I'm a V.P. Strategic Planner at MacLaren McCann in Toronto, and a recovering creative director. I made the change because I'd become increasingly frustrated with how creatives, suits, planners and clients talked about briefs, and seemed to have differing understandings of the one thing they all actually have to agree on.
So now I'm in the hot seat, and enjoying it immensely.
It's a real challenge to think in a completely different way, then craft a coherent document that actually inspires a creative team. The brief has to flow, it has to build a case that it's the only possible way to proceed, and it has to lead to work that builds the client's business.
I also thought I'd be jealous of handing over a nice fresh "sandbox" to the creatives to play in. But it has been a pleasure to collaborate, answer questions and help them push the work forward, in ways I never would have thought of.
It's been a lesson that it's always worth it to push yourself in new directions.
(Oh, of course, all opinions expressed in this blog are my own.)
