Participants to the IPA Strategic Planning Course Changing Perspectives will come head to head with LEGO Serious Play expert Michael Fearne, who will challenge them to adopt new methods of thinking.

Fearne, who has worked with brands including KPMG, EY, Australia Post and Lexus, uses LEGO to engage people, change conversation dynamics and solve complex problems.

“Building something with your hands unlocks knowledge you didn’t know you had, and LEGO Serious Play is a different way to answer the big questions you’re already asking,” Fearne said.

The founder of LSP Academy adds to the already impressive line-up of speakers, including UK strategist Mark Earls (aka “HERDmeister”) and effectiveness expert Peter Field.

The IPA Strategic Planning Course Changing Perspectives aims to turn common marketing misconceptions upside down and to disrupt the status quo. Over the three-day residential course, speakers, chairs, and participants will experience a mental cleanse before collectively creating a manifesto on how marketing can be improved.

Described by The Guardian as “like Malcolm Gladwell on speed”, Mark Earls’ session promises to be fast and furious. He will bring the learnings from his latest book Copy, Copy, Copy to life in a workshop, and will also share previously unpublicised key learnings from the #IPASocialWorks study group – a project identifying good practice in social media effectiveness and measurement.

Earls’ interactive and tailored course aims to teach students how do ‘better’ strategy as well master how to think critically about advertising and marketing. The author and recovering planner believe planners need to be a lot sharper about the way they think about people and behaviour.

“Planners need to be able to recognise different styles of decision and adopt strategies appropriate to that style. And at speed. It’s tough but more fun!” he said.

“Less why do people do what they do and more how.”

Peter Field returns with his effectiveness deep dive, which was one of the most talked about highlights from last year’s course. Straight from the UK, Field will be sharing the best and latest thinking on marketing effectiveness based on his analysis on the IPA Databank.

The course, which is designed for advertising and marketing communications professionals with upwards of five years’ experience, will be chaired in Sydney by M&C Saatchi Australasia chief strategy officer Justin Graham (27-29 August) and in Melbourne by AJF Partnership head of strategy Pieter-Paul von Weiler (3-5 September).

The co-chairs are J. Walter Thompson executive strategic planner Angela Morris in Sydney, and BWM Dentsu head of strategy Jordan Price in Melbourne.

Commenting on the timeliness of the course, Morris said: “There have never been more ways to reach people than we have today, but it’s never been harder, because audiences are cynical, marketing fatigued and increasingly indifferent.

“Nor have the principles, tools and tactics of our trade come under more question in terms of how viable they are.

“It’s our responsibility to critically assess how marketing is working (and not working) and take nothing – new or old doctrines – at face value in our relentless pursuit of marketing effectiveness.”

Price is enthusiastic about the lineup stating: I think we have a great list of speakers, and a fascinating mix of speaking and workshopping activities.”

“I’m looking forward to vigorous differences of opinion playing out, and being exposed to points of view that differ from my own, and may go places I’ve not thought about.”