Communication in the second half of the nineties: strategy - not creativity - drives everything

Communication World, April, 1995 by Gary F. Grates

The nature of communication is changing in some very surprising ways. If you could stand back and look from afar, you would notice that the lines between communication disciplines as well as those between communication and other types of consulting (management consulting, for example) are beginning to blur. This softening of traditional boundaries between disciplines is the result of a rapidly changing marketplace.

Despite the economic upturn, companies are still cost-conscious and looking for new and less expensive ways to reach clients, customers and consumers. And, they are becoming more sophisticated in recognizing that communication is the link between strategy and results. As a result, they are less concerned about what discipline you represent and more concerned about your track record as a problem solver.

In this new era, communication professionals in public relations and advertising will be asked less frequently for specific advice as it relates to their individual disciplines and more frequently for solutions. Clients and potential clients will no longer say, "We need a new advertising campaign." Rather, they'll say, "We have a problem we're wrestling with. How can you help us solve it?" Those who will be successful in meeting the new client expectations are members of untraditional, versatile organizations whose thinking is not circumscribed. They will listen carefully to what the client is saying (or not saying), do the requisite research and fact finding and return with a viable, coherent plan to address the need or solve the problem. We call this "solution engineering."

The day of the solution engineer

A recent survey conducted among the clients of Boxenbaum Grates by an outside consultant indicated that companies are looking for more initiative from both internal and external communication professionals. They expect greater flexibility, adaptability and versatility in the face of a rapidly changing environment, and they want us to offer a wider range of thinking, creativity and business acumen.

This comes on the heels of another survey by Louis Harris & Associates that indicated nearly two-thirds of 778 major North American and European corporations plan to change their marketing strategies because of increasing global competitiveness. These findings have a major effect on communication professionals. You may come to the table representing a specific discipline, but to succeed in this new era you must be flexible, versatile and responsive to business issues.

All of us have found ourselves in meetings where business problems are discussed, but we aren't included in the problem-solving plan. Since clients and prospective clients often don't see the role of communication in solving their business problems, they might not ask for our assistance. For this reason, we must be alert to opportunities. We must be good listeners, almost to the point of being obsessive. We must read between the lines and be ready to act on what we learn. We must know if the client's problem involves an area in which we have enough experience, contacts or knowledge to find the solution. When we go to the client saying, "We have some ideas on how to deal with that problem," and lay out our ideas, the client's reaction is often, "We had no idea you people could do this kind of thing!" As a result of this type of initiative, we have found ourselves involved in corporate reengineering programs, integrated launches of new products, redesigning internal communication programs, helping senior managers develop leadership skills and implementing total quality programs - far from the typical, commonly perceived role of public relations or communication.

The CAA example

In our opinion, the paradigm for the evolution toward solution-engineering consulting is Creative Artists Agency, Inc. (CAA). CAA began as a Hollywood, Calif., talent agency that grew to become the leader in its field, representing top actors, writers, directors, producers and performing artists. During the 1990s, CAA expanded its entertainment industry activities to include consulting relationships with a number of major corporations worldwide, including The Coca-Cola Company.

Coca-Cola's senior management was intrigued by CAA's link to popular culture through its clients, and the company was invited to present ideas for a new product advertising campaign. In 1991, CAA joined Coca-Cola's creative team as its worldwide media and communication consultant, with responsibility for developing global strategies for marketing, promotion, new technologies, sports, arts and entertainment. Advertising giant McCann-Erickson Worldwide, Coca-Cola's agency for nearly 40 years, suddenly found itself relegated to an arms-and-legs role, and New York City's Madison Avenue found itself with a major wake-up call.

What did CAA, a prototypical 21st-century professional service firm, bring to this assignment?

* A thorough understanding of all aspects of the entertainment industry, together with relationships at every level;