Truth, Lies, and Advertising: The Art of Account Planning

Imagine standing on a street corner, watching a scene unfold from three different angles. At first glance, it looks like a simple mugging. But then you see the same event from another perspective — the supposed mugger is actually protecting the elderly man from falling bricks. Finally, from a high vantage point, the full story emerges: a young man rushing to shield another from danger. This story is a perfect metaphor for advertising. Without multiple perspectives, the truth remains hidden, and communication fails.

Advertising, like this scene, requires three critical viewpoints to be truly effective: the client’s business perspective, the agency’s creative perspective, and most importantly, the consumer’s opinions and prejudices. Each of these is a landmark on the map of understanding. Just as triangulation in geography uses three landmarks to pinpoint a location, advertising demands these three insights to find its place in the consumer’s mind.

Too often, advertisers focus solely on their message or their creative vision, forgetting that consumers are not passive recipients but active interpreters. They do not simply absorb messages; they fill in gaps, challenge assumptions, and make meaning for themselves. The best advertising is like a join-the-dots puzzle, where the advertiser connects some dots and invites the consumer to complete the picture. This participation creates a deeper, more personal connection than a blunt, one-way communication ever could.

Consider the power of a simple homeless person’s sign: “Will Work for Food.” In just four words, it communicates humility, honesty, and a plea that defies stereotypes. It respects the passer-by’s intelligence and invites empathy rather than pity. This is the kind of relationship advertising should strive for — intelligent, respectful, and engaging.

But what happens when advertisers ignore this? When they shout at consumers, telling them what to think without allowing space for their own interpretation? The result is often ignored ads, mental deflector shields, and wasted budgets. Consumers have evolved to filter out messages that do not resonate with their reality.

So, the first lesson is clear: embrace multiple perspectives and involve consumers as active participants. Only then can advertising truly connect, inspire, and influence. This understanding sets the foundation for the account planning approach that transforms advertising from noise into meaningful conversation.

As we move forward, we will explore how this philosophy gave rise to a new discipline within advertising agencies that serves as the consumer’s voice and guardian — a discipline that changed the way advertising is created and understood.