Nobody Knows What Creatives Do

Having looked for a team player for one of the companies I used to work at as a Senior Creative I received a bunch of letters from job-seekers who had applied for this role. My inbox was filled with messages: from Visual Artists, Content Managers, Film Directors, Writers, Photographers and even some Actors. They could film, write, post online, come up with original visuals and perform in the most exquisite way. All kinds of creative minds. Unfortunately for my team, none of them were Creative.

First, I thought it might be a local thing. Perhaps, people in Russia just weren’t quite sure what the profession was about. But as I went international, I started to figure out that this was not that common for foreign HR’s to really understand what we do. And vice versa, there’s no way they could know if the qualities they’re looking for could all be met in a person with such a title. As a result, Creatives’ profiles just stuck in this jelly of Open-For-Offers state and don’t even go to the companies’ Creative Directors.

So what do Creatives do? Some might think that it’s an unhurried pondering or even laying still in the direction of the inspiration, as if we were some kind of lizards whose subsistence depends on the amount of patience.

Well, the duration of the reflection is debatable from one person to another. But there’s a whole process and actually a method behind our job. Further I describe what we do, step by step, it will be super basic and not short, but yet it will give you a clue.

The Surface

It all starts with a brief. Sometimes the brief is pretty thorough and accurate, sometimes clients don’t know what they want, but let’s say after a few calls and letters (organised by a producer) we succeed in figuring out the main goal.

After that we begin to research. What are the brand’s values? What is its DNA? What is its tone of voice? What were its previous campaigns and how were they different from its competitors’? And, sorry for cursing, what is its unique selling proposition?

All this information leads to an insight.

The insight is a rare Snitch that you gotta catch in order to get into people’s hearts. There’re many definitions of insight, but the shortest one is: the non-obvious knowledge — of the product, the audience behaviour and finally of its pain.

In this picture the product is the answer to that pain, almost a panacea or (at the worst and sadly the most realistic scenario), a band-aid. So the campaign is about to show how it cures the “pain” (or, if we have to deal with perfume, drives you to live another lifestyle).

Having caught the Snitch, we come up with the ideas’ drafts that meet all the conditions listed above. For example, a client wants to make (or become a part of) a big event to natively show off the brand. Try not to confuse the idea with the format and mechanics. The event is just an example of a format. The pdf with the ideas would consist of:

— the insight;

— the inspirational description of the whole idea;

— the explanation of how to implement it.

The Deeper Level

Usually there’s two or three ideas that are enough to convince the client and not to put them to sleep during the presentation. So if we got the client’s attention let’s skip a surface level, and go deeper to what to wait from the Creative:

1. What’s before the event (what we post on social media? Will there be a video (in general words, what will it be) or a series of photos? Are we involving the UGC? Who are the influencers and heroes of the campaign? Will we have a special project published in some relevant media? If yes, what will it be? Is there gonna be an invitation to the event? How will it look? Will we make merchandise? If yes, which items and how will they look? Are we recording a song? Who is the lead voice? Are there any references? Do we have a budget for that?)

2. What is the event subject? How the space looks? What’s on the walls? What are the activities the guests will do? Who will be the guests? If there’s music then which one? When and how do we present the product? Will there be any photo zones? How will we make guests scream about this event in their IG stories? What will we do to make the media write about it? What will the guests eat and drink? Are there any references? Do we have money for that?)

3. What will happen after the event (will there be any posts? Will there be any photo session? Video? Music album? Art exhibition? What do we do to make the aftertaste of the event last — even among those who haven’t been invited? Are we still tight on that budget?)

Supposedly, after a dose (or a few) of clients’ commenting, thinking and overthinking, coming back and forth, asking to change this and that, one of the ideas is accepted by the client.

Then the production begins. And, because the Creative is the Knowledge and Idea Keeper, it means we have to lead and own the entire project.

The Implementation

Which is first, a detailed, thorough, precise and specific description of what exactly each stage and the format is. Which means working in pairs with the designers and the production team, explaining to them how everything will look, what are the shapes, the color and the juxtaposition of everything, from logo to copy, from the invitation to the stage location. This is a collaboration, so it is very important to find the team who has experience in everything, from the printing, to the clothing and even interior items.

Then there’s a stage where the Creatives become show runners. We have to collaborate with the director, the cameraman, the music and/or grind engineer. Our bright thoughts (with the help of line producers) have to reach everyone: the set designer, the caterers, the hair and makeup artists. We write scripts of the videos, then we present at the shooting to make sure everything was made according to how we had it in our minds (and how we sold it to the client).

And if after all of this work all the stars constellate in the shape of the word SUCCESS, we can come to the event (release the game/collection and/or launch a show/smm campaign, so on) and observe it all working as a well-oiled mechanism. This is a moment of our triumph (or a walk of shame), however we will still use some pats on the backs, so don’t hesitate to speak your excitement up.

The Outro

To sum up, who is Creative? This is not a PR or SMM specialist, it is not about being able to design or actually use the camera to film stuff (even though some of us have experience in doing it), this is not about acting or being capable of drawing stuff. It is about coming up with the idea then leading (i.e. controlling and consulting) the all listed processes. Sounds simple? Well, yes, as the good old ‘drawing an owl’ meme.

And if you managed to read up until this point, don’t hesitate to share it with your fellow HR. I am starving for a new job position.