Five tips on how to do great creative in 2010

It's no secret; creative is going through a crisis along with everything else in our economy. But, it doesn't have to be that way. The best work can be done if an agency understands how to challenge itself by mastering the art of quality - not necessarily quantity - and by leveraging the right technology tools to bring a marketing vision to life. Here are five tips on creative in the face of a new decade by our very own Dennis Franczak, CEO of Fuseideas:

1: Think big, even on small budgets. It's a modest philosophy that can yield high returns. Agencies, especially small ones, shouldn't be afraid to think big when the budgets are small. Aspiring to great work, will bring even better work. Agencies need to place trust in their expert staff and their capabilities.

2: Leverage technology to bring the idea to life. This is a no-brainer, but with so much technology evolving out there, agencies constantly need to monitor and be on the lookout on how to make their creative even more cutting edge so it can stand out. There's no greater feeling than having your work align seamlessly with the client's brand strategy.

3: Think multiple channels. Traditional, new media, interactive, all channels must work in harmony these days more than ever. It's important to understand new marketing dynamics, from social networks, to new interactive apps and how they can work best with traditional media in order to provide a holistic approach to a client's marketing campaign.

4: Challenge traditional ways of thinking. In order to evolve, we must assess and reassess. Constantly. Success lies in asking the right questions and challenging the old way of doing things. Embracing the success of the past, will help shape future success, but only if agencies understand what elements should change. Challenge keeps us on our toes, and keeps us thinking forward.

5: Spend time doing multiple concepts to get to the right idea. Prep work is the most important part of generating a marketing campaign. Look at your toolbox and decide what tools make sense to use in order to bring a concept to life. Building blocks with a strategic concept in mind will create a solid campaign. The best ideas will come after you guide the concept in the right direction.

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The great myth... Only large agencies can handle my account

Walk into a large agency and you’ll expect to see beautiful offices, large staff, fancy coffeemakers and expensive conference rooms with state-of-the-art technology. But, once the agency secures your business, how does it value it? 2010 marks an exciting new media era full on innovation and creativity. Increasingly, great talent is breaking off from big-fish agencies to start small, more specialized agencies to serve you better.

The question is, “Why is smaller better?” Aside from a less formal structure and leaner staff, smaller agencies are by far more flexible to changes when their clients request it, they are more responsive to requests, and will go far beyond to ensure your business. Service is genuine in small agencies, where big fish agencies are focused on constant billing and minimum deliverables.

You’d be surprised to find better, and more specialized talent in small agencies, who have been burned out by big ones. Successful small agencies are always on their toes, and as a result, the work produced is often award-winning. Unlike big agencies, small ones work two-three-five times as hard to earn and keep business, and their people have a stake in the results the agency delivers. Small agencies have no room for “dead weight,” or outgrown expertise.

So, the old myth remains just that. At the end of the day, there’s something special about picking up the phone and speaking directly to the CEO of an agency about a new campaign, versus leaving message after message with an intern at large agency. Who would you want handling your account??

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