Creativity for good* (and better)

Most corporate organisations agree that creativity is a good thing - something that they should do more of, invest in, and build a culture around.  But all too often that ends up becoming a room with funky-coloured walls, filled with young people in skinny jeans and thick-rimmed glasses.

In a similar vein, advertising and marketing agencies are built on the idea that ideas are a good thing; a lucrative thing; a fun thing.  But where does all that creativity go? 

After spending nearly two decades in both these worlds - unfortunately the answer is often ‘not very far’.  But when it works; when you feel it - when you have a moment of wonder and marvel at it working - it’s all worth it. 

Creativity can become a force for a movement, shift culture, and good.

But creativity is also harder than most are willing to admit. For businesses it demands risk, it demands space, and most of all it demands failure.  For individuals, it demands resilience and courage to ask for the former. 

However, if there is one thing - one bit of magic - that is required to be able to create creative cultures, processes and success it is the intent to do better.

Without honest intentions - in the form of meaningful purpose, solving things in a new way and or commercial outcomes (yes, they’re not mutually exclusive) - then all that creativity, the ideas, passion and energy, will wither. 

Stoking creativity requires what we will all require - a belief that things can be better.