APG announces BMF’s Ali Tilling as Biggest Thinker at APG’s Battle of Big Thinking

More than 140 people attended Tuesday night’s APG Battle of Big Thinking to see BMF joint head of planning Ali Tilling take out the title of 2016 Biggest Thinker.

Arguing that brand building is irrelevant, Tilling convinced attendees with an entertaining and compelling plea for brands to be more like Robin than Batman. The analogy called on brands to deconstruct ideas, seek out imperfections and to stop creating problems to solve.

The Battle of Big Thinking also included debates on the utiilty of wearables and the rise of robots over humans. The debating line up featured Ben Cooper, Tricky Jigsaw; Bob Forster, Clemenger BBDO; Jane Burhop, Common Ventures, Danny Fiorentini, Muzeek and Brett Rolfe, Naked.

The Battle of Big Thinking was held as part of the VIVID festival of light, music and ideas.

Says Angela Morris, chair, APG: “Battle has always been one of our most fun and interactive events, as our contestants fight for our audiences’ vote. We’re delighted to have hosted it as part of Vivid Ideas for the first time this year. Ali put up an entertaining and provocative argument, reminding us to question everything.”

Says Tilling: “To argue that brand building is irrelevant to an audience of your agency peers was daunting but I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. Whilst my argument may have been more sport than fact, the battle gave me an opportunity to question my own perceptions about the business of creativity, and the very real challenges we face as an industry to protect and promote the importance of brands.”

The APG represents planners and anyone interested in strategic thinking within the advertising and PR industry. Members get together throughout the year at Ideas Exchange events, and participate in the bi-annual Planning Idol and Creative Strategy Awards.