What is Creativity?
Creativity offers a break from repetition. Often a group effort, it requires that we recognize opportunities for positive change, whether they are aesthetic, academic, professional, or relate to the broader culture of society.
Where Imagination Meets Structure
The Scientific Method Isn’t Just for Scientists
Although creativity usually requires us to question existing practices, the greatest innovators in all aspects of life tend to test their ideas through an ordered process. To start, they explore every alternative to what is currently known and expected, then think carefully about which option to choose.
Physical, biological, and social scientists—often thought to be non-creative—are very familiar with this process. Through the scientific method, an effective researcher should form a hypothesis from a useful question that has not been studied thoroughly. They will then perform experiments that consist of a wide range of test subjects and can be easily replicated for the most reliable data, which can suggest whether their hypothesis is right or wrong.
Those within the advertising industry similarly use focus groups. These are large, diverse groups of people hired to test a typical audience’s responses to ads that may contain bizarre concepts, formats, or media, but that have the potential to leave viewers in awe and spread awareness about the messages they contain.
Testing creative ideas can take place on a personal, subjective level, too. As a visual artist, I have created many sketches, only to determine whether I should transform a select few into finished drawings. While studying Digital Multimedia Design in college, I participated in regular critiques of my classmates’ work. This not only helped me and my classmates to realize the wide number of ways each assignment could be interpreted, but also caused us to consider making thoughtful revisions we would have never imagined on our own.
After reviewing the broadest range of options, all kinds of creatives should implement the most worthwhile solutions. This may involve researchers discussing their groundbreaking findings in scholarly journals, as well as everyday people using such new but evidence-based information to improve their lives. It prompts marketers to create and display brilliant yet unconventional advertisements; it leads artists and designers to share unique perspectives and incorporate new insights into their finished work.
Are Other Creative Boundaries Limiting?
Although I have been given an immense amount of freedom in both my work environment and the projects I complete as a designer and writer at Craft & Communicate, some still believe the structure of any corporate environment can stifle an artist’s vision. However, I have found that following my clients’ and supervisors’ requests is a refreshing challenge that compels me to find more ways of engaging our audiences than I had known as a traditional artist. It is rewarding to create eye-catching, thought-provoking media that reaches people who may not spend much time in galleries, but who do receive postcards or flyers, visit websites, view social media posts, and read blogs of companies that offer compassionate care to seniors.
What are the Benefits?
When used productively, creativity is an essential tool for making beneficial discoveries and drawing attention to important topics. It may encourage those who encounter its effects to question their own assumptions and routines; it might even inspire them to generate creative ideas themselves.
Our team at Craft & Communicate would love to hear how the creativity we have demonstrated throughout our branding of over nine senior living companies can enhance your company’s future. Contact us today to learn more about our industry-leading work.
- Lauren, C&C Digital and Print Designer
