Opinion

Can Adelaide become a creative hub?

December 9, 2011 1:53

by Robin Hicks

In this guest post, Jeremy Ervine argues why Adelaide can become a world-class creative hub like San Francisco, New York or Paris.

If you were asked to pick the most ‘creative’ cities in the world, where would you name? San Francisco? New York? Paris? Maybe Sydney? Chances are you wouldn’t pick the mid-west American town of Omaha, Nebraska. Omaha has always been a bit of a tired town. Its livelihood has been centred on business, with fur trading, stockyards and railroads. For decades young people have picked up left in search of bigger, more ‘creative’ cities. It’s a story that’s close to home.

Adelaide has long suffered from a ‘brain drain’, particularly in the creative industries. If you quiz any young creative person in Adelaide you’ll probably hear about their eventual plans to head east. We’ve resigned to the fact that the most creative among us will probably leave in search of the flashing lights of Australia’s bigger cities. We don’t even think about coaxing outsiders here.

Back in Omaha things have changed dramatically. It all started eight years ago when a couple of young, ambitious entrepreneurs chose to stick around, bucking the trend set by their peers. They saw something in Omaha that others didn’t and set out to uncover the creative potential of their city. They were a part of a remarkable wave that swept the town at the turn of the centaury. Omaha began to be known for its creativity. Talented artists started emerging, the work of photographers began to be showcased across the US, and local bands hit the big time. Creative people started moving back from San Francisco and New York. Today, countless young architects, web designers, photographers and advertising people now call Omaha home.

This small city in Nebraska is one of many examples from all around the world where creativity has been embraced to eventually become their lifeblood. Our New Zealand cousins have experienced this first hand. Last week Peter Fields, the international researcher and author, said that New Zealand advertising creatives are among the best in the world, declaring that “New Zealand advertising and marketing agencies are particularly good at seizing new opportunities in communications and producing the kind of rich, integrated campaigns that work so much harder.”

It’s interesting to see what these cities have in common. Auckland has a population of 1.2 million people. Omaha has about 900,000. Other cities known for their creativity like Portland, Edinburgh, Montreal and Antwerp also have small populations. It seems there’s a certain magic in cities of this size.

I was recently interviewed by Encore journalist Georgina Pearson, who’s based in Sydney. She asked me why I haven’t packed up and moved interstate. I explained how I believe Adelaide has all the ingredients to become another one of these creative cities. We’re a city that excels at the arts as demonstrated by our world-class festivals. We’re a city with beautiful architecture. We’re a city uniquely surrounded by hills, vineyards and beaches. And we’re just the right size.

Like Omaha, Adelaide has the opportunity to build its creative industries. To create world class work. To excite people outside of the State. To become the creative hub we deserve to be.

Jeremy Ervine is the general manager of Adelaide ad agency Fnucky

This article first appeared in the relaunched print edition of Encore magazine. To subscribe, click here

Robin Hicks

topics Adelaide Advertising agency Marketing Media

Comments: 22

parala 9 Dec 11

Saddle Creek Records did an amazing job in turning Omaha around. Good luck with doing the same in Raderlaide

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Peter Rush 9 Dec 11

I have a theory that truly creative people,have an almost morbid fear of boredom. Which explains why they’re so driven to constantly entertain themselves by hyping the dull reality they find around them. It explains why they so often hail from boring places with crap weather. And why they flee to frantic places like New York. Adelaide’s way too arty to spawn this breed. If ever there was a town to fit the bill, it would have to be Canberra – Fishwick to be more precise.

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Nigel 9 Dec 11

Hmmm, anythings possible in the USA, they have a population of 300m+.
This is a vastly different market. Comparisons are irrelevant, if not silly. This is not America.

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Jacquie 9 Dec 11

I appreciate the intention behind this article, but if you’re speaking about a desire to convert Adelaide into a creative hub, wouldn’t it be an idea to mention those individuals who are already striving to make this happen? Renew Adelaide; the Format collective; the teams behind Five Thousand and Collect magazine; not to mention larger organisations like Fringe Benefits and individual people like gallery owner Josh Fanning – all proud Adelaidians who’ve decided to stay put and work hard to turn their city into a cultural hub to rival the bigger destinations.

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AK 9 Dec 11

It’s not the number of people that matters…

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Generalising 9 Dec 11

It’s an interesting question.

In America they seem to have a different approach to the advertising business. It’s ok for an office out of Colorado or Portland to have a client in New York, sometimes looked after by a small ‘service office’ but mostly not.

Flights are cheap, and it’s just the way they do business.

In Australia, a Sydney based agency who gets a client in Melbourne has to open up a dedicated office based in Melbourne – look at BWM or BMF.

Problem with Adelaide? No clients, no money. No money, no big shots.

As I was born there I feel qualified to say it’s also an insular, cliquey big country town that doesn’t really welcome people outside their private school club, even if they went to a far more exclusive school elsewhere – not the kind of environment that supports a steady influx of new people.

In New Zealand, its world class reputation has come from hiring world class ex-pats. There is a lot of homegrown talent emerging now, but if you look at all the big names – Talbot, O’Sullivan, Worthington – all ex-pats.

Plus they have fantastic clients, the CD has the ability to recommend firing and hiring of suits, and most suits (at good places) have to have won awards as well. Different culture. However, due to the size of New Zealand, the majority of stuff that has picked up at AWARD shows has been scam until relatively recently – that comes down to budget.

So to make this happen, first you need clients. With money.
Secondly you need clients who are prepared to have an office several hours flight away.
Thirdly you need good creatives willing to uproot and live in a fairly lonely city.
And last but most importantly, you need the ability to make a difference at the big award shows consistently, year after year like Auckland, Portland, Colorado and Sydney and Melbourne do. Brisbane killed it a few years back but failed to attract decent creatives on the back of their win.

I do wish you all the best, it would be great to see it happen.

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David Campbell 9 Dec 11

Generalising,

You’re right. The US does have a culture of hiring agencies from ‘outskirt’ cities. And you’re right about no clients and no money.

But I work with Jeremy for an agency where 70% of it’s billings are from interstate or overseas. Which suggests there are clients who see the benefit of working with people from a less pressured environment.

You’re also right about no big shots. I think Jeremy’s right when he says that really talented people (like you, perhaps) bail on Adelaide. It shows in the long run.

New Zealand may not have the big budgets, but they certainly have the ideas. I think it highlights that there’s something in the attitude and atmosphere that remains unhindered by limitations.