Creative Risk Management: How To Innovate Without Self-Destructing

Will creative risks solve the challenges of audience attention deficits and declining marketing budgets? They could if you go beyond the hype of an innovative idea. Here’s some expert help to do just that.

Creative risks keep brands alive, keeping them visible and stretching what they can do.

The right ideas can lead to new opportunities and reenergize the team. The wrong ones can trigger public backlash, internal fallout, or confusion about your organization.

The pressure to take those swings has never been higher. Despite the exponential increase in content, attention hasn’t grown in a decade, according to McKinsey. And Gartner’s 2025 CMO Spend survey [registration required] shows marketing budgets remain at 7.7% of total revenue, well below pre-pandemic levels.

Marketing leaders are asked to move faster and do more with less. How do you manage creative risks so that bold ideas move the brand forward without setting off alarms inside the company or losing trust outside it?

I spoke with marketing and strategy leaders and reviewed real-world examples and responses to define what effective risk-taking looks like, and how teams can build systems that make experimentation safer and more rewarding.

Related:How To Get Real Creativity in Your Content Marketing

Understand creative risk

Most brands say they want to take risks. Few define what that means.

In marketing, creative risks challenge the norm. They reframe how people see the brand, or they reach audiences in an unfamiliar way. The risk lies in uncertainty. The brand tries something without knowing how it will land.

Isabel North, vice president and managing director at Pace, points to her agency’s recent work with Verizon. “Our client was looking for a conversation they could own that wasn’t directly tied to their products and services,” she says. 

The Pace team saw an opportunity in the topic of digital and online safety for the brand that sells smartwatches for kids. It supported Verizon in developing a content hub on parenting in a digital world that features livestreams and expert features.

“The idea was that, over time, those parents would see Verizon as their solution for these kinds of products and services,” Isabel says. “But at its core was really this help-first mentality. That was a big risk.”

The bet paid off. Verizon saw a 10% surge in B2C sales influenced by the new content, a 30% year-over-year increase in web traffic, doubled engagement rates, and a 33% download rate on gated product content. 

Unfortunately, most organizations never take creative risks that far. As Jenny Magic, founder and CEO of Build Better Change, puts it, “You have to be either willing to do so much research that it can’t fail or you have to be willing for it to be an experiment that might fail. And what I’m seeing is there’s no budget for the former, and there’s no stomach for the latter.”

Related:Why Marketing Needs To Take Creative Risks, Even if They Fail

That tension between needing certainty and craving change is where many brands get stuck.

Know the dangers of avoiding or mismanaging risk 

The cost of avoiding risks is as high as not taking them. Brianna Doe, founder and CEO of Verbatim, an influencer marketing agency, sees that problem often. 

“The more you try to hold on and really maintain control of every single piece of that campaign, the less effective the results will be,” she says. “[By] seeing [influencers] less as an ad channel that you can turn on and off and more as a marketing partner will make that experimentation a lot more effective.”

Carla Johnson, founder of RE:Think Labs, says comfort can be dangerous. “When everything is working just fine, it falls into the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ category. That complacency can really quickly turn into the danger zone,” she says.

Of course, unmanaged risks can cause damage, too. Build Better Change’s Unworkable Work report finds that organizations in constant flux face burnout, dips in morale, and losses of confidence. 

The pressure to reinvent without structure drains teams fast. Leaders must navigate between innovation and preservation. Push too far and exhaust people or fracture alignment. Hold back and slide into irrelevance. The best leaders acknowledge that tension and build systems that strike a balance. 

Related:Visionary Content May Not Be Popular (Yet), But It’s Your Secret Edge

Build the foundation for beneficial innovation

Bold ideas come with a burst of energy that can cloud judgment. Everyone’s excited and ready to move, but creative risks need more than enthusiasm to thrive. They require coordination, shared priorities, and contingency plans. The teams that invest early in structure often reap the rewards later. 

1. Set a stage for risk-ready creativity

Creative teams love new ideas. That’s the easy part. What’s harder is creating an environment to test, challenge, and refine those ideas without fear of failure or friction.

Build trust before ideas

Jenny encourages leaders to create what she calls “confidential inquiries.” These safe spaces allow people to voice concerns before a campaign goes live. 

“Sometimes you only have a gut instinct,” she says. “Leaders need to align protecting the company with protecting the team, whether that’s incentives for speaking up or for experiments that go right.” 

Risk-ready teams also ensure the right people are in the room from the start — what Brianna calls “diverse representation from different walks of life.”

“If you don’t have folks in the room that are pushing back, that are questioning, that are playing devil’s advocate and calling out potential risks, you’re really gonna miss out,” she says.

Pair culture with structure

Jenny sees the same pattern inside high-performing organizations. Teams that can handle creative experimentation well score high on psychological safety, characterized by open conversation, inclusiveness, a willingness to help, and a healthy attitude toward risk and failure. 

Still, culture isn’t enough. Safe risk-taking needs structure. Jenny recommends developing a “change philosophy” — a clear framework for testing ideas, making decisions, and evaluating progress. 

She describes it as a spectrum. On the low-risk end, a company might say, “We prioritize stability, but we will consider change that has a strong likelihood of significantly improving employee or customer satisfaction or profitability.” 

