What\u2019s the secret to\u00a0 \u201ccreativity\u201d? There isn\u2019t one \u2013 except to say that creativity by definition means breaking the rules.<\/p>\n
What we can give you is this simple set of guidelines to get you thinking about this business of corporate communication.<\/p>\n
1. Always communicate personality. What they\u2019ll remember about your company is what is different and distinct about it. Remember, the quality and message of the ad\/brochure\/TV spot\/website reflect the image of the your company and its products. If it\u2019s junk, that\u2019s the message. If it\u2019s carefully thought out and well executed, that also is what customers can expect from your company.<\/p>\n
2. Be clear and simple. Don\u2019t brag. Your target audience doesn\u2019t care about your corporate aspirations for market domination, or the fact that you think you\u2019re better than your competition. They want to know what\u2019s in it for them. Tell them that.<\/p>\n
3. Be honest. Yes, honest. It\u2019s amazing how a little humility and sensitivity can shine through the immense quantity of corporate conceit, B.S. and irrelevant hype to which we are subjected daily.<\/p>\n
4. Try to incorporate a benefit in your message. If nothing else, doing so shows respect for your target market, who won\u2019t have to work hard to get the point of your message. It also happens to be a great technique for making an interesting, compelling ad.<\/p>\n
5. KISS. Keep it simple, stupid. Simplicity is courtesy, elegance and class. Don\u2019t talk about great service, free parking, beautiful hostesses and the best selection of widgets this side of Podunk if you\u2019re writing a sale ad. If possible, find one item and focus on it. Or make the point of your sale in an interesting, compelling, succinct way.<\/p>\n
6. Make it fun. Remember, getting the whitest and brightest wash is not the foremost objective of 90% of the population. Just about everyone could use a lift. If you\u2019re the one who gives it to them, they\u2019ll thank you \u2014 maybe even by trying your product. So before you tell them that your brand is preferred by 30% more male Caucasian truck drivers, ask yourself if anyone will really care. If you do have a dynamite USP (unique selling proposition), project it with class and good humour. If you\u2019re unlucky enough to have a parity product (one with no distinct benefits), create a niche for yourself by projecting your clear, distinct personality.<\/p>\n
7. Find ads or brochures you like. Ask yourself why you like them. If you can, try to deliver your message in a way that no one\u2019s ever done before. Otherwise, emulate a style you like and tailor it to your business. Good communication is largely a matter of knowing who you\u2019re talking to and what you want to say.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
What\u2019s the secret to\u00a0 \u201ccreativity\u201d? There isn\u2019t one \u2013 except to say that creativity by definition means breaking the rules. What we can give you is this simple set of guidelines to get you thinking about this business of corporate communication. 1. Always communicate personality. What they\u2019ll remember about your company is what is different Read more about About Creativity<\/span>[…]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.colbertcreative.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/158"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.colbertcreative.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.colbertcreative.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.colbertcreative.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.colbertcreative.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=158"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/www.colbertcreative.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/158\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":473,"href":"http:\/\/www.colbertcreative.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/158\/revisions\/473"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.colbertcreative.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}