When people find out you’re a copywriter or art director, they often assume that coming up with slogans and creative ideas is a solitary process. They imagine us sitting in a room, staring at a bottle of shampoo or a can of dog food until inspiration strikes. But the reality of good quality creative work is quite different.
Creative success doesn’t come from chance or the brilliance of one individual. It’s built on a strong foundation of marketing strategy, branding, and a deep understanding of the market. Any reputable agency or consultancy will tell you that.
So, what does this mean for the creation of persuasive creative work, whether in the form of a website, a mailing, a press ad or a brochure? Well, it’s all about collaboration, but it’s not the kind of collaboration you might envisage.
Good quality creative work
Instead of a quick brainstorming session with a group of eccentric creative’s, the process is actually much more involved. The client and the agency or consultancy work together on a brief, once approved by both parties, it is then passed on to the creative team. The briefing document covers everything from product details and target market to media selection, branding, cost estimation, schedule, and background information.
Client involvement
The client’s involvement is crucial. Whether they’re experienced marketers or beginners, their cooperation sets the stage for creative success. Because they work ‘in’ their business they can provide valuable data about the marketplace and the competition or help in researching it if needed.
By working together, the client and the creative team can produce truly effective and exciting work that grabs attention and achieves results. So, it’s not just about one person having a stroke of genius in isolation – it’s a collaborative effort that brings the best ideas to life.
When considering their product(s) or service(s), it’s important for businesses to identify what makes them special. The Unique Selling Proposition (USP) can sometimes be challenging to pinpoint, especially if the product or service is just a better version of what already exists. If it’s faster, offers better value, or is supported by more efficient service, then this is where the emphasis needs to be.
At this stage, it’s crucial for marketers to think through the sales process, which is often overlooked. Who is likely to make the purchase decision and influence it? Is this a multi-stage process where potential customers will express interest, require more information or a presentation, and then decide whether or not to buy? In addition to discussing branding, clients should also share examples of creative work they appreciate or dislike.
Quality creative work is not simply following a set formula
It would be a mistake to assume that a well-thought-out brief guarantees good creative work. Quality creative work is not simply following a set formula. No matter how logical and helpful the brief is there isn’t necessarily an “obvious” creative solution.
If you want high-quality creative work, it’s essential to have not only a talented creative team but also an experienced one. They must understand the marketplace and know what approaches or concepts are powerful or fall short. Above all, they need to know how to effectively communicate with customers, capturing their attention, interest, and persuading them to consider purchasing the product or service. This might involve actions such as expressing interest via email, making a purchase, or making a phone call.
Experienced teams go above and beyond
They understand what resonates with people – the emotions, phrases, and images that captivate or turn them away. They also know how much information to provide at each stage and how much to leave unsaid.
Just like ice skating, quality creative work may seem effortless, but it requires a great deal of effort behind the scenes. Countless ideas are discarded at earlier stages, photography or typestyles rejected, and headlines revised, altered, or abandoned. The end result should have a sense of harmony that makes you feel it couldn’t have been achieved any other way. Most importantly, it captivates the reader, piques their interest, and convinces them to take action.
The team dynamic is significant. Having a writer and art director working together means the right images complement the words, and the words accurately describe the pictures. When a truly excellent creative team, accustomed to collaborating, comes together, they create a fusion of images, design, and words that surpasses the sum of its parts.
Some clients get overly concerned about the creative process and make too many changes, forgetting that they hired professionals for a reason. Crafting a well-defined brief is just as important as the actual creative work, as it guides the creative team and helps bring ideas to life.
At Two Lizards, we understand the importance of collaborating with our clients to create a solid brief. With over 50 years of combined experience, we’ve worked with clients in fashion, fundraising, finance, and more. Our expertise has bought us numerous creative awards, and we’ve even been part of judging panels at a wide variety of creative awards. We’ve also shared our knowledge of the creative process through lectures and writing.
Our approach is friendly and collaborative, and we’ve had the pleasure of working with a wide range of clients in Surrey, Sussex and London. If you are looking for a fresh and effective approach to your creative projects, we’d love for you to get in touch with us. Call us at 07976 705848 or contact us now!