You're facing creative clashes on project direction. How can you bridge the gap in Creative Strategy work?

Stop trying to find middle ground in creative clashes. Instead, focus on the end-user. Aligning every decision with what the audience needs and values cuts through disagreements and brings everyone on the same page. It’s not about who’s right. It’s about what works.

To bridge creative clashes, focus on finding common ground by aligning on the project's core objectives and values. Encourage open dialogue and collaborative brainstorming to integrate diverse perspectives and craft a unified strategy.

I've faced creative misalignments a few times in my career, both being on the agency and on the client side. Two principles have proven the most effective to solve that: 1. Go back to the Brief, 2. Ask your Consumer. -The Brief (when done well) is the guiding light for the project. If the ask, the objective(s), the why, the constraints are clear, the creative HAS to meet those requirements. No matter how good the idea is, if it doesn't align with the brief, it needs to be reworked. -As marketers the #1 sin we make is the sample size of 1. The creative is created in benefit of the brand and the target audience, not the CD, the Brand manager, the VP or the CEO. When in doubt, the consumer should have the last word. Testing (with rigor) is key

Lorsque je fais face à des conflits créatifs, j’instaure un dialogue ouvert où chacun peut s’exprimer librement. Je cherche à identifier des objectifs communs pour aligner l’équipe. Ensuite, j’explore des compromis permettant d’intégrer les idées de tous. De cette façon, je transforme les divergences en opportunités de collaboration.

Differing opinions make a creative campaign that much more exciting. They organically form the stress test every idea needs. If a concept is powerful it will answer all queries - provided they are based on the brief everyone has signed off on. A great creative strategy must have an overarching view of the market, the category, the product and the brand. It must be a creative business solution. Let team members interrogate the strategy till it confesses an insight. Let them cross-examine the insight till it reveals a groundbreaking idea. Let them question the brand till it demonstrates its truth. While perspectives will differ make sure the end goal remains the same. Encourage these viewpoints - they spark very creative outcomes.