Why Research Frustrates Creatives - and How to Fix It

Creatives blame the brief. Strategists blame the process. And researchers? You're stuck in the middle translating chaos into clarity. In this sharp, no-filter panel, planners reveal exactly where research loses them—and what they actually need to make insights land and ideas ignite. Three of Canada's most provocative strategic voices - Amy Badun (Head of Strategy, Gut), Ian Westworth (Head of Strategy, Grey), and Vlad Plouts (Strategy Director, Diamond) - get brutally honest about what kills creative momentum, what a genuinely useful insight actually looks like, and why the gap between research and creativity is a fixable problem, not an inevitable one. Moderated by Llisa Morrow of Leger, this is the conversation both sides of the table have been needing to have.

Speakers:

• Llisa Morrow - Vice President, Central Canada Public Affairs, Leger
• Vlad Plouts - Strategy Director, Diamond Marketing Group
• Ian Westworth - SVP, Head of Planning & Effectiveness, Grey Canada
• Amy Badun - Head of Strategy, GUT Toronto