Teaching Strategy: From the Effie Awards to Effective Instruction

The strategy role is an important pillar of the advertising agency, but the discipline and its practices are constantly evolving. Educators must keep abreast of the practices of the most effective strategists worldwide. This study uses inductive textual analysis to examine Sweathead with Mark Pollard podcast episodes consisting of interviews with lead strategists from nine of the most effective agencies in the world, as rated by the “Effie Index.” Our research sought to understand the best practices of the world’s best strategists. The analysis revealed four findings about strategy best practices, which included the importance of (1) talking to consumers, (2) tapping into culture and intuition, (3) storytelling, and (4) sharpening strategy skills. Based on the best practices, recommendations are made for ways educators can use activities and assignments to hone students’ skills.