Even in times of a pandemic, creative ideas continue to emerge.
For example, the theory of relativity by Albert Einstein suggests that space is dynamic and gravity is had the ability to bend light. This theory was proved during the solar eclipse of 1919, during one of the worst pandemics in history looming over humanity.
For now, it seems that the recent worldwide catastrophe has shadowed the creative industry. However, if such the aforementioned breakthrough has happened once during torrid times, there is no reason for another paradigm changing idea to not be able to come to light even in these times of COVID-19.
We can take comfort in this knowing there is an opportunity that could revive the creative industry and carry us through this pandemic and coming out stronger for it.
“Imagination is Power”
Though this progression is not a surety due to a lot of marketing and advertising activities coming to a halt, and majority of companies announcing layoffs. When survival takes precedence in our lives, it is hard for an organization to let the creative juices of employees flow to come up with the next “big thing”. But this is the advantage of a creative mind, an innate ability to be problem solvers, and the problems are abundant.
This is quite in contrast for companies to use of consultants, where they bring in expertise in finances and operations. Thus begins the battle between the creative industry and consultants, a meta-battle of Imagination vs. Knowledge.
A consultant’s hierarchy will have the companies business supersede the brand, a line of thinking most creative agencies will find harmful. Creative agencies will most like discuss campaigns and ideas to grow the brand and will seldom discuss making money, unlike consultant. They offer advice which translates to revenue generation.
The advantage once again goes to creative thinkers if you consider they to have the ability to analyse return on investments and scorecards, because logical thinking can be learned. The same can not be said when it comes to growing creative problem solving skills, as it is highly based on gut feelings and experience.
If imagination was ever needed in a business environment, the time would be now. The pandemic has forced companies to get creative just to have basic operations running, while striving to persevere the brand value without having an option to sell your product. Brand endurance is the name of the game.
Don’t get me wrong, agencies too were grabbing at straws for ideas in this pandemic, lest we forget all the Covid-19 campaigns that default to “we’re all in this together” and other trend wagons.
Agencies also tend to frequently showcase two bad behaviours. Giving away the best ideas freely and being too easy-going of a partner. There is a missed opportunity to seed ideas when they at their higher market value when ideas are not kept close and precious, and to build their status to become a trusted advisor to the company.
This means an innovative business model for agencies. We’ll need one in a post-pandemic world that stresses visible problem solving skills and clear paths to measurable growth. This is a time to try something daring.
Only imagination can discover something so profound.