Creativity comes in all shapes and sizes
Emma Leech ChartPR FCIPR CMktr FCIM CMgr FCMI FIoD FIIC
Multi-Award Winning Marketing and Communications Director, Brand Builder, Reputation and Creative Campaign Strategist, HE Recruitment Specialist
This isn't a particularly long post, but a few things I've seen and heard recently made me think that it was worth making the point I've used in the headline.
It's arguably easier to be creative when you have a large budget and it can be frustrating (when you don't!) to have examples of multi-national, multi-million pound campaigns showcased as the norm. Many of us that work in-house or as independents may also be familiar with the perspective that only big agencies can really deliver a 'proper' job!
I see great work across the PR sector that comes in all shapes and sizes. From big agencies and amazing regional players, to bespoke independent practitioners, dynamic in-house teams, and niche specialists. I don't believe that creativity lives in one place and can only be delivered with a huge budget and I think it's time we challenged that perspective a little bit more. Fantastic ideas start with people not cheque books, although I won't pretend that a little bit of budget doesn't help things along.
I am very fortunate to head up an amazing group of people working on a very wide range of integrated PR, marketing and communications projects. They do fantastic work on very tight budgets and they execute it brilliantly - so brilliantly that their creativity has delivered a major first for us that we're incredibly proud to be working on.
The School Games is a unique opportunity to motivate and inspire millions of young people across the country to take part in more competitive school sport. In previous years, PR and communications for the Games has been delivered by external agencies. This year, we were asked (as a multi-award winning team with experience of promoting sport) to tender for the contract. We did, we won it, and we are now part-way through delivering a communications programme with ambitious KPIS. We're on track to do just that.
I've shared this post for two reasons. I'm genuinely proud of the work my team is delivering but I'm also interested in other thoughts and perspectives on what makes teams creative.
I think curiosity, energy, research, drive, team-work and the ability to see the big picture whilst doing the detail are critical. Collaboration, a strong portfolio of skills, the ability to connect the dots, ambition, and the ability to be brave and think outside the box are all part of that mix.
What would you add to that?
Multi-Award Winning Marketing and Communications Director, Brand Builder, Reputation and Creative Campaign Strategist, HE Recruitment Specialist
7 年Thanks Dean. I enjoyed your thoughts on this.
Really enjoyed this read, Emma! In a sense, I think recognising the constraints that exist streamlines creativity. Not only does it focus ideas to avoid many unrealistic, but it challenges one's own idea - to motivate them further. It challenges others at the same time, encouraging teamwork. It calls for the eye to interpret existing resources and ideas in a different perspective and of course the allowance for inclusivity empowers these effects to permeate across the entire team's thought processes.