Why business does not take creative advertising seriously

In the dynamic world of advertising, creativity is essential, but it often faces a significant challenge: gaining the recognition it deserves in the corporate landscape. There are five key reasons for this.  

1. Creative advertising teams are not regarded as business partners 

This is one of the primary obstacles. The question I’ve been pondering lately, “Do CEOs see us?”, echoes this concern. CEOs and top-level executives may not fully recognise the value creatives can bring to the table. We’re in advertising, we are masters of positioning brands — so why are we not doing that for ourselves from a business point of view? 

2. Creative advertising is unable to show real return  

In the corporate landscape, results matter. If creative teams cannot demonstrate a tangible return on investment, their contribution to the bottom line can also be doubted. Advertising and marketing budgets are often the first to evaporate. Why? We need to explore ways to bridge this gap by linking creative efforts to measurable outcomes and showcasing real returns. 

3. Agencies get too stuck on creative ideas 

While creativity is at the core of advertising, becoming too fixated on creative ideas without considering broader business objectives can diminish our credibility. Our creative endeavours need to be aligned with overarching business goals to regain a sense of strategic relevance. Regular quarterly meetings with  business and segment leads will ensure creatives understand the client’s business strategy. 

4. Creatives’ decision-making is not data driven  

In today's data-driven marketing environment, decisions based on data and analytics are paramount. Creatives must integrate data into their strategies to demonstrate how their campaigns contribute to business objectives. As part of this process, we need to “start with the end in mind”  by making sure that we are capturing the analytics of our efforts and reporting back on them, and using them to enhance our future strategies as well. 

5. There is a communication gap with business teams 

Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful collaboration. Creatives often work in isolation from other business functions, leading to misunderstandings and a lack of alignment. Together with our clients we need to figure out strategies for closing the communication gap between creative teams and departments like sales, product development and finance to ensure a more harmonious and productive working environment. 

The challenges faced by creative advertising teams in gaining recognition and respect in the corporate world are real, but they are not insurmountable. By addressing these five key issues — positioning agencies as business partners, demonstrating real returns, balancing creativity and strategy, embracing data-driven decision-making and improving communication — creative teams can bridge the gap and become integral players in driving business success.  

Bongani Chinkanda is MD of Bravado (A Brave Group company).