‘The Virgos of the Team’ and ‘Expert Sociologists’: Meet the Modern Day Strategist
Earlier this month, the 4A's announced the winner of the Jay Chiat Awards, which celebrate the advertising industry's best examples of strategic excellence. Taking home the top prize - the Grand Prix - that night was Leo Burnett Chicago for its Visionworks 'Subtitles' campaign. It takes the form of two foreign-language films that require subtitles to follow along. Throughout, the subtitle text gets ever smaller as part of an incredibly sneaky test of vision for every viewer. We actually spoke with Leo Burnett Chicago CCO, Britt Nolan, about the campaign in detail when it broke back in June.
However, with the Jay Chiat Awards Grand Prix fresh in our minds, we were keen to pick the strategic brains behind the campaign. Those brains belong to Bria Cobb, senior strategist at Leo Burnett Chicago. LBB's Addison Capper caught up with her.
LBB> The theme of this year's StratFest was 'lingua franca' - when agencies talk ‘creative-ese’ and marketers talk ‘growth’. Strategists serve as translators, bridge builders and connectors of dots helping both sides connect. Why do you believe strategists are so adept at the lingua franca between creativity and commerce?
Bria> Strategy operates at the intersection of creativity and commerce. A strategist’s value comes from their ability to straddle these two worlds: speaking both the language of creativity that inspires, and the language of commerce that drives growth for brands. We’re the Virgos of the team: analytical and service-oriented. We understand the needs of both worlds and it goes against our nature to not solve problems. When bridges (or shared languages) need to be built, we grab our hard hats and go to work.
LBB> How has this element of a strategist's role evolved in recent years?
Bria> The language of creativity has evolved. Contrary to popular belief, we’re still living in the golden era of television. Our work isn’t competing with the next 30-second spot. It’s competing with high-production value programming featuring star-studded casts and laugh out loud humour (I’m looking at you, Abbott Elementary!). For a brand’s message to be remembered post-credits, it needs to resonate on a deeply emotional level, standing out not only through creative execution but through storytelling that taps into universal human truths. The same can be said about social platforms.
Our work needs to feel as compelling and culturally relevant as the content we binge or scroll past, with narratives that people can relate to, reflect on, and share. No two humans are the same so identifying universal human truths doesn’t come easy. Today’s strategists are expert sociologists.
LBB> With all that in mind, how do you feel it relates to the strategy for Visionworks?
Bria> People are OBSESSED with subtitles. Myself included. Is this factoid revolutionary? No. But, taking something in culture that people adore (subtitles on any channel – from TV to social) and smashing it together with something they can’t stand (annual eye exams) to create a campaign so emotionally charged it’s impossible to ignore? Now that is groundbreaking. Our work gave people something to relate to, reflect on and share.
LBB> More generally, tell us about Visionworks! It's such a brilliant piece of work. What was the strategy and why?
Bria> At a time when the average American spends more than seven hours per day staring at screens, increased use of digital devices has exacerbated the strain on eyesight. Yet, fewer than 50% of Americans get their annual eye exams.
Why? Because the category is mired in complexity, oversaturation and lacks transparency. The customer journey is trash and riddled with pain points. Fewer exams means fewer opportunities for Visionworks to provide straightforward, quality eye care. Our mission was simple: demonstrate how Visionworks breaks the cycle of apathy with radical simplicity and motivate people to get an eye exam at Visionworks.
LBB> What kind of insights and research informed the strategy?
Bria> When it comes to eye care, Visionworks is synonymous with simplicity: effortless appointment scheduling, straightforward shopping with frames organised by price not brand – unlike many competitors, transparent pricing and a 100-day satisfaction guarantee.
Elder gen Zers are turning 26, meaning millions of twentysomethings are being drop kicked into reality as they get removed from their parent or guardian’s health insurance. Seven out of ten gen Zers, and their millennial counterparts, believe that they have a much harder time ‘adulting’ than their parents did. Tell me a cohort who needs simplicity in their lives now more than ever.
