As we weather these tough times, things are going to become more and more difficult for us. Clients are going to be more concerned with ROI and immediate gratification on assignments. This is how they keep their jobs. Get used to it. It will matter less and less how spectacular the artwork looks or how amazing the concept is if it cannot be justified from a business (read financial) perspective. And you know what? THIS IS GREAT!
This is a huge opportunity for us. This is a time to truly demonstrate how “creative” we actually are. Start thinking beyond typefaces, directors, awards, and Cannes. Step out of your comfort zone and instead of fighting the clients “needs”, find a way to be truly creative within “the box”. Start with a list of tangible things that you have to make happen and agree on it with your clients. Then is the time to be creative. Be prepared to justify every choice you make and explain how it will work to accomplish the previously agreed upon goals. This will help YOU grow as a professional and will build respect for what we do in our clients eyes.
Now I’m not saying that we should become marketing monkeys, jumping at every whim. No, we still have to deliver a final product that we can be proud of. It’s how we get there that has to change. We also have a voice and opinions when we get to the table. But now we have to be very prepared to justify that voice and opinion in an educated and respectful fashion.
If you really work hard, take a vested interest in your clients and demonstrate that you bring a valuable perspective and objectivity to the assignments you work on, you will find yourself at the client table sooner and sooner. You just might gain a very valuable understanding of what and why decisions are being made and maybe even have a voice in guiding some of those decisions for the better of all. Haven’t we been asking for that for years?
So “the box” is going to be here for a while. To be successful we’re all going to have to work, and continue to be creative in that box. BUT, as we respect our client’s needs, share the burden pressing down on them from every angle and creatively deliver new solutions that get the results they need, something amazing happens. “The box” begins to get bigger and bigger as we prove that we do work that works. And as all things pass with time, a lot of these economic pressures will loosen their constraints. And pretty soon “the box” will be so large that you won’t even know it’s there.
So please don’t give up on being “creative” just because it’s much harder right now. RIGHT NOW we need true creatives more than ever. Sally Hogshead posted on her Twitter (@sallyhogshead) the following: “Necessity is the mother of invention. A recession is the father of innovation.” Now is our opportunity to earn a little respect in these trying times and truly be creative doing it.
An open letter to “creatives”.
As we weather these tough times, things are going to become more and more difficult for us. Clients are going to be more concerned with ROI and immediate gratification on assignments. This is how they keep their jobs. Get used to it. It will matter less and less how spectacular the artwork looks or how amazing the concept is if it cannot be justified from a business (read financial) perspective. And you know what? THIS IS GREAT!
This is a huge opportunity for us. This is a time to truly demonstrate how “creative” we actually are. Start thinking beyond typefaces, directors, awards, and Cannes. Step out of your comfort zone and instead of fighting the clients “needs”, find a way to be truly creative within “the box”. Start with a list of tangible things that you have to make happen and agree on it with your clients. Then is the time to be creative. Be prepared to justify every choice you make and explain how it will work to accomplish the previously agreed upon goals. This will help YOU grow as a professional and will build respect for what we do in our clients eyes.
Now I’m not saying that we should become marketing monkeys, jumping at every whim. No, we still have to deliver a final product that we can be proud of. It’s how we get there that has to change. We also have a voice and opinions when we get to the table. But now we have to be very prepared to justify that voice and opinion in an educated and respectful fashion.
If you really work hard, take a vested interest in your clients and demonstrate that you bring a valuable perspective and objectivity to the assignments you work on, you will find yourself at the client table sooner and sooner. You just might gain a very valuable understanding of what and why decisions are being made and maybe even have a voice in guiding some of those decisions for the better of all. Haven’t we been asking for that for years?
So “the box” is going to be here for a while. To be successful we’re all going to have to work, and continue to be creative in that box. BUT, as we respect our client’s needs, share the burden pressing down on them from every angle and creatively deliver new solutions that get the results they need, something amazing happens. “The box” begins to get bigger and bigger as we prove that we do work that works. And as all things pass with time, a lot of these economic pressures will loosen their constraints. And pretty soon “the box” will be so large that you won’t even know it’s there.
So please don’t give up on being “creative” just because it’s much harder right now. RIGHT NOW we need true creatives more than ever. Sally Hogshead posted on her Twitter (@sallyhogshead) the following: “Necessity is the mother of invention. A recession is the father of innovation.” Now is our opportunity to earn a little respect in these trying times and truly be creative doing it.