Earned attention: It’s not the idea, it’s how you got there
James Curtis, Ogilvy PR’s head of consumer PR and influence, on why creating truly memorable work involves more than a brainstorming session and a pending deadline.
It’s not news that PR agencies are tasked with being creative. It’s fun, it’s rewarding, and it means you can produce some seriously cool shit. But in my nearly two decades working in agencies, the path to creative hasn’t always been clear. In previous agencies I’ve been in, more often than not a typical pattern would unfold: the brief drops, the butcher’s paper comes out, and the ideas start flying.
On paper, that approach can work. But landing truly sticky, effective creative takes far more than a good brainstorm session. Before we even get to how you arrive at a great idea, there are a few things worth considering.
First, the privilege of working in the creative industry. Few sectors offer as much trust from clients — faith not only in strategy but in ideas that might not have been tested before. Great creative strategy usually ventures into untouched ground; there’s rarely a proven blueprint to success.
