Proposition

Written by Tomaz Goh
What can two warheads, the creative vs the Account Development spark when come head to head?

Most of the time we experience the blood-shed moment from these two extreme living beings, fighting with each others, but for the same cause. Both got the same motive. Creative wants the end result to shine, Account wants the end result to sell. Both means better and more postive outcome from the creativity overhaul. One side came out a "brilliant concept to shine/sell", the other shot down mercilessly.

What went wrong? What's the problems?
I'm not a account servicing people. I not in their shoes. I can't speak for them. But i will addressed creativity obstacles.
When the lethal bullets is out. aim to the creative in the simulated client's perspective, lot of concern is been rised up. "Concept too over the top... Where's the added essence... Have we addressed all angles... we afraid to flash the joker card... Shall we go back to the safe concept..."

There's lot of questions popping up when internal critic session is concern. But one thing for sure, you dont start to fear the worst only after the first concept is born. Concern like these is package together with the brief. why? how?

This is because we dont just started to understand client only after our first idea have juiced out. And definitely not because the account services people like to reserve the "killer punch" and hit that killer blow to the creative until they have came out with their input. A standard brief shouldn't be just a textsheet of CLIENT'S REQUIREMENTS, it's should, however includes "blind mines" to watch out for.

What are "Blind Mines"? They are the invisible "guideline" and "Regulations" that the creative have to keep strictly to.Those blood boiling questions that raised up during the internal critic."Concept too over the top... Where's the added essence... Have we addressed all angles... we afraid to flash the joker card... Shall we go back to the safe concept..." there we go again...

When a single-minded proposition is determined, everybody shall agreed and work towards it. Direction, the route that the client has set and wanted us to drive forward, is the way to reach their(and ours) pre-plan business purposes. Concept, is the key message that underline the whole project, and vehicle to bring everyone to the targetted destination of our goal. It's has to be clear, crystally clear.

There's no room for what if. If we goin to be flicker-minded about our own creativity, so do other people think of our work. Dont agreed if you think there will be problems arise. Dont start wearing condom when you realise your worms have done the wicky job. We have to have the confident when we decide and do on anything, never question back what we have agreed upon unless it's constructive.

Ok, simple as that. Direction set. Creativity follows. Concerns Covered. Execution determined. Go. Get the direction correct. Get the Creative message spot on. Fulfil the requirements. Tells the truth, backup with loads of confidence. Nothing else matter much now.Those small nibby concerns can be overcome if we got the backbones right. Whether the client like or not, whether it is too clever or abstract, whether to play safe mode or break mode... everything have to surface and iron out before execution is involved. All team players who reached the "Go" stage, have to trust each other and move on together. This is how we nuture creativity and stop been discouraging. Perfect messaging doesn't exist in creativity. Correct messaging does. Don't worry about flaws, just hit the right nail down.

If there isn't confidence around, there's no convinction.