Creativity is the opposite of conformity

Creativity is the opposite of conformity. Because a lot of clients do not understand this, they deny themselves the creative breakthroughs they so desperately need to build their brands.

When we present our work to our clients, we need to understand this perfectly. Tell your clients not to study your work and not to opine on it logically. There is no need to approach the work objectively: it means squat if people around you do not "like" the work. Campaigns, brands and advertising are highly subjective - for it to work, it needs to evoke emotion more than anything else.

The Mona Lisa may look terrible to many, but remains a highly superior piece of work. The Avis "We're No.2" campaign failed the "like" test by up to 50%, but remains a highly successful campaign.

"The more research that goes into providing the brief the better, up to a point, but after that I really think you should leave it up to the creators of the ad. If they are genuine, and talented, and students of human nature, you are better off leaving it to them than to any focus group. The creative team needs to be really good and really intuitive, but if they aren't, no amount of research is going to save them". (Lionel Hunt)

So the next time you present a campaign or a piece of print, never, never, ask what the client "thinks". Guide them into understanding the rational, intuition and most importantly, emotion behind it. And if you or your team thinks it doesn't work, be honest to yourself and axe the idea.