#1 First one's a charm... or third?!

I'm going to google it after this.

Hi,

This is Room To Fail, a newsletter about learning how to be a strategist right beside me, a junior-strat that is constantly (and fearfully) looking for things to do wrong & fail at, just to only get them right the next time. Or the next.

I’m Irina. Welcome and buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Hopefully.

🧠⚡︎BRAIN FAILURE

Yesterday, thinking about why I want to follow this path of communication strategy and planning - and also making a list about that - I had a moment. I got why I love this as much as I do. And I mean the cherry on top, not the whole solution finding, creative work bottom. This drop of awesomeness is that, as a strat, I don’t have to talk to people that much.

Yeah, look at the section title again.

A little bit of background: I studied law and became some sort of legal adviser by diploma and, while in school, I worked as a legal assistant tied to a phone all day long. Then I got into advertising. I worked as a copywriter, part of a creative team, concept seeker, headline juggler for the last 6 years. I loved the job, but hated sitting in long and unproductive brainstormings and talking, talking, talking. Then meetings. Then ending up thinking at my desk at the end of the day. Only so much more tired.

So, I like people (most of the times) but I love doing the strategy work, among other reasons, that I’m on my own and can ask for help and feedback only when I need it. I feel I’m more creative and so much more efficient.

How do you work best?

(Don’t forget: there’s always a reply button up there.)

Ok, shut up, brain, and let us dive into failing!

🤯 “HOW DID THEY THINK ABOUT THAT?!” SECTION

So this is the part where you read how others know stuff and are so damn smart. All with wonder and despair. But we’ll get there.

One of the first things I read when I decided to become a strategist, was this article of Mr.-you-are-so-going-to-hear-about-him-again Pollard which makes everything feel a little bit easier to grasp. That excitement that I need to learn everything at the pace of - hmmm - today, was also anxiety-provoking. So this is a much needed read.

As a former copywriter, my first strategy tasks (now I speak like, oh, I did so many) came with a big, annoying question: where does strategy end and when does creative work start? Now I got it - it doesn’t matter as long you give the creative team what they need to create. The article synthesises this job and how to start so that you feel strategy is what you’re doing. Also, you can spiral into Mark Pollard’s articles, podcast and social media until 3 in the morning when you realise you should get some sleep before that 9am meeting.

🍴INTERESTING TOOLS TO GET WRONG

This is the section where we learn stuff. Every week I get into a framework I use or want to learn to use to get the job done. The trick is to use them when they are helpful, not on each brand. Sounds obvious, but I sometimes feel the need to use them all just to put some structure into my brain and end up more confused.

Brand Pyramid

This is one that stuck with me and I use it just to sum up the brand and have the basics in one place. I come back to it when too much info is rolling around my brain. I think it also helps copywriters put themselves into the brand’s shoes and get the tone of voice.

You can read more about it and save your framework on drive here. I started a framework gallery I’ll share with you as we go.

After understanding the pyramid I had like 5 minutes of this:

📚 THE STRATEGY BOOK CLUB

(COMPLETED: Y/N, 0 pages)

Yeah, books emoji. So what if it is obvious?!

Because this is the strategy book club, let’s plan first.

I stumbled (that’s still how I get info) upon this deck organised by Planning Dirty and Genius Steals (Yup, go on spiralling. Don’t forget to drink water.) and chose 4 books to order: Under think it, How not to plan, Where did it all go wrong?, A beautiful constraint.

Why? Well, I wanted to start at the bottom, but also see what the experienced guys are reading. When I got them I realised I chose the ones that seem to teach how to fail.

So I’ll start Underthink it and tell you how it goes next week.

Huh, you are almost done reading. I promise to try making it shorter.
And probably fail. Also, thanks for coming back from all that Mark Pollard ideas and the other links.

Stay curious and keep failing - only to become better,

i.

I would love to get your advice, questions and suggestions. Tell me how this newsletter is failing so I can make it better. So stop thinking it’s a stupid question or poor advice. Just press reply and write to me!