Applied Creativity in Business

Creativity in B2B: Insights from Cannes Lions 🦁 One of the highlights of my year was serving as Jury President for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Creative B2B category. In my next few posts, I’m reflecting on some of the themes and lessons from the work we awarded; insights I believe are reshaping how we think about B2B creativity. Small Business, Bold Creativity and Lasting Impact 🚀 This year brought a marked increase in work aimed at small business audiences; a segment that is often underrepresented in large-scale creative work but forms the economic backbone of many industries and communities. The best of this work showed real understanding and care. These campaigns didn’t talk down or oversimplify. Instead, they acknowledged the nuance and hustle of small business ownership and offered practical solutions; from digital financial tools to education initiatives and content platforms. These weren’t just product messages. They were acts of service, designed to empower and support. ❤️ Strategically, this shift is telling. It reflects a growing recognition among B2B brands that market leadership isn’t just about scaling to the enterprise. It’s about showing up where trust is earned; acknowledging relevance is everything, and that relationships are built long before procurement decisions are made. A brilliant example is 'Estibadores' by Circus Grey awarded a Silver Lion. 🦁 You can watch the work here: https://lnkd.in/gtdBtbhj This campaign not only created an entirely new media channel that enabled the brand, Mibanco, to reach an expanded audience; but also supported these small business owners, by opening up this channel to other brands; generating ongoing revenue for the small business community. This is work with clear purpose; opening a new business model, promoting financial inclusion, and turning work equipment into mobile advertising channels. What a powerful example of creativity that manages to do well and do good; creating opportunity not just for one brand, but for an entire community. ❤️ A very well deserved Lion. 🦁 Benjamin Yung Junior Irene Kugelmann Hana Kovacevic Luis Madruga Enriquez THEMBEKA NGUGI María García Herranz George Bryant Lisa Maxwell Rolo Cordova Simon Cook Lisa Berlin Ryhn Lee Philip Thomas Paul Coxhill Paul Hirsch Tom Stein Andisa Ntsubane CM (SA) FCXP (CX-I)

Valuable insights to share from my meeting with Daniel Lamarre (Executive Vice Chairman of the Board) at the Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group HQ in Montreal. 1 - Foster a Culture of Creativity: Create an environment where creativity thrives, including trusting employees, encouraging risk-taking, and promoting open dialogue. 2- Lead with Passion and Vision: Inspire your teams by having a clear vision and maintaining enthusiasm for the mission. 3- Develop Resilience: Building resilience to handle the inevitable challenges in creative endeavors, noting that resilience fuels persistence and adaptability. 4-Align Creativity with Strategy: Successful creativity should be grounded in business strategy; creativity without purpose risks being ineffective. 5- Continuously Learn and Grow: it is important to learn from every experience, good or bad, and to stay open to new knowledge and perspectives.

🚨Halftime Reporting: Shifting Brand & Creative from a Support Function to a Growth Engine for H2 Success Had a great chat with Bill Kenney 👋 at Focus Lab on positioning Brand & Creative as a Business Driver, and sharing Brand-to-Demand frameworks that help leaders shake the 'cost center' image that limits access to resources and growth. Perfect timing as many teams enter mid-year / H2 planning season. Full episode: https://hubs.la/Q03xJYfC0 2 key shifts we covered that translate Creative efforts to business impact: 💡 Creating the belief in “Creative as a Product” - A solution the company invests in to help solve a problem, with the intention that it will drive meaningful outcomes – for both customers and the business (aka ROI). 💡 Mapping creative “products” to customer journeys and buyer stages that align with company-level (not just org-level) measures of impact. Now, many creatives might be great at selling the solution (the idea), and delivering the product (the execution), but proving value is where many teams fall short. Not for lack of trying, but due in large part to focusing on “Service” metrics (output & activity) vs. “Product” metrics (impact). While we dive deeper into these topics in our discussion, it occurred to me that many teams could use a more detailed walk through (with examples) to help define creative products and map them to impact in the form of: 💰 Acquisition: new deals, users, conversions 💰 Retention: usage, engagement, adoption, churn reduction 💰 Average Revenue Per Customer (ARPC): upsell, repeat purchase, higher order value Not because brand & creative can’t prove the value in those terms, but because they’re often NOT being asked to do so. And this brings us to our age-old Creative Conundrum: (see, Ai wouldn’t write that 😁) 💎 Support Organization vs Strategic Partners Moving from a “Service” org to becoming a “Strategic Partner” lies in knowing the balance between “Doing what is asked” (reactive) and “Doing what MUST be done to be exceptional” (proactive). In this case, if you want your Brand & Creative organization to be seen as a Business driver, and earn your seat at the fabled “table,” then you MUST be able to answer the question that you might not be hearing: “How is brand & creative helping drive meaningful outcomes– for both customers and the business?” 💎 Standing on Business (as the kids say) I've seen too many brilliant ideas, teams, and leaders impacted due to narratives and positioning that miss the mark on that question, so I decided to spell it all out in the article below. If you're already walking into a QBR saying “Look at this marvelous work that we’re proud of, and check out how it helped reduce churn by 6%, and contributed to $2.3M in retained ARR,” then this might not be for you. If not, then you’ll get tips on how to connect creativity to impact, and learn how to rebrand your team from cost center to growth partners in the process. Enjoy! 🚀 #Branding #Marketing #ROI

