Much is made of how technology continues to drive change. The trend clearly affects most countries and industries and we are at the sharp end in the UK.
Consider the fact that recent research from The Boston Consulting Group states the UK is at the forefront of the rising internet economy, with an 8.3% contribution to national GDP - a larger contribution than any other major G20 country.
Therefore it is imperative that the UK’s marketing and communications industry turns its attention to delivering game changing strategies and creativity in order to stay ahead in this tech-led media landscape, which is exactly what the IPA’s Strategy Group is focussing on.
The Group, which I am currently chairing, was formed with the mission to improve the quality and perceived value of the strategic advice delivered by member agencies, leading to more effective work and in turn improved client-agency relationships.
So in order to meet these objectives going forward, we thought it would be a good idea to survey the wider planning community for their thoughts of how the brief and briefing process has altered in the world of owned and earned media.
As expected, the feedback highlighted that the briefing process has indeed changed over the last couple of years and that there is a clear desire from planners and strategists for help and guidance on how best to develop effective creative ideas: who to involve, when to involve them, where to look for compelling insights and when to open and close things down.
In response, the Group formulated the idea of ‘Modern Briefing’, a series of events designed to inspire the industry through provocative talks and practical tips from some of the leading lights in the strategic community.
Our first event takes place this Tuesday 3 July and will feature a stellar cast of speakers, including Richard Huntington, Jason Gonsalves, Glyn Britton, Patricia McDonald, Michael Dick and Dan Southern, each of whom will bring their wealth of experience and their modern approach to process, insight, audiences, participation, media channels and briefing trends. It will be chaired by Paul Kemp-Robertson, editorial director & co-founder of Contagious.
Such was the demand for this kind of event it sold out in record time, however, due to the beauty of technology, you don’t have to be there to take part.
You can follow the conversation at #ipamodernbriefing and the speakers’ top tips will be available on the IPA website () after the event.
As part of our commitment to improving client-agency relationships, we also intend to offer the client community their own forum. Wouldn’t it be invaluable to hear our clients' take on modern briefing, including their own provocations and advice? Watch this space.