APG Creative Strategy awards 25th September
Hello from The Nursery Research & Planning.
Yes, that’s our full, official name. Granted and understandably, no-one ever gets beyond ‘Nursery’ and most people see us as a research company. But ‘planning’ has always been a central part of our DNA, the purpose behind the activity.
There can, however, be a tension between ‘research’ and ‘planning’. In researching a plan, you are letting people into your ideas for the future, into concepts and executions that haven’t yet been realised. It raises all types of questions around how an idea can be reasonably tested, how consumers can judge work in progress.
The answer of course is that plans should not be judged, not really tested at all. But a plan can be shared, and it can be developed and progressed through that sharing process. In all walks of life, plans will evolve, become more refined, nuanced, more accessible – and emerge stronger for that. The Nursery (Research and Planning) has always sought to use research to support planning, to explore, embolden and enrich ideas … certainly not to fight them or rip them up.
In believing research should always be a positive step in the planning process, we have maintained a close relationship with the APG, who continue to fly the flag for great creative strategy. The upcoming APG awards (including a Nursery sponsored ‘Contribution to Brand Growth’) and the many and varied listed nominees suggest that the planning discipline remains full of imaginative and intelligent thinking. But if there’s a call to arms here, it’s to reflect on the value that creative development research can bring to the realisation of strategy: evolving thinking, helping ideas along, finding reassurance and, just maybe, a splash or two of inspiration.
The research industry hasn’t always been helping itself with this argument lately: pointed evaluations over composed explorations, online efficiencies over emotional subtleties. AI has many uses in research, but developing the relationship between an idea and the people it is designed to connect with isn’t one of them. Excellent creative development has never really been about the things people say or the numbers that said it, but emotions, expressions and the connections created, an idea with real potential over a consensus preference. The informed and open-minded planner, the commercial and sensitive researcher, and some in-person qual remains a powerful combination.
Good luck on Thursday to all the APG nominees, and we’ll see you on the other side!
The Nursery delivers inspiring research around people, brands and creativity. Our methods are designed to explore audiences, inform and measure brand effectiveness and nurture new ideas. Our 50 researchers and data scientists work across the world from our London hub. For us, research is an investment and we use our skills and experience to make the most of that investment. We always focus on the future, seeing the possibilities for your brand to grow. Get in touch hello@the-nursery.net to learn more.