This post could boil down to one simple statement: “I wish I’d thought of that.”
Only a creative advertising expert is able to make everyone feel like they should have – even could have – had that idea. In marketing, great ideas aren’t inaccessible and they aren’t isolating. They’re extremely democratic.
And yet. And yet the best ideas also plant an aspirational seed in other creatives. They drive people to want to achieve and innovate and advance the standard of a “good idea” like all the good ideas before them.
So how do you know if you’ve crossed the line into expert territory? If the awards on your shelf don’t tip you off, we’ve rounded up a few signs that you are a creative advertising and marketing expert…
1. You’re incredibly resilient
Suffice it to say that if you’re a creative advertising expert, you’ve been in the game for some time now. And that means you’ve weathered negative feedback, scrapped ideas, failure, creative blocks, difficult teammates and more. You know that good ideas don’t grow on trees and you’ve got to slog through a lot of rejection between the “ah-ha!” moments.
Pros are the people who can be confronted with failure again and again, and yet still get out of bed, head to the office and fearlessly throw their next idea onto the table for consideration.
2. Your work is inspired by everyday conversations and interactions
Do you ever met people and immediately know you’ll get along because they “just get it”? That’s kind of the same way people feel when they see great creative advertising work. The piece of copy or ad spot “just gets it”.
Why? Because the best ad pros write the way people talk. They know to play off of the jokes we’ve all heard a million times, the references everyone understands, the clichés and trivialities of everyday life. They turn the ultra-familiar in to these little jewel box moments that suddenly shine like something new.
Take for example an ad Heineken did that attempts to combine every tired bar joke you’ve ever heard. The result, surprisingly, isn’t tired at all and poses a clever retort to the ol’ “A rabbi, a priest and a nun walk into a bar…” shtick.
3. You trust yourself
George Lois – renowned art director, copywriter and graphic designer – has said, “Ad agencies do all kinds of market research that ask people what they think they want, and instead you should be creating things that you want. If you do something and you get it, the rest of the world will get it. too. Trust your own instincts, your own intellect, and your own sense of humor.”
Creative advertising and marketing experts know when to challenge what they’re told. Sometimes success means ignoring popular opinion and trusting your gut.
4. You find new ways to connect
How many creative teams do you think have been asked to convey that “X is the best type of soda ever”? If you’ve ever seen a soda commercial, of which there seems to be an endless supply, you know that it’s a dense product market and everyone’s trying to say the same thing in a new way.
The same can be said of dozens of other products and services, including travel. In looking for a new way to connect with customers, agency WDMP created 43,000 individualized videos as part of an award-winning campaign for Monarch Holidays.
Each video leveraged Personalized Video technology to seamlessly integrate customer data like the customer’s name, their last travel itinerary booked through Monarch and their departure airport. Customers were then given, within their video, a list of uniquely applicable specials alongside recommendations for future travel. The videos received a 99% View-Through Rate, a testament to the attention-grabbing relevance of personalization. Take a look at the finished product below…
Creative advertising experts are always on the lookout for new technologies, like Personalized Video, that will help a brand’s message stand out from the pack and resonate more deeply.
5. You do your job outside the office
Any creative will tell you that they are constantly seeking new sources of inspiration. The greatest creative minds are the ones that never shut off – even after they’ve put down a project for the day and left the office, they never fully clock-out. That’s because a new idea can come at anytime, anywhere and you better be ready when it happens.
Visit museums, catch an episode of a popular TV show you don’t normally watch, scroll through a Twitter feed other than your own, try that new restaurant everyone’s talking about. Getting outside of your personal norm expands your perspective and invites you into more conversations. And what did we say above? Some of the best creative advertising is born from everyday chat.
6. You don’t underestimate simplicity
People who know less have a tendency to try and say more. You’ll find that the most accurate, insightful statements are conveyed through a few intelligently selected words. Simplicity is king when it comes to tight copy.
Take for instance some of the most impactful company taglines:
- Nike: “Just Do It”
- Dunkin Donuts: “America Runs on Dunkin”
- Apple: “Think Different”
- California Milk Processor Board: “Got Milk?”
- Volvo: “For Life”
- Allstate: “You’re in Good Hands”
None of these are longer than four words, and yet they say everything they need to.
7. You never stop learning
Creative advertising and marketing experts are always spying on competitors to see what they’re doing, reading up on the latest industry trends and keeping track of tech advances they can leverage for a future campaign.
Want more?
Keep learning right here with some of our favorite posts for creatives:
4 Reasons You Should Add Video to Your Marketing Strategy
Unlocking the Power of Video Marketing Using Behavioral Science
