Unicorns are universally loved. They are unique infallible mythical creatures that serve as reminders that remarkable things can exist in the universe. Usually, unicorns are in meadows flying through ice-cream clouds. However, they commonly pop up in business meetings through the whispers of aspiring growth professionals: “We just need a new video,” “Look what XYZ competitor is doing, let’s do that,” and “We need to think of this as Apple would.” Ughh.
While we do not discourage unicorn love, we firmly believe that the business unicorn is a dark, dangerous creature that needs to vanish. If unchecked, the whispers manifesting this dark creature will soon ruin your budget and pipeline. Placing all your expectations and budget into one creative asset presented for a limited time with a restricted audience is irresponsible and a waste of creative potential.
The core issues that prompt the frustration whispers are often deep-seated and confusing. Naturally, many commercial teams look to find the most straightforward answer, and creative outputs are the shiny objects that distract. As a creative agency, it is not uncommon for people to come to us thinking that they have arrived at the Shiny Object Emporium. They expect the shopkeepers to dazzle them with exotic illustrations and fantastical thoughts for a low-priced trinket to wow their customers. If you have been this person, it is ok; you are not alone.
A few of your competitors are at the checkout line of these shops right now.
But, you don’t have to enter that store. To be clear, buying creative is a solid investment for your company. Animated video assets are among the best creative investments if correctly executed and deployed. However, many people fail to harness their need for “action dopamine” and don’t ask hard questions at the start of a creative process, which results in rushed, expensive creative assets that miss the mark. We advocate for the value of creative motion assets only when they are the by-products of a well-thought-out process that addresses the core issues and provides scalable assets to help address the main problem.
Our team believes that pushing buttons is the best way to solve problems. We are responsible for delivering compelling assets to solve our clients’ core problems. However, we can only deliver solutions once we have taken the time and effort to get past the surface. A wise man once told me all it takes is to be brave for 5 seconds, which is why we approach client problems with the bravery to ask hard questions. Often one or two well-managed meetings pave the way for success.
The next time you are looking for a creative partner, we ask that you continue to appreciate “the shine” and understand that actual value comes through investment in partnership in search of the truth.
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