Creativity Reigns

Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage,” and 400 years later that stage is completely accessible for anyone to step onto and be creative simply by connecting to the Internet.

“This wide and universal theatre”—Shakespeare’s description of life—is bursting with grassroots creativity and bringing audience-created content to a seemingly bottomless pit of demand. The Internet opened the door wide for people to play a new game of self-expression, and it is quickly making stars out of some of its players.

In an article titled “Moguls of New Media” in the July 29 Wall Street Journal, it states, “As videos, blogs, and webpages created by amateurs remake the entertainment landscape, unknown directors, writers and producers are being catapulted into positions of enormous influence.”

A self-made celebrity on MySpace now has a million “friends” and is capturing $5,000 per appearance at promotional events.

An art student from Iceland picked up a camera one year ago and has now, through exposure of her work on Flickr, just been hired by Toyota to do a photo shoot.

A 20-year-old young woman who posted dozens of her own homemade videos on YouTube has become so popular, she recently signed a TV and Internet development deal with NBC talk-show host Carson Daly.

To me what's so obviously proven by these examples is exactly what's so phenomenal about the Internet—the spotlight is always on, and there is always room on stage.

Right now there is a struggle going on about who owns the biggest portion of the stage, and it looks like YouTube is winning. From Guardian Unlimited, in a report entitled “YouTube overtakes MySpace,” it states that almost 4% of all people who visit the global Internet every day visit YouTube, making it more popular than MySpace, which garners 3.35% of all daily visits. Why? I would say that “Look what I did!” is winning out over “Look at me!” But whether you want to show your creativity or share your personality, the jury is in. People are clamoring to connect on the Internet based on their self-expression, and that means the creativity cat is out of the bag.

Recently, in repositioning our agency, we decided to dub ourselves “a bold agency where creativity reigns.” A statement easier written than realized. Especially now. Especially when the whole world is exploding with creativity.

Here at Noble, we’re experiencing the benefits of this new creativity by reminding people of the new truths of the Internet: 1) Everyone can contribute to creativity; 2) Life is the dynamic source of everything new; 3) Experiencing life through the Internet can be a commitment anyone can make; 4) Life insights are the new currency of marketing; and 5) the new R.O.I. stands for Return on Insights.

To spread these truths, we’re starting what I call Creativity Confabs (cross-functional lunchtime exchanges among our people), starting our project briefings with what’s happening in life, not just what the client has asked for, and using our new insight-gathering system (CultureWavesÔ) as a stimulus for our clients as well as ourselves.

I guess my message is simple: in a world where access to life, globally and universally, is making the world stage something you can enter and exit whenever you want—we need to be constantly present with the insights to guide the way. And we’re committed to not just applying creativity like polish on a new car, but by creating a new combustion engine sparked by life itself.

This new wave of creativity is a challenge all agencies are facing, and we welcome it. The unpredictable, opportunistic portal to the future is right in front of us, beckoning us to jump through.

That’s it, from the edge of the world.

Bob

Comments

[Dr. Nancy D. O'Reilly]

Hey Bob,

Went online yesterday and took a look at you website and your articles. I agree it is all wonderful and mind blowing stuff..going on (good crazy) Getting to the top of the search engines and having those little spiders crawl all over your site is a must. I am there.....called you and this is what I am looking for. Ten years of research and newly designed website and a book in progress and I need to build a major platform for the WomenSpeak Project...spent several months putting together a strategic plan and have been going right and left and now I need focus....I am motivated by being pissed and yet have passion about this project and want to get the information out and want to make a "contribution". I am calling...yes I am. Looking at PR/Marketing proposals and I really liked what you did for BCFO. You are also considered one of the best creative guys out there......I deserve the best...right? Enough said....if you have a chance take a look at my website and just get a feel....for it...and that may be a time saver/////or a road block...who knows? There is so much out there.....and it is all really cool stuff...thks..Nancy O

OOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPssey WWW.Womenspeak.com

[John Holmes]

Love the ideas.....big ones

[Emmanuel Probst]

Hi Bob,
In line with your reasoning, I'd like to expand on the consequences of 'the explosion of creativity'.

A consequence of the You Tube/MySpace phenomenon is that creating ideas that last is becomming more difficult. Internet communities might enable spreading a message faster among a wider audience, but how long will people remember it for?
I trust you will have an opportunity to look at www.theextraordinaryexperience.com, where you will find more ideas about branding and experiential marketing.

All the best.
Emmanuel