Strategy Specialist vs. Generalists

A colleague recently lamented, or at questioned the concept that "specialization in account planning" (marketing and marketing communications strategy) has "gone too far."

As more of a generalist than a specialist, I identify with some of his thoughts. I believe that specialists get so caught up in their area that they lose sight of a bigger picture (I feel more often digital/social media/mobile 'experts' these days). Basic consumer motivations and behaviors (like a need for simplicity) are overlooked. Often some fundamental marketing principles or approaches that should be used a means of organizing a larger story or argument are ignored.

At the same time, having worked in multiple categories, I have found that I have needed to learn the both category and target details (pharmaceutical MOA's; electronic data interchange/integration lingo; childhood development/thinking patterns; specific food processing practices; financial services principles, practices, regulations and motivations; etc, etc) - that make me appear to be at least a 'pseudo-specialist'. I (humorously) like to use the phrase "I know enough about a lot of categories to be dangerous." For instance, I now know more about medicine and drugs than I ever thought was possible for me.

I believe good strategist should make it a practice to have a stronger than average understanding of many research techniques, practices and principles - ideally both qualitative and quantitative (segmentation and tracking in particular). I have learned these things 'on the job' versus formal training, but I think it is important that we are both grounded in the fundamentals and continuously learning about new approaches or ways of looking at things.

At the same time, the dramatically changing media environment, or more specifically the fact that our targets are so much more connected to an online world today, makes everything feel more complicated. The constant development/invention of new digital products and services and means of connecting is dizzying at times. While 'car/auto', CPG, fast food or other specialists have existed for a long time (and appeared limited to many of us in the marketing world), digital/social media/mobile specialists (conversely) feel like the have a lot more cache today. Sometimes the younger brain that grew up in an attention deficit world feels more adapted and at home with this - and we have still have a youth obsessed culture, despite the fact that Baby Boomers control all the real wealth.

Strategists/planners in the marketing world, by definition, should be agents of change. We must attempt to stay ahead of the curve on both societal and category trends. But we can help our fellow colleagues in the marketing communication world by sharing interesting developments while bringing a healthy bigger picture/potential longer term perspective. I regularly see headlines about the 'death of traditional media' - from people who are not seeing the statistics that more people are watching TV - and for longer periods than ever before. This is not to deny that media is changing. In particular, both 'what' and 'how' we receive all types of content. But as I have recently paraphrased (bastardized?) fellow Canadian, Marshall McCluhan "The medium is still the message, but more than ever, content is king." Strategists/planners often need to translate/simplify issues and formulate and deliver engaging stories, designed to be passed on in appropriate ways.

Perhaps there should be a stronger distinction in the marketing communications strategist/planner world between those that have chosen to focus on content delivery (connection planners?) versus content. But in my (not so humble?) opinion, good strategists/planners need to not only have the fundamentals down, but also focus on the specific needs of their target and the developments in their category at any given time - and 'know enough to be dangerous.' For me anyway, the variety - or breadth as well as depth of exposure to products, industries and target mindsets has been both incredibly interesting and fulfilling - despite the fact that our business drives me nuts at times.