critiquing creative – there’s a right way and there’s a wrong way
by scott bundyWe all want the best and ideally we’d like it to be that way first time.
Truth is it doesn’t always work out that way.
First time creative developed for a specific brief might not always crack it in the first instance.
Let’s say it’s 90% there, but you’d like and need it to go further.
So how do you extract that missing piece?
If you are happy to only get another 1%, pick on the 10 things that you feel are wrong.
The logo’s too small.
The phone number’s wrong.
The headline is not quite right and so on.
And make sure you never talk about what’s right.
Professionally everything will be addressed, but personally and creatively the people who developed the work are confused and deflated. They’ve just tried to create something new and different for you and they are almost there, yet all you can talk about is what’s wrong, not the other 90% that’s looking good.
Surely this is rare behavior I hear you say. Wrong. It happens all too often, not just in critiquing creative but in life. Unappreciative people focus only on the negatives, not the positives.
Let’s assume you want to encourage 100%. Encourage being the important attitude in play.
For starters, only concentrate on what you like and what is correct, doing this will automatically have your strategic and creative partners on board. They will be emotionally engaged and keen to work with you and please you more.
Once you’ve discussed the positives you can then start working on the areas that need to change or evolve. Workshop ideas, suggest options and together strive to have a solution that is 100%.
Quite often the bulk of these discussions are more about refining the brief, which in turn refines the thinking.
Being positive and open can lead to strategic and creative ideas that go beyond the original body of work and deliver an amazing outcome for everyone.
All because the critic has been able to manipulate and bend the team to their will by concentrating on solutions and building blocks as opposed to issues.