Tactic vs. Strategy

As an advertising major I often hear the words tactic and strategy used interchangeably. In one of my other classes, however, we recently had it drilled into our heads that a strategy is the broader idea and the tactics are how it is carried out. To continue the advertising example, a strategy could be to make kids think a product is cool so that they beg their parents for it. The tactic attached to the strategy would be an end product, a specified commercial for example, with a kid using the product that leads to the actual purchase of the product. I’m not sure if this example fits De Certeau’s qualifications of strategies and tactics. It may be that the advertising strategy has power and isolation because it’s in the creator’s mind. A strategist thinks up their strategy based on intelligent thoughts and then has the power to do what they like with them. This strategy can be isolated because the creator has control over whether or not he or she decides to share it with the rest of the company. The strategist then shares the strategy with the creative team who create a tactic in the form of an advertisement. Once the tactic is created it is sent out to the public and can no longer be controlled. The tactic has no power but has the largest effects. It would not be possible, however, without the brains and power of the strategy.

Strategies and tactics somewhat remind me of our discussions about Artificial Intelligence. There’s a fine line between a strategy and tactic just as there is a fine line between man and robot. Humans have the power but the robots may be able to carry out a larger effect – attributed to man’s original thoughts. SEOs and algorithms act in the same way. People think up the strategy, which can go in any possible direction. Entire meetings are dedicated to finding optimal SEOs for the business. Once the strategy is decided, the algorithm is set and it is up to the tactic to follow through. The more creative the strategy, the more effective the tactic.

I disagree with the way De Certeau presents his argument, although I admit it was confusing at time and I could have misinterpreted, but I don’t believe there should be such a focus on the separation of strategy and tactic. There is definitely a differentiation, but the two will always work with one another. De Certeau paints this complicated picture of tactics combatting strategies, he even uses a militaristic example, but in my opinion tactics work with and carry out strategies. The two need one another just as a robot needs a human creator. This does create the question, however, if at some point tactics could gain power and become a strategy. Scientists are still focused on creating Artificial Intelligence that thinks for itself by mimicking the human brain. If eventually a robot can think and strategize in order to create another robot, then which is the strategy and which is the tactic. It shows the fine line that power and isolation run along and how much the power has the potential to shift in the future, and possibly, disprove De Certeau.