What candidates and employers have said about our previous IPM Strategic Thinking courses:

"The course gave me the opportunity to give some structure to the way that I approach new briefs from clients and to give some order to my strategic thinking."

"I am already incorporating the creative brief section into my every day work and am encouraging my team to do the same."

“...despite being absolutely drained our delegate was buzzing about the whole thing and the quantum step in terms of planning and presentation.”

" ... It was interesting being the only client because it gave me a good understanding of how agencies differ from client side but also where the similarities lie.  Although the course is run for agencies, I would have thought it would be a great course for anyone who (like me) acts as their own agency, manages an agency, or works with SP agencies within their job."

"I was very cynical to begin with but was very pleasantly surprised as to how much I learned. I thought the size of the group was good and it allowed me to feel on a more one-to-one level with the tutors. I would definitely recommend the course to colleagues. It was a great opportunity to take a step back from the doing and think about how we get there."

Course Overview

Designed for would-be or new agency Account Directors, this is the course that will catapult them into the next stage of their careers, by focusing exclusively on honing their strategic thinking skills. It is not for beginners.

The course will concentrate on the processes involved in:

• Receiving the client brief and interrogating it competently
• The 'funneling-down' process whereby strategic options are considered and compared so that the final options proposed are the most appropriate given the commercial objectives.
• Taking the strategic plan and selling it to the client
• Converting the strategy into a compelling creative brief

The aim of the course

Delegates should emerge from the day with improved confidence in their thinking skills and a clear understanding of the processes involved in taking a client brief and turning it into a creative brief.

Who the course is designed for

The course will be particularly appropriate for agency personnel who find themselves in a position where they are, or are about to become, the senior focus for the client at the agency, and therefore expected to contribute to the strategic development of their client's business. They will usually be Account Directors. The course may also be useful for promoters who either work closely with agencies and need to understand their working practices, or who operate as an 'internal agency'.

Course content

What is Strategic Thinking?

• First things first – what exactly is a strategy?

Why do we need a Promotional Strategy?

• Why is strategic thinking so important in promotional marketing?

What does a Promotional Strategy actually look like?

• We take a look at a good, solid well presented strategy and dissect it into its component parts.

Writing a Promotional Strategy

• This is the heart of the day, based on a case study – delegates will split into groups to examine a brief and prepare a strategy using a template provided.

How did we do?

• We take a look at all the group strategies in turn and talk around the value of the template for everyone for the future.

Writing a Creative Brief from the Strategy

• This should be a logical extension of the promotional strategy. Now we will work through a strategy and turn it into a creative brief.

Course format

The day will comprise lectures from our four senior practitioners, with two key workshop exercises.

Course tutors

The course will be delivered by:
Paul Godwin, Planning Director, Positive Thinking (Course Leader)
Jordi Connor, Head of Planning, Dialogue
Ian Foulds, Associate Planning Director, The Marketing Store
Ian Moore, Creative Director, Blue-Chip Marketing

How to enrol

Click here for an enrolment form.

For any further information please call the IPM Education Manager Stephanie Cooper on 020 7291 7730 (stephaniec@theipm.org.uk) or the Education Consultant Jody Bratley on 020 7291 7742 (jodyb@theipm.org.uk).

Cost

£520 (+VAT) for IPM members
£680 (+VAT) for non-members
The price includes a light buffet lunch.

Places for this course are limited to maintain a good delegate to tutor ratio – early booking is therefore recommended.

Terms & Conditions
All course fees are payable prior to the date, or commencement date, of the course. Should you be unable to attend, a substitute delegate is welcome at no extra charge - please simply notify the Institute of any changes. You may change the date of attendance or cancel attendance at a course subject to the following scale of charges:

There are no refunds for a 'failure to attend'.

The Institute reserves the right to cancel a course, change the venue, amend the dates and or the fees and course tutors at any time and without prior notice.