It’s time to reignite the effectiveness of creativity

It’s that unique yet rare power to view the world through a set of lenses unlike any other. Most of us can’t exactly quantify it. So can one actually measure creativity, and more importantly, does it matter?

According to Sarah Vizard of Marketing Week, there is ample proof that the more creative the brands are, the better business results they deliver.

For example, the McKinsey’s Award Creativity Score, has found that 67 percent of companies that score in the top quartile have above average organic revenue growth.

70 percent have above average total return to shareholders and 74 percent have above average net enterprise value.

But it seems according to a 2016 study authored by Peter Field for the IPA and advertising service WARC found that creativity in advertising is declining.

Short term campaigns had quadrupled to 30 percent while budget investment behind creativity fell by 12 percentage points.

The blame is landing at digital’s door, apart from the usual excuses that range from procurement guidelines, measurable ad spend and companies becoming safer and more risk averse.

Digital marketing over the last 10 years has led to a focus on performance and optimization over creativity.

So, do marketers actually try to measure creativity? The majority of markets are trying to add some science to the art.

An exclusive survey of more than 400 brand marketers conducted by Marketing Week finds 61.8% measure the effectiveness of their creative (compared to 76.5% who measure the effectiveness of media).

One such personality, Steve Challouma, marketing director at Birds Eye, refocused on creativity with at least 20 percent of their time and budget to take risks and stretch the brand in different directions.

Live testing, focus groups and online quantitative surveys remain the most popular methodologies.

But of course one must have guardians of the big idea as well, as its too easy for brands and agencies to create work that can pass pre-testing but totally dilute the big idea.

Cheryl Calverley of Eve Sleep, believes that ultimately a shift from rational messaging to more creative and emotional messaging can help a brand to reach a wider audience and improve consideration.

“[Emotional advertising] lingers so that when someone comes to renew their breakdown service in six or nine or 12 months’ time, you have the effect,” she added.

Source: Marketing Week