Are You Running Around Like A Headless Chicken?

About 10 years ago I came across an acronym that changed the entire way I approach creativity - and wanted to pass it on.

One of the biggest mistakes I see in creative production - across TV, branded content, digital publishing - is that people go straight to execution. They leap from idea to delivery without properly kicking the tyres. They're essentially running around like headless chickens - all over the shop, no sense of direction and creating a bloody mess everywhere.

But in a saturated market, where content is everywhere and attention is scarce, we need to be smarter. Whether I’m producing for a broadcaster, a brand, or publishing through our own channels, I always follow the same formula:

KSE: Knowledge. Strategy. Execution. In that order. Always.

K is for Knowledge

Before I generate or respond to an idea, I immerse myself in the knowledge phase.

That means:

• Researching the genre, the trends, the gaps.
• Understanding what’s been made before - what actually worked and more importantly, what didn't.
• Studying competitors or comparators: who’s doing it well and why.
• Digging into audience behaviours - not just the audience for the content, but the audience for the platform it’ll live on.
• Looking at platform-specific insights. What works on YouTube doesn’t always land on Instagram. What rates on Channel 4 might not trend on Netflix.

Whether I’m working to a client or commissioning brief or self-publishing, I treat knowledge like fuel. Without it, you're guessing. With it, you’re making informed creative decisions.

S is for Strategy

Once you’ve got the knowledge, the strategy becomes your blueprint. This is where we ask:

• What exactly are we making?
• Who’s it for?
• What does it look, feel and sound like?
• How long is it? What’s the tone? The pace?
• How do we ensure it lands - and sticks?

Strategy is where content meets business thinking. You’re mapping out how your idea will succeed in its environment. That includes:

• Platform-specific plans for distribution and engagement
• Partnerships (with creators, fanbases, brands)
• Campaigns and launch moments
• Marketing hooks, paid support, and post-launch tactics

If knowledge is the research phase, strategy is the business plan.

E is for Execution

Only now - only once you’ve done the work - do you get to make the thing.

Execution becomes powerful when it’s grounded in insight and shaped by a strong strategy. You’re not just producing something that looks good. You’re delivering something with purpose, precision, and potential.

The result? You’re not crossing your fingers hoping the content lands. You know it has the best possible shot of thriving - because you’ve engineered every element to succeed.

KSE Works Everywhere

KSE isn’t just a TV thing. It’s not just a branded content thing. It’s the framework I use whether I’m pitching a commissioner, delivering for a client, publishing something via Spirit’s own channels or negotiating with my 10 year old.

The audience might be different. The buyer might be different. The format might shift. But the process stays the same.

And When You Want to Go Deeper…

KSE is the foundation. It gets you in the game. But if you want to play at an advanced level, you also need to understand activation - what happens after launch.

Because the truth is, when something publishes or TXs, that’s not the end. That’s the start of the fire. And most people don’t plan for that.

But that’s a conversation for another day.