Creativity and effectiveness in the valencian community: The figure of the planner in the creative process

Abstract

Introduction: This article analyses the strategic planner’s situation in the Valencian Community. The planner was born as an essential figure to apply audience’s research on advertising campaigns, to improve communication. Focusing on the relationship between the account planning and the creativity department, it is our intention to study what the planner’s contribution and role in the creative campaigns should be in order achieve more creative an effective campaigns. Methodology: Following a bibliographic review we will analyse the basic functions of the planner in relation to the creative process. Secondly, we will present the analysis of the answers to a questionnaire addressed to publicity professionals in the Valencia Autonomous Community, and the interviews made to leading strategic planners in order to discover the role of the planner in the Community and how it could be developed. Results and conclusions: the research shows that the role of a planner is at a very stage, and that time is needed to make of planning a real discipline. We have also concluded that there is a need to introduce the planner in the creative process, and that account planners and creative professionals are interested in this cooperation. To sum up, we propose a description of the planner’s main functions in the creative process.