Call the shots with creativity
As any creator will know, creative work is more than what meets the eye.
For every ad you walk past, every designed post you scroll on social media, and every campaign you journey through – there’s a string of challenging creative decisions behind it.
In this post, we’ll explore what creative decision-making demands and how to refine your approach.
Know the goal
Before shooting your shot, know what you’re aiming at. That means knowing exactly what you’re trying to achieve.
Is it greater brand awareness? A wider presence in the media? Or a larger following on social media?
Once the goal is set in your mind’s eye, it’s almost like your brain will automatically manoeuvre the rest of the path to ensure you achieve it.
But that doesn’t mean it won’t take effort, and that there won’t be any challenges along the way.
Don’t know where to start? Mind mapping might help.
Colour inside the lines
No, that wasn’t the typo. We know that “colour outside the lines” is such a popular marketing (and life) mantra that there’s a merchandise industry built around it.
As a creative, colouring outside the lines is what you naturally do. And reminding you where the lines are is what your clients will naturally do.
Rather than allowing this tension to frustrate you, let it fuel you.
The constraint could be anything – a different direction, a budget limitation, or certain brand guidelines.
The magical thing about creativity is that it has the ability to flourish even in situations like these.
Now we’re no strangers to the heartache that comes with client critiques. But could exploring a different direction help your brain make unexpected connections? Is that small budget a creative challenge in disguise? And those brand guidelines – are they a call to innovate in a way you haven’t considered before?
Trust your instincts, but the data too
In 2018, an email was sent out to Tesla’s team about working efficiently and boosting productivity. Stepping out of the chain of command, leaving meetings or calls early if the individual wasn’t adding value, and breaking company rules if they seemed nonsensical were some of the productivity tips included in the advice.
If more people followed their instincts, rather than instructions, emails like this wouldn’t need to exist.
If your actions feel forced and that little voice in your head is yammering on about how something is a waste of time of effort, you’re probably acting against your intuition.
Blindly playing by the rulebook doesn’t just stifle creativity, it also creates mountains of extra work and wasted energy.
The best work is created when the left and right brain hemispheres work in lockstep – balancing vision with execution, and creativity with calculation.
So once you’ve landed on the big idea, but feel unsure about whether it will land out in the world, refer to previous campaign data and performance reports to help refine your decision.
What about creative block?
If you’re stuck in a creative rut, remember to use your strategy and audience as guiding forces.
These two elements will keep your aim and actions sharp. Your strategy reminds you what you’re doing, and your audience reminds you why you’re doing any of it.
Whether you’re considering a risky move or wondering whether the next trend is worth jumping on, ask yourself how well they align with your brand’s bigger picture.
And remember that you’re not in this alone. Tap into collective creativity by inviting your colleagues, across various departments and levels, to pitch in with their perspectives.
You might find that the answer to your question naturally emerges.
If you enjoyed reading this and are looking to widen your creative pool – whether you’re looking for PR and digital marketing services in Dubai or seeking fresh copywriters and designers for your books, we’re always an email away at [email protected]. To get to know us, email us and we’ll schedule a chat. To get to know what we do, check out our suite of services.