There have been a onset of fabulously provocative articles written lately on what constitutes a good/innovative/new “idea.” My favorite is last weekend’s NY Times article (that has been RT-ed endlessly) The Elusive Big Idea. Elegantly written and very smart. While I don’t agree with every element of it–it’s a bit too cynical even for cynical little me, essentially postulating that nothing is an idea anymore because we’re so inundated with information, I do believe there are some really relevant pushes against any one who works in the “ideas business.”

There was a time where we had incredibly evocative thinkers: from Gore Vidal to Steven Pinker to Noam Chomsky, who dreamed and thought BIG…there was room for interpretation and formulating elaborate hypotheses and form thesis’ and opinions. At the time, there was value (monetary and respect) in being able to be a big thinker. Flash forward to today where we tend to thrive on very rational, numbers driven, easily monetized smaller “ideas” or thoughts. The desire for the bigness of idea tends to fall less in the public eye.

So we’re all a bunch of idiots now?

Not at all. Culturally, we’ve just evolved to value something slightly different. Something easier to process. But it doesn’t necessarily make it right.

If you work in advertising, some of this post-enlightenment era academic speak may be vaguely striking a chord…

We’ve all heard it, “Down with the big idea! They are expensive and arduous! (I agree). “Think smaller” is definitely a smart thesis in and of itself (the ever-awesome Gareth Kay describes in his excellent presentation Think Small). But when we focus solely on the small, do we run the risk of losing a little bit of the magic?

I’m currently reading Sir John Hegarty’s book “Hegarty on Advertising.” He talks a lot about “magic.” Yes, I believe it’s a bit of the old ad world’s self-importance speaking, but I can’t help but be a little inspired by his mantra. There IS an element of inspiration that I believe that this industry can bring. At it’s best, it has the power to make people FEEL something. It’s not to say that small is unfeeling, but there’s still a truth and value to bigger emotional provocations that can lead to really smart work.

Brands vie for that elusive place in a consumer’s heart. Be useful. Absolutely–it’s the smartest way to a consumer’s heart today. But we can’t forget that as a brand you also have the power to be something they love…and that’s where I believe there’s still room to play with BIG ideas that come from big, thoughtful places.

So planners, take yourself to a place where you aspire to think like a Betty Friedan or Stephan Jay Gould. It’s not an ounce of bullshit big idea talk–quite the opposite. Smart, well crafted thoughts that ladder up to this crazy thing called an idea.

Here’s the Canadian coming out of me…do we live in a world that can embrace both? Big emotional ideas, that have small, smart and utility driven elements? Maybe? Examples?

Pictured above, three of the smartest and loveliest in the biz, that I happened to be able to catch up with one awesome evening in London. Thanks @melex @patsmc @dddiana for your mugs.  ;)

Gender equality and advertising…a story we’ve all heard (unfortunately) nearly ad nauseam. I wish it could be just *done* with already. We’ve heard many points and counter points, watched panels come and go where women are fiercely underrepresented, watched plenty of episodes of Mad Men and then the “IRL” experience of my (short) five years in the business I can confidently say, yes it’s still a problem.

Enter the past year or so, prominent figures in the industry like Edward Boches and Cindy Gallop, taking the problem on head on, and Farrah Bostic providing a “go-to” list for women to serve on speaker and judging panels (as well as potential mentors and beyond). Strong, incredibly smart women continue to lead agencies the way forward in an increasingly forward thinking industry. But we all look at the “main events” of our industry and it’s the same (albeit lovely) faces. Check out the hashtag #toomanywhitemen for some colorful debate at any time.

So why oh why does this persist? Many far more interesting, smart people have sounded in on it and I’ll add my two bits worth. It’s deeper than an awards show, it comes from the place of truly asserting and “joining the big boys table”(never forget your spot AT the table as Sheryl Sandberg so elegantly shared in her TED talk). There’s always an ounce of fear when it comes to stepping up in this way. The spotlight (which I hate to even use that term) is a hard one for many women. Humility is ESSENTIAL in this industry. Being kind, fun and humble is the only way to be–however this can’t be confused with quiet, meek and lacking confidence. Throughout college I took classes in gender equality in the workforce, completely fascinated by the double standard every woman faces when in any sort of position of power. The delicate balance between traditionally “feminine” qualities (generally being kind, lovely and maternal) and the way that can play in sharp contrast to what “wins” in the business world (strong, ball-busting ways). Err to far either way and no one will hear your voice.