A high-risk change philosophy may sound like: “Change is a constant in our industry. We commit to proactive, employee-driven evolution, prioritizing experimentation, learning as we go, and iterative improvement.”

Most organizations want both the security of stability and the breakthroughs that can only come from innovation, but Jenny says that’s not realistic. Leaders have to decide where they stand and build processes that match that position.

Keep ideas flowing

Even with structure, communication can break down. Leaders say the team doesn’t bring enough ideas. The team says the leaders shut them down. Jenny suggests a simple shift: Frame feedback around what worked and what could evolve. It separates the idea from the person and helps morale survive the pivot.

2. Align stakeholders

Leaders earn trust by slowing down and letting the team shape the change. “Resistance is information. Treat it as data, not defiance,” Jenny explains. When teams feel their concerns are heard, they’re more likely to support new ideas. 

Buy-in starts with participation

From an agency perspective, Isabel says building buy-in starts with showing that you can match a client’s pace. Many organizations operate with an agile, “build the plane while flying it” mentality. They don’t always wait for a perfect plan or long approval cycles. Demonstrating how you think and adapt in real-time, even without a long track record or polished case studies, gives those stakeholders confidence that you can keep up and problem-solve alongside them. 

Share the messy middle

Creative risk often unravels when communication skips straight from concept to decision. Yet, leaders may prefer to wait until plans are finalized to share them, which Jenny says can fuel confusion and pushback. Sharing ideas earlier as they take shape gives people time to weigh in and builds faith in the outcome.

Measure what matters and define it early

Metrics work best when they reflect the intent behind the work. Brianna says every team should agree on what success looks like before the creative risk launches (i.e., short-term proof versus long-term impact). 

Isabel points to Verizon’s content hub as an example. The primary key performance indicator isn’t direct sales but intent to convert. A win happens when a parent reads an article on digital safety and clicks to a product page. That clarity keeps everyone aligned on what the campaign is meant to achieve. 

Carla sums up the measurement challenge well: “Fuzzy directions deliver fuzzy outcomes.”

3. Implement risk mitigation protocols

A framework that provides a structure for microexperimentation, thoughtful reviews, and focused recalibration helps give teams a safety net. It minimizes fear of failure by turning every tested idea into an opportunity for future improvement. 

Start small and stay transparent

A well-designed experiment makes tests small, clear, and reversible, Jenny says.

Isabel adds that transparency builds confidence. When her team took on a larger-than-usual project for a client, they were clear about what they’d done before and how they planned to scale it. That honesty helped the client feel more prepared to take on the risk. 

Plan for things going sideways

Even strong ideas that make it out of committee don’t always land the way you hope. Once a campaign is live, you can’t pull it back into the room. However, you can study what happened and use it to identify weak points sooner, as well as determine which risks are worth taking next time.

This is where the debrief matters. Look at the data, talk through what happened, and identify the signals you overlooked. Then update your processes so the insights don’t fade after the post-mortem. 

“Even if a campaign wasn’t a success, if it was a flop, you can still learn from that,” Brianna says. “You’ll probably learn more than if it went well. Don’t just throw it away or turn it off if it didn’t go well.”

Lead at the edge of creativity

Innovation without structure burns teams out. Structure without innovation makes them disappear. The brands that survive creative risk-taking learn to work at the edge. They’re bold enough to take chances but disciplined enough to manage the fallout.

As Brianna puts it, “Don’t be afraid to trust your gut, but challenge yourself to pair that with data or at least develop a hypothesis you can prove or disprove.”

Jenny encourages leaders to make experimentation a regular habit. Small, low-stakes tests help teams learn more quickly and remain open to new ideas.

Isabel says leaders should listen closely for consistent client signals and take responsible risks to meet those needs before competitors do.

For Carla, risk-taking starts with giving creativity room to breathe. Set aside time to think. Step away from the screen. Let ideas stretch before they shrink under pressure.

As AI and automation take over routine tasks, what remains distinctly human is the ability to question, imagine, and take smart risks. The leaders who treat it as a practice, not a fleeting moment of inspiration, will define what great marketing looks like.

The Fountain of Filth

This was one of the more unusual campaigns I’ve read about recently. Definitely an attention getter.

The U.K.’s Channel 4 unveils a vomiting public fountain

The U.K. broadcaster is promoting its new drama “Dirty Business” with a provocative public installation on London’s South Bank titled “The Fountain of Filth.” Created by 4Creative in partnership with Glue Society and Biscuit Filmworks, the 10-meter-wide fountain features bronze-style statues of men, women and children appearing to vomit murky brown water, while a suited executive stands above them with pockets stuffed with cash, symbolizing the alleged human toll of Britain’s sewage scandal.

(Water companies routinely discharge raw sewage into rivers and coastal waters, leading to public outcry.) The activation directs visitors via QR code to firsthand accounts tied to the series, which aired over three consecutive nights. Over 100,000 people saw the installation live and the work reached millions being featured in The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Mirror, Time Out and Secret London.

A wide view reveals a large sculptural fountain featuring multiple bronze figures and a suited man standing atop the center pedestal, with London’s skyline in the background.
​ (Channel 4) 
A close-up captures two bronze childlike figures in the fountain, water arcing from their mouths into the pool.
​ (Channel 4) 
A low-angle view shows multiple bronze figures around a large fountain, each spouting water into the basin beneath a suited statue standing on the top tier.
​ (Channel 4) 

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog,Joe’s Journey, for selected short stories and personal insights on life and its detours.

