How Do You Define Creativity and Where Do You Look to Find It?

Ask several people to define creativity and you will get several useful answers: a memorable way to explain an idea, a different approach to a familiar problem or a concept that makes someone stop and reconsider.

For marketing and PR, I would add a practical test. What does the idea help the audience understand, and how does that serve the client's objective? Novelty is not enough on its own.

A big idea can make a problem tangible

In the original 2013 version of this article, I described a Symantec project that explored what could happen when smartphones were lost. The creative move was to make an abstract security concern observable rather than simply repeat a warning about it.

That is a historical example, not a description of a current campaign or a promise about the coverage another project will receive. Its useful lesson is the choice of an approach that made the subject easier to discuss.

Before pursuing a large concept, ask what it will demonstrate, whether the method supports the conclusion and what practical or ethical safeguards it needs. An attention-getting setup should not outrun the evidence it can produce.

Creativity also belongs in everyday work

A new way to frame an expert's answer, a more useful question in an interview or a timely connection between a market issue and a customer's experience can all improve a program. None requires a large production budget.

Look for the moments when familiar language stops being helpful. Could you explain the issue through a decision someone has to make? Could you show a trade-off rather than list benefits? Could a different source help make the problem concrete? Those are creative choices too.

Keep the idea connected to the objective

It is easy for an interesting concept to take over a planning conversation. Bring the discussion back to the audience and the purpose. The team should be able to explain why this approach is more useful than a simpler alternative.

Also decide how you will evaluate it. Attention may be part of the goal, but it should not be confused with understanding, credibility or a business outcome. Choose evidence that fits the assignment.

Look for improvements, not just breakthroughs

Make room for ambitious ideas without dismissing the less dramatic ones. A thoughtful change to an ongoing program may solve a real problem even when it will never become a showpiece.

Creativity is most useful when it is a habit of examining the work, questioning the obvious approach and finding a more meaningful way to connect. The scale of the idea is secondary to what it helps accomplish.