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Daily Maverick
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Nurturing Creativity in Business
Why creativity isn't a luxury, and how we can better protect and promote it. In a world dominated by sameness, speed, and scale, creativity has become a crucial differentiator. Yet in many organisations, it's still treated as a luxury, rather than a business essential. The third session of the Marketing Masterclass Series, hosted by eatbigfish Africa, MASA, ACA, and Daily Maverick, took a deeper look at what it really takes to nurture creativity in business today. The hosts, David Blyth and Khaya Dlanga of eatbigfish Africa, were joined by two seasoned leaders in the South African creative landscape: Gillian Rightford, Executive Director of the ACA, lead for the Effie Awards South Africa, founder of Adtherapy and School of Thought. Carl Willoughby, Chief Creative Officer at TBWA and Chairperson of the Creative Circle. Together, they explored the current state of creativity in marketing and advertising, and the structural, cultural, and leadership changes required to unlock its full value. Creativity is a commercial lever, not a luxury Creativity is often misunderstood as a 'nice-to-have' or a tool for embellishment. But data presented during the session told a different story. While brand size is the most significant driver of advertising efficiency, improving profitability by a factor of 20, creativity is the second most powerful factor, and the most actional lever for marketers, boosting outcomes by a factor of 12. If growth is what every marketer wants, then creativity must be in their toolkit. The real problem isn't a lack of creativity, but the environment in which it is expected to operate. As noted – there isn't a crisis in creativity, but rather a crisis in the industry around how creativity is bought, sold, valued, and remunerated. Many agencies are struggling to get brave ideas across the line, and even when they do, they're often not rewarded accordingly. Fear is the enemy One of the session's core themes was that risk aversion is stifling creative excellence. The rise of crowd-sourced opinions and bloated approval processes being two of the biggest threats to effective creative work. More people are involved in sign-offs, often diluting strong ideas into safe, forgettable content. Speakers urged marketers to say yes to the work that makes them feel uncomfortable, referencing a panel at Cannes where both the CMO and CFO of a global brand agreed that creative discomfort is a necessary ingredient for success. Rather than fearing creativity, marketers need to fear its absence. Build psychological safety and protect the process Creativity doesn't thrive in fear-based environments. It requires psychological safety, where teams feel empowered to take risks, test ideas, and challenge the status quo. You can't rush brilliance. Good creative work needs time, energy, and collaboration. When clients and creative teams spend meaningful time together, especially during product ideation, briefs improve, understanding deepens, and the resulting work is stronger and more resilient. This kind of integration helps reduce miscommunication, makes the briefing process more intuitive, and allows for quicker, more courageous decision-making. Creativity needs to be strategic To be valued internally, creativity must be seen not as decoration, but as direction. It was emphasised that marketers need to embrace creativity as a strategic tool. That means understanding it, learning how to talk about it in commercial terms, and using it to reduce, not increase, risk. Too often, ideas fail not because they're wrong, but because they're not positioned clearly enough within a business context. Creative thinking must be connected to business outcomes, customer value, and long-term growth. The better marketers get at framing their ideas in this way, the more likely they are to be championed by leadership. Flatten the approval chain Another recurring frustration voiced by the guests was the growing number of stakeholders involved in creative sign-offs. The current approval process is often so bloated and inefficient, that it leads to compromise rather than clarity. The solution? Supercharge the relationship between creatives and decision-makers. Draw fewer lines between creators and approvers, and build direct, trusting relationships with those who can say 'yes' to bold ideas. The goal is to move work swiftly and decisively from idea to impact, without it being diluted along the way. Surprise, delight and scare us One of the session's most memorable soundbites came from Gillian Rightford, quoting her former colleague Matthew Bull: 'Surprise, delight and scare me. If you surprise and delight the consumer – you have nothing to be scared of.' The panel echoed this sentiment, advocating for marketers and agencies to back bolder, braver ideas. 'Do more scary stuff,' said Willoughby. 'That's where the magic often lies.' Creating a culture where discomfort is not just tolerated but embraced is vital for producing work that cuts through noise and earns attention. Advice for marketers The session closed with some simple but powerful guidance for marketers: Embrace discomfort. The best work often feels uncertain at first. Trust the process. Invest time. Spend more time with your creative partners. Let them into your world, and step into theirs. Be decisive. Make the call. Don't rely on consensus. Learn about creativity. Understand how it works, and what it needs to thrive in your organisation. Streamline sign-offs. Build strong relationships with decision-makers and keep the flow of work unobstructed. The Marketing Masterclass Series continues on 14 August, with a session focused on building brand power.