Time Traveler Curtis and the Ruby Red Crystal Affair

Prologue

When we last saw our time traveler, Mr. Curtis, he had returned to the Majestic of the Sixties and was rummaging around the evil GM’s office when he came upon an oddly shaped locket. It had a ruby red crystal in the middle which was obviously designed to be pressed into some form of action. Upon closer examination, Mr. Curtis discovered that it was already set to activate and, not only that, but was currently set to emit a beacon of sorts. 

Mr. Curtis felt a deep, unsettling tenseness in his gut when he realized the beacon was “live” and transmitting. Was this some sort of homing mechanism and to whom was this signal being sent? In the pit of his soul, he didn’t really want to know but he feared it was already too late.

Now for the rest of our story or continue reading via WordPress below.

This scenario raised all sorts of questions. For whomever the beacon was intended, were “they” already enroute to Earth? If so, for what reason and who was behind this?

Unfortunately, his police buddy-Time Traveler had been killed in the explosion in the Majestic Hotel lobby years ago. He thought under the circumstances he’d get cooperation in his new search.

In any event Mr. Curtis figured he needed to alert and apprise the Space Time Continuum Authority (STCA) and the Timeline Police.

So he left immediately for Mars, the galactic headquarters of the STCA. Once there he’d visit Admiral Moratoki, the fiesty ole bird from the Gamma Quadrant. Curtis had worked with the admiral before on the Saturn Caper and felt good about seeking his opinions on this Ruby locket mystery.

“Why Mr. Curtis, it’s nice to see you again,” welcomed the Admiral. “Please, take a seat and let’s compare notes, shall we?” he remarked.

“I take it you know why I’m here,” intoned Mr. Curtis.

“News travels fast in these parts,” replied Moratoki. “We’ve had our suspicions about the ruby locket for some time but we haven’t been able to gather much information on it, I’m afraid. I was hoping you might be able to fill us in a bit,” he said.

“Well, sir, all I know so far is what I found in the Majestic GM’s old office; an ornate locket with a red ruby in the center that appeared to have been activated at some previous point. I say activated since it appears the ruby itself is gently vibrating and glowing,” explained Mr. Curtis.

“That’s what I was afraid of,” grumbled Moratoki. As he gently took the locket from Curtis’ hand, he indicated he wanted to turn it over to the Seismic Lab for observation. At this point the last thing they wanted to do was to make things worse by accidentally tampering with the device and further triggering an action they may not be able to reverse.

“How far in the future do you think this thing has come from?” asked Curtis.

“Just based on preliminary data, we’d guess about 500 light years,” replied the admiral. “Wherever its origin, we think it’s from unchartered space. We need you to try and track it down,” Mr. Curtis.

“And how do you propose I do that?” inquired Curtis.

“Why, simple, ole chap. Just program that walking stick of yours for 500 light years into the future. Here, I’ll do it for ‘ya,” volunteered Moratoki.

“But, sir, I . . .,” blurted out Curtis. Then, poof, in an instant he was gone.

“Hmmm, 500 Light Years into the future,” Curtis grumbled. Where would he end up, he wondered. He was about to find out.

Time travel usually doesn’t take that long, at least that’s been Mr. Curtis’s experience. He somehow felt this time would be no different. He was right. The transport process completed and here he stood: right in the middle of a vast wasteland or desert-like environment. The air was breathable so oxygen was present.

Adobe Stock

As he stood there taking his surroundings all in, he viewed mountains in one direction and a city skyline in the other. Fortunately for him, the city did not appear that far away, maybe only about a quarter mile. He figured he could walk that. The temperature was comfortable, not hot, not cold.

As he neared the city limits, he was impressed with the architecture he saw. The buildings were quite modern and a variety of styles and shapes. Very attractive and distinctive.

Where would Curtis begin his search and who, exactly, was he looking for? He couldn’t approach the first person he saw that looked like a time traveler and ask, “Excuse me, but are you the resident time traveler on this planet?”

His first thought was to go to the city’s “grand hotel” and seek out the general manager and/or the local police detective. As he walked further down what appeared to be the Central Business District, he stopped and asked a passersby where the local hotel was.

Well, conveniently, it was located at the end of Main Street and was very “grand looking.” “You can’t miss it,” the passersby told Mr. Curtis.

And he was right. The closer Curtis got to the end of Main Street, he stopped cold. Just stood there, frozen in awe and disbelief.

He was standing at the front entrance of their grand hotel . . . The Majestic.

1930 Louisiana Postcard, Majestic Hotel, Lake Charles, LA

Is it a reproduction of the original from Lake Charles, LA in early 20th century or was it mysteriously transported to the future and here it is?

Mr. Curtis hoped to find some answers when inside this Majestic. Well, as soon as he entered the lobby he heard a voice saying “Welcome to the Majestic, Mr. Curtis!”

Then everything went dark.

————-

The room was quiet except for what sounded like a low murmur of voices. Then, “Mr. Curtis.” Silence. “Mr. Curtis,” again. “it’s alright, sir, you’re amongst friends,” said a voice.

