Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
By: Adnan Arnautlija
There’s only about ten days left till the Epica Awards in Amsterdam. Once again, an independent and impartial jury will gather, composed of people who have dedicated their careers to the creative industry – observers on the side-lines, journalists with ever vigilant eyes and hard-working hands that are spreading the word about your amazing works. Among the media that make up this prestigious jury is Media Marketing, and we are on a mission this year.
Awards will not be the only talking point in Amsterdam. Epica Awards traditionally hosts the Creative Circle each year, discussing the most current themes with industry leaders, and this year, discussions will revolve around the relationship between creativity and responsibility.
At a time when all festivals and conferences point to the role of causes, responsibility, social purposes in communications and brand business, Epica decided to explore the whole topic from a different angle, which is evident from the title of the Creative Circle: “Will Responsibility Kill Creativity”.
How do brands general approach their creativity at a time when social responsibility is imperative, and can provocative messages in general exist in tandem with the ideals of equality and sustainability?
There is no single, one-size-fits-all answer to these questions. And many brands have already felt that fact on their skin. Some are very successful in merging creativity and responsibility and achieve great business success thanks to it (almost everything Nike does seems to be a prime example of this), while others got seriously burned by somewhat ill-conceived or too aggressive approach to this trend (see Pepsi and Kendal Jenner).
Nevertheless, numerous case studies have shown that brands that take on a cause that fits their values, and who work for some higher purpose as responsible corporate citizens, consequently record business success and build a stronger image in society thanks to this approach.
But there is another side to the story. The whole talk of responsible advertising is largely conditioned by the culture of political correctness, which undoubtedly influences the creative spirit, especially in large brands and organizations. It seems that it has never been harder for creatives to “sell” a bold, provocative and critical solution. Brands are more likely to opt for safe solutions, and even the creatives, exhausted by unsuccessful attempts, are beginning to yield to the pressure.
As part of the Creative Circle conference, a series of round tables will be held, with attendance of CMOs of some global brands, creatives, agency CEOs, leaders of companies, and, of course, journalists. And I will be one of those journalists.
Media Marketing has its opinion on this issue, which we will share with others at the Conference, but we don’t want to share just our opinion. We want to truly represent our region in this debate, and to present a cross-section of opinions on this topic from stakeholders across the entire advertising industry of our region.
So, I invite you to send me your brief opinions. You don’t need to send essays or some elaborate articles. Two or three sentences will do just fine. Just tell us: Will Responsibility Kill Creativity?
Send your suggestions to adnan@www.media-marketing.com.
Thank you!