There are ways forward. I believe very strongly in the idea of learning from other strong females (which is why it’s so important to be on these speaking and judging panels): mentorship and support is one of the most valuable things we can provide and be provided with. I feel incredibly blessed to have the MOST incredible women to look up to and share problems/stresses/ ideas/happy moments with (many of these amazing ladies to be found here and of course the owner of the list @melex) Awesome organizations like SheSays are standing up and the industry is listening. It’s not an easy or short road but we’re getting there. Would be incredible to see the “big award shows” (ahem, like the one we’re all just spinning off of now: rhymes with “mannes”) be completely fairly represented. Not because of us having to “push” it there, but because it was a natural fall out from the prominent figures rising to the top of agencies AND the spotlight.

If you have not seen this talk I mentioned earlier, sit yourself down immediately and watch:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Back from vacation is always a hard time…regardless of how exciting life is, it’s never as exciting as being on a fun little escape from the everyday. My little trip over the pond yielded so many points of inspiration, I can barely contain in a post (but hell, I’ll try). First and foremost, I feel so incredibly blessed to have amazing friends (in the industry and outside) that made me feel incredibly at home. I called it my own little “SXSW”, as so many people I admire and interact with on a (near) daily basis live out in jolly old London.

Warning: this post will be a little self-indulgent. I just don’t want to forget what I learned and want to share with those who are interested in similar learning, that’s all. {smile}

The most important thing I walked away with is a renewed sense of curiosity. A common thread of the interactions I had was the perpetual questioning and intense desire to know “but why?” and “what’s next?” There is always more to uncover, and the minute you feel like you’ve answered all your questions, it’s time to turn a new stone. There’s also a bit of a natural unrest — restlessness that I think comes from always wanting to know more and frustration that you don’t actually know everything you want to.

Further from “learning about learning”, I think we all know that in this business there’s a lot of smarts/skill that go into what we do everyday. And there is also a very important part of what we do that is completely intangible. It’s a charm, a charisma, a way of taking clients (and co-workers/friends) on a journey through conversation and being *truly* engaging. We rarely talk about this because it’s so ubiquitous. However, when completely inundated with it, it becomes completely clear that there are some folks that just have “it”. The only way to “get it” as I decipher, is A) god given talent and B) maturing around it.

A lovely lunching with the hilarious, frighteningly smart @malbonster (Tim Malbon to those non-twitter/instagram-ites) reminded me why I love creating things of value for the internets. It’s just not about simply making an ad or a communication…it’s about creating valuable properties that live WITH/FOR people other than just to tell them about something (If you’re curious about this, check out @madebymany blog, which is an incredible source of information/inspiration).

Lucky enough to meet up with a trifecta of a few of the smartest ladies I know (@dddiana, @melex, @PatsMc). As a gal slowly coming up in the ranks in the industry, it’s so inspiring to know such a powerful/dynamic generation of (female) leaders are at the reigns. A sisterhood of strong opinions, strong ideas and good shoes. I’ve never felt so optimistic about the future of our industry as I did after that little dinner. Totally humbled by their ideas and ambition.

Other “work-ish” folks of note are a couple of my biggest inspirations. I met a couple of very smart fellows at the original Planningness conference (also the time I decided I wanted to take the advertising/strategy world by the horns and steer away–pre-Twitter/social media days). Now creative directors, these guys (who are also incredibly humble) are taking the world by storm–focusing on creating things that live and breathe in the world that truly help meet unmet needs (not necessarily just ads), pushing brands forward in a very relevant way, that many of us talk about and admire. Needless to say, doers.  And also incredibly interesting and simply the nicest kind of people.