Mr. Curtis, feeling groggy, eventually began to focus on the room and the voices just heard. Or at least he thought he heard them.

Then everything came into focus and what, or rather who, he saw first alarmed him. Shocked, however, might be a better descriptor.

“It can’t be,” he murmured. “You’re dead; you’ve been dead for several centuries! How the Hell . . .”

“All in good time, Mr. Curtis. All in good time,” said the “dead” guy’s voice.

“But, you’re the time traveler/time cop I met at the Majestic back in Lake Charles in the early sixties. I saw you die in the lobby explosion,” blurted out Mr. Curtis.

“That’s correct,” said the cop. “You see, I didn’t really die. Over time, my cells regenerated and, in effect, brought me back to life. I’ll explain it more to you over a bourbon. For now, though, we’ve got a problem on our hands,” he replied.

“Do you know about the red ruby pendant that’s acting like a homing device?” questioned Mr. Curtis. “It’s our guess that the signal was emanating from this location, on this planet in this section of unchartered space,” he explained.

“Yes, I’m very much aware of it,” answered the cop. “We’ve been trying to track it for years now but haven’t made much progress,” he pointed out.

‘Mr. Policeman’ continued, “We think the Koralye are behind this. They’re a small but deadly band of galactic pirates who not only time travel but also shape shift. Their sole mission seems to be mind-altering destruction wherever and however they please. As weird as it sounds, we believe this culture seems to be their DNA,” summed up the cop.

“So where does that leave us with the locket?,” asked Curtis. “I mean it seemed to have been activated and its homing device armed and sending signals somewhere, presumably here,” pointed out Curtis.

“By the way,” he interjected, “where the Hell are we, anyway?”

“We’re on an asteroid circling the third moon of Axios, a planet in an uncharted galaxy in what we think might be the Butella Nebula. We believe the Koralye are headquartered here and for sometime have kept the nebula invisible and undetectable to our sensors,” explained the cop.

“How is that even possible?,” Curtis asked, somewhat bewildered.

“We think the Koralye have harnessed some sort of galactic cloaking effect but we can’t be sure,” offered the cop.

“Well, that may be a question to be addressed another day,” stated Curtis. “Meanwhile, regarding the Ruby locket, is the current theory that the signals sent here from Earth are meant to guide this Koralye group to Earth for invasion?,” asked Curtis.

“That is our belief as of now,” stated the cop. “But not just invasion; total destruction of our planet,” he continued. “We think it’s a strategic move on their part so they would gain a key foothold within the Milky Way Galaxy. We can’t let that happen,” declared the cop.

“But how would the destruction of an entire planet serve in their best interests?,” asked Mr. Curtis.

“It’s simple,” said the cop. “Since they would have created a hole in space, you might say, they’d simply replace that hole with their asteroid. The one we’re standing in.”

Mr. Curtis, sounding rather dumbfounded, replied, “You mean they can actually move this asteroid into the place in space that Earth currently occupies? That’s incredible, if it’s true.”

“Incredible as it may seem, Mr. Curtis, we think it’s entirely possible,” reasoned the cop. “Given their technology behind the galactic cloaking phenomenon. We don’t even know to call it a device, or what. But to transform through space and time an entire planet would be the type of devious technology that this species probably is behind,” he continued.

“Well,” bemused Mr. Curtis, “taken into account what we already know, it seems like the Red Ruby locket can be disposed of, since they obviously know how to get to Earth. So the homing device is no longer needed. But after we stop them, seems like we’d need to destroy this asteroid, their headquarters. Then they would not be able to do anything. let alone literally move into Earth’s former space in the solar system,” Curtis conjectured.

“But if that’s the plan,” continued Curtis, “I alone don’t have the authority to give that authorization. That has to come from the… space time continuum authority,” he said.

The cop interjected, “Well, Mr. Curtis, I suggest you contact them immediately and advise them of our situation and ask for instructions.”

After several hours of discussion with the STCA and more introspection Mr. Curtis agreed with the Authority that the only option available was to destroy the asteroid housing the Koralye HQ. A not so minor problem was that they, too, were also on the asteroid.

How to destroy it and get out before complete obliteration took place was the challenge Curtis was going to have to address. Alas, the Authority was no help. What were a few lives lost in service to their planet Earth compared to the billions of lives potentially lost on Earth? In other words, Curtis and his colleagues were expendable.

So, when Curtis delivered the news to his group, the mood was understandably somber. And anxious. How soon could they enact a plan and could it be done without killing themselves in the process?

What about the Ruby pendant; could it be of use? Curtis thought of asking the STCA’s scientists and engineers who had been studying the pendant for clues as to what made it work and was it programmable.

If it can transport one over light years could it also work as a remote detonation device? Or, for that matter, could Curtis’ own walking stick with its emerald jeweled knob be used in connection with the pendant to bring about destruction?

The Authority’s experts would probably have some options. Mr. Curtis decided he’d immediately travel back in time to inquire as to what they’d found out.

Since it wouldn’t take Mr. Curtis that long to travel the 500 light years back in time, he thought he would first check in with Admiral Moratoki and compare notes as to what they knew before checking in with the “tech folks.”

“Not much, Mr. Curtis,” replied the admiral when asked about progress. “Oh, we have an idea or two about how that Ruby pendant works but it’s based on futuristic science and technology; we just don’t have that knowledge yet.”