But, they hate ads. Lucky for us, they love subtitles. What was once seen as an option of last resort for foreign films or for the hearing impaired is now indispensable. Annual eye exams needed a similar rebrand to shift perceptions from disruptive to essential. Enter: Visionworks.
LBB> Tell me about the languages and styles of film you used, and how it factored into the strategy.
Bria> Both films were written and performed in German and Japanese - requiring most folks to read English subtitles to follow the plot. The dialogue is written to draw the viewer in, compelling them to follow through to the end.
Both spots – ‘Bed’ and ‘Bomb’ - needed to spark that what-the-heck-am-I-watching? curiosity. The kind of curiosity that makes viewers lean in, wondering if they've accidentally flipped to a different channel or entered some alternate reality. We wanted people so hooked that they were on the edge of their seats, questioning their entire experience, only to realise that it's an ad. That's the magic - when the ad doesn’t feel like an ad. It's the ultimate trojan horse where entertainment and brand sneak in like a ninja. There’s no better way to demonstrate radical simplicity than administering a real-time test of vision by way of a 30-second ad.
LBB> I interviewed Britt Nolan about that campaign, and we spoke about his desire to see more advertising that is genuinely funny. From a strategic standpoint, what is your view?
Bria> Someone had to say it – I agree. For this reason, I brief my teams like I'm performing a stand-up routine - punchy, sharp, and designed to land. If we want our work to be the same and land with consumers, it’s the job of a strategist to set that expectation from day one. It’s clear that humour is trending again—Cannes Lions saw a 48% increase in submissions tagged with 'humour' in 2023 versus 2022.
But, when it comes to humour, one size definitely doesn’t fit all. Cultural intelligence is critical. The trick is making a diverse audience laugh with you, not feel like they’re the punchline or the blind spot. The recent Heinz work – the ‘Smiles’ campaign state side and the ‘Ridiculously Good Pasta Sauce’ advert from across the pond – serve as cautionary tales. To add insult to injury, the latter debuted during Black History Month in the UK. Talk about a bad look.
The goal isn’t to make your creative partner belly laugh. And it’s definitely not about getting laughs from your industry peers who often share the same experiences, backgrounds or ‘me-too’ identities. Plot twist: being a straight white dude isn’t a requirement for having killer comedy chops. Everyone can’t be Lorne Michaels. Humour is an equal-opportunity sport and great jokes that land universally can come from anyone. Comedy doesn't check IDs at the door.
The ultimate goal is to create work that sparks shared laughter and connection, transcending personal biases and making the message stick with diverse audiences. And all audiences are diverse. This is not an impossible task.
Dear ad industry, stop defunding DE&I, your biggest blind spot, and do better.
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?
Bria> For most of my career, I’ve been spoiled by having creative partners who acknowledge, respect and include strategists in their process. Shoutout to our creative lead, Brian Shembeda, and his all-star team for delivering creative brilliance through this campaign.
But, I’ve also sat in reviews wondering, ‘How did we get here? And why?’ Briefings are the only guaranteed moment when the strategist has the floor to relay as much useful information as possible. So, I choose to pick my battles. I’m thoughtful about when and how I flag information and express feedback or concerns. If it doesn’t come out in the wash, it'll come out in the rinse.
But, there’s some wild personalities in this industry and people are precious about their work. Communication and cross-functional collaboration are key. We’re all working towards the same goal, and it’s the strategists who often bring the team back to centre.
LBB> The Jay Chiat Awards are among the rare recognitions for the strategic thought behind projects. How significant is this celebration of strategy and strategists as the builders of a lingua franca?
Bria> Obviously, I’m biased, but strategy doesn’t get enough recognition. Full stop. So, this is a MEGA moment for us. Every discipline has a role to play. Creatives deliver the big ideas and creative innovations. Account spearheads client relationships. Media focuses on how our message reaches the masses. Strategists think about the bigger picture - brand positioning, long-term goals, and audience insights. We’re essential to everyone’s bottom line. No one needs to wonder what strategists bring to the table - we brought the table, the chairs and the tastefully crafted charcuterie board.