Miami Herald
09-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Preston Spire Taps Dustin Black to Supercharge 'Good Wins' Creative Philosophy
25-Year Industry Veteran to Guide Agency Through AI Evolution with "Culture of Curiosity" and Collaborative Leadership MINNEAPOLIS, MN / ACCESS Newswire / July 9, 2025 / Preston Spire, the independent, employee-owned creative agency founded on delivering Good Wins™, is proud to announce Dustin Black as its new Executive Creative Director. In this role, Black will help supercharge Preston Spire's approach to uncovering each brand's untapped potential and transforming it into authentic growth that transcends category conventions. "I was drawn to Preston Spire's culture and agility," says Black. "Here's an independent shop in my backyard with the DNA for exceptional creative work-one that's not beholden to shareholder pressures but actually invests in people and breakthrough ideas. That's exactly the environment where Good Wins happen." Black brings over 25 years of award-winning creative leadership to Preston Spire. His work has been recognized by the Clios, D&AD, Communication Arts, Cannes Lions, The One Show, Obie Awards, Telly Awards, and Effie Awards. Throughout his career at agencies including Carmichael Lynch, Colle McVoy, and BBDO, Black has led breakthrough campaigns for brands like Perdue Chicken, Frank's RedHot, Craftsman Tools, Jackson Hole Tourism, Hormel, and MSNBC. Most recently, he helped transform Colle McVoy into one of the country's most celebrated creative agencies, earning Adweek's Midsize Agency of the Year and a coveted spot on the AdAge A-List. His transition to the independent agency world reflects his belief that the traditional holding company model is fundamentally shifting. "Between economic pressures and holding companies focused on squeezing every dollar from the bottom line, that model no longer serves the best interests of clients or the people working there," Black explains. "I believe independents are the future-they're faster, more nimble, and better positioned to deliver the kind of creativity clients need in today's AI-powered economy." Central to Black's leadership philosophy is fostering a "culture of curiosity"-a defining principle from his tenure at Colle McVoy. "Curiosity allows us to see different viewpoints and work seamlessly across departments," he says. "We're solving increasingly complex problems, and it's no longer just the creative department leading the charge. We need media, data, and strategy all working in harmony." Black's entrepreneurial spirit extends beyond advertising. He co-authored "The Book of Spam" (Simon & Schuster), helped launch an ice cream shop, and creates large-scale felt art that will be exhibited at MSP Airport starting in October. "I've always believed you have to chase outside curiosities," he notes. "Our business requires lifelong learning and drawing inspiration from everywhere." Looking ahead, Black is focused on guiding Preston Spire through the evolving creative landscape, particularly around artificial intelligence. "AI can enhance efficiency, but it can't replicate lived experience or human insight," he says. "Our job is building the tech stack that supports creativity while fiercely protecting the irreplaceable spark that only people can bring." "Dustin embodies everything we believe in," says Jennifer Spire, CEO of Preston Spire. "He's not just a creative powerhouse-he's a culture builder who understands that thinking differently isn't just nice to have anymore, it's essential for survival. He's going to be transformative for our agency and our clients." About Preston Spire Preston Spire is an independent, employee-owned creative agency that supercharges the good in brands so they positively grow. We believe every brand has untapped potential that, when activated, creates electric transformation in marketing performance. With a consistent track record of helping regional and emerging brands achieve previously unreached levels of success. Named AdAge Best Place to work the past two years and Midwest Small Agency of the Year, Preston Spire exists to give our clients the market changing power of Good Wins™. Media Contact: Allie Gonzales832-794-3770allie@ SOURCE: Preston Spire
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Lowe Lintas appoints Anurag Prasad as head Gurgaon office
Lowe Lintas has announced the appointment of Anurag Prasad , chief strategy officer, as also the new head of the agency's Gurgaon office . Anurag takes over from Naveen Gaur , who will be moving on to pursue new entrepreneurial opportunities after being there with the agency for 15 years. Anurag Prasad has been with Lowe Lintas for over twenty years and has accumulated a wealth of knowledge over his two-and-a-half-decade career span, ensuring an output befitting the agency's reputation and a work ethic that is hard to replicate. As one of the best brand strategists in the industry, he believes in small details defining the bigger picture and not losing sight of either. Anurag describes himself as roll-up-your-sleeves-and-dive-straight-in planner. He has been the spearheading strategy for several marquee businesses, notably Maruti Suzuki, Google, Havells among others, for well over a decade. Across these partnerships, his ability to integrate deep consumer insights with brand imperatives has made a lasting impact on the business outcomes. Anurag is an ardent practitioner of marketing effectiveness and a firm believer that communication and brand must ultimately drive business growth. His views and work in brand-building effectiveness have won numerous awards for the agency and placed him on the Effie Awards jury, among other accolades. He is also a strong evangelist of the agency's