Does your BrandTeam play like Brazil...or Germany? (Part 2)

Welcome back to the second half of three 'halves', and my selections for the defence and midfield. In Part 1, I named the Head Coach- aka the marketing director. I selected Joachim Low (Germany). Let's now move onto the pitch.

I'll start at the back - with number 1 - the Goalkeeper

In truth every team needs their keeper to be dependable rather than spectacular. It's one position, along with centre back, where choosing to play safe is not an option. While Enyema of Nigeria was one of the Cups best keepers (after the States Tim Howard, no-one made more line stops) his showmanship caught the eye, but it's Germany's Hans Neuer's command of his area that helped them catch the Cup.

At a towering 6ft 3 his ball handling skills - with feet not just hands - meant Germany often appeared to press with 11 outfield players. As the definitive Sweeper-Keeper none started as many attacks from outside their box. Over seven matches he conceded least, only four times.

So, who is the BrandTeam keeper in my line-up?

No 1 - The PR executive

Here's why. When a defender miskicks the ball in his 6-yard box, letting his opponent in, it's akin to the own goal of a faulty product being recalled. This is when the PR guy steps in to steady the brand ship. Handling the press coolly and responsibly, they take the sting out of the situation; rather like the way Neuer plucks the most stinging of shots, calmly out of the air.

While PR also has an ongoing positive role - crisis or no crisis - when it comes to reputation management, their media connections and organisation will always make them the first line of defence.

No 2 - The producer

Captain, full back, and rock of German football over the last decade, Philipp Lahm, finally succeeded in lifting the coveted title this summer. However, his success did not begin during this terrific and turbulent World Cup.

But rather, it was through years of refining his, and his teams, personal attributes to peak on July 13. For example, extra sessions with his defence after training, became the norm.

Similarities are apparent with Lahm's role in the team, and that of the TV and Radio Producer in the BrandTeam. From the early days of the tactics board sessions, 'scripting' how the team will play, Lahm has consistently realised that vision on the field.

Equally, the producer is the one who oversees the execution of the 'script' and has a vision of how the spot should look or sound, and strives towards it. Monitoring timelines and mindful of bottom lines, he keeps costs in check while maintaining the teams effectiveness.

In essence Philipp Lahm, is 'The Producer." Without his bedrock of training the team would not have worked as well defensively. While in the agency case, without the producer, the team would not deliver the final product.

No 3 - The media planner

My world cup choice, left back of Belgium, Jan Vertonghen. Nobody worked the channels with as much vision or as much vigour. While it describes his contribution to Belgium's campaign it also describes the role played by the media planner (the backroom's unsung hero) in putting campaigns together.

Jan, like the media planner, is always looking for new spaces to exploit. In my experience, the planner is neither left nor right brain, but both. Besides making the numbers add up, the best are creative with use of spaces. They are as good at delivering eyeballs, as Vertonghen is with delivering footballs.

Ultimately there's no point finding the right message if the right people don't see it. Without the media guy, the fans wouldn't know the match is happening; and the team would only be playing for themselves.

No 4 - The research analyst

While Argentina's holding defensive midfielder, Javier Mascherano takes no prisoners with his tackling; the research team takes to number crunching just as seriously. He (and they) are both the solid foundation their sides need to build upon. They nip trouble in the bud, by providing a 'wall' of knowledge that ensures there are no holes or gaps in the teams thinking.

In Brazil, Mascherano's defensive discipline and focus broke up the opposition play, and continually provided Lionel Messi (my choice at no 10) with a stream of passes to feed off. This is akin to the data feed of research that the strategic planners analyse for the right insight.

The soundest arguments are always based on solid facts. You really can't make your case without them. That's why my BrandTeam will always take the field with the research analyst patrolling the final third, defending the teams positioning.

No 5 - The client service director

If the buck stops at client end with the marketing director (aka- Head Coach) the CSD is the first to know about it. In 24 hour contact with his MD, he must swing into action using his experience to come up with a plan that defends the brand, and in so doing ups the agency reputation. While his partner at the back (No 6 -the brand manager) deals in day to day detail, the CSD deals in the broad brush strokes of each project keeping it on brief while ensuring the back line holds.

For me, Matt Hummels was Germany's CSD on the pitch. Nothing got past him or ruffled him. Strong on decision making and clear in communication, his was the head that regularly cleared danger, and even scored on two occasions.

A great CSD sticks to his client, the way Hummels sticks to his opponent...up close and personal. But with one difference: where the German centre back uses a lot of force, the client service director uses a little flattery.

No 6 - The brand manager

While the client service director projects the agency interest at the client end; the brand manager on the client side protects the brand's interest at the agency.

As brand ambassador he (or she) plays the role of a go-between, to ensure the clients vision is briefed in well, is understood, and is followed. A potential marketing director in the making, the keener his interest in agency process, the better their understanding of both sides. That's why the good brand managers are our allies. As well as being the best defenders of the brand.

The giant, Efe Ambrose (Nigeria) and the slim Tiago Silva (Brazil) were defenders who caught my eye. Tiago gets my vote, as he mirrored this 'go-between' role well at the World Cup; and was clearly missed in the hosts penalty area against Germany. His ability to rotate play and calmly keep the ball rolling, echoes the BM's mandate to continually oil the wheels of our brand dialogues.

No 8 - The creative planner

In my BrandTeam, he is the one who makes the playmaker play. His, is the pivotal role of turning defence into attack. Sitting ahead of the research analyst - Mascherano (at no 4) and just behind my copywriter - Messi (no 10) he unearths the insights that the creative director (no 9) and art director (no 7) turn into bullets destined for the top corner!

But where do strategic planners find insights? In my view the truly good ones are based on subtle, repeated patterns of human behaviour, that become a trend. Trouble is, spotting a pattern in a haystack of information requires a special mind. One that knows where the proverbial needle lies and sees the many threads that link one needle to another. The research analyst helps him here. By supplying the relevant data, the way Mascherano constantly feeds the ball to his No 8 or no 10.

Many big players failed to give this midfield direction at the World Cup. Toure, Pirlo and Paulino, among them. Germany's Schweinsteiger clearly delivered, but I want to sing the praises for an unknown before the Cup: the 'unsung' Juan Cuadrado of Columbia. His fast, focused, and unfussy rotational play (often from wide) was the perfect foil for the explosive no 10 - James Rodríguez. So much so, that Rodriguez ended the tournament as the World Cup's leading goal scorer, while Cuadrado provided the joint most assists.

Here's a question you may need to answer: Are your team's creative planners providing enough insight assists?

Who will make up your defensive roles and in what positions? Add your comments below. For who will form my attack from No 7 through to No 11 (of course no guesses for my no 10!) see Part 3 on Monday.

I'd really appreciate your comments (and alternative role selections) to: moc.liamg@nilocrrom