The invisible Planner.

In a radio interview with Graham Linehan (the talent behind Father Ted, Black Books and The IT Crowd) he talked of how he felt it was important to go unnoticed as the writer.

He said that he didn’t want to be aware of the creative genius behind his favourite films.
That to be immersed in a story, you need to believe it and not be able to see the writing and thinking that’s gone into it.

When it’s transparent somebody has made it up, nobody believes it.

We’ve all seen advertising where we can spot the brief.
Lazy creative is when you can see the Planner’s pen in the headline or script.
Of course, our Head of Planning is skilled at making sure the message is correct but understands and knows fully when she can see her own thinking shining out like a boil on a teenager’s nose.
At this point, she pushes back on the creative department to try harder.
A lot harder in order to mask their self-congratulatory genius.
This is why it’s important to have these checks and balances and work as a team between the creative agency and client in order to get the message and tone spot on.

After 25 years of doing this, my Mum still doesn’t really understand what I do and this is a good thing.
She only ever really talks to me about an ad she hates and assumes that if I haven’t done it, then the company must have produced it itself.
You see, it’s not only the Planner that needs to remain invisible but the agency too.

Get in touch and we’ll come and see you, however, we can’t promise you’ll be able to see us.