VCU AdCenter Planning Conference

I just returned on Friday 6.8 from a weeklong executive training program for planners at the VCU AdCenter in Richmond, VA. Amazing program, presenters, workshops and 20 other colleagues planning in agencies from small to global.

My planning hero, Russell Davies, was one of the presenters. Russell talks a lot these days about "interestingness". It's an (pardon the pun) interesting point that ROI, ad recall, effectiveness, sales ... none of this makes any difference if your communication isn't interesting to the target. Being interesting means that you're worth paying attention to, playing with, thinking about, etc. In a time where our clients compete with everything from Shakira to Shakespeare, we must strive to be interesting first.

That's my goal this week (among many) is to create briefs - create conversations - that are interesting first, above all. Then, look for opportunity to get my key message in once I have attention.