How we should think about Creativity

17 Jan 2025

“Creativity is not a rare ability. It is a fundamental aspect of being human. It’s our birthright. And it’s for all of us.” Rick Rubin

“It’s a way of being in the world. A way of perceiving. A practice of paying attention. Refining our sensitivity to tune in to the more subtle notes. Looking for what draws us in and what pushes us away. Noticing what feeling tones arise and where they lead” Rick Rubin

Creativity is what makes us human

Advertising has always had an odd relationship with creativity. 

It’s become our mecca. Our promised land. 

Something that is fiercely debated but fiercely misunderstood. 

We’ve tried to package it up and sell it by the bottle. Using it as our one big differentiator. Clinging onto the golden era of big ideas and big egos. 

What we’ve missed is that people don’t want ‘creativity’, they want what it enables. 

Apple doesn’t sell creativity, it sells products that are desirable and valuable to society. They do this better than anyone else. This is the reason why they’re one the biggest companies in the world. 

So how should we think of creativity?

“Creativity is the artistry and imagination we need in order to achieve popularity and fame for the brands we advertise… if it’s to mean anything useful, it is the art and skill of winning and keeping that audience” Paul Feldwick states in his book ‘Why does the Pedlar sing?’. 

Creativity is the fuel to our fire. It should run through everything we do. 

But it isn’t our end product. 

Businesses start stalling when they cling to the idea of creativity vs actually creating something that has value in the world.

Our value lies in finding and creating what people find valuable. Offering a solution to a problem. These are the fundamentals of good business.

It’s not about big ideas or blue sky thinking. Ideas are simply starting points, the hard part is how we give them life in the real world. How do we turn them into something beautiful, interesting, and entertaining? 

This act, this process, and this path is what true creativity is. 

This doesn’t come from one team or department. Businesses and people are much more fluid and complex than that. They come from everyone and everywhere, all working towards one shared vision. It’s about pointing it in the right direction. 

It’s about having an organisation that is centered around the act of creation. As businesses grow, as people get promoted, they move further away from creating. 

As bureaucracy grows, creativity diminishes. It’s why large businesses get disrupted by small start ups. 

So it’s time we went back to the act of creating. 

Focusing on building true value. 

It’s going back to what makes us human. 

You can read more in our report 'Creativity in the age of AI'

Image credit: Robbie Fimmano