, work with planners to make them better planners.

Yesterday, my day was full of skype calls in varying time zones, stakeholder interviews, and meeting with mentees!

- applying planning skills to service development - relationship / account management of funders & project partners - specifically, writing a project plan pres & marketing framework - influencer outreach - social media management (ie tweeting as a product we've made)

I worked on planning for a region in the US for Pepsi. I also worked with students to help them plan for a soft drink that is rolling out to a new area. I also worked with students to research and plan for campaigns for Burley design company

writing briefs analyzing market and consumer conditions learning new cultural happenings converting new knowledge into campiang core ideas

Checking my emails Checking my timelines on Facebook and Twitter (tweetdeck) Browsing through my lists on twitter to see what's new Reading articles about social media, marketing, mobility Watching the e-G8 while commenting live on Twitter Finishing my benchmark on ecology Summarizing some articles I read, or the e-G8 for a presentation to my colleagues

internal meeting to check content of pitch travel to pitch pitch travel back (discussion on train about business planning & size & shape of company in next 5 years) catch-up with freelancer about content of strategy piece due for delivery internal meeting to discuss personal development and contents of feedback survey

Meetings. Meetings. Meetings. Working with others, mostly, on some deep company-wide strategy stuff.

I have worked on several projects from traditionnal to digital and from client work to new business. We do a lot of benchmarks to understand how a market works and how competitors are fighting in order to propose the most appropriate strategy a brand should ""adopt"". As planners, we participate to brainstorms and, as a former media planneur, I think about activation strategy. I try to convey MY vision of planning which includes means to communicate in the same time than creation brainstorms. My day could be split in three parts, to caricature : 1/Watching trends 2/Doing benchmark 3/Thinking about strategies.

Reading qualitative data (social media data) to uncover consumer thoughts, feelings, emotions, challenges, and frustrations Building a powerpoint presentation for my client Thinking about ways to turn my findings into an action plan for my client Working with the account people to put together a proposal and research outline

Inspiring brief, workshop, seeking tends

real state planning include design, construction... and new planner many clients in category like foods, travels and tecnology

Worked on a strategy presentation. Went for a walk with my mentee. Had a long work session on aforementioned strategy presentation. Worked on a different strategy presentation. Had lunch with the company.

Research -> Insights -> Recommendations -> Deliverable

My day began with a client meeting during which I presented an assessment of our client's competitive landscape. After lunch, I worked on an internal project with a colleague - we brainstormed and worked on crafting a story for the deck we are creating for the presentation of this project.

Reviewed pricing for a communications plan with account team. Wrote and reviewed creative brief for project kick-off. Wrote initial draft of copy deck for client approval and presented to client.

my day at work starts with a meeting with the client to discuss a few points of the campain. during the day, I do a lot of desk search about the client consumer and market.

Spent the majority of the day preparing for a pitch. This involved reviewing all the background work done to generate the insights that fed into the creative work. We had looked at trends, consumer and shopper profiles, the client's data and business objectives, did competitive landscapes to look for opportunities and white space. We used all this to create the story and opportunity which creative then generated ideas around. I also firefighted several other projects, reviewed a presentation from another planner, had a small brainstorm with a colleague about some ideas on a current project.

Today I did, Design Strategy, Product Design, Business Strategy, Interaction Design, API Design, Interface Development. I also managed projects, took care of operations and team management and client management.

Developed a message development workshop methodology in collaboration with my client and internal account team. Refined two creative briefs in collaboration with my client and Group Creative Director. Developed a preliminary message map for a new product strategic ideation session alone. And participated on a research strategy conference call with Market Research client leads and 6 clients.

More tradicional, with online activations. We use to talk to partners, consultants, suppliers, to verify costs and deadlines. We think about every strategy and then how to apply it on the project.

Fieldwork, re-screening, client management, emails, follow-up, analysis, project coordination for three projects simultaneously.

Research / emails/ conf calls / emails

work closely with the designers to ensure our packaging creative concepts are on strategy create a POV on naming for a new business opportunity with an existing client participated in a pitch for new business created a research plan for a re-brand project met with interactive designer to discuss site map development

being immersed in culture and translating that in to a strategy that creatives and clients can understand.