Net-net: the art of inspiration can be quite simple: make friends with people you really, truly respect and are completely humbled by. And then expect mind = blown.

And some fun (touristy) snaps from the trip below…

Instagram has gotten loads of attention lately. From proliferating numbers of users (3 months to 1MM, 6 weeks to 2MM), to opening up the API to developers to truly start having fun with the social capabilities of the application, there seems to be a bit of an insatiable growth to this (very) simple application. I could wax poetic about all the super awesome spin offs that emerging (from Gramfeed, the desktop app of Instagram to the new ideas spinning off by the day like Stickygram, which turns your instagrams into fridge magnets), instead I wanted to take a quick think on they “why” we love it so…

The proposition is simple: It’s sharing photos. Through a beautiful lens. So what, may be what you’re asking right now. Really? It looks like a 70’s polaroid. Whoop dee dee. But back up and think about the behavior before the dose of haterade. There is an element of art to the instagram. Edward Boches had some great observations on the benefits (and fallacies) of this. However, I still feel like there’s more to it. There’s something incredibly special and personal about sharing images as opposed to just words. It’s different than Twitter, Facebook or anything where you’re crafting a thought/idea/status update. This is *actually* your life (or something quite close to it). While your life isn’t lomo-fied, it most certainly is an aggregation of the activities and places and people you share your life with. Simple, honest truth. And we all know the most successful things in the world are based on these simple truths.

There are lots of people I’ve met through the lens of social media (twitter in particular). Without sounding creepy, this ups the ante a bit more, taking a truthful peek into their lives (and in turn of course, I allow them into mine). It’s a fascinating social dance of sorts and I think that’s incredibly intriguing.

And then getting back to the “art” of it. I have some friends who take absolutely gorgeous pictures (yes, Seth Weisfeld and Dylan Viner I’m looking squarely at you guys…you have amazing sensibility in creating some exquisite images). Personally, I have no false illusion of my “skill” as a photographer. I know my images aren’t balanced, perfectly shot or even mildly attractive in some cases. But they are funny little glimpses into my weird and wonky life. It serves a fun role in my life, it can be a welcome diversion in a crazy day. Something just a bit more beautiful in my mobile stream.

Did my 2010 retrospective on things that inspire me, now some introspection that may (or may not) help frame up what your plans are for 2011. It’s not about resolutions, it’s about resolve. 2010 has been a rocky, wild one and I am certainly ready for things being less chaos driven. Some tenants I’ve penned for myself, nothing epically profound, but hopefully it spurs something in you as well

1. Forgive, move on, bless.

Self explanatory.

2. Work/life balance is a fallacy. Aim for a full life in every sense of the word.

There was a great article I will take with me throughout 2011. Family first. Friends second. Everything else comes after that. My work has my heart without question, but to be good (really good) at what you do, you’ve got to be able to come to the table with a balanced perspective. I’m lucky in that I’ve found a job I truly love, but every now and then it gets a little overwhelming — there’s something about your person being so tied to your day job that gets to be a little much. Every night vow to have at least an hour to yourself. To work out, to read (non-work), to reflect…

3. Create opportunities, bring people together.

Career “milestones” aren’t always going to be your own. Some of my most proud “accomplishments” are seeing people I’ve worked with or mentored move on to be incredible, successful people in their own right. This is one of those things that’s easy to forget, being busy acting bigger than our britches, but those interns will inevitably end up YOUR boss one day. Just wait…

4. Dream big. Be humble.

Simply said, I hate weighty egos. Ambition is wonderful, however there is a fine line. I’ve been lucky enough to meet (and even luckier to become friends with) trail blazers in the industry, but are equally amazing people. Tim Malbon (@malbonster) is one such person. Simply one of the smartest folks I’ve ever met, with a balanced perspective of all things of the interwebs and moreover the intersection of human behavior and digital behaviors. Inspiring person, with the best sense of humour and genuine good nature. Makes me want to be better, work a bit harder and carve a space for myself that I can be as comfortable with myself and do the best work of my life.

