STRATEGIES

BEHIND THE 10 BEST

CREATIVE WORK
Welcome to the 10 best strategy papers from the last couple of years in my
very subjective opinion.

Originally shared on the Planning Dirty Newsletter.

Enjoy,
Julian Cole

Subscribe to the Planning Dirty newsletter

for more strategy tools, tips and resources
I WILL - UNDER ARMOUR
DROGA5

STRATEGY:
PRESENT THE UNDER ARMOUR WOMAN AS
A WOMAN WHO DOESN’T NEED
PERMISSION BECAUSE SHE HAS WILL

Brand Insight - To speak her language, we needed to

shift performance away from a traditional competitive
context and into a more personal one

Cultural Insight - In a culture obsessed with debating

what a woman should be, the only way for her to free
herself from pressure is to define success on her own
terms.

Consumer Insight - The Under Armour woman has the

will to impress only herself

Link to the paper

VISIT MUM - BRITISH AIRWAYS
OGILVY

STRATEGY:
BA UNDERSTANDS THE JOURNEY YOU ARE
TAKING

Consumer Insight - A lot of holiday traffic was first

and second generation Indian Expats flying back home
from North America

Product Insight - Don’t claim to be one of us, show

that you understand us. Not about Hindi meals on the
flight but the fact we are making this journey

Cultural Insight - Indian mothers were the key pillar in

the family and had a strong pull of their children
coming back home

Link to the paper

TAKING BACK NY - SEAMLESS
BBH NEW YORK

STRATEGY:
CONNECT WITH PEOPLE’S PROUD NEW
YORK IDENTITY

Consumer Insight - Long hours, demanding careers,

busy lifestyles and a high cost of living make New
York a tough place to live, but saying ‘I’m a New
Yorker’ is a badge of honor

Cultural Insight - In New York, delivery is a way of

life

Brand Insight - Seamless provides access to more

restaurants, cuisines and options for diner than any
other service in New York City.

Link to the paper

MADE OF MORE - GUINNESS
BBDO

STRATEGY:
GUINNESS CELEBRATES THOSE WITH THE
CONFIDENCE TO CARVE THEIR OWN PATH

Product Insight - A product that is bolder than any

other beer in terms of its look and taste

Consumer Truth - Beer drinkers who respect those

who have the confidence to make bolder decision and
choices in life

Brand Insight - A brand that has always had a bold

outlook on life (e.g Arthur Guinness made bold
choices to sign a 9000 year lease on his brewery and
to brew dark beer versus a golden ale)

Link to the paper

IF WE MADE IT - NEWCASTLE BEER
DROGA5

STRATEGY:
TAKE THE LAME MEDIA TACTICS AND
TURN THEM UPSIDE DOWN TO BREAK
THROUGH

Product Insight - Newcastle Brown Ale was first

brewed by ‘Geordies’; the coal-mining, no-nonsense
working class of Newcastle, for whom the beer was
brewed

Consumer Insight - They are no frills guys, who are

sick of beer brands pandering too them

Cultural Truth - The Superbowl is the biggest

marketing event of the year, full of marketing trickery

Link to the paper

WONDERFILLED- OREO
MARTIN AGENCY

STRATEGY:
HELP PEOPLE OF ALL AGES SEE THE
WORLD WITH WONDER

Product Insight - the product was surrounded by

innocence, a glass of milk, doting parents, after-school

Consumer Insight - We lose our childhood innocence

and wonder as we get older, however we yearn for it

Link to the paper

WORLD GALLERY - APPLE IPHONE6
TBWA

STRATEGY:
RETHINK WHAT YOUR SMARTPHONE
CAMERA CAN DO

Category Insight - The category highlights the

quantifiable features of smartphones in isolation of the
people using them.

Product Insight - Camera is one of the top

considerations when it comes to purchasing a new
smartphone

Consumer Insight - iPhone owners preferred showing

the output of their devices instead of talking about the
technology of the camera

Link to the paper

FEED THE GOOD - PEDIGREE
BBDO

STRATEGY:
SHOW HOW THE GOOD IN DOGS BRINGS
OUT THE GOOD IN US

Product Insight - Dogs are good for people. Owning a

dog is an experience that transforms us for the better

Cultural Truth - The elusive quality of innocence that

we had as children is the secret of genuine happiness

Brand Insight - Dogs are good for people because their

innocence helps us connect with our own

Link to the paper

#OPTOUTSIDE - REI
VENABLES

STRATEGY:
ACT FOR THE GREATER GOOD DURING
BLACK FRIDAY

Consumer Insight - REI consumers were not interested

in shopping on the holiday weekend

Cultural Insight - Black Friday takes Americans on a

sharp turn from being thankful to mass consumerism.
A day created for corporate profit by marketers.

Brand Insight - REI is a co-op that acts for the greater

good of its employees and members

Link to the paper

LOVE HAS NO LABELS - AD COUNCIL
R/GA

STRATEGY:
TO END BIAS, WE NEED TO FIRST BECOME
AWARE OF IT

Consumer Insight - Most Americans consider

themselves to be unprejudiced

Cultural Truth - Our society is fraught with tensions.

Labels unnecessarily divide us

Link to the paper

OTHER PLANNING DIRTY DECKS
Strategy Mate
Brand Actions Library 2018
Day 1 Advice for New Planners
Day 1 Advice for New Heads of Strategy
What Clients Want in 2018
Data Sources Cheatsheet
Planners Template
10 Best Strategy Papers
What is Comms Planning/Digital Strategy