“Well, since this Authority designed my walking stick, do we know if it’s plausible for it to connect with or talk to the Ruby pendant”?, asked Curtis.

“I’ve asked our chief technologist, Mr. Craig, to join us here for direct feedback,” stated the admiral.

“Ah, Mr. Craig, c’mon in. Right on time”, said the admiral. “This is Mr. Curtis whom I’m sure you remember. What’s the latest on the Ruby pendant? Do we know any more of its secrets”? the admiral inquired.

“Well, sort of,” replied Craig. “It’s composed of several chemical agents, most of which are unknown to us except one: hydrochlorabenzaprine; yeah, I know, it’s a mouthful! It’s commonly referred to as Hyzaprine. The Vulcans were using it back in the 24th Century in certain mining operations. And, yes, it does have destructive powers for good, as long as it’s under control. Out of control it’s extremely volatile,” explained Craig.

“How volatile?,” inquired the admiral.

“Extremely!,” answered Craig. “When combined with Veritol, an explosive, one can have a very impactful and lethal weapon,” stated Craig.

“Could it be developed for a cataclysmic explosion or destruction?,” asked the admiral, “like an entire asteroid?”

“Indirectly, sir,” Craig responded. “The combination of these chemicals would work to disrupt the asteroid’s inner core and thereby creating massive seismic shifts resulting in earthquakes and internal hemorrhages of that core. In this respect, yes, the asteroid could be obliterated; it would, in effect, blow itself up,” concluded Craig.

“How can the pendant be triggered to do this and how much time before all Hell would break loose after it’s triggered?, asked the admiral.

“Once the Ruby is pressed it would only be a matter of seconds before the chain reactions occur. And, sir, someone would have to press the Ruby; it can’t be remote controlled,” stated Craig.

Mr. Curtis interjected “Admiral, I can do that. I can certainly press the Ruby and immediately press the emerald on my walking stick to travel in time away from there.”

“But, what if something goes wrong? You’d have to be in position with Ruby in hand and then “beam” out into time and space as soon as you press the Ruby,” alerted the admiral.

“Yes, I know,” replied Curtis. “Considering what’s at stake, I’m the logical one to do this and this is the only way.”

“I sure hope you know what you’re doing, Mr. Curtis,” Morataki intoned. “Mr. Craig, how soon can you revamp the pendant to do what we need done?” he asked.

“Give me a few hours, Admiral, and we’ll be ready,” confirmed Craig.

“Proceed, Mr. Craig,” the admiral instructed.

“As for you, Mr. Curtis, sit down with me, have a drink or two and let’s chat. I want to hear how you plan to pull this off,” the admiral reassuredly stated.

And waited and drank and chatted for several hours they did until the pendant was ready. Mr. Curtis would leave this timeline at first light tomorrow. Hopefully, if all went well, he would end up saving Earth, no small feat even in the 28th Century.

**********

First light: Mr. Curtis, standing there resplendent in his crisp, all white three-piece suit and white fedora is clutching his walking stick somewhat nervously rubbing the emerald on top.

He admits to himself that he’s uncharacteristically nervous about this mission. He’s never really been in a position to “single handedly” save the world or in this case Earth.

The emerald is pushed and Mr. Curtis feels the transition of going forward in time. It’s a good thing that this voyage won’t take but a few seconds since he won’t have long at all to think anymore about it.

Before he knew it, Curtis rematerializes in a secluded area he had not been before. No problem, he thought; he could remain undetected for a bit longer than he’d anticipated.

Where could he sneak away to for the most devastating vantage point to press the Ruby? He knew from previous excursions about where “their” HQ is located. By his estimate he wasn’t that far away. Now to get there unnoticed.

Wait a second, he thought. Although seldom used he recalled a setting on the area surrounding the emerald that could program site to site transport. He could set it to beam him a few miles directly to the HQ site, hopefully undetected.

Curtis then set the emerald to beam him to an area that his sensor told him was uninhabited. Perfect, he thought. One press of the emerald and, poof, he disappeared. Next thing he knew he was by himself outside some shelter at the heart of the Koralye HQ.

All he had to do now was press the Ruby on the pendant and “all Hell” would begin. Then he had to get out of there immediately.

“3 . 2 . 1 . PUSH RUBY,” Curtis recited out loud. Then, nothing!

All of a sudden he felt trembling from the ground below; the destruction had begun. Now press the emerald on your walking stick, he thought to himself, and get the Hell out of this timeline.

Just as he positioned his walking stick so that he could access the emerald, the ground beneath his feet shook so fiercely he lost his balance and fell to the ground. His walking stick landed a few feet away but was still intact.

He quickly gathered himself and reached out for his cane when he suddenly felt something blocking his way. Someone was standing on the cane.

“Well, well what do we have here,” said a voice. “You looking for me? Ha, seems you found me or rather I found you, Mr. Curtis,” the voice continued.

“I’m Nicholas Basba, the head of the Koralye. What you’re trying to do here won’t work. Our technology is way too advanced for your “modifications “ so pressing the Ruby won’t do a thing,” Basba proudly stated.

Meanwhile, nobody seemed to notice that the ground was continuing to break up and a large swath of land was quickly opening up beneath where Basba stood. He was instantly knocked off balance and swallowed up in the resulting sink hole formed by the ground movement.

