With the numerous advances in technology, it’s tempting for creative industries to branch out and do more. But that approach to businesses might not be optimal. While jumping on board and trying new things seems like a good idea at the moment, it can actually distract firms from their core operating principles. And that’s never a good thing.
Lyon Managed Services – a specialist IT and technology services provider for London’s creative industry – has seen this trend up close and personal. The company that offers various forms of outsourced services knows that brands in the space need partners who can shoulder some of the burden.
“We’re always amazed at just how many firms out there prioritize what they do over the technical aspects of running a business,” a spokesperson explains. “It’s remarkable just how much assistance a lot of these companies are willing to accept if it means they can keep their most talented people focused on the revenue-generating aspects of the business. Creatives don’t want to be bogged down in technical matters, like SEO and website maintenance.”
However, the benefits of these business models goes beyond efficiency. Creative firms across the country and globally are using them to make a difference by inspiring action. Companies are utilizing their resources to build campaigns and outreach events that touch the hearts of their audiences, all because they have more time.
“Once you free up creative people from the grunt work, there’s no limit to what they can achieve,” Lyon Managed Services believes. “Companies that work in partnerships with others are often able to give their people the freedom and space they require to create incredible results.”
So, what are creative agencies doing to make a difference? How are they inspiring action?
Raising Awareness
The chief role of any of these companies is to raise awareness. Creative agencies have to promote brands and issues in ways that ensure they enter the public consciousness. And that, of course, is easier said than done.
Part of raising awareness has to do with tapping into the collective psyche. Creatives have to somehow know what’s making everyone tick and how to appeal to them. It’s not a straightforward matter.
“We see brands all the time who seem to know what everyone’s thinking and manage to put it into words. Often, it comes out of their unconscious experiences. Many creatives are really good at tapping into latent knowledge and displaying it to the world in a format that nobody thought of before.”
You can see the value of this awareness-raising capability in matters like climate change. Governments and sustainable organizations are using creatives to drive their brands’ narratives and stick in their audiences’ minds.
You can also see it in the culture wars. Firms are using creatives to pick a side in inventive and subtle ways that won’t necessarily alienate half their audience.
What’s interesting is how this human skill isn’t going away. AI often presents a sanitized version of reality. Individuals in creative firms see it for what it is.
Shifting Perspectives
With that said, raising awareness isn’t the only thing creative firms are doing. Many are also actively looking to shift perspectives.
This capacity has been something that’s been useful for businesses for decades. Steve Jobs famously said that companies had to bring their customers with them, introducing them to products and concepts they didn’t even know they needed.
Creatives must do the same in the 2020s. With the proliferation of AI and software, the world is changing beyond recognition, and these industry experts hold the keys to convincing audiences it’s worth the investment.
“Storytelling is something that creative agencies do for their customers, but it is also something they need to focus on themselves,” says Lyon Managed Services. “If a talented company can sell itself to firms, it is more likely going to see repeat business from brands wanting to adapt to the changing consumer landscape.”
That’s not to say that these companies always get everything right – they don’t. But this capacity to shift perspectives is ultimately what keeps the conversation moving forward. Little things often grow into much bigger social movements, just because creatives couch them in the right terms.
Motivating Change
Finally, creative industries are doing their bit to motivate change. Art, music, and film are all having an impact on the collective psychology, encouraging people to make different decisions.
Some creatives are self-described “activists” in the sense that the desire for disruption is the motive force behind what they do. This runs through a lot of modern advertising and is visible in everything from shoe commercials to city billboards.
Other creatives are part of teams looking to fulfill corporate missions. Many of these go beyond just selling more products and services to something deeper. It’s this mission that makes so many of them successful. Managers aren’t saying to them “create” and expecting them to get on with it. Instead, the need to succeed is coming from within.
In some cases, the desire is to get people to donate to charity or make different decisions with their waste. It could be to get them to do more gardening, adopt animals, or contribute to a local community-building effort.
“When companies motivate change, it can have a big impact on their following,” Lyon Managed Services says. “However, it requires having the proper infrastructure in place on the backend. Creative firms need conscientious partners who can deal with the issues in the background, like website speed and bandwidth, so they can be freer and more creative. Firms need the combination of the two.”
Wrapping Up
This recent trend among creative industries is noticeable. It’s almost as if they already know diversification won’t work for them.
That’s why we’re seeing them sticking to what they do best. Wasting time on external projects isn’t helpful and could actually be harmful to the bottom line.
Creative companies aren’t doing everything themselves in-house to save money. Instead, they’re spending the resources they have to make their people more productive. It’s all about specialization.
