Is creative the right word anymore?

 Is the word ‘creative’ really appropriate in today’s advertising industry? It’s a funny word. On one hand it’s an adjective: “They’re a really creative agency.”

On the other, in modern times it’s been adapted as a noun: “Let’s go and give the creatives the bad news.” Or “I’m a creative”.

But in either case, I question its relevance anymore. If you look at any dictionary definition of the word, along the lines of “To evolve something original from one’s own thought or imagination, as a work of art or invention”, how much of what we are asked to do is the product of invention of imagination?

Most of today’s advertising is in fact the opposite. Boring, and predictable and pre-prescribed by clients who know exactly what they want and only feel comfortable signing off on it.

Presented with anything ‘out of the box’ truly original and therefore unproven, defenders of the predictable (not just clients, agency folks too) arm themselves with all sorts of data and arguments such as “we know what our target audience responds to”.

Most contemporary campaigns are therefore predictable within the categories they are designed for (I’m speaking for the market I live and work in, Hong Kong, take a look at your own).

-       All beer ads will show a bunch of people doing “Cheers” with the product, with a celebrity at the centre.

-       All hair and beauty ads will show a famous star looking famous and beautiful.

-       All property-marketing ads will show perfect families or stylish people in glamorous settings looking nothing like the location they’re actually selling. The name of which will be based on a famous location somewhere else in the world. (I’ve yet to see a Hong Kong property called ‘The Anfield’ yet but I know it’s coming).

-       All insurance ads will also show happy families and especially a child on the fathers’ shoulders or being playful.

-       All fast food, drinks or snacks ads will feature either close-ups of the product or people, often celebrities, enjoying the product looking excited or in taste enjoyment heaven.

Given all of this, should an agency be saying to a client “Now let us show you the creative campaign.” Instead, they should say “Now let us show you the predictable campaign.”

Instead of an agency person telling someone “I’m a creative”, instead they should say “I’m a predictable. I work in the predictable department.”

I’m not sure the actual word ‘creative’ in its various forms should be retired, but at least it should be reserved for situations where it truly is an accurate description. To describe work that really is original and the product of great imagination. Or for people who do produce that.

What do you think? Or am I being predictable?