From Inspiration to Desperation: Unveiling the Creativity Crisis of The Top Brands
Are we witnessing the demise of creativity in the age of AI? As our world becomes increasingly digitalized, a troubling dilemma emerges for businesses across industries
We are living at the beginning of an AI era where everything we consume is digitalized. More opening and dependency on the technicalities of every creative product is making the product not-so-creative.
The Digitalization Dilemma
Businesses now face a dilemma as a result of the digitalization of the creative sector. To remain competitive, on the one hand, they will need to make use of AI techniques. On the other side, they have to figure out how to keep the creative element of human labor in their work. This predicament is frequently referred to as the “digitalization dilemma.” If companies want to continue to enjoy financial success in the age of AI, they will need to figure out how to circumvent this obstacle first.
Agency Dependency Trap
The use of agency marketing is one strategy being used by firms to address the digitalization dilemma. Businesses might benefit from access to AI tools and knowledge provided by agencies.
However, there is a risk, that businesses will come to rely excessively on agencies. If a company does not invest in its own creative staff, it risks falling into the “agency dependency trap."
Most established companies are relying on agency marketing so much that their in-house marketing team is filled with charming do-nothing employees whose main job description is bossing around the agency teams.
This dynamic can hinder the organic development of original ideas within the company, further eroding creativity and creating a dependency trap.
The Creative Crisis within Agencies
On the other hand, agencies themselves may confront creative obstacles. The pressure to meet short deadlines frequently leads to a reliance on templates and previous works, resulting in a lack of creativity and inventiveness. The repetition of these practices might blunt the agency’s creative edge, causing them to lose sight of how to produce something truly unique. As a result, the quality and uniqueness of creative efforts may decline, leaving clients with generic and uninspired content.
The Creative Struggle for Top Brands
It is difficult to discuss this topic without mentioning brands, but upon closer inspection, we can see that top brands are relying too heavily on online advertising and influencer marketing, which is making it harder to attract customers through genuine engagement.
Sure, new companies and startups can benefit from online advertising and influencer marketing, but I think it’s unfortunate that well-established companies have to splash out so much money to get their name out there.
So Where Are The Creative People?
In the best case scenario, some of them pursue their own content creation through Tiktok, YouTube, and other social means.
And worst case scenario? They are working in a completely different workspace, which surely doesn't justify their creativity in a proper way. I am not talking about other creative industries, creative individuals can be found in diverse workplaces, such as design studios, innovation labs, research institutions, and even traditional artistic fields like film, music, and literature, but working in a place where they can’t flourish according to their potential. I also understand that some of us have to do many things to fulfill our basic needs, but feeding our souls is also crucial for living, at least to me.
Finding a Balance
It’s important to strike a balance between technological superiority and artistic brilliance in today’s agency-driven digital age, despite the fact that both have their limitations. Businesses should invest in their own talent development by creating a work climate that rewards originality and gives people the freedom to experiment. At the same time, agencies should make it a top priority to keep a varied staff of creatives on hand so that they may continually surprise clients with new and exciting concepts.
Conclusion
The challenge for businesses in the era of AI and digitalization is to keep their creativity while embracing new technologies. This “digitalization dilemma” means that we need to find a balance between AI and human touch. Even though AI tools are available through agency marketing, relying too much on agencies can stop companies from coming up with ideas on their own. The creative problem in agencies is caused by the pressure to meet deadlines, which makes people use templates and reduces their ability to be original. Even the best brands struggle when they put too much emphasis on online advertising and influencer marketing, which makes it hard for real interaction. But creative people can still be found in a variety of workplaces, and it’s important to make a place of work that encourages creativity and lets people try new things. In the digital age, new and interesting ideas will come from finding a good mix between technology and artistic skill.
Will your business find the right balance between technology and creativity in the digital age? Take a step forward and explore new avenues that foster innovation and originality.
