The place where traditionally disparate areas overlap is one of the richest places to mine for marketing and creative success. Having begun my marketing career as a writer and designer, I know that the details of a project can add tremendous value when they come together beautifully. And ffter years in marketing management, I have also come to value the importance of clear strategic planning. Without a strong strategic foundation, marketing programs are bound to fall short, even when executed flawlessly.
The crafts of writing and graphic design call for a type of creativity often labeled “artistic.” The skills needed for business success, while often deeply creative, are likely to be thought of as “organizational” rather than artistic.
One of the guiding principles of my career has been to bring together the different pieces of the marketing picture — detail and strategy, creativity and business, design and words — in order to build exceptional marketing programs, campaigns, departments and stories.
Great marketing is more than the sum of its parts. It is compelling, exciting and highly efficient. For those of us who thrive in this world, it’s also a lot of fun.