Managing Creativity Wishbone/ITP Inc. The Creative Process Steve Hamburg, Partner, Chief Creative Officer Ideas — they are the fuel that drives brands and businesses forward. And advertising agencies are factories where much of this fuel is developed. To raise the octane of the ideas, it may help to look more closely at the factory itself — its people, its processes, and its culture. The Creative Force Creative executives are indeed a unique and challenging breed. Artist, poet, scientist, used car salesman — these all characterize the creative talent. In my more than 20 years of managing creatives, I’ve found that creatives fall into a few basic categories. And each category requires its own management approach to optimize output. The Flooders. These are the writers and art directors who seek to impress by virtue of their prodigious output. In other words: they throw tons of stuff on the wall in the hopes that something will stick. Lacking a strong “inner editor,” these folks require a strong external voice that can help them to shape and focus their efforts. The lack of discipline displayed by “Flooders” often translates into an overall lack of creative quality. But from the bottom of their piles of paper, a “Flooder” can sometimes reveal a real gem or two. So it pays to keep watching and listening. The Repressors. There are no floods here, just a drip, drip, drip. Repressors can be the most thoughtful and deliberate of creatives, but also the most cautious and insecure. These individuals need more coaxing than coaching; they respond well to an environment that feels safe and supportive. So be patient and encouraging with these creative types. What they lack in quantity is more than made up for in quality. The Overthinkers. There is a subtle syndrome that mainly afflicts copywriters, and the symptoms are: ideas that look and sound good, but aren’t good. They’re on strategy. They’re correct in all ways. But they lack the spark (and sparkle) of genuine imagination. They engage the mind but not the emotions. The cure? Get these Overthinkers to talk, openly and freely. As in psychotherapy, talk can activate and energize the unconscious, and that’s where the greatest ideas emanate from. The Culture A factory that makes widgets can keep turning out the same widgets. But a factory that turns out ideas is entirely dependent on people and talent. Getting the best out of those people is not always a simple thing. An appreciation for how creative people think and behave is an effective way to improve the output. In general, agencies are different types of places than their clients’ companies. So, rather than force agencies to think and behave like their cultures, the best clients recognize that the agency difference is, in fact, a good thing, something that can be harnessed and used for the good of their own brands and businesses. Producing widgets is a wholly rational exercise; producing great creative is partly rational … and partly mystical. Wishbone/ITP Inc., New York, is an independent full-service healthcare advertising agency. For more information, visit wishbone-itp.com. March 2007 VIEW on Advertising

Download PDF