Interview with a Planner: Annie Perretta, Ogilvy

Annie is a native New Yorker, a modern dance fanatic, a podcast newbie, an ice cream enthusiast.  She has been a Senior Strategist in Engagement Planning for the past year at Ogilvy New York. I sat down with Annie to chat about the craft, the industry, and life. Here is the interview.

Why did you become a planner?

I have always believed that when brands put customers at the center of their decision-making, they are more creative, smarter, and act with greater integrity. While I was in grad school, I made it my goal to find a career in which I could act as an advocate for the customer.

That is why I was drawn to Customer Engagement at Ogilvy. Every strategic decision we make stems from the customer – who they are, what they need, how they act. Of course, we must be smart about a company’s brand and its competitive landscape. But at the end of the day, we set out with the intention of making a customer’s life better in some way. I find that pretty inspiring. 

How do you define the role of a planner?

It varies from project to project. In general, I like to think planners build the bridge between the business problem and the creative output. We gather as much data and information as possible, strip it down to find our key opportunities and translate it in a way that is engaging and inspirational.

What keeps you awake at night? 

As consumers, we can completely cater what types of content we see. In some ways, this is fantastic. In our digital landscape, there are more outlets to hear voices that haven’t been heard before.  But, on the flip side, I think our country is losing a shared sense of culture and common ground that allows us to relate to one another.  

We strive to deliver customers content that is ultra-personalized and relevant, but sometimes I wonder how we are contributing to some of the cultural partisanship we see in this country. 

Tell me something that you believe to be true that others might not agree with?

I don’t really believe in fate or destiny, but I do think that when it comes to your career, things tend to work out for the best. Failure forces you to rethink your strategy and come up with a new alternative. Often, you end up in a better place than when you started. I think the key is to be flexible and willing to shift gears when necessary.

What advice do you have for people that want to get into planning in an advertising agency? 

I came to Ogilvy from a very untraditional background. I worked at a non-profit organization for almost four years, I started a small retail business with my mom, and I got my MBA. So, my number one piece of advice is that there is no clear-cut path to becoming a planner.  

The skills we use every day are transferable across industries: we analyze data, we seek out trends, we use frameworks to organize our thinking and uncover new business opportunities. At the end of the day, what drives planners is their insatiable curiosity and love of learning. So, I would tell people who are interested in Strategy to seek out opportunities where they get to learn and exercise their critical thinking as much as possible.   

Any good books that you recommend? 

From a business perspective, I enjoyed The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman. It is a super digestible introduction to human-centered design. It trained me to tackle business problems from a customer lens. 

In terms of fiction, my favorite book this year has been Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. It is a stunning read that begins in 18th Century Ghana and ends in modern day America, highlighting the transformation (or lack thereof) of systemic and society racism.  

What’s your life like outside of work?  

I am trying to expand my cooking horizons, so I’m experimenting with new recipes and types of food.  I’ve also set a personal goal to see more of New York. While I grew up in this city, there are still so many neighborhoods that I haven’t visited or spent time in. I’m trying to rectify that and explore more.  

And, I try to spend as much time as I can with my friends, who continue to inspire me. 

I confess that do enjoy a veg-out session in front of my TV from time to time. We all have our guilty pleasures.