Just as Curtis had managed to slightly stand to reach for his cane, he, too, began to slip downward into the sink hole. But, as he was slipping, he held onto the edge of the hole and, while struggling, pulled himself up and out of the cave-in.

He reached down to grab his cane and started to press his emerald to activate the time shift. In a moment he would vanish, leaving this time and world far behind.

“Here we go . . .3 .2 .1,” murmured Curtis. “Press the emerald and off we go”. . . Then nothing. No action whatsoever.

Okay, don’t panic he thought to himself. He tried again, even while all around him rocks and debris were falling.

“3 . . .2 . . .1 . . .press emerald,” he almost shouted and . . . Nothing. “DAMN,” he exclaimed. “What’s wrong? It’s never failed before. Must be these surroundings,” he thought.

Curtis then quickly stammered to an opening at the edge of the sheltered area and, without missing a stride, pushed the emerald once more and suddenly in a flash he was gone. Completely vanished.

Desolation was taking place behind our time traveler. An entire asteroid was being obliterated and an evil empire was being phased out of existence.

Epilogue

Back at STCA HQ, 500 light years in the past, Admiral Moratoki was both pleased and relieved. Seems a sensor array from an affiliated solar system picked up a tremendous explosion from a planetary system light years away. It could only have come from a sun going nova or a similar mass destruction. Perhaps an asteroid explosion.

In any event Curtis was exhausted but pleased the mission was a success. Now, what’s next? Curtis was in no hurry to find out.

The only thing of importance on his mind was to travel back to the early sixties in South Louisiana, Lake Charles specifically, to visit the old Majestic Hotel and relax in their comfortable lobby and enjoy a delicious, cool Mint Julip. After all, he never knew who he might run into, again.

Wondering that, Mr. Curtis rose to stand and bent over to pick up his walking stick. Then he noticed it: The emerald had been replaced with the red ruby. And it was vibrating! What the . . . ?

More stories can be read at https://ideasnmore.net/short-stories



Brainstorming

I’ve had the privilege of listening to Dr. Firestien on several occasions when attending a webinar from the Center for Applied Imagination at Buffalo State in New York. He’s quite interesting and very personable.

What do a kingfisher, a hazard light and a waffle iron have in common? A creativity technique called Forced Connections, which leads to break through innovations. Brainstorming and coming up with new ideas is easy, we do it every day. Or so we think. The truth is we barely scratch the surface with our ”more of the same ideas”. We fall extremely short with quantity and quality of really good ideas. We miss the mark on really good innovations, because “More of the Same” does not break into big time innovation. Time to shift ideation gears with Dr. Roger Firestien and find out how to use a really simple ideation tool called ‘forced connections’. Not a new technique and certainly not a secret to those who work in the field of creativity, marketing or the business of creating ‘new and different’. However, new to most of us. Game changer. Creativity changer. Innovation changer.

Dr. Firestien is an associate professor and senior faculty member at the Center for Applied Imagination at SUNY Buffalo State and President of Innovation Resources, Inc. He is the author of six books, including Leading on the Creative Edge and Why didn’t I think of that? His expert views on creativity have been reported in Fast Company, Forbes, Investor’s Business Daily and The New York Times. When Roger is not traveling, he lives in Buffalo, New York, and regularly works cattle on the SK Hereford Ranch near Medina, New York This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog,Joe’s Journey, for selected short stories and personal insights on life and its detours.

Creativity: Alive or Dead?

Late last year ADAge’s Tim Rudd penned an article about the alleged death of creativity. Well, some argue that its death may be premature. The campaign described below illustrates that point of view. As Tim reports . . .

Creativity may not be six feet under, but D&AD (Design & Art Direction) is still here to poke it with a stick.

The global creativity nonprofit is kicking off its 2026 award season with a global campaign from Uncommon Creative Studio that pushes the industry to stop hovering over the “think” button and start hitting “make.” Its centerpiece is a manifesto that challenges the too-common habit of watching ideas drift by rather than shaping them into something tangible. The work signals a shift toward more hands-on creative energy at a moment when the industry seems increasingly cautious.

The campaign leans on stark visuals and a single provocative question: Is creativity alive or dead? It stretches across D&AD’s awards, learning initiatives and talent effort, inviting practitioners to respond through action instead of commentary. The rollout also introduces a refreshed identity for the 2026 awards, turning the manifesto into a design brief for the entire program.

A massive Times Square billboard displays a bold message about misjudging bad adverts as the death of creativity, illuminated above the city at night.
​ (D&AD)  A massive Times Square billboard displays a bold message about misjudging bad ads as the death of creativity, illuminated above the city at night.

Alongside the identity comes the reveal of the 2026 jury presidents, a slate of creative leaders drawn from a mix of global brands and agencies such as Dentsu Tokyo, Airbnb, FCB Global, 72andSunny, Havas Health & You and others. Their remit is to steer the judging with the manifesto’s call for experimentation and decisiveness in mind. D&AD positions the jury presidents as creative figures who already operate with a bias toward making.

