Brand Planning I- Tis' the season...

Mid year. Its the time of the year again... brand planning season for most companies.

Late nights in the office, meetings after meetings of brainstorming and strategizing, phone calls overseas afiliates to gather last minute information and tips, video conferences with bosses on key deliverables, rushing to complete the slidedeck, dry runs after dry runs with the direct report, making harried changes to the final marketing plan and with bated breath (some fingers crossed) preparing for the main presentation to the management team.

Typically, this is the most dreaded time of the year for the average PM. having to slog through at least 2months from initial planning to the roll out during a cycle meeting. What the sales team gets to see during the kickoff meetings are usually far from the primary plan. It would have already been through a series of information gathering, thorough analysis, assumptions and projections, many layers of changes and approvals before the plan is deemed refined enough for execution.

But if you think the PM's life is tough, consider the marketing managers' torment, of having to sift through tons and tons of rubbish masquerading as strategies. (of cos this is not entirely true, there are some marketing managers who can't tell the difference too!) this is also the time whence the marketer gets to prove their mettle, but sadly, most plans remain generic, even textbookish! strategies are usually weak and tactics unoriginal and uncreative. (There are brilliant exceptions of cos' but they don't make for very good blogging. I'm referring to the crappy majority which we can all identify with.)

There are hardly enough given to market analysis and vision in spotting trends and opportunities are sadly lacking. Assumptions are usually made intuitively rather than analytically. Most marketing plans are cut-and-paste versions of the old, expansion of the globally provided long-range plan or rip-offs from other brand plans.

organizations should set some kind of expectations in place. to have a check measure to ensure that their marketers fulfil the minimum competencies and skills, but importantly (and sadly overlooked), to possess critical reasoning that is essential for delivering the best results.