Disconnected strategy
It was a great meeting. The client clearly articulated its objectives. The agency had terrific ideas for how to communicate the brand and where that communication could best serve the message and its audience.
But then the media planning doesn't focus on any of it. The target is cross-tabbed against product category usage, and that's as far as it goes. RFPs go out to sites that show up on a run, and the only feature is total budget and CPM goals.
The end result is a plan that has no real connection to strategy and creative that doesn't ultimately sell the product.
As Greg March, GMD at Weiden + Kennedy, says, "You can have really creative, engaging, innovative ideas that are not creatively connected to your strategy. They don't sell things. You have to be all of those things plus tied into a good strategy based on research, product, and target, etc."
