Creativity

How a conversation with Tom Abbott, Managing Partner, sparked a debate on whether internal communications is a truly creative discipline. In our latest blog, Tom shares his views on creativity, internal communications and what a new entry to our industry might expect…

Recently, I was part of a discussion focused on creativity and internal communications. The premise was that internal communications offers fewer chances for creativity than similar disciplines. The argument suggested that with small budgets and often tight timescales, the scope for creativity was limited.

I fundamentally disagree with this premise and believe that internal communications is an endlessly creative discipline. To my mind, the constraints we often have to work within lead to a vibrant and exciting creative working environment, where every decision has to be tight and focused on the client or audience needs. There is no room for indulgence!

The definition of creativity

Providing a simple definition of creativity remains a challenge for academics studying the field. Emily Moffatt, our studio head, describes creativity as follows:

“Creativity is solving a problem in a way that excites and inspires. It’s the red thread running through everything 44 does.”

I like this definition because it makes several statements about creativity that are worthy of consideration.

Firstly, creativity is something that you do and can improve on with practice. It’s not an innate or divine talent. It’s also not the preserve of the designers and editors. It’s something that involves everyone, regardless of the task or role.

Secondly, it’s about problem solving – it’s practical and outcome orientated. It’s about challenging what exists and seeks to improve or replace.

Thirdly, it excites and inspires. It’s not just an individual dreaming or imagining – it’s something that is shared, experienced and generates an emotional reaction.

Understanding creativity

So, if that helps us understand what creativity is, what is it not?

I have never considered creativity to be purely about the creation of a communications product – a poster, website, installation or a piece of text. For me, and all of us in our team here, creativity drives every aspect of what we do. We apply creative thinking to: problem solving, project management, stakeholder relations and client management, campaign development, process design, and yes – visual and editorial production. We don’t limit creative thinking by placing it in the domain solely of tortured artists. From the work experience grad to the managing partner, creativity is our heartbeat.

But, it is true that in comparison to many marketing campaigns, our budgets are smaller and timescales are often tighter. We don’t often have the luxury of a massive investment and months, even years, to plan our execution (like our external comms colleagues’ reality – or so we like to think).

Pushing the envelope

These constraints mean we have to drive harder to deliver creative solutions that meet our client briefs. We can’t always take the safe or easier option, we have to work with stakeholders to find ways to deliver real impacts in a more challenging environment. And I think we do this consistently, helping clients deliver meaningful change and powerful communications for colleagues and employees. Whether helping thousands of frontline police officers get vital mental health support, facilitating culture change in a major automotive business, or connecting hard pressed teams to their customers; what we do creatively has positive, real world outcomes that can significantly improve the working lives of people across industries.

While the internal communications industry recognises its creativity through its professional bodies (get those IoIC award entries in, folks!), perhaps we don’t acknowledge our creative ability as much as others. Or, used to being overshadowed by the marketing industry, maybe we feel marginalised as a creative industry.

I would encourage anyone seeking a career in creative industries to take internal communications seriously. A career in internal communications will test your creativity in ways other disciplines won’t. Your work will impact people in one of the most important aspects of their lives – the workplace. You will work across a range of skills and channels, finding ways of engagement that work hard and speak to what can be a cynical and reluctant audience. You will build a deep understanding of your client and their people – seeing beyond the numbers of a demographics and behaviours report.

This is an endlessly creativity industry, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

If you’d like to continue the conversation about creativity, why not get in touch?