When I first considered a career in marketing, I was hesitant. Why? Because I never saw myself as a “creative” person. For me, creativity meant painting with a brush, which is definitely not something I’m confident with. So, I worried that lacking traditional creativity would hold me back in the marketing world.
But after working in marketing for about six years and completing two degrees in the subject, my perspective has completely changed. Creativity isn’t just about art or design. It’s much broader and manifests in various ways.
According to research from Adobe, 82% of companies believe there is a strong connection between creativity and business results, yet only 25% of employees feel they are living up to their creative potential at work. This suggests that creativity in business, especially marketing, is about innovation, problem-solving, and fresh thinking.
I’ve always loved strategy. To me, strategy seemed like a separate beast from creativity – logical, structured, and analytical. But what I’ve realised is that strategy is just a different kind of creativity.
For example, when asked to develop a PR communications plan with various ideas, I can quickly generate many creative approaches. I think in terms of concepts, messaging, audience engagement, and how to solve problems with fresh perspectives. That’s creativity too, but just not the “paint and brush” kind.
Daniel Pink, in his book A Whole New Mind, argues that right-brain abilities like creativity are essential, but they are not limited to artistic skills. They include design, storytelling, empathy, and the ability to see the big picture, which are all critical for an effective marketing strategy.
On the flip side, creating intricate graphics or advertising visuals is not my strong suit, and that’s perfectly okay (that’s when I ask Bella for help!). Marketing is a team effort, and different skills complement each other. You don’t have to be great at every form of creativity to be successful.
So, do you need to be creative to thrive in marketing? Absolutely! But creativity isn’t one-size-fits-all. It can be strategic, conceptual, or even analytical. If you’re someone who loves problem-solving, storytelling, or thinking outside the box in ways that aren’t necessarily artistic, you have plenty of creativity to offer.
In marketing, there’s space for all kinds of creative minds. You just have to find your kind 🙂