Overview:
We have a simple belief — Unexpected Works. It means that the best idea is the one you never saw coming. The thing that catches you so off guard that you can‘t look away. And the only path to genuinely unexpected works is through creativity. Not just what passes for creativity because it answers a brief, looks the part and helps everyone sleep at night. But creativity that is foreign, surprising and interesting enough to cause jaws to drop and sales to soar. It’s having the fresh perspective and raw energy to bring something into the world that no one’s ever seen before. We’re talking about the courage to shake things up and maybe even tear a few things down. And knowing that what most would call the finish line is where the real work starts. We believe in people, product, and profit, in that order. For us, people always come first. They’re the soul of our agency. It takes amazing folks to make amazing work. That’s why we make sure everyone who comes through the door is as great as the people who are already here. It’s also why we constantly strive to build diverse teams where everyone brings something unique to the table. Because you can’t make the unexpected if you only work with the usual suspects. By bringing together diverse thinkers with different backgrounds and perspectives, we validate Bill Bernbach’s notion that an idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it. So, come be part of the magic.
We’re looking for a thinker and a doer who is equal parts intellectually rigorous and creatively curious, with an instinct for relating a good story and a penchant for making the complex simple.
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The successful candidate will be passionate about finding new ways to bring ideas to life, and they will be able to communicate those points of view clearly and persuasively.
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Lead the discovery of integrated insights and strategic planning in service of uncovering innovative business opportunities and inspiring unexpected creative ideas.
Responsibilities:
This role will stretch across several critical workstreams, in service of one of DDB’s largest clients. Key workstreams: Innovation, Creative Briefing & Development, and Research. Responsibilities include the following:
- Help create and present thoughtful and provocative strategies, creative briefs, brand ideas, and experience plans.
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Keep a finger on the pulse of existing and emerging trends across the consumer, cultural, and innovation landscapes, and integrate this knowledge into strategies and team share-outs.
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Champion the evaluation, refinement, and development of highly innovative ideas, working closely with an integrated cross-functional team of Creative, Analytics, Research, Account, and Strategy members to make recommendations.
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Support the Research workstream with developing clear narratives and identifying strong implications for the business.
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Support the Strategy Director in day-to-day strategic output and analysis.
- Identify opportunities to constantly improve the quality of thinking applied to our client's business by inspiring and facilitating collaboration among agency and client team members.
Qualifications:
- 4+ years experience in planning, strategic planning and related communications experience.
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Marketing background, creative problem-solving, and strong analytical capabilities a must.
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Ability to think creatively and evidence of success in developing brands and delivering them to market.
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Strong qualitative and quantitative research acumen; comfortable navigating, monitoring, and divining insight and ideas from search and social media.
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Passion for understanding Gen Z and youth culture.
DDB is committed to diversity in its workforce and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and to review all of our job postings to minimize biased language. DDB Chicago does not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state or federal law.