5. Do something that terrifies you. Other than work.

Adrenalin rushes in healthy doses are fabulous for the soul. For me, fashion’s always been a really important form of self expression. Six Items Or Less has fascinated me from the get-go, with the fab Heidi Hackemer at the reigns, I’m super stoked form my month-long voyage starting January 10 It  will be awesome. Terrifying the day I wake up the morning of a big meeting or dinner, without having that “shiny new outfit”, but that’s the point of it all. Learning to live with less.

6. Do something you love.

Finding time for passions is so important. It doesn’t have to be keeping a blog about the industry. Or a blog about anything for that matter. It could be fueling your passion for opera, Greek mythology, silent film or ice skating (ahem). Whatever you love, as random as it may seem, nurture it. Allow that side of you to grow, creatively, intellectually, emotionally. Everyday we get little dings on our person — work, personal, etc. You need to have those special little likes (not Facebook likes, but REAL likes) that help define who you are.

Image via: http://enormouschampion.com/products-page/shop/ever-and-a-day/

I’ve been pretty delinquent with blogging the past few months. Mostly because work … also loads of posts that sit in my drafts box that just weren’t worth clogging your stream with.

Rather than make predictions (I have no crystal ball and intend to keep it that way), or call out the “best of”,  I wanted to out a few things that really inspired me this year. The world is a fascinating place — inside and more importantly, outside advertising– I live to explore, learn more and well, play. So 2011 = more play.

Kids playing with Arduinos.

I have a very soft spot in my heart for kids. Amazing to see kids working with arduinos and creating fun experiments. So awesome to see young people explore and push the boundaries of technology and creativity. These kids of programs will help mold and shape the next. Camp Zeum is a coding camp I’m totally jealous of…if only they had that in my day! Stay tuned on more of this idea from me in the new year…

Hacker Culture.

Hacker culture is here to stay, and as the negative connotation begins to lift off the term, we will find more and more interesting experiments that emerge. Hacker culture comes from the same unrest and uneasiness with the status quo that artists are famous for. Turning the infamy to fame is something I could see popping up more. Poke London had a great Hack Day celebration/exploration this year…more agencies need to take note and foster some organic creativity within their walls.

Kickstarting awesome ideas I believe in.

I love the concept behind Kickstarter and really getting behind projects I believe in. Lucky enough to participate in the Bucket Brigade for Bud Caddell and the latest interactive video from Sour and @masakawa and team. Both are incredibly talented people that inspire me and loved being a small bit in their big cogs of projects. The Sour video may be my favorite use of Flash/HTML 5 wizardry ever and Bud’s book is a treat to follow in creation. Happy to help projects like that funded and rolling.

Mashups of Geekery.

I’m a total nerd. 100% love and accept it. This year nerdery really hit the mainstream. And not the “Freaks and Geeks” or “Beauty and the Geek” sort of way. Whether it was Girl Talk’s mind whirling visualization of mashups, Lego letterpress 8-bit prints, Pac Man Moleskins, Instagram freaking EVERYTHING (WIN!), it was a great year to be of the geekier variety. But not everyone was loving the nerds the end of the year…

Simple, social ideas.

Here’s a marketing-y one. I loved the simple little ideas that surfaced this year. From sweet ideas like Bake Club from Lurpak, to the hipstamatic app for the Dali Museum, to great ideas that engage: Carpe Diem from Nokia Ovi in the UK and running around the Nike Grid, to the latest Skype NYE effort–it was the little ideas that weren’t a gagillion dollars of production money that warmed my heart. Advertising doesn’t necessarily do that–feel human and all…

Immersive experiences: 3D Architectural Mapping.

Yes. It’s everywhere now. But it still awe-inspiring. More than anything, it’s the idea that you can play with perception on such a large, beautiful way. When done right, it’s magic. There’s not enough magic in our lives these days, seeing a great castle crumble and then rebuild before our eyes, allows us to go back to those days where ‘magic’ existed. I have to say, it has gotten a bit too commercial for my liking, my heart still yearns for the Battle of Branchange projections.

Social shopping.