“Creativity doesn’t die, it drifts. It gets buried under deadlines, data and fear of taking risks,” said Lisa Smith, D&AD president and Uncommon’s global chief design officer. “This manifesto is a reminder to the industry that ideas are only as powerful as the people brave enough to make them real. As creative leaders, we have a responsibility to protect that spirit—to keep making, experimenting and proving that bold, human ideas still matter. D&AD exists to champion that pulse. To show that creativity isn’t just alive—it’s vital.”

A storefront covered in black-and-white posters displays bold gothic text declaring “Creativity is Dead” and “Creativity is Alive” alongside graphic logos.
​ (D&AD) A storefront covered in black-and-white posters displays bold gothic text declaring “Creativity is Dead” and “Creativity is Alive” alongside graphic logos.
A row of black-and-white street posters on a graffitied wall presents stark slogans about creativity and work beside the D&AD logo.
​ (D&AD) A row of black-and-white street posters on a graffitied wall presents stark slogans about creativity and work beside the D&AD logo.

This year’s D&AD awards also introduce new categories meant to reflect the ways ideas move through culture. Brand Transformation spotlights work that blends strategic thinking with the craft of execution. Cultural Influence highlights projects that shape conversation or find a place in the wider cultural bloodstream. Sports Entertainment covers creative output tied to sport from campaigns to content to fan engagement.

“Creativity today is more decentralized than ever, coming from makers, creators, in-house teams and a new wave of independent studios. Our role is to ensure all these voices are equipped and inspired to keep pushing creative excellence forward,” said Donal Keenan, D&AD’s chief operating officer. “Yet in this abundance, creativity risks becoming diluted. Brands are finding it harder than ever to cut through and truly engage audiences, which is exactly why this provocation is needed.”

D&AD is also launching an editorial hub that digs into the same big question at the heart of the campaign. The platform collects commentary from designers and advertisers who are looking at how creativity has changed in a landscape of nonstop feeds and constant distraction.

A minimalist white typographic poster lays out a manifesto proclaiming “Creativity is Dead” before urging readers to revive it with intention.
​ (D&AD) A minimalist white typographic poster lays out a manifesto proclaiming “Creativity is Dead” before urging readers to revive it with intention.

As long as there are people who continue to push boundaries, creators who are never satisfied, folks who are always curious and a consuming public who always want refreshing and innovative ideas, creativity will never die. It will always be alive and thriving.

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog,Joe’s Journey, for selected short stories and personal insights on life and its detours.

5 reasons it’s gotten harder to do great work—and how to get back to it

I came across this article last month in one of the industry trade pubs and thought it quite relevant, not to mention interesting. The author, Wayne Best, chief creative officer of VML New York, cites one of the pioneers of creativity in advertising, one Bill Bernbach, as a major force during the sixties. The industry during that time is totally different than it is today. Mr. Best offers some viable suggestions as to how to resurrect, if you will, that creative zest so pronounced during Bernbach’s time.

I’m in total agreement with what Mr. Best suggests. I’ve been thinking the same for years and used to speak on these topics when on the AAF speakers’ junket. Today, with the advent of AI, they have been much more difficult to be realized and put into practice.

Mr. Best writes . . . I have no personal connection to DDB. I have never worked there and have very little knowledge of the culture at the time its name was “retired.” I do, however, have a great deal of respect for Bill Bernbach. I still use quotes he uttered from before I was alive. He ushered in the power of creativity in advertising.

That led me to wonder if his name disappearing (well, the B in DDB) was the end of the era of creativity. I have decided the answer is no.

Advertising executive, William Bernbach at press conference discussing his stance against cigarette advertising. Original caption: NO SMOKING—William Bernbach, newly named “The man who contributed most to advertising in 1963,” said Thursday that advertising cigarettes amounts to “just selling sickness.” He voiced several other strong opinions on advertising at a press conference here, but denied being a crusader.
Photo: Jack Carrick, Los Angeles Times

I will admit that I miss the days when smart, insightful advertising was prolific and opening an awards book was like unwrapping a gift. That’s not to say great work isn’t still happening, but lately it feels like the priorities have been put on data, systems and efficiency. And learning how to best use AI. 

These are good things. They are changing advertising for the better. Yes, some jobs will change as a result. For instance, it’s a hard time to be a storyboard artist. But the best storyboard artists have visual taste and can tell a good story. Those skills are still needed; it’s just that the tools that get you there have changed. 

So, embrace change and adapt. 

Resistance is futile.

That last line is not meant to be eerie. It’s just true. The sooner you acknowledge it, the further you’ll go. After all, the path to great work is to kill good work. Progress requires you to kill your darlings so you’re free to think in less expected ways.

Which brings me to the question: Has “brand” become irrelevant?

I don’t think so. 

Yes, media and production efficiencies can optimize our budgets. Customization and transcreation will continue to improve. But there is still an itch that all of that can’t scratch. And that is love.

Great brands have a place in our hearts, and that love still needs to be earned. It starts with a great product, but that’s just the beginning. Steve Jobs didn’t just produce great products; he also found a way to connect with people on a very human level. “1984” isn’t just an ad for a computer, it’s a celebration of individuality and a middle finger to corporations. “Here’s to the Crazy Ones” is about honoring the misfits who are daring enough to think they can change the world. The brand has a distinct point of view.

Data doesn’t do that. And AI aggregates the past rather than finding the unexpected. It doesn’t have the soft skills. It doesn’t have empathy. 

