Why do clients (and some suits) hate the word creative?

Gapingvoid(Hugh Macleod) nails it on the head with the above cartoon.

He attributes the quote in the cartoon to Mark Earls, another great mind - 'I think it embarrasses the grown-ups: a lot of folk think business is some separate rational sphere of activity, in which maths, analytics and rational thinking prevail (whether it’s in customers’ or employees’ minds). "Creativity" makes things personal – makes you put your balls on the line. It cuts through the crap of “strategy” and all that pseudoscience that we hide behind.'

Hugh goes onto say - ‘To survive in the future, we're ALL going to have to get more creative- not just the boys in the black polo sweaters, but every last one of us, regardless of job title.’ 

It is indeed a very powerful and valid prediction, more so when it comes from an incredibly creative person like Hugh.

Meanwhile, I urge you to subscribe to his daily cartoons for your morning dose of awesomeness. It is one of my dreams to buy at least one of his cartoons. Er...let me figure out how to get the money for that first.

Top 10 I Wish I Had Written This (Edition 9)

The posts are not in any order of priority. Hope you like them as much as I did.

• ‘Talked-about advertising’ by Steve Henry

There is no point in advertising if it is not talked about. Amen

• ‘Selfish as selfish doesn’t’ by Ken

Extreme self-denial is not an act of love, but a form of neglect. Don’t be selfish. Do something you love. A simple, moving post

•  ‘Advertising agencies: Kiss your creative teams goodbye’ by Sean Duffy

Provocative post that the author explains the way he has done away with conventional creative team in his agency to keep up with changing (digital) times. The comments were equally awesome.

• ‘Organic start-up ideas’ by Paul Graham

The best start-ups ideas are those that answer the question: what do you wish someone made for you. The other less successful (and painful) method is trying to predict what the market needs.

• ‘Screw relationships, let’s have a fling; on brands and the privacy debate’ by Ben Malbon

I love this take on the intensely debated issue of privacy(online) and how brands should orient themselves for it

• ‘8 sins of nu-marketing folks’ by Asi Sharabi

The author spares no one including himself for the errant ways of the gurus, evangelists and authors. Keep this in mind every time you read a ‘hot’ post or article from them. Love this post.

• ‘The hard part is finding people who care’ by Dave Pollard

The title is the answer to the question on ‘how to save the world’ and the author spells out the reason why. Very thought provoking

• ‘Designing for networks’ by Mike Arauz

Start thinking of people and the people they hope to connect with as a powerful network. This is the way brands can capitalise on the all-pervasiveness of digital technology

• ‘Are we post-digital yet’ by Terresa Iezzi and Ann-Christine Diaz

The best brand creativity transcends the screen and therefore to debate digital or otherwise may not be the right thing. The authors have made it interesting with lot of examples

• ‘Critical thinking, underpinning of an effective business strategy’ by Valeria Maltoni

Why is critical thinking important and what are the characteristics of a critical thinker is very well explained

(Image courtesy: e_walk)