It’s getting there, slowly but surely. I’ve loved Polyvore for awhile…so much so that a wonderful old client of mine (dear friends too) have been using extensively as a “comms” program — not an advertising venue, but a way to connect to the people that love them enough to put them in their own creations. This year saw powerhouse Google get into the game with Boutiques.com. It’s only going to get bigger and badder. The social abilities for fashion brands have gotten a bit of a workout this year-from Burberry continually driving the marriage of technology + fashion , to French Connection’sYoutube boutiques (Youtiques) fashion is getting more savvy. Which is good, because the people who want to BUY their stuff are getting smarter as well…

Happy 2011 to you all, may it bring loads of more fun and inspiration!

Hard to believe, but Planningness is already on the books for another year. Thanks to everyone who joined us out in Brooklyn and Denver for a fun filled two days of planner-y goodness. It would never have happened without the vision of Mark Lewis and Claire Grinton. It is truly a labor of love for all of us–we hope that you left with some new friends, new ideas and loads of inspiration.

Hope to pull together a full (ish) report on Planningness as I did last year, stay tuned in the next week or so for that little ditty.

Overall Impressions

Our speakers and participants simply rocked. Proud to say that Planningness truly brings the best and and brightest in our little industry. One of the things I loved seeing was the evolving voices of those who I’d met last year. Confidence and solid thinking/inspiration echoed through the rooms, every year it’s going to get better and better. Opinions flying, raucous laughter, f-bombs dropping all over the place–the passion in the room was infectious to say the least.

Great example was from Edward Boches talk on the evolving agency. Mr. Tim Malbon and team had some very unique ideas as to what this “new agency” might look like–cat burglars and secret societies? Yes please. (BTW this little presentation started with a musical segue from the A Team–extra points for showmanship and creativity guys):

Click here to view the embedded video.

Six quick lessons I walked away with (Note: I didn’t get a chance to sit in on ALL the awesome presentations in their entirety so please sound in!!)

Create ideas of social value versus just thinking of things to toss into “social media.” Focus in on behaviors in the social space rather than the “channel” it resides in. Mark Earls reminded us of that little thing called social influence–which fuels the “how” of social media. Propagation planning teaches us the value of taking an idea beyond a single tactical execution to a much bigger proposition, built of smaller parts that work together to tell that magical story.

We should all know how to code. Or at least know what code is. Won’t lie. I’m not ready to write my own code–but if I had some more time (and able to sit still for Noah’s full brillz presentation) I think I would have gotten there. It’s a skill that we need not because we’re going to be amazing coders, but because we need to A) appreciate the technology B)know how it works so we can help educate our agency partners and clients and C) know how/when we are creating the best experiences for our brands.

Technology is effing amazing. Now this sounds trite, but spend a bit of time with Chris Heathcoate’s presentation and I think you’d be hard pressed to think anything else. We truly are limited only by our imaginations…it’s inspiring to think of the POTENTIAL. We have an arsenal of new tools–it’s like being an artist with a whole new palate of colors! Kid in an arduino candy store…

Act small. I think many of us were a little jealous of the culture of rapid prototyping and ridiculously agile of Made by Many. Working at the speed of culture and technology requires a new way of framing problems and their contingent solutions. It’s not going to suit every agency model, but it certainly works for these guys and gals. Being a little less precious with the single-mindedness of an idea is critical to making agile work.

Agencies are evolving. But it certainly isn’t easy. Traditional agencies are trying to go “digital”. Digital agencies are trying to offer up the traditional “buffet” of offerings. This puts us all in a slightly strange place of no one quite knowing what to do. The only real “solve” at this point is to try lots of stuff. Some will sound great on paper, but in practice will be near impossible. The key is to try different iterations of teams; T-shaped, pear-shaped, whatever the case may be! The point is that we need to have a balance of voices in the room–it could be a trifecta of smarts that lead strategy (a communications planner, a digital strategist and a brand strat), could be a technologist, planner, creative combo. Any way you slice and dice it, you have to get the right problem solvers in the room for the problem at hand. Easier said than done. I know.