Think creativity is just for artists? Think again! Creativity is your secret weapon for success. Despite the rise of quantitative data-driven strategies, there's a resurgence in valuing creativity for its significant impact on business outcomes. This shift shows that creativity extends beyond generating novel ideas. Instead, it focuses on nurturing a culture where these ideas catalyze tangible success. Everyone has inherent creative potential that can significantly influence their professional life and organizational success. Here’s how you can activate yours: 1. Ask Different Questions:  Enhance your creative thinking by mastering the art of "question storming," which involves framing questions in order to examine issues from multiple angles. 2. Look Through a New Lens:  Broaden your perspective by engaging with unfamiliar subjects through courses, podcasts, conversations or seminars in different industries. 3. Design Constraints:  Use constraints as a tool to sharpen focus and drive innovative solutions, leveraging the functional, social, and emotional aspects of problems. 4. Treat Yourself:  Establish rewards for creative efforts to create a positive feedback loop that encourages ongoing creativity. Building creative thinking has to be intentional and you must be patient with yourself in order to develop it over time. Most importantly, have fun with the process! #CreativeThinking #BusinessInnovation #CareerDevelopment #WorkplaceCreativity https://lnkd.in/e9xsDtCB

As AI continues to transform industries, one truth stands out: human creativity is irreplaceable. AI can automate tasks and optimize workflows, but it lacks the ability to innovate, empathize, and craft strategies that truly connect with people. That’s where creativity becomes the defining factor for businesses to adapt, innovate, and lead. In my latest article, I dive into: • How companies like Tesla and The Coca-Cola Company creatively use AI to drive innovation • Why fostering creativity is critical in marketing, product development, and leadership • Strategies to turn disruption into a competitive advantage through anticipatory thinking The businesses that thrive in the AI-driven future will be the ones that combine technology with human ingenuity. Will yours be one of them? #AI #BusinessCreativity #InnovationStrategy #Leadership #FutureOfWork #CreativeThinking #DisruptionToOpportunity #MarketingInnovation #FutureProof #AnticipatoryThinking

School teaches formulas. Success requires creativity. Standard approaches get standard results.  Creative approaches get exceptional results. ↑ Watch how business problem-solving evolves with creativity: Basic level: "We need to increase customer engagement. Let's send more email campaigns." ↓ Let's improve it: "We need to increase customer engagement. Let's personalize our communications based on customer behavior." ↗️ We can do better: "We need to increase customer engagement. Let’s personally reach out to our most active users, ask what they love (or don’t), and involve them in shaping our next big feature or campaign." ↦ We can do better still: "We need to increase customer engagement. Let’s turn those personal insights into a dedicated customer council—an invite-only group where engaged users get early product access, provide feedback, and become brand ambassadors." ⇨ This is the power of creative thinking in business,  transforming ordinary approaches into extraordinary results. When you break away from conventional thinking,  you see opportunities that others miss. ⇒ When approaching problems with fresh perspectives, you develop solutions that competitors can't easily duplicate. ⇡ When you bring creative vision to your strategy, you open pathways to innovation that weren't visible before. ⟿ How are you applying creativity to solve your business challenges? I'd love to hear your approaches. ✍️ Your insights can make a difference! ♻️ Share this post if it speaks to you, and follow me for more.

