The Art of Balance Between Creativity and Marketing Objectives

By Roger Nairn, CEO

My first project when I got into the advertising industry was a complete failure. A total flop. Our job was to market a real estate project on the west coast of British Columbia. The value proposition was luxury real estate. It had the charm of the great outdoors. Picture opulent living, but with hiking trails and ocean sports. The developer was insistent. He said the project's audience was wealthy men and women in Alberta. This was because there was a huge oil boom at the time. We spent a lot of money on the campaign. And it had GREAT creative (or so I thought). For example, to show the contrast of luxury with the outdoors, we photographed a new, sexy Lamborghini. But, we put a kayak on its roof. The campaign looked incredible and won awards… but we didn’t sell a single unit. I didn’t know it then, but I know it now. Our campaign was out of balance.?

This campaign didn’t strike the right balance. It had too much storytelling and not enough focus on the client's goals. On the business side, we didn’t do our homework. We assumed our target was wealthy men. They drove Lamborghinis, wore fancy clothes, and drank fancy scotch.

But we should have been targeting wealthy cowboys in Calgary. They were looking for a vacation home, or to downsize. They drove expensive trucks and drank Molson Canadian. We made assumptions and jumped right into creating flashy creative.

I want you to avoid the same mistakes that I made.

Content Marketing's Dual Imperatives

I have a firm belief that most of today’s marketing content isn’t doing the job it needs to do. It’s a waste of time, energy and money. So what’s wrong with it?

Effective content marketing has a dual imperative. It is to captivate and engage the audience. But, it must also meet clear business objectives. This means creating content that people enjoy and want to interact with. It must also support goals, like increasing sales or enhancing brand awareness. Focusing too much on creative flair without business relevance. Or, on aggressive brand promotion can lead to an imbalance. This imbalance reduces the content’s impact.

For example, a campaign may be visually stunning and creative. But, if it does not resonate with the target audience, it will not meet its marketing goals. But, content that is too sales-driven may turn off potential customers. It may seem pushy or out of touch with their real interests and needs.

Understanding Your Audience

The key to striking the right balance is a deep understanding of your audience. We can align creativity with their current business goals. We will do this by knowing their interests, needs, and preferences. This involves crafting stories and experiences. They don't just draw attention. They also build trust and foster relationships over time. This contributes to sustained business success.

Seesaw Analogy

Picture your marketing efforts as a seesaw. Creativity is on one end and business objectives on the other. Neither side should overpower the other. Instead, they should work together. They should create a balanced and effective content marketing strategy. This balance ensures that content is not only creative but also meets its business aims.

Empathy, Engagement, and Execution

Effective content marketing is a blend of empathy, engagement, and excellence in execution. It’s about creating content that is not just seen but sought after and enjoyed by the audience. Today, the market is crowded. The brands that achieve this balance truly stand out and succeed. They are the signal in the noise. They attract and keep customers with content that matters to them.

The Airbnb Misstep: A Lesson in Audience Sentiment

Airbnb campaigned against the San Francisco tax proposal. This illustrates the pitfalls of ignoring audience sentiment. They intended to oppose a tax that would align their costs with hotels. So, Airbnb launched a passive-aggressive campaign. But, it backfired spectacularly.?

What would Airbnb’s seesaw rating be??

Airbnb definitely overindexed on business. The campaign targeted public departments that benefit from the tax. It was seen as tone-deaf and led to backlash. This forced Airbnb to retract the campaign and issue an apology. This case shows the results of a business-driven approach that neglects audience engagement. It tilts the balance too far toward the business.

Shift4Shop: Creativity Without Clarity

Shift4Shop’s Super Bowl ad is another cautionary tale. The e-commerce platform’s advertisement featured a space suit floating in the void, set to “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” to promote a space contest.?

What would Shift4Shop’s seesaw rating be??

They overindexed on creativity. But, the creative failed to show the brand’s identity or services. This led to low recall and wasted opportunity. This example shows the risk of relying too much on creativity. Creativity is risky without clear ties to the business’s core message and goals. I still don’t even know who Shift4Shop is or what they do.??

Amazon’s Masterful Balance with “This Is Small Business”

Amazon found the sweet spot with its podcast, “This Is Small Business.” Small business owners are the target audience of the podcast. They make up a big part of their sellers. Amazon hired Andrea Marquez to host the podcast. She was on her own journey of starting a business. This made the content engaging and educational.?

What would Amazon’s seesaw rating be??

You’re right. This is in perfect balance. The podcast has succeeded in building brand affinity among small business owners. A brand lift study and high listener engagement prove this. It shows the power of content. It aligns with both audience interests and business goals.?

Cirque du Soleil: Reviving a Brand with Creative Genius

Cirque du Soleil responded to COVID-19's challenges. They did so through their podcast, “Cirque du Sound.” It offers a plan for using creativity to win back and grow an audience.?

What would Cirque’s seesaw rating be??

Right again. Cirque du Soleil is in perfect balance. The podcast focused on the anthropology of creativity. It drew in listeners by tapping into the brand's innovative essence. The podcast featured a diverse set of guests. This aligned with the brand’s ethos and resonated with both existing and new audiences. It showed a perfect balance between creativity and business goals.

The Art of Balanced Content Creation

In the end, making great content depends on mixing creative stories with business goals. This dual focus ensures that marketing is fun for the audience and helps the brand. It leads to a cycle of engagement and business growth.

In this environment, creativity and business acumen coexist. They complement each other. Here, organizations can create content their audience loves. It drives desired business results. In doing so, they not only meet their marketing goals. They also build a lasting connection with their customers. This sets the stage for ongoing success in a changing market.

What Are Some Immediate Actions You Can Take?

1. Conduct a quarterly review of your content.?
2. Put an image of a seesaw up on your wall along with your existing (or proposed) content.?
3. Then evaluate if you have balanced your content. Be honest with yourself. And adjust as needed.?
4. Ask yourself some key questions:?“As a brand, are we a net giver, or a net taker?”?/ “What unique knowledge does our company have that can be of value to our audience?”?/ “Are we audience focused, or brand focused?”
5. Share this with your organization…so everyone can be on the same page, and stay balanced.

Key Takeaways:?

1. Creativity must be balanced with business goals. This is crucial for engaging and converting content.
2. Knowing your audience well is key. It leads to more effective content that resonates.
3. Business Alignment: Clear business objectives should guide content creation. They ensure measurable success.
4. Creative Storytelling is innovative. It is also compelling. It captures attention and fosters a bond with the audience.
5. We need Continuous Evaluation. It means assessing the balance between creativity and business impact...regularly. It is key to maintaining effective content marketing strategies.