Desktop research, creative research, creative briefing, project kick-off (creative and planning), tactic planning (actions and media planning), project management

When I was a planning intern, I would do a lot of secondary research, assemble power point

presentations, watch focus group recordings to pull out key info, conduct man on the street interviews.

A very routine day of meetings with accounts briefing. Prepare a strategy presentation, brainstorming with the whole team and the client, traditional and digital projects (mostly traditional)

twitter copy strat happy meal copy strat sleep

I worked alone doing general research within the field of digital communicaitons and marketing. 4-6 hrs. My access to a computer is restricted. I spend my day reading and keeping abreast of latest thought leadership within marketing and business communications.

I really enjoy working with other people in the same area because we can exchange our different points o view, wich makes the information even richer than what only one person could do. The type of work we do allow us to actually make real contact with the people, so that makes me feel good everyday, because we are not only working for them to consume, but also we are working for them to really love what they consume, to make them enjoy the product and identify with it. In my last day at work, me and another junnior planner had to work together in a very specific project, it was kind of hard, because it involved people that wasn't really emotionaly reachable, so we had to think in many different strategies to make that population accesible. But we like what we do, so we definitely put our heart on it.

Making a bunch of charts to sell a creative idea to the client. The brief, the thinking, some numbers to use as a crutch. The inspiration and the idea.

Given I left my job, my last day probably wasn't particularly typical but let's give it a go. My last day was my last day at work and it was 3 months ago. I was leading on the strategy for a pitch for a global energy client (Shell Lubricants). The pitch was for digital work, a large part to rehaul the company website as well as create digital 'toolkits' (digital promotional elements that could be created / produced globally and then adapted for local markets. More often than not this means banners, email templates, website Flash elements, and some other more original ideas that could stand out from the basics). I attended a morning meeting with the pitch team at 9am, led by the client director. The pitch had been delayed (part of the reason why I was still working on it even though I was about to leave) so the creative team had had more time to design material for the pitch. We went over the the general order of the slides for the pitch presentation, I went over the updated slides for the strategy section with amends done that had been discussed the previous day, and the creatives went over their designs. I went back to my desk an hour later, checked my emails, checked industry news and a couple of blog posts online, talked with a colleague about a project he was working on for another client (VW UK) and we exchanged a few ideas about the PowerPoint slides he was working on. Late morning, I had a last handover meeting with the global planning director as I was handing the pitch to him and be would be presenting. We discussed the slides and the ordering - aside from a couple of wording amends the slides were ready for the pitch. I went for lunch. I had already handed over the rest of my work on other clients so I didn't have much to do in the afternoon. I wrote some final notes for other colleagues following the handover. Then it was time to Save files to the server that could be useful to others on the planning team. Clear my laptop, copy a few files I wanted to keep, hand it back with my building passkey, fill up departure forms for admin and last paycheck stuff, go round the office to say good bye, colleagues came with a cake and farewell gift, then out of the office for a few drinks at the pub.

I was working on a strategy for timing and targeting for an online ad campaign.

In my case the last days that I had work I used to developed research and presentations for a new business, at the same time I used to developer communication strategies for the client that I handle, the majority of the time was the platform for creative ideas.

For 1 global digital client: -write briefs -internal meetings to discuss creative work -client con calls to present work

Tuesday, 9 to 10, a status meeting with the people that reports to me: heads of planning in our two offices and the head of strategic intelligence. 10-11, meeting with the New business people to check a new RFP. We will discuss if we are interested, if we have any chance, if we have the resources in the short time they are giving us to participate in the pitch. 11-12. I'm trying to develop a new insight gathering tool. I'm working with my head of trends and the

