The Smiling Strategist™ · Blog and guides
Strategy blog and guides
Opinion, news and practical guides on brand and creative strategy, consumer insight, pitching, leadership and building a career in strategy.
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What is account planning? The role, its origins and the mindset
Account planning brings the consumer’s voice into advertising. What planners do, where the role came from in 1968, and the openness that makes a…
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AI tools for brand strategists: a practical guide
There is no single best AI tool for strategy. A framework for AI in strategy (the five Ps), the main categories of tools and…
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Differentiation vs distinctiveness: why brands need both
Differentiation gives people a reason to choose you; distinctiveness helps them recognise you. What each means, why both matter and how to build them.
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Storytelling in brand strategy: frameworks, tips and why it matters
Why storytelling is a strategist’s job, two frameworks to use (StoryBrand and John Truby’s Anatomy of Story) and practical tips for telling your story…
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Quiet leadership: why introverted leaders make the deepest impact
The Quiet Strength of Introverted Leaders: Lessons from the Tao Some books come to you before you’re ready for them. Years ago, I picked…
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