Brands need creative thinking.

That may seem obvious but somehow the majority of advertising agencies forgot about it.

Recently I wrote a post here on LinkedIn about how pleased I was to read in Campaign UK about P&G's Marc Pritchard's call for more creative talent in agencies and less account servicing staff. You can read the Campaign UK article here.

The problem has been clear as day to me and many of my peers for more years than I care to count. Agencies started to focus more on management than minds. Big mistake.

Creative thinking does not have to come in the shape of an ad, in fact in this day and age that is probably the last think they should be thinking of. Sure it can be part of the mix but more often than not just an 'ad' in the traditional sense of the term will not cut it in today's cluttered media melee.

When you put creative minds to work on a particular problem they can come up with all manner of ideas and those ideas can come in many shapes and sizes. Some can be physical manifestations and some can be purely from a strategic perspective.

The day of reckoning is coming for the ad agencies stuck in the past and refusing to truly evolve, as Marc Pritchard defined it the 'archaic Mad Men model'. The smart agencies, consultancies, and others with an eye on creativity and what is truly needed by brands today will take the lead.

So many talented creative thinkers either left the ad agency system altogether as they were frustrated or were pushed out or aside to put it politely. Many of those people are now the biggest threat to some of their previous employers.

Smart clients, such as P&G, now know they don't necessarily have to call upon, and retain, a major ad agency or one that is rooted in traditional structures and processes. They can bring in a seasoned and very experienced creative person or team or even assemble a think tank of sorts to come in and work with them to solve some problems. That approach would not only be faster and more productive, it would also be incredibly cost effective. No multiple account handlers, no massive overheads that the agency needs to cover with excessive fees, and no unnecessary lag time due to countless processes, filters, and silos.

Some of the best thinking and subsequent ideas come out of simple conversations, be that across a boardroom table or restaurant table, some of the best ideas have been scribbled on a napkin.

This is not rocket science. If your brand needs rocket science I suggest you call this number - (202) 358-0001, they can help you more than any ad agency.

Let's hope this is the dawn of a new age that sees brands/clients embracing new and different creative partnerships. That to me sounds like a good idea.

Rodd

I'm a Creative Director / Writer / Strategist / Thinker and a bit more. I work with clients/brands directly and with agencies and production companies. I also teach creative thinking and idea generation to groups and individuals. You can read more of my LinkedIn musings here. You can also find me on Twitter,  Instagram and on Facebook. Or drop me an email – [email protected]

Words (aside from credited quotes) Copyright Rodd Chant 2018

#creative #creativity #passion #creativelife #ideas #inspiration #creativecareers #curious #thinking #create #advertising #brands #cmo #wpp #marketing #P&G #proctergamble