Your creative writing clashes with the brand's core values. How can you navigate this conflict effectively?

As we can clearly see in LinkedIn's uncritical and enthusiastic adoption of AI, 'values' are for losers, low-net worth individuals, and other people who just aren't on their grindset. Abandon all values at the first opportunity to profit.

Content creation is a collaborative dance between the writer and the brand. To create truly resonant content, we must first immerse ourselves in the brand, understanding its core values, target audience, and overarching message. This deep dive allows us to craft narratives that authentically represent the brand. Open communication is key. Sharing our interpretations with the client and actively seeking feedback ensures alignment and prevents misunderstandings. It's a cyclical process that requires humility, adaptability, and a willingness to iterate. Ultimately, the goal is to create content that not only informs but inspires, resonates, and drives engagement. By fostering a strong partnership with the client, we can achieve this objective.

First, clearly identify the brand's core values to understand the principles and beliefs that the brand stands for. This involves thoroughly reviewing brand guidelines, mission statements, and previous successful campaigns. Understanding these values helps ensure that your creative writing aligns with the brand's identity and message, minimizing conflicts and maintaining brand integrity.

When it comes to writing for brands, "my way or the highway” doesn't apply. You may come from different backgrounds with your own creative and stylistic preferences. However, without inculcating the core values of your organization, you may not be doing justice with your content. To do so, research past content, identify the central themes, and take inputs from diverse stakeholders in the organization. Once done, you can still have your creative instinct at play while adhering to the nitty-gritty of the industry that you operate in. Believe me, this approach would only enhance your versatility in the long run.

It's crucial that content consistently reflects the brand's values. Reviewing the brand identity, auditing current content, training the team, adjusting the strategy, and maintaining continuous feedback are essential steps to ensure the message and values are always aligned. This alignment leads to stronger customer loyalty, enhanced brand recognition, and increased audience engagement. As a next step, implementing tracking and analysis metrics will allow for measuring the effectiveness of these efforts and making continuous strategic adjustments to optimize results.

Engage in open dialogue with key stakeholders, such as the marketing team, brand managers, and other decision-makers. Discuss the areas where your creative writing might clash with the brand's values. This conversation can lead to a mutual understanding and collaboration to find a balance between creativity and adherence to brand values, fostering a cohesive strategy.

Effective team communication is crucial for keeping everyone aligned with the brand strategy. Without clarity, misunderstandings and misalignments can occur, affecting execution and ultimately impacting the brand's position. Smooth communication allows for timely strategy adjustments and enhances team cohesion, maximizing the impact of marketing efforts.

In my experience, open dialogue is essential when my creative writing clashes with a brand’s core values. It’s crucial to ensure alignment and maintain brand integrity. I achieve this by initiating candid conversations with stakeholders to understand their perspectives and concerns. By discussing the brand’s values and objectives openly, I can adjust my writing to better reflect their ethos while preserving creativity. This collaborative approach helps build mutual respect and results in content that is both innovative and true to the brand’s identity.

If the issue is brand voice, then the brand wins. It doesn’t matter what the writer thinks (as a matter of taste, although any professional writer would think THE BRAND WINS). And it doesn’t matter what stakeholders think. The. Brand. Is. The. Brand. And the brand drive voice and style. If the issue is values, then work with stakeholders to find common ground (if possible). Strategically, brands stand for things. Sometimes you’re going to be writing for a brand that stands for things you don’t. It’s not personal. But if you can’t do it, decline the assignment.

Adjust your creative approach to better align with the brand's core values without sacrificing originality. This may involve refining your language, tone, and content themes to resonate with the brand's identity. By making thoughtful adjustments, you can create compelling content that upholds the brand's values while still showcasing your unique creative vision.

Really? Is this really a thing? The prompts seem to be clueless about the difference between approach (style, voice, blah, blah, blah) and values. One is the way you dress. The other is THE WAY YOU ARE. For any professional writer, adjusting style to fit the brand voice should not be a problem. It’s part of the job. You can do it. You should do it. If you won’t do it, don’t take the job. Values are another thing. If you’re asked to promote values you believe are wrong at an existential level, then by all means refuse. If you’re asked promote values (on behalf of the brand) that you don’t hold personally, a professional should be able to understand that it’s not about you, get over yourself, and DO THE JOB. If you can’t, walk away.

In my experience, adjusting creativity is crucial when my writing clashes with a brand’s core values. This ensures that the content remains true to the brand’s identity while still engaging and original. I achieve this by thoroughly understanding the brand’s values and guidelines. I then refine my creative approach to align with these principles without sacrificing the essence of my ideas. By being flexible and adaptable, I can produce content that resonates with the audience and upholds the brand’s integrity.

In my experience, offering alternatives is beneficial when my creative writing clashes with a brand’s core values. It provides a pathway to maintain creativity while respecting the brand’s identity. I achieve this by presenting multiple versions of my content, each adjusted to better align with the brand’s values. This approach demonstrates flexibility and fosters collaboration, allowing stakeholders to choose the option that best fits their vision. By offering alternatives, I can ensure the final content is both innovative and brand-consistent.

It’s helpful to absorb the brand culture, values, expressions, environment, trade dress… every sensory thing you can take in about the brand. Then, let the brand speak through your voice. Let your voice adjust itself to the brand. I would go so far as to suggest that this is nothing more and nothing less that want every professional writer does all the time. You ain’t T.S. Elliot. And if you are, write about J. Alfred Prufrock on your own time.

By proactively addressing conflicts between your creative expression and a brand's values through dialogue, adaptation, and ongoing learning, you can navigate these challenges effectively while contributing positively to the brand's identity and messaging.