What I Learned This Year #3: John Creson

With only a few days left until the new year, I appreciate the opportunity to pause and think about what 2010 has taught me. To honor the first ten years of the millennium, I will keep my observations to ten. They are:

1. Socially Adaptive
No surprise, but social media is on many minds. It’s the way we connect with each other, date each other, share with each other. It’s no longer just about brand awareness and purchase. The brand conversation is happening between Facebook friends and in reviews from people they’ve never met. Finding ways for brands to be relevant across a variety of platforms will continue evolve, along with the thinking.

2. Brand Movement
Opportunity in the face of consequence has led to continued innovation around sustainability. While the word “sustainability” has taken its shots over the years, the idea has lit a fire. Advancing vital movements through brands will be a continued positive trend that aligns common interest.

3. Creative Moments
As a creative leader, it’s important to always recognize other people’s creative moments and support them. Let them shine.

4. Consumers aren’t looking for brand experiences.
Consumers are people who have a lot going on, and they think about brands only occasionally. They want to get their stuff done—and done easily. Brands can make those interactions simple, delightful, and meaningful. But consumers are not seeking brand experiences.

5. Expectations don’t change.
To borrow a phrase from my friend Phil at Blue State Digital, some clients have “caviar taste with Budweiser budgets.” When budgets are renegotiated, the expectations must be, too.

6. Purposeful Collaboration
Five people sitting in a room together isn’t collaboration. It’s annoying, unless each person has a clear role and understanding of the desired outcome. And each of them shares a desire to make the work better. I’ve learned that collaboration is harder than I initially thought. It requires a clear idea about where diverse perspectives can add value. It doesn’t happen everywhere with anyone all the time.

7. Challenge the consequence of your imagination.
I say this to myself a lot.

8. Everything is on the table.
We are living in a time of unprecedented change. A lot is changing or has the opportunity to be rethought or reimagined. Don’t cling to orthodoxy. Stop thinking in terms of best practices.

9. People who don’t laugh suck.
With looming deadlines and pressures to do great work, our business is stressful. Surround yourself with people who play and make you laugh. Good things come out of laughter.

10. It’s only one part.
We get up to go to work. We work all day and go home later that night. Usually. Get out of the office and live, it will make your work better.

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John Creson is the Executive Creative Director of Addis Creson