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Creativity Redefned or Innovation

The words “creative” and “creativity” have been hi-jacked by the world ofadvertising. The word means something speci c to those familiar with Mad

Men or Thirty-something advertising stereotypes. In these cases and thecases of classic advertising creativity was vis!al" copy" or positioningcleverness applied at the end of the new prod!ct process" when it was timeto market downstream.

The old view of the world b!#ers creativity from strategy or strategicplanning or research and development. These departments were oncereserved for eggheads" chemists" n!mber cr!nchers" or analysts. If“creativity” were enacted in these f!nctional areas" the deliverables ando!tp!t wo!ld be s!spect or s!spended.

$e are learning that creativity is anything that adds val!e and relevance to

its intended a!dience. %mart companies are nding ways to move away fromthe &!st-b!ild-it-like-I-told-yo! model. They are discovering that the merelyded!ctive way of handling strategy or '() has more limitations thanbene ts.

To move more e#ectively downstream" companies are learning to be morecreative !pstream. This move signi es that we have moved o!t of theInd!strial *ra and into the +ge of Innovation.

,pstream creativity means that companies immerse themselves with theirc!stomers and seek to invent helpf!l prod!cts and services. ,pstreamcreativity means that the core b!siness model is debated ann!ally in di#erent

formats and not j!st on a spreadsheet int!itive downloads" sketches ofnew adaptations of the model" and market trends are role played as part ofthe new process. ,pstream creativity means that there are markers andsticky notes in the boardrooms and e ec!tive chambers. ,pstream creativityis a dynamic process that adapts to grow" takes calc!lated risks" and e pectstotal engagement from its whole team.

The spirit of deep play can be fo!nd at s!ch companies. The process of beingcreative for the sake of the b!siness is a thrill and a form of bliss peakmoments in a career. /ere" diverse project teams meet at the same tablewitho!t prej!dice abo!t roles. They are intently foc!sed on s!rprising themarket by creating a new line of b!siness that will change the game. They

jo!rney together thro!gh the discovery" the birth of a new concept" thedrafting of a b!siness case" and the path to market.

Inspired companies allow rec!rsive thinkers to challenge" inspire" evenprovoke anything too stat!s 0!o that inhibits growth. 1reativity meanslooking thro!gh as many lenses of a prism of the same iss!e as possible.

/ere2s the bottom line. The world has changed. The economy is now led byorgani3ations that invent on a rapid" reocc!rring basis.

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In the Ind!strial *ra" creativity was !sed as a means to di#erentiate prod!ctsdownstream. 4ow" in the +ge of Innovation" the only way to win in the marketis to get creative with the whole b!siness5 b!siness model" '()" distrib!tion"etc.

“1reative” once described people with drafting boards who reeked of ink.4ow" it is an honori c worthy of a pinstripe s!it-wearing M6+ grad in nance.

$elcome back" 1reativity. 7o! have been missed on many 8oors of b!sinessfor too long. ,pstream. )ownstream. +ll aro!nd. 1reativity is good forb!siness and is worthy of praise.