Templatisation and automation: Is planning losing its edge?

Opinion

Are we, in our quest for standardised processes and automated solutions, sacrificing the very strategic, bespoke thinking that defines truly impactful media planning? asks Caroline Manning.

The advertising industry, in its relentless pursuit of efficiency and scale, has fallen deeply in love with the siren song of automation and templatisation. From programmatic buying to AI-driven insights, the promise is alluring: faster, cheaper, more precise. And undoubtedly, there are immense benefits to be reaped. Routine tasks can be streamlined, vast datasets can be processed in moments, and optimisations can occur at speeds no human could match.

But as we embrace these powerful tools, a quiet question begins to echo in the halls: Is planning losing its edge? Are we, in our quest for standardised processes and automated solutions, inadvertently sacrificing the very strategic, bespoke thinking that defines truly impactful media planning?

I’ve seen the allure of the template. It promises consistency, reduces errors, and speeds up delivery. For certain operational tasks, it’s a godsend. However, the danger arises when the template becomes the strategy, when “best practice” morphs into “only practice,” and when the unique nuances of a client’s challenge are forced into a pre-defined box. This can lead to generic plans, a lack of differentiation, and ultimately, a commoditisation of our craft.

Automation, while brilliant at executing defined parameters, struggles with the undefined. It can optimise bids, but can it anticipate a sudden cultural shift that renders a campaign tone-deaf?

It can analyse past performance, but can it truly understand a client’s unspoken anxieties or the subtle political landscape within their organisation? It can process data, but can it make the intuitive leap that connects disparate insights into a truly innovative media solution?

I don’t believe so.

Human capabilities

The “edge” of planning is what truly distinguishes a strategic partner from a media vendor – and it lies precisely in these human capabilities.

It’s in the critical thinking that challenges assumptions, even those generated by AI. It’s in the creative problem-solving that goes beyond the obvious channels. It’s in the ability to interpret complex data, not just report it, and to translate those interpretations into actionable, forward-looking strategies. It’s in the client relationship, understanding their business beyond the brief, and providing counsel that extends beyond media spend.

Automation increases efficiency, but it doesn’t replace the strategic value of planning. A planner’s value isn’t in competing with machines on speed or scale for routine tasks, but in leveraging those machines to free us up for higher-order thinking.

This means we must double down on what makes us uniquely human: our capacity for empathy, our cultural intelligence, our ability to connect dots that don’t immediately appear related, and our courage to propose bold, unconventional ideas.

We need to train our planners not just on how to operate automated systems, but also on how to critically evaluate their outputs, ask the right questions, and inject creativity and nuance into every plan.

The future isn’t about less planning, but smarter planning. It’s about a symbiotic relationship in which automation handles the heavy lifting of execution and optimisation, while human ingenuity provides the strategic vision, bespoke solutions, and the critical overlay that truly drives impact.

We must guard against the temptation to let templates dictate our thinking and ensure that our strategic edge remains sharp, adaptive, and deeply human. In a world of ever-increasing automation, the truly differentiated value will always come from the minds that can see beyond the numbers and craft something exceptional.

Caroline Manning is chief design officer at Initiative and writes monthly for The Media Leader.