Planning for the Best: The Glass Is Always Half-Full with Navinda Kittisubkul

Navinda is a co-conspirator with creatives and clients from various sectors such as finance, real estate, retail, FMCG, and more. She works to capture the imagination of consumers, especially Gen Z. Her experience includes working with local and global clients to transform their business challenges into Famously Effective works, daily. 

LBB> What do you think is the difference between a strategist and a planner? Is there one? 

Navinda> I don't think there is one, but personally, I prefer to be called a strategist since it gives a better sense of what we do. It beyond planning, it goes deeper into cracking, defining, realising, and orchestrating all the insight and data into one solid route to solve a client's business issue.

LBB> And which description do you think suits the way you work best?

Navinda> 'Famously Effective', it serves as Grey Group's North star but also defines the way we work as a strategist. Locating the right insight incorporates how we deliver in order to set the campaign direction through a creative or a media planner. The key is to bring that mantra to life.

LBB> We're used to hearing about the best creative advertising campaigns, but what's your favourite historic campaign from a strategic perspective? One that you feel demonstrates great strategy?

Navinda> I think about 'Friendshit – Kasikornbank' as it connected social tension to a product's benefit in a unique way. 'KPLUS' is a super app that features many functions. While we knew that our gen Z target often struggled to connect with others, and this is a universal insight, we made the multi-functions of the app to be the bridge to show that you can shine and gain popularity! The famously effective campaign became a local phenomenon and gained global attention for both -the brand, and our agency, GREYnJ United Thailand.

LBB> When you're turning a business brief into something that can inform an inspiring creative campaign, do you find the most useful resource to draw on?

Navinda> It's hard to define specific tools since each brief will guide us on what truth we seek and require. However, I do rely on authentic consumer voices as the heart of everything. After all, we are all human, and we need to deliver on communication among humans - so let them give us a clue!

LBB> What part of your job/the strategic process do you enjoy the most?

Navinda> That magic moment when the creative work awakens our strategic approach and makes it into reality. This moment always reminds me of the value of guiding the way, painting the picture for both clients and the creative. If the strategy has given the work soul, it's always powerful. 

LBB> What strategic maxims, frameworks or principles do you find yourself going back to over and over again? Why are they so useful? 

Navinda> Goal! Goal! Goal! I never let myself get distracted from the key destination we must reach and what we must deliver for our clients. Sometimes, the brief may be unclear or complex, but as the strategist, I need to navigate the whole campaign journey. In addition, it's essential to define the main goal and help prioritize the others. We cannot deliver 'famously effective' work if the end is a blurred line.

LBB> What sort of creatives do you like to work with? As a strategist, what do you want them to do with the information you give them?

Navinda> The one that strictly works towards the strategic brief and gives us wings! As the business issues these days are quite challenging, the way strategists lay down the insights in the campaign journey is not only for closing the gap, but it also needs to be connected, a linkage to deliver the task. This then takes us to where we want to be.

LBB> There's a negative stereotype about strategy being used to validate creative ideas, rather than as a resource to inform them and make sure they're effective. How do you make sure the agency gets this the right way round?

Navinda> There's no absolute one right way in this world, especially in creativity-driven culture. Besides, validation will always be a part of a strategist's life and can be featured in a different role alongside cracking the brief. It doesn't matter when and how the strategy was utilised if we are helping our clients achieve their goals. 

LBB> What have you found to be the most important consideration in recruiting and nurturing strategic talent? And how has Covid changed the way you think about this?

Navinda> The basic-simple components are still the same; be human, insightful, responsible and capable of representing their thoughts. As we are in a post-covid era and no one knows if there might be any other future issues, so we make some ground rules to make everyone's life better. We know the agency is not a one-person show, so we build on our relationships and have open communication, and this gives us a strong foundation to help us all stay connected through this new hybrid working world.

LBB> In recent years it seems like effectiveness awards have grown in prestige and agencies have paid more attention to them. How do you think this has impacted on how strategists work and the way they are perceived?

Navinda> "If you can't measure it, you can't change it." -Peter Drucker. This quote has lived in me for a long time since it's where our work meets our client's goals and expectations. Great work must be measured, and this reflects effectiveness. The more you can see the beauty in this, the more clients will see you as a true partner who helps them to create business impact.

LBB> Do you have any frustrations with planning/strategy as a discipline?

Navinda> Those who put themselves only behind theories and are not in touch with reality. What's the point of showing yourself as a prodigy but then giving nothing to the business brief? Being a good strategist is not when you shine the light on yourself. Instead, you need to be the one giving the light towards creativity and your clients - that's much more impactful.

LBB> What advice would you give to anyone considering a career as a strategist/planner?

Navinda> The glass is always half-full. Change is eternal. Even ChatGPT will eventually be replaced with some other innovation. We must keep ourselves on track, constantly update, and always stay human. Insights never die, and creativity is an endless journey.