Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Clever or clear




Every great piece of marketing communication rests on this delicate balance between being clever & clear. But it is inaccurate to assume that great creativity would always be clever. In fact creativity works at two levels – the lower of these two levels is about clever creativity that challenges comprehension. In other words great ads that we never understand. And then there is this higher level, which is the address for all the great ideas that we understand and yet are such that they always surprise us. I call these clear & simple because these are the ideas that make a difference to the life of the average consumer and the brand.

Unfortunately the first kind of creative ideas that pop up in any ideation session are those from the lower level of creativity. These ideas are good & very simple from the creative person’s point of view. But are like French to a Persian when it comes to the consumer.
Unfortunately many creative minds stop at this level. They try to get these ideas published because after all they are ‘good’ ideas. These are the ideas that keep the creative people away from all the great ideas that are yet to come.
What matters to us, as people in the ideas business, is to always strive & reach out to a higher level of clarity and yet surprise the audience.

Because good is the enemy of great & clear is far better than clever!

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