planner that is more interested and experienced in ethnographic work to create something cool, that really can bring us some insight about culture and that we can commercialize among our clients. 12-1, lunch with someone else in the department. planners just eat with other planners. Even worst, maybe we are having lunch while attending a webinar from iconoculture. 1-2, management meeting. Our most important client in the NY office is complaining about strategy, creativity, media and everything in between. we are trying to create a plan to respond to their accusation of lack of proactivity and innovation. 2-3, meeting with the public relations team, they need more content to publish, they want some incredible unique insights about the census and to make the agency a thought leader. Just Planning listen them and can write an article so they are always asking for more. 3-4 calling different heads of media and creative department to pitch a new way to work more collaboratively, a work-session that will solve our problems of communications, co-creation, co-co... (whatever you want here). They say a 2 hours work session is too long, it will be a waste of time... why planning don;t send them the brief by mail? 4-5 a planner in my team ask for help. After two rejections of the campaign the creative team is blaming planning because the insights and the strategy we agree on one month ago are not fresh enough. Meeting with the creative head to discuss a new approach, obviously out of strategy. But who remembers the strategy after so much time? 5-7, hiding in my office trying to write the new business presentation for next week. 7-11 at home, dinner, some time with the kids, googling stuff about transmedia, culture, etc... in the computer. An episode of mad man and reading a Mark Earls book until I felt sleep. YES, crazy, but I love my work.

My last day of work before getting laid off was right before the holidays, so that doesn't really count... A few days before that, and forgive me on the details because it has been a couple of months, my day started typically with checking emails and answering any pertinent requests. After that, I checked out what projects I needed to get done and what new projects my emails had suggested in the morning. I was working on a few projects for our major client. The projects I was working on consisted of reading a lot of material and distilling it as a precursor for some strategy finalization that would lead to a new campaign for our client. It was very important that I finish these things before I left for the holidays as our client meetings had been going very well and we wanted to put some tangibles in their hands so they would get even more excited about our ideas. One of my deliverables was called an Information Audit (basically a huge SWOT analysis made into a concise and interesting white paper) and the other was a one-page summary of a book that was relevant to our proposed strategy. With these documents in place, our presented strategy was given weight and proof. After those major deliverables had been finalized (after several months of work had gone into them), I was making sure to tie up any loose ends. Probably checking in on the status of a campaign on a different client, and then making sure all of my opinions and research were made available to my team on the beginning of another project that was to be continued after I left. That entailed a meeting or two with my creative and account service team members as well as writing up a few things and sending them off. I ended the day like I did most days, by organizing my desk and writing any notes about what to start with the next day. Little did I know that finishing up those projects would be more important than ever as I would literally never have the chance to touch them again.

More on traditional and more on new business.

I currently not working

The essence of my job was putting the right people at the right spots. This involved a lot of back and forward communication with the project manager and the people working on the project.

I worked very little with planning, so I am not sure I really know how to do this. I am also trying to clarify that myself! What I know is that I felt insipred by whatever the topic was and it felt great, so I don't want to stop any time soon.

I´d say because of the type of market Traditional and digital is just starting to be a big boom, in both new business and client work

Still dont got my first real planning stage. So a bit hard to answer this guestion.

Visiting clients. Taking briefings. Meetings with creative. participating in the creative process (specially digital). Selling ideas to client, backing ideias with data n order to create effective work.

I collected insights and perceptions on awareness of a category and taped them on the wall so I could connect the dots.

unemployed

making bad tv ads

Curently unemployed

As a freelance planner, I spent a significant number of hours mining insights from focus group and online qualitative footage for various phases of New Business pitch preparation.

When working alone or collaboratively, I often was tasked with uncovering consumer insights for clients, media and creative teams. Insights were often uncovered through data mining and/or internet research.

I'm currently unemployed so I'll describe what it was like when I was in Brazil. The day usually started with following up on emails, read my feed and some news, and attending a briefing meeting (or a client meeting) during the morning, followed by some research (desk research and survey analysis). During the afternoon I used to meet with the Creative to follow their work and come up with ideas. Usually a second meeting happened during the afternoon and them back to work again, gathering information and putting the pieces together.

Promotional strategy, secondary research, MRI, Simmons, client work.

traditional, client work. Business analysis, original market research (online surveys, focus groups), monitoring ad tracking, pre-testing, creative brief development, collection and dissemination of consumer insights.

I'm looking for job right now. So, the whole day whether I'm looking for open positions online, trying to connect in linkedin, or go to networking events.

As a contract worker, yesterday was a welcomed slow day. I continued to work on content organization for an automotive manufacturer's website. I am pulling information from pdf manuals into excel and discerning what should be included on the website. Last fall I met with the business stakeholders to document business requirements for the website. My role on this project is a cross between business analyst and content strategist. For another client, I am working on their monthly analytics report which examines website traffic and makes strategic recommendations for changes to the website.