Creating is the essence of a satisfying life. Whether it’s a painting, a sketch, a poem, a story, a child, a home, a hobby, a garden or a new you, nothing brings joy like creation. Just ask God, who after His six days of creating the Earth and humankind said, “It is good.” To which we add, “Amen!”
Maya Angelou once said: “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” I have found truth in that statement. During times when I have not practiced my trade (or engaged in creative hobbies), I tend to get rusty. But when I’m in the thick of copywriting, or designing bonsais, or painting, or writing lyrics, it seems creativity flows far more easily. Hence, my personal mantra is to “be Christ-like and creativity engaged.” I’m not perfect at either. But life is more joyful when I’m trying.
Contrary to popular opinion, curiosity did not kill the cat. It made the cat more wise and adept. Curiosity, in fact, is the trait of the most successful creative thinkers.
Each of us is a brand. And good brands, just as in the world of marketing, can typically be described in a handful of words. Harley Davidson represents “mature rebellion.” Charmin’ is know for being “squeezeably soft.” FedEx is “absolutely, positively overnight.” Volvo means “safety.
So what is your brand? Are you the loquacious one? The tall guy? The near-genius? The God-fearing person? The true friend?
This issue came to the forefront when a mayoral candidate in our city asked me for help with her communications and messaging. We first had to figure out her brand — and it was essentially that she is the “kinder, gentler, compassionate candidate.” Despite the fact she’s a politician, that brand description fits her perfectly. And so I wrote headlines and ad copy that communicated that persona. Funny, but in this day of angry, divisive politics, voters seem to appreciate that brand essence. She beat the incumbent mayor by a 2 to 1 percentage in the primary election. We’ll see what happens in the November election — but, in the meantime, she will be true to her persona, no matter how angry and accusatory her opponent gets. “To thine own self be true” wrote the famous playwright. The best brands do that, and communicate it with specificity, a creative twist, and consistency. And, usually, people like to “do business” with people/brands they like…the kind that are fun, engaging, friendly and real.
Once again, the Super Bowl arrived with a flurry of expensive ads. And, once again, most of them were forgettable. A sad waste of millions of dollars. However, there were a handful that exhibited the traits of effective, memorable advertising — namely relevance, humor, an unexpected twist, emotional power and/or exquisite imagery. Hats off to the talent and guts of those who created ads with such attributes. Intelligent creativity, I call it. And it’s not easy to come by. But when it happens, it results in the kind of advertising that gets talked about — which is the best kind, because that publicity is free.
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