This article first appeared in Campaign written by, Ally Azizi, Junior Strategist from our London studio.
It might not be obvious when you’re hunched over your laptop for eight straight hours under fluorescent lights, but it is true that life as a creative means no two days are the same, often having to jump between brands, briefs, pitches and long-term projects.
And, as a strategist, that also means having to wear different caps. One minute you’re dissecting and stitching up client briefs and the next you’re trying to figure out which influencer would be the best fit for the experiential activation you’re planning.
Nonetheless, in navigating the beautiful chaos of the creative industry, I’ve managed to settle into a weekly thematic rhythm, because like Tina in The Bear, “I like working. I like routine.”
Monday
9.45am Does your week really start if your Tube station doesn’t decide to shut down again during peak rush hour? Naturally, this leaves me feeling a bit grumpy as I carry with me a bunch of complaints, but nothing like a good old pain au chocolate and a glass of cold water from our café to make me forget about my morning dramatics and start the day (again).
10am I slowly settle in and get my admin done, ie submitting my timesheets on time before Finance chases me (a very rare occurrence) and catching up with my deskmates Harry and Esther on our weekends (mine usually consists of relaxing horizontally and a walk, London weather permitting).
2pm The rest of the strategy team reunites during our weekly resource meeting, where we share updates on the projects we’re working on and see who might need support. This is usually when everyone fights for my time (the perks of being one of the most sought-after strategists… I kid, or not).
3pm What is ideally prime nap time, I plug some Olivia Rodrigo in and start working on the briefs I’ve been assigned to. This week, I’m split between two projects, one of which is focused on researching the changing behaviours of sports fandom and the other on understanding how apps improve omnichannel retail experiences. Two vastly different pieces of work, but double the enjoyment.
Tuesday
8.30am Ah, the midweek “work from home” day, my favourite. I start the morning off with a walk around the park by my flat, soaking in some vitamin D on this unusually sunny day. Feeling energised, I return home to take a call, followed by a three-hour focus session on some deep research.
11am It’s time for a little “brief bouncing” – a session where one of us brings in a brief or a piece of work we need feedback on from the rest of the team. These don’t happen as often as they should due to our very busy schedules, but when they do, you often leave feeling inspired and productive.
1pm Lunch. As I heat up my chicken and rice bowl, present me thanks past me for food prepping over the weekend, allowing me to fully appreciate my meal (devoured within 10 minutes).
2pm I keep my earlier momentum up and continue my research work, having random boosts of motivation each time I come up with an insight or find the missing puzzle piece for whatever strategic equation I’m creating.
Wednesday
10am Starting the day off strong with the strategy team’s “Culture Club”. Today, we talked about James Clear’s Atomic Habits and how we can incorporate better habits into our lives. What I love about these sessions are the diverse perspectives we each bring into the discussion, especially since a lot of us are from various parts of the world with different cultures and norms, which really enriches the conversation.
11.30am It’s time for “Research Safari”. As part of my task in understanding the role apps play in omnichannel retail strategies, I get the opportunity to do some window shopping on Regent Street, disguising myself as a secret shopper, taking notes of how each brand engages differently with its consumers and the kinds of special experiences it has in a physical environment.
1:30pm My feet are numb from the 14,000 steps I walked around central London, so I take a quick lunch break at Patara, only because I’m feeling fancy. While I wait for my food and my stomach grumbles, I fill my Notes app with more observations and thoughts that popped into my head during my survey of the stores. My mind wistfully floats to the £3000 Burberry Waterloo coat I tried on (of course, it was part of the research!).
3pm I return to the office with some anecdotes as I fill my Miro board with my findings and some quick analyses. With a cheeky side of Gail’s chocolate sablés.
5.30pm Wrapped up the day with helpful Gen Z insights to my team, by virtue of me being the unofficial Gen Z consultant. That means I get to decide if something is cool or cringe, because who doesn’t love a bit of honesty?
Thursday
10am For the latest edition of the strategy show and tell, I walked the team through a piece of consultancy work where I had to channel my inner data strategist to create a data model that would help our client understand where and how to activate their brand over a period of time. I’m pretty decent with Excel, so if you ever need a radar chart, I’m your girl.
2pm A quick piece of research needs to be done on a brand, which requires the usual but fundamental 4Cs research, brand or audience tensions that will help inform our insights and the overall creative brief.
6pm Finally, some long awaited after-work drinks with some much-needed catching up.
Friday
9.30am Now who doesn’t love a work-from-home Friday? I blast some Victoria Monét in my flat as I wrap up various tasks and tie off any loose ends.
12pm Back-to-back calls, either presenting decks filled with research, insights and ideation back to the team or having therapeutic one-on-one catch-ups with my colleagues, whom I don’t get to talk to often.
5.30pm I shut my laptop off for the next 48 hours, prepare some dinner and immerse myself into whatever my book of the week is, before we start the cycle again on Monday.
Behind the piece
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