Strategic Creativity – the two words seem to go together well, yes? Well, maybe not. From where I sit, it’s more often the case that these strange bedfellows don’t get along than do. The truth is that there are plenty of strategic people who aren’t creative; and there are plenty of creative people who aren’t strategic. It’s actually quite rare to get both in the same package.
Often, communication challenges are approached with the two words in the opposite order, as in - creative strategy. Notice that the noun in this phrase is strategy. In strategic creativity, however, the noun is creativity. Say them to yourself, and you’ll see that in both cases, the noun dominates the sense of what is being said… and done.
Strategic creativity (which is my own stock in trade) is creative developed by a creative person who is as much a business-minded, strategic thinker as a talented, artistic craftsperson. It’s not Art for Art’s sake, but art for business’ sake.
There are those who think creative people are really only interested in Art with a capital A. It’s true that some are – and the world needs more of them! However, there are others (like me) who are interested in small ‘a’ art – as a means of leavening what might otherwise be dry, flat, unappetizing business communication.
Strategic creativity leads the way to plump, satisfying marketing messages. Yum!
An interesting perspective on these two words. As someone who defines himself as a creative strategist, I understand and appreciate the nuance between the two approaches. I have stayed with creative strategist, if only because nine times out of ten, it’s the strategy which determines the creative approach. Life becomes really interesting though when it becomes that one time out of ten when the creative idea becomes so strong, so compelling, that it can dictate the strategy.
I also believe that strategic creativity can be defined almost by what it is not, as much as what it is. It is not tactical, it does not require a framework for itself to live within, it is the framework. Almost everything I see, read and interact with is tactical creativity passing itself off as something else, true strategic creativity is few and far between.