Sam, one of my creative colleagues, excitedly sent me a song that he said, clearly explains the relationship creatives have with planners.
He did add ‘bad planners’, but he was only feeling guilty after I bought him a Kit Kat.
While it would be easy to say he’s a prick – and he is, but more in his general behaviour and attitude than this moment of cheek – his point is an important one for planners to remember.
Our job is to be useful to the creatives.
Doesn’t matter what sort of creative they are – ad, design, tech, industrial, the answer is the same …
Useful.
Not dictatorial.
Not demanding.
But actually helping them to do something interesting rather than just right.
That means giving them the right problem to solve rather than the answer you want.
That means talking to them about the brief rather than presenting it to them.
That means understanding the nuance of culture not the generalisations.
That means giving them a direction rather than a specific destination.
That means remembering your job doesn’t stop when creative development starts.
That means always looking for ways to give them more stuff that can expand or deepen their idea rather than think ‘working with the creatives’ means sitting with them and pretending you are one of them”.
That means building things up, not tearing things down.
That means focusing on the work, not your ego.
That means being open rather than closed.
That means pushing creativity not agendas.
That means being clear, not complicated.
That means giving space not pressure.
That means loving the fuck out the work.