Every business faces creative blocks. Most try 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿. Few try 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺. In Exodus, we meet Bezalel—the first person described as "filled with the Spirit of God" specifically for business creation. ❌Not for preaching. ❌Not for temple duties. But for 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, and 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. His method transforms how my clients approach innovation and problem-solving. 1️⃣ Spirit-Led Skill Development Bezalel wasn’t just gifted—he was Spirit-equipped. Creativity isn’t just talent. It’s a divine deposit. ✅Start creative sessions with 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲. ✅Ask for specific wisdom for specific challenges (James 1:5). ✅Watch how solutions come faster and with more clarity. 2️⃣ Cross-Industry Inspiration Bezalel worked with **gold, silver, wood, stone, fabric—**a mix of materials and techniques. He didn’t stay in one lane. ✅Study 𝟯 𝘂𝗻𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 for fresh perspectives. ✅Ask: How would a tech startup solve this? A chef? A musician? ✅The best innovations 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱—𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱. 3️⃣ Collaborative Craftsmanship Bezalel wasn’t a one-man genius. He worked alongside Oholiab, who had complementary skills. ✅Schedule regular "creative collisions" with unlike minds. ✅Seek insight from non-traditional sources (someone outside your industry). ✅Innovation happens when different perspectives merge. 4️⃣ Purpose-Driven Aesthetics Everything Bezalel designed served a greater purpose. It wasn’t just beautiful—it was 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭. ✅Filter all creativity through your 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. ✅If it doesn’t serve your purpose, it’s a 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. ✅The best ideas aren’t just pretty—they're purposeful. I’ve seen this method generate 12X more viable business ideas than conventional brainstorming. Not by forcing creativity. 𝗕𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁. The Bottom Line? The world teaches innovation through hustle. But the Bible shows us that 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁-𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 produces exponential results. How might your business benefit from Spirit-led innovation? #biblicalwisdom #ideageneration #businessgrowth #entrepreneurs #success

The corporate world doesn't need more frameworks - it needs more artists. After 13 years designing workshops for companies like Google and SAP, I've noticed something: every major consulting firm has their "proprietary" methodology, complete with fancy acronyms and the promise of transformation. Let's face it, frameworks are valuable for giving us structure and something solid to fall back on, especially when we're learning. But at a certain point, they can become creative handcuffs if we let them dictate our every move. If we're not careful, we end up defaulting to the steps in the guide, even when the situation calls for something different. I see this in facilitation all the time. The best facilitators have internalized the fundamentals but aren't afraid to improvise based on what the room actually needs. Like jazz musicians, they know the scales and then riff when it matters most.  Frameworks create the illusion of control while often stifling the human ingenuity needed for today's challenges  True innovation happens when we balance structure with creative adaptation The future belongs to Business Artists who can think beyond existing patterns to solve problems in new ways This is why we built Meahana as a canvas for Business Artists, where structure enables creativity rather than constraining it. A place to experiment, collaborate, and bring your unique vision to every meeting. How do you strike the right balance between frameworks and creative freedom in your work? When have you had to break away from "the playbook" and improvise to get better results? #businessartist #meahana #iheartfacilitators

CMOs in the Spotlight / Cannes Lions 2025 Elizabeth Rutledge (CMO American Express), and Aude Gandon (CMO Nestlé), Sumit Virmani(CMO Infosys) joined moderator Jim Stengel on the Rotonde Stage for a cracking session at Cannes Lions this morning. Creativity has officially escaped the “nice-to-have” box. Nestlé’s Aude Gandon put it plainly: “Very often, after the size of your media budget, the biggest impact you can have on the business is the quality of your creativity. American Express showed how partnerships become revenue when they create experiences money can’t buy with White Lotus, while Infosys reminded us that “marketing is all about human imagination leading human aspirations.” Key takeouts - Creativity now sits on the P&L, not the mood-board. - The old brand vs performance quandary is a symptom of poor brand data analytics (time to move insights & data teams together) - The brands growing fastest pair original ideas with disciplined data orchestration. - Culture moves in real time - CMOs who embed “creativity first” processes win attention and margin simultaneously. Advice for tomorrow’s marketers • Be ferociously curious. Keep asking the hard questions. • Have a point of view—and voice it. Clarity beats consensus. • Invest in relationships. Your internal network is as valuable as your external craft. Takeaway: Treat creativity as a growth engine and your career the same way - fuel it with curiosity, conviction, and connections.