Proposition This!
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Looking for a new and interesting challenge? This may be just the thing!
Russell Davies, a fellow who describes himself thus: “I’m an account planner and I spend my days thinking about brands and marketing and communications and stuff” has initiated a “school of the web” to help folks who want to learn the basics of account planning. What is account planning, you ask? A fair question! Would you like the short answer or the long answer?
Long answer: Someone who looks at the many accounts needed or are available and enables the ability to plan for the reasonable use of resources that enhances the aforementioned accounts.
Short answer: I have no idea. (I made the long answer up.)
I suppose I could take the time to find out what an account planner does all day, but what the heck, maybe it’ll be more fun to just sort of “discover” it as I go…
Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, Russell has decided to teach account planning by providing a series of lessons via his blog that will enable participants to learn by actually doing something. The first lesson (at least I think it’s the first) is on what he calls propositions, and I’m 99.9% sure it’s not lessons on how to pick up girls (I allow 0.1% uncertainty, because after all, you never know).
So here’s the exercise:
“The English Apple Advisory Board are coming in to see me next week to discuss how they might be able to promote apples and as a result increase sales in the UK. Not just a short-term hike, but for the foreseeable future. So what I would like is for people to write ten propositions/ideas that will help the apple people achieve their objective.
Each proposition/idea can be no longer than 20 words. No supporting material is needed or allowed for the propositions. Nor any images. And it would be good to have all 10 on a single page of a word document.”
Never having worked in a marketing environment before, this sounds like an interesting challenge, and something that might be fun to try. Russell provides only a few further words, and then we’re on our own.
“It seems simple, but it’s tough. You can’t hide behind pictures or design, you’ve just got to have 10 original, useful, non-obvious ideas about how to sell, re-position or re-excite people about apples.”
So if I understand this correctly, I need to come up with 10 statements/ideas/propositions, each no longer than 20 words, with no pictures, no fancy stuff, and no references of any kind. I suppose not being situated in the UK might cause something of a handicap, but then again, it might not. After all, that’s what imaginations are for.
If you’re interested and want to contribute, Russell asks that you email the finished assignment to him by November 1.
I’m goin’ for it! Care to join me?
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Middle Zone Musings is a comfortable place to stop, have a cup of coffee, swap a few stories and share practical ideas for the real world. I don't ask for much, just a bit of your brain every now and then. Have a seat, take a load off, and relax...
