Creativity Besmirched

Marc Babej roasted some agencies recently, saying "Few notions in advertising are more overhyped and blathered about than “creativity.” In fact, “creativity” has been used so broadly and universally as to become an equal opportunity claim – invoked regardless whether an agency demonstrates it in practice."  Among those indicted, Publicis, Crispin Porter, FCB and W&K who replied: "Entertainment on its own is not enough. But in a world where it's increasingly easy for people to avoid messages that are dull, irritating or irrelevant, then it can't hurt to be entertaining. Who wants a relationship with someone boring?" To communicate you have to be heard, necessitating a creative way to pierce the din.

Comments

[Marc E. Babej]

Fyi, I've just posted a follow-up. Rosser Reeves's take on creativity, from his out-of-print Reality in Advertising.
http://being-reasonable.com/index.php/weblog/permalink/rosser_reeves_on_creativity/