Making truly engaging presentations is an art. While this wasn’t an actual “subject” at Planningness, this lesson was implicit throughout the couple of days. In this planning-ish world we are truly lucky to have some amazing role models when it comes to making fantastic presentations. Engaging through humor, getting people out of their seats and playing with the ideas you’re presenting, eye contact, audience involvement, intensity. Passion is infectious. Be genuine to your topic. Be genuine to yourself…the rest is gravy.

“@thinairchi: Mark Earls has the room at #planningness dead silent – its that good!”

Finally many of the presentations can be found here (thanks @Thinkdoer) http://thinkdoer.com/planningness-presentations-aka-621-slides-of

Cheers, see you all next year!

After reading a few provocative, smart articles today on job titles and the growth of hybrid roles in all sorts of industries, I’ve been inspired to throw in my two bits-worth. Mr Boches offers up some great thoughts on job titles, as does this great Fast Company article on the rise of the hybrid thinker. Both articles do a great job of articulating some fundamental problems we have in the old business model of linear thinking and A-B-C sequential progression.

When we start in school, we’re all hybrid learners/thinkers–we are expected to do/understand everything (math, science, literature, art, etc). As we develop we are pushed and prodded to become “one thing”. The reality, is the world no longer requires you to BE one thing. Planning is one career path that happens to be intriguing because this hybrid nature should be intrinsic. Not so much about being good at a “single” thing, but about being curious, diverse and open. However, much of the time as an industry we fall back on the simplicity of silos to help organize and at times, monetize the value of our job.

I’ve been lucky enough to encounter a number of “hybrids” in my life. Sometimes they take on a couple of titles (and a couple people’s work load to boot). Other times they find themselves living in departments that you wouldn’t “normally” find them. All times, they are doing phenomenal work that blurs the lines and silos. And yet, it’s always hard for us in an agency setting to acknowledge and embrace the awesomeness that they bring to the table. Why? Because we’re not set up to be multidisciplinary. We’re set up to look at one role. One task. Evaluate. Repeat. Fundamentally flawed.

The world has become more “bendy”. With this bendy world, titles become less meaningful–which is not to say that you’re not working your tuchas off to get to the next skill level (and of course more $)–but they mean less when it comes to what actually gets “done”. The challenge for companies today is to find these chameleon like folks and create spaces that they can thrive in. It’s not the easiest thing to do, but I wholeheartedly believe that it’s just these folks who will push our industry (and many other industries!) forward.

Even if you don’t find yourself an “official” hybrid, that doesn’t mean you can’t play. Today we have wiggly roles that sometimes will roll over into each other. Don’t be afraid to play and push boundaries of what your business card says.  That said, humility is massive in this new world. You don’t know it all. Check the ego at the door and move forward as a team.

My challenge (and sincerest hope) is that agencies come to realize that the days of single department “owning” a part of the process are numbered. We all own the end product if we do our jobs right.

Kumbaya.

I’ve been lucky enough to garner a bunch of new friends thanks to a great friend/mentor’s kind mention at Boulder Digital Works. I’ve also had some awesome interns/students to work with and they often ask how I got into the biz and how I navigate the advert world. I’m hardly a seasoned vet, but I do have a few things that seem to have worked  for me, and hopefully there’s something interesting in here for you.

Pay attention in class: I fell into advertising in grad school. Stumbled on an agency in a text book, followed up with my professor, who had a contact there and next thing I knew I was working there. I realize this isn’t always easy, but there’s something to persistence/perseverance and having a great rapport with peers and professors. No apples needed, however be prepared to work your tuchas off.

Seek out mentors/support group: I found my “groove” in advertising when I found my little tribe. They didn’t necessarily live within my agency’s walls. I found a bunch of people in the course of living in the twitterverse, going to conferences, going on interviews, friends of friends and beyond. Their energy, drive and genuine passion for the work smacked me over the head and I never looked back. Celebrate your successes (whether or not you work together) and be there for each other when things aren’t going to plan.

