By Adam Wakefield

Are you looking forward to coming down to Durban for the DStv Seminar of Creativity at the Loeries? What will those in attendance hear about when you take the lectern?

Yes, I’m really looking forward to coming to Durban to get a deep dive on work from Africa and the Middle East. My talk will focus on the value that creativity adds in the science fiction of advertising.  

What’s the biggest mistake you believe a creative team can make in the conception of an integrated advertising campaign? Has your observation varied from the European and Australasian markets that you have worked in?

I haven’t seen any major differences between Europe and Australasia. I think the biggest challenge for creative teams across the globe today is getting to a powerful organising idea that can effortlessly filter and drive executions across channels. It’s so important to have this clarity to drive the development of the work, otherwise I find teams go too quickly to the first execution and then try to bolt on the other channels almost as an afterthought. 

Another thing I’ve noticed is the syndrome of ‘world first’. Being first is not an idea. Technology can create magic, but in itself, it’s not an advertising idea.

Do you think that the oft regimented approach that the business necessities have brought into the advertising and media industry, from deadlines to briefs and other forms of administrative minutia, stifles creativity? What’s the middle ground if there is one?

Briefs, deadlines, and process are a necessary part of agency life. They’re tools that should help create the best environment for creativity to flourish. I think the middle ground is in knowing when to break process and when to follow it.

Personally, I try to avoid meetings where there are too many people involved as it quickly becomes ineffective. Clear ownership is key to success and it’s easy to dilute this ownership with too many work streams & too many experts.

How do you stay mentally fresh and at your creative best?

We all lead hectic lives so it’s important to get some time to disconnect from work. For me, yoga is the best way to reset and refresh the mind. When yoga doesn’t work, cocktails or red wine can be a very good second option.

As a leader, what do you believe are the best means to get the creative best out of the team that works under you?

I think my job is to create an environment where each team believes that they can do the best work in their career. If creatives are not targeting this, then the work will be average as there are so many occasions throughout the process where a great idea can slip back down to average or ‘good'.  We need to protect ideas throughout the entire process from pitch to production.

Loeries Creative Week Durban takes place from 15 – 21 August. 

For more information, visit www.loeries.com. Alternatively, connect with them on Twitter using the #CreativityUnites hashtag.