proprietary cultural study – State of States – and has championed its integration into brand strategies to ensure that they succeed in the many Indias that make up this complex market. Speaking on the appointment, Subramanyeswar S (Subbu), Group CEO – India and CSO – APAC, MullenLowe Global , said, 'We are absolutely thrilled to appoint Anurag Prasad as the head of our Lowe Lintas – North operations. It is a role that is as critical as it is deserving. Anurag's strategic brilliance has already been a guiding light for our agency, and now, with this expanded mandate, we're placing one of our most trusted and forward-thinking leaders at the helm of an operation that is vital to our ambitions." "His dual lens – both operationally rigorous and strategically inspired, will ensure that we not only meet the demands of today but also shape the opportunities of tomorrow for our clients, brands, and us. This is a moment of real momentum, and I can think of no one better than Anurag to lead it," he added. Subramanyeswar further added, "As we mark this transition, I want to express our deepest gratitude to Naveen Gaur, who has led Lowe Lintas – North with integrity, dedication, and heart for the past 15 years. He has left a meaningful and lasting imprint on all of us who had the pleasure of working alongside him. We wish him only the very best in whatever comes next.' Commenting on his new role, Anurag Prasad shared, 'I walked into Lowe Lintas, 21 yrs ago and immediately had the privilege to be nurtured by its numerous greats and inspired every day by its infinite talent. And therefore, this is an enormous privilege. Lintas has often ushered the future, for its brands and even the industry. And Lowe Lintas of today is transforming into what agencies of tomorrow should be. To participate and contribute to this evolution is possibly going to be my most exciting time at Lowe Lintas.' This move signals Lowe Lintas' continued commitment to nurturing leadership from within and building a future-ready organisation that stays ahead of the curve.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Omnicom Named World's Most Effective Holding Group in 2024 Effie Index®
NEW YORK, June 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Omnicom (NYSE: OMC) has been named the Most Effective Holding Group in the 2024 Effie Index®, the leading global ranking of marketing effectiveness. This marks the second year in a row -- and third time in four years -- that Omnicom has earned this top honor. Among Omnicom's agency networks, BBDO Worldwide ranked third and DDB Worldwide ranked fourth as the Most Effective Agency Networks. AlmapBBDO was named the Most Effective Agency Office globally for the second consecutive year. Regionally, Omnicom was named the #1 Holding Group in Latin America, with BBDO Worldwide as the top agency network and AlmapBBDO as the top agency. "As technology advances and consumer expectations shift, what it means to be effective in our industry keeps changing. Being recognized at the top of the Effie Index repeatedly shows how our people and agencies are staying ahead of the curve," said John Wren, Chairman and CEO, Omnicom. "I'm proud of their dedication and creativity, and grateful to everyone at Omnicom who works tirelessly to deliver meaningful results for our clients." The Effie Index ranks the most effective agencies, marketers, brands, networks, and holding companies by analyzing finalist and winner data from Effie Awards competitions around the world. Announced annually, it is the most comprehensive global ranking of marketing effectiveness. "The companies and agencies recognized in the Global Effie Index continue to set the standard for marketing effectiveness on a global scale," said Traci Alford, Global CEO of Effie Worldwide. "Earning a place on the Index is no small feat - it reflects a consistent ability to deliver work that drives real business impact. Omnicom has once again secured the #1 position for the second year in a row, an achievement that reflects a deep-rooted commitment to building a culture of effectiveness. Congratulations to all the networks and teams whose work continues to move our industry forward." This ranking comes on the heels of several other 2024 industry accolades for Omnicom, including being named Holding Company of the Year by Gerety, MediaPost and WARC for its Effective 100 list. To learn more about the 2024 Effie Index®, visit About OmnicomOmnicom (NYSE: OMC) is a leading provider of data-inspired, creative marketing and sales solutions. Omnicom's iconic agency brands are home to the industry's most innovative communications specialists who are focused on driving intelligent business outcomes for their clients. The company offers a wide range of services in advertising, strategic media planning and buying, precision marketing, retail and digital commerce, branding, experiential, public relations, healthcare marketing and other specialty marketing services to over 5,000 clients in more than 70 countries. For more information, visit About Effie WorldwideEffie leads, inspires and champions the practice and practitioners of marketing effectiveness globally. We work across 130 markets to deliver smart leadership, applicable insights, and the largest, most prestigious marketing effectiveness awards in the world. Winning an Effie has been a globally recognized symbol of outstanding achievement for over 50 years. We recognize the most effective brands, marketers, and agencies globally, regionally, and locally through our coveted effectiveness rankings, the Effie Index. Our ambition is to equip marketers everywhere with the tools, knowledge, and inspiration they need to succeed. View original content: SOURCE Omnicom Group Inc. Sign in to access your portfolio
