Creative Director Strategy

Client hated our best idea. We pitched it anyway. Won 3 industry awards. Here's what happened: The Brief: Client: Mid-size B2B software company Goal: Rebrand launch campaign Budget: $400K Desafiar: Stand out in crowded market Our Creative Team: Spent 3 weeks developing concepts. Came up with 3 directions: Concept A: "Safe" - Professional, polished - Industry standard approach - Client would definitely approve - Forgettable Concept B: "Risky" - Bold, unexpected - Challenged category norms - Potential to break through - Client might hate it Concept C: "Middle Ground" - Some interesting elements - Safer execution - Compromise The Internal Debate: Me: "We're pitching B. It's the only one that will actually work." Account team: "They'll never buy it. It's too different." Me: "Then we convince them." The Client Presentation: Showed all 3 concepts. Started with Concept A (the safe one): Client: "This is nice. Professional." Then Concept C (middle ground): Client: "Also good. Clean." Then Concept B (the risky one): Client: (long silence) Client: "I don't think this is right for us." Here's where most creative directors cave. What I Did: Me: "I understand your hesitation. Can I tell you why I believe this is the right direction?" Spent 15 minutes explaining: - Why their category is a sea of sameness - How this cuts through - The strategic thinking behind the creative - How it would perform in market Their Response: Client: "We need to think about this." Translation: No. The Follow-Up: Next day, sent detailed document: - Competitive analysis (showing sea of sameness) - Strategic rationale - Consumer research supporting the approach - Media plan showing how it would break through 2 Days Later: Client: "We want to move forward with Concept B." The Campaign Launch: Results (6 months): - 340% increase in web traffic - 180% increase in qualified leads - Brand awareness up 45% - 3 industry awards Client's Words: "I'm so glad you pushed us. This changed our company." What I Learned About Creative Leadership: Good Creative Directors: - Present great work - Hope client says yes Great Creative Directors: - Present great work - Fight for it when client says no - Build the case - Convince them The Framework for Selling Bold Creative: 1. Do the Strategic Work Don't just make it look cool. Understand: - Business goals - Competitive landscape - Target audience - Market dynamics 2. Present Strategy First, Creative Second Show your thinking before your executions. Context makes bold ideas less scary. 3. Anticipate Objections Know what they'll say: - "Too risky" - "Not right for our brand" - "Our customers won't get it" Have answers ready. 4. Use Data and Examples Don't just say "trust me." Show: - Competitive analysis - Consumer insights - Case studies of bold work that succeeded 5. Stand Your Ground If you believe it's right, fight for it. Respectfully. With data. With passion. The Creative Director's Dilemma: Give clients what they want (safe, forgettable) Or Give clients what they need (bold, effective) Your job isn't to make clients comfortable. It's to make their brands successful. Sometimes that means pushing them out of their comfort zone.