What really matters most as we move forward? We ask creative leaders for their insight. Part 3.

We conclude our conversations with Creative Leaders across our industry as we collectively move into a new phase. It has reaffirmed many beliefs, particularly around a people-focused approach. Humanising, simplifying and creating a more meaningful way of engaging our audiences.

It offers a bold opportunity; our chance to redesign the world. Using creativity and new ways of working to improve, refocus and add value.

People first, product last.
Vast gaps in society have been exposed, including economic inequality and are impossible to ignore. The crisis has also revealed a gap between branding strategy and authentic human voices. We’ve been reminded that the product comes last. Our team, family, friends and communities come first. We need to create better narratives and strengthen those voices to help make lives better.

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Focus on the now.
With a change this big, we have found the need to stay in the present and to get through each moment and day as they come in order not to be overwhelmed. Through focusing on the now, we have learnt to appreciate the little things and to recognise the big things that perhaps we took for granted, like good health and job security.

Business has been humanised.
Remote working has removed the boundaries of work and personal life, leading people to look at the relationship between their personal goals and their business goals. It’s essential to love the work we do and to have a positive emotional relationship with working to produce our best creative work.

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We are learning our roles.
There are many different ways to be a successful creative agency or leader. While the ability to adapt and innovate is crucial, identifying what works best for you, your team and your audience must come first.

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Don’t slip back. Get ready for what’s ahead.
There are so many learnings still to come from this experience. We must use them to prepare ourselves for what comes next and avoid falling back into old habits that likely won’t serve us in the future.

Creating a new future.
The world will never return to ‘normal’. We now have the most significant opportunity to change things for the better. For some, that means going forward with more kindness and empathy or creating a system with a healthier work-life balance. For others, it means taking better care of our planet or a complete shift in the status quo to greater consideration of people, the value of community and the power of together.