Where have all the brave creatives gone?

I've noticed a trend happening. Not just here on LinkedIn, but in conversations with (and commentary from) other strategists, brand marketers, designers, copywriters, agency owners, and clients alike. At first, I thought it was just me. But after extensive observation, I can say with certainty, it isn't just me.

We're starved for originality.

Wading through an endless barrage of unprecedented life events has made us individually numb, yet as a society increasingly discerning. The way the majority will 'dissect and reject' anything that has even the slightest whiff of edginess, and regularly praise mediocre work has relegated us to this insipid dystopia - chasing a mirage of societal acceptance.

Too many brands have been playing it safe.

Because, God forbid your work piss off the collective audience with a polarizing message lest your company's stock price dip down half a percent. You'd be out of a job. In this economy? No thank you. It's much easier to just follow what everyone else in the category is doing.

Make no mistake, most creatives are reluctant participants.?

This extends beyond the marketing world too. When was the last time you saw a new film with truly phenomenal writing and thought, "That quote will stay with me"? Or an iconic ad that you know you'll be talking about for years to come? Or a piece of modern art that you swore reached in and found a part of your soul you didn't know existed??When was the last time you laughed so hard, you nearly peed your pants?

I see it on the faces of fellow creative sufferers (when I do get to be in person with them), and in between the lines of their thoughtfully crafted LinkedIn rants too.?The need to constantly chase views and attention is killing both their spirits and their work.

In one recent post from Leigh (Citarella) Mosley asking why nothing feels 'cool' anymore, brand strategist Ravi Jayanath summed it up perfectly, commenting...

"We've rounded the edges off of society with algorithms."

We've lost our sharp edges because what makes things feel 'cool' - while highly subjective - comes down to what viscerally feels bold and different. Something that surprises you. It's hard to be surprised anymore when you have an assembly line pumping out same-same ideas to appease the masses, perpetuated by an increasing reliance on AI, and manufactured to serve the master algorithm.

We're rewarded for playing to the crowd.

We're so focused on what converts that we've forgotten how to be original. It feels safer (and smarter) to be aggressively formulaic. You can feed your family and pay your mortgage on formulaic. Maybe you're not thriving, but at least you're not starving either.?

Everything is an iteration of something else now. Perhaps because everything is expected to be faster, cheaper and proven before starting - which is hardly a recipe for originality. Clients love the idea of putting out bold work, but are rarely prepared to accept the implications of doing so. We count ourselves lucky when a few brave souls are up to the challenge.

Meeting the speed of culture often feels like jumping on a bullet train for most creative departments.

And the bigger the brand, the more red tape you need to go through, and the less willing to take risks with rare, audacious ideas that need time to breath before they produce results. To make truly original work also means we'd have to let go of testing ideas in a Petri dish. Let go of what panders to the masses, and lean into the kind of rare confidence and integrity that comes with letting great work (and great brands) be the goal.?In other words, make intention, not attention, be the goal. (thank you, Oana Leonte ?? ).

So, where have all the brave creatives gone?

The answer is clear. They're right in front of you. Just waiting for someone to release the shackles and grant them the freedom (and bandwidth) to take risks, try something new, be bold, and do what they were trained - and in most cases (unfortunately) untrained - to do. Without feeling that their jobs are on the line if the risks don't pay off. They need to be reminded how to mine original ideas again. How to use their intuition and humanity to connect with other humans again. And how to reflect that in their work.

If you need help to get the ball rolling for your creative team, DM me.

Creatives, if you've made it this far into my rant, I implore you, take more digital detoxes. Get out, and find something (anything) that makes you feel more like a human again. And when you find these things, share them with the rest of us - not because you need to hit your weekly LI posting quota, but because they are genuinely worth talking about.?