Creativity has always been one of the best tools a business can use to compete. This especially true when the competition is bigger, more established and/or has deeper pockets.
In his forward for the book The Case for Creativity, Keith Weed, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Unilever states the following, “leading brands and agencies have known for many years that more creative work delivers better results than ‘safe’ and rational advertising. What has been exciting in more recent times is to see the emerging proof of this; the hard evidence that creative work is more memorable, more effective and more able to drive overall business performance”. In 2017, Unilever reported annual turnover of €53.7 billion so I think we can rest assured that Keith Weed knows what he’s talking about.
Iconic Branding and Creativity
Facts and figures aside, when you think about it yourself, which brands stand out? Guinness is probably up there. The product is over 250 years old and is one of the most recognisable drinks on the planet. While some will argue that it tastes like heaven, it’s global reach comes down to a simple fact – Guinness do marketing with finesse, wit and above all creativity.
Their ads, from the epic horses and surfers (voted best ad of all time in a poll by Channel 4 and The Sunday Times) to the infectious dancing man ad from 1990s, have all left their mark. There is no question that they are Guinness ads, even though the product features minimally in each campaign. It helps that Guinness is a brand which knows itself and what it stands for. It’s the creativity however that sets it apart and breathes life into the brand.
Tapping into Creativity
This is more difficult than it seems and a lot of that comes down to finding the time during the hustle and bustle of a normal working day. Most people have the ability to think creatively, even if they think they don’t. There are many ways we can tap into our creativity without being Leonardo da Vinci. You can cook a meal for family or friends, embark on a DIY furniture project, visit a museum or gallery, spend a day in the woods, whatever gets you away from what you normally do.
While it’s less easy for a business to get away, one of the best ways to tap into the creativity of employees is to arrange workshops that bring staff together. This provides a space for ideas to emerge. We work with many clients in this way to come up with what we call a ‘Big Idea’ or ‘Brand Story’. The process involves a brainstorm which we facilitate, using a tried and tested formula. The outcome is a creative vision and campaign theme on which they can plan their marketing activity.
Some Examples of Our Own
A client of ours who has used creativity very effectively is Magic Hill Holidays. They are a specialised holiday provider with an emphasis on responsible travel. Using their local knowledge in different countries, its founders have developed a series of personalised cultural and educational packages for people in search of an alternative holiday. The tagline – Travel beyond Tourism – says it all. They believe the best way to experience a country is to distance yourself from being a tourist and spend time with the people. You can then immerse yourself in their culture and see first-hand how they live. Another one of our clients who uses creativity to good effect is St Canice’s Credit Union. As part of the website we built for them, we commissioned aerial video footage of well-known landmarks in the catchment area. It gives the home page some ‘oompf’ while showcasing the region and reflecting the credit union ethos of serving the community. We also helped them to re-brand as they set about a series of mergers across Kilkenny and Laois). You can read the full project overview and see how creativity helped to re-shape their brand identity.
We also work with Blackwater Distillery – artisan gin producers who are based in west Waterford. We have created all the branding and marketing collateral for their ever-increasing product range. Product packaging is an area where businesses need to be very creative if they’re to get noticed on a busy supermarket shelf. For the Blackwater gin range, we re-created a map of the Blackwater River from 1844 which features on the back label. It can be seen through the bottle but doesn’t obscure the front label. Very creative!
Need More Creativity in Your Business? Feel Free to Get in Touch
So, there you have it – creativity matters for many reasons! Hopefully we have given you a little insight into it, and remember, if you have a design or marketing project that you would like to discuss, don’t be shy, you can get us on info@passionforcreative.com or (051) 580 969.
