Data: 02.11.2007
I don't like people who studied as planners since they were 18
an interview by Sergiu Floroaia
 an interview with Karim Mélaouah, Strategic Planning Director for In Adv Italy
Karim Mélaouah is the Strategic Planning Director for In Adv Italy. Before joining In Adv he worked as a planner in agencies like Leo Burnett Italy or Bates Italy for Philip Morris, McDonald's, Kellog's, Pfizer, Lucky Strike and other local clients.
Do you think planning in the rest of Europe is in any way different from planning in an agency from Great Britain or the US?
Well, yes, in terms of experience: planning started in UK in the 60's and so there's 30-40 years of knowledge more than in the rest of Europe/World and clients are also more used to what a planner is. Here in Italy you always have to explain what a planner does and the fact that we are not "media planners". (They often confuse the two roles.)
I think that things are really changing. Where do you think planning is heading?
I think that in the last decade loads of things have changed for our job, we are no more considered as "suits" (sitting on the account management side of the table) but as "creative thinkers" and also thanks to the plannersphere we have increased our links all around the world and increased the awareness of our role.
Stephen King once said that he's surprised that no-one had since 40 years ago come up with a better idea than planning. Do you think that's true?
What do you think the next best thing could be?
The next thing is the agency without account, the brand management agency. And in terms of planning's role the next thing will probably be a mix of strategy and media planning. They already call this "context planning".
What do you think is the most powerful or most revolutionary idea that emerged in the plannersphere discussions in the last couple of years?
The plannersphere is a great idea per se, I don't see big revolutions... I see day by day improvement. From my point of view the greatest day I had as a planner in the last 9 months has been the "Interesting 2007" day, 8 hours of ideas, stimuli, laughs, without mentioning words such as brand target, objectives...
By being a Planning Director I guess you also sometimes recruit planners. What kind of qualities do you look for when hiring a planner?
Curiosity about anything (as Russell says "anything can be interesting") and someone who reads a lot, watches a lot of movies, uses the public transport, but also an ex account manager (or junior account) is ok because he knows that our job is also about deadlines, clients.
I don't like people who studied as planners since they were 18.
What's the book that you think anyone working as a planner should read? And why?
Having worked in the Bates network I'd probably say "Reality in advertising" by Rosser Reeves. Load of people laughed at him and his USP theory, but this is the basis of any positioning theory, and I prefer to start with a rational book, there's always time to appreciate stuff like "Punk Marketing" later. (I have just bought this book, but haven't read it yet...)
What's the most important advice that you'd give to a junior planner?
Have an interest and show true passion.
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