Meet with your mentors: I was lucky (very, very lucky) to be able to sit down with a lot of people I respect and admire one-on-one. After about the 30 seconds of being awestruck, I quickly saw how easy they were to talk to, and how genuinely excited they were to talk to a genuinely interested person. Always be respectful of their time, ask good questions (go prepared) and be yourself.

Be prepared for the unscripted surprises. I had an incredible interview with a super cool planning director that totally reframed the way I look at my craft. I didn’t get the job (I’ll get to that), but in retrospect those 2 hours chatting away was potentially the most valuable to my career. He made me think hard about what motivates me as a planner and moreover as a person. Asked great questions that made my head spin, but I was in such a warm, friendly space that I could answer openly and honestly. I’ll never forget that interview. Everyday I push myself a little harder, there’s a bit of me that wants to be more like that guy.

Rejection sucks. But you WILL survive. I promise. It doesn’t feel like it at the time, but you do. The amazing interview I cited before ended up in a rejection that left me feeling like my insides were torn out. It sucks. You feel like there will never be another (sound like a nasty break up yet?) But then you realize, there are more. And then a great opportunity comes up and it all works out. You just have to work for it. And not let the rejection crush you. It’s a part of the process.

Net-net. It’s not easy, but it certainly ‘aint impossible. Use your smarts. Let your passion show. Be genuine. Keep your eye on your prize.

Happily ever after…

image via http://gapingvoid.com/ (one of my absolute FAVORITES!)

Well, I’ll first make my little plug for the upcoming planningness conference in Boulder and NYC Sept 30-Oct 1. It’s a can’t miss. I won’t get into everyone who is speaking, but it’s all the awesome folks. Will be amazing. Hard part will be to decide where to go.

So the premise of planningness is to focus us on MAKING stuff and DOING. These are two massively important things to those who work in the strategy/planning arena. We don’t typically “make” stuff that lives in the world. We make (important) documents that build, support and tell you how it will live in the world however, but not necessarily contributing to the tangible endgame in every situation. While this is groovy and a very important step to grounding and reasoning “the work”, it’s critical to be a part (or even BE) the work. Thereby rises the importance of making.

For me, the great example of a shop that’s “doing” is BBH. They’ve taken the “do stuff” model to a new level. They’ve had ZAG for awhile (with awesome by-products like the wildly successful Mrs.O.org blog/book/phenomenon). Planning is still taking on the same strategic problem solving tasks, but additionally are playing in the world of creation. Anomoly has done this as well as many others, experimenting with new models and things within the agency walls. Brilliant! You have smart, creative entities, DO something with them!

Heidi Hackemer over at BBH is a dynamo–the six items or less project was featured in the NYTimes today. Super amazing. Super inspiring. So fabulous. And finds time to speak at Hyper Island. If that doesn’t inspire you to DO something, I don’t know what will. For me, she’s become one of the people to really look up to and learn from in this industry.

OK love fest aside. This social world connects us. We know each other (loosely) enough. If you have a great idea, you have a community who is ready and willing to help/support you. I even saw it in my own little creation this week with my 3six5 post. Now I don’t claim to be a professional writer. I kept a diary as a kid, I blog casually, I write decently well for my job, but not a”writer” by any means. Nor do I have the most expansive “number” of followers. However, I am lucky enough to have a wonderfully supportive, generous and influential group of friends in the space (thank you friends!). It’s hard to believe that little ol’ me got well over 3000 views of that little post as a part of an amazing project with over a million views. The gracious support of people I truly call my friends, anything can happen. An even better example is Bud Caddell who has raised over $14K for his book project from his network of supporters/backers. It’s amazing.

My challenge (to myself and you!) is to DO something in the next couple weeks. Get that personal project/life project started. It’s not just painting the fence or finishing the “honey do” list. It’s making something tangible and throwing it out in the world. If it sticks, great (you may just be a millionaire). If it doesn’t, learn from it and try again in a couple weeks. The important thing is what you’re doing is something that makes your heart a little happier. Having these awesome outlets of creativity can spawn great work/career things as well, but don’t go into it with that intent. Make something that you love just because you love it.

Image via: http://nemoorange.com/newmoon/