Imagine visiting KFC, eagerly anticipating their signature fried chicken, only to be presented with a pyramid of asparagus, all in the name of "thinking outside the box." Or picture picking up your car after its M.O.T. and service, only to find that the mechanics have replaced the engine with a cauliflower. Would you praise their creativity and vision? Probably not. You’d simply ask for what you originally requested.
Before I entered the world of new business development (yes, I’m dropping a deliberate keyword there), I faced a challenge in my career when referring to creative teams as a "service department." Let me tell you, that did not go down well. And honestly, I rather enjoyed the reaction.
From the viewpoint of marketing and sales managers, design exists for a very specific reason. You can’t just place a plain white box on a shelf and expect it to catch customers’ attention. It needs to be enhanced with compelling visuals or enticing images—think vibrant colours or pictures of children happily enjoying sugar-coated treats.
I remember one particular instance where I requested a simple glowing icon resembling an on/off switch. What followed was an unexpectedly elaborate process: a “mood board” materialised, and the creative team disappeared for an entire day to “conceptualise.” In the end, I turned to a friend of a friend who quickly delivered the exact icon I needed in just 20 minutes for a reasonable fee of £75.
Creative teams, while your ideas are undoubtedly valuable, it's important to remember that those commissioning your work often have specific objectives in mind. The goal should be to collaborate and align with these objectives, bringing their vision to life, rather than imposing your own ideas on what they might deem a "basic" request.