That said, I don’t think our quest for data or AI are to blame for our current creative lull.

We’ve made it hard on ourselves to do breakthrough work. 

We’ve added layers and layers of decision-makers. We’ve tried to be all things to all people. We’ve become afraid to make hard decisions and take chances, and that’s dangerous, because when you don’t make hard decisions, you sit in the middle. And the world ignores the middle, no matter the media budget.

I’m sure there are things I’m leaving out, but here are five things I know absolutely get in the way of building a great brand. None of them have to do with AI:

1. There are too many people involved in the decision-making. While it’s important to listen to opinions, a camel is a horse designed by a committee. Listening to people is fine, but somebody needs to be the decider, or you will build that camel.

2. If you try to please everybody, you will excite nobody. To be a great brand, you need to have a distinct POV. This means there are a lot of things you need to not say. Deciding what not to say is harder than deciding what to say, because different stakeholders care about different things.

3. Building a brand the right way takes time. We are always in a rush today, and the speed of AI and digital production has us moving faster than ever. Technology helps with the daily work, but to crack the bigger brand work, you need to be thoughtful and deliberate. Impatience is not a virtue.

4. Write shorter briefs. It’s hard. Writing long-winded briefs that everyone can read and find the “thing” they care about covered in the many pages is easy. Finding that sharp, pointed thing you can own in a sentence is hard. But until it gets sharp at the brief stage, you’ll be wasting expensive creative time. Make the hard decisions on what matters, and what doesn’t matter, at the brief stage. Or it will create endless swirl.

5. Never forget the problem you’re actually trying to solve. It’s easy for Walmart to promote deals on its website, but the bigger challenge is making consumers feel good when their neighbors see that Walmart box on their porch. It’s not an accident Walmart started using popular music and celebrities and buying high-profile media. When you keep the bigger goal in mind, it makes daily decisions easier. 

I’m still sad when I see the greatest names in advertising dropped into a six-foot hole. But hey, those people were already dead. It’s what we learn from them that matters. If Bill Bernbach were alive today, he wouldn’t be moaning about the death of the print ad, he’d be figuring out how to build a real connection between a brand and the humans who need it given our current environment. 

I am bullish on 2026. 

As we learn to work with AI, it gets less scary and more helpful. The weirdness of the pandemic is wearing off. Mergers have become less of a shock and more of a way of working. And the best minds I know are anxious to be more creative again. They’re excited to do unexpected and wonderful things. 

Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog, Joe’s Journey, for selected short stories and personal insights on life and its detours.

Creativity Rising: Creative Thinking and Creative Problem Solving in the 21st Century

I’m on the email list of Buffalo State University’s Center for Applied Imagination and so I receive notices from time to time about upcoming lectures and seminars and the like. The publication cited below is from one of their recent notices.

From the authors . . . The need for creativity has never been greater. In fact, we chose the title, “Creativity Rising: Creative Thinking and Creative Problem Solving in the 21st Century,” to reflect this belief. If we are to live healthy, productive lives in this century we must develop the mind-set and the skill set for effectively responding to and initiating change. Creativity Rising is both a why-to and how-to guide to help you create your own future. In this book we: • explore the nature of creativity • debunk common myths about creativity • describe the rapid rise of change in the 21st century • outline the time-tested Creative Problem Solving process, an approach to on-demand creativity.

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog,Joe’s Journey, for selected short stories and personal insights on life and its detours.

Super Bowl ads—what viewers want and don’t want from brands in 2026 commercials

Fembot, Svedka’s reborn mascot, will star in the brand’s AI-powered Super Bowl ad. (Svedka)

Now that we know the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots will face off in this year’s Super Bowl, another thing is certain: viewers want funny, celebrity-filled ads—but they are split on the role of AI.

Reporter Erika Wheless said Ad Age partnered with the Harris Poll to gauge consumers’ expectations for this year’s Super Bowl ads by surveying around 1,000 consumers in mid-January.

Seventy-one percent of respondents said they most want to see funny ads, while 46% said that they are most likely to remember a funny ad. Brands are listening—funny spots comprised 70% of Big Game ads in the last three years, according to iSpot.

Super Bowl viewers are divided on AI

Technology and AI-generated ads are less popular. The Harris Poll found that 17% of those surveyed most wanted to see AI-generated ads, with millennials being the most open to them (28%), followed by Gen Z (21%).

Respondents were also split on how comfortable they would be watching an ad with AI-generated celebrities, characters, or spokespersons, with 51% feeling “very” or “somewhat comfortable” and 49% “not at all” or “not very.”

This year, Svedka Vodka is bringing back its robot mascot, Fembot, in a fully generative AI commercial. Silverside AI is working on the ad, the same agency that led Coca-Cola’s much-talked-about AI Christmas ad.

Forty-four percent of those surveyed said that they did not like the idea of AI being used in ads or that the use of AI feels fake or misleading. Thirty-six percent said that they would be more open to AI-generated ads if ads disclosed that AI was used, while 33% said they would not be comfortable with an AI ad at all, even if AI use was disclosed, the ad was obviously fictional, or a character or a celebrity approved their likeness being used.

Which brands do consumers want to see in Super Bowl ads?

When it comes to the kinds of companies that should advertise in the Super Bowl, 70% of those surveyed think packaged food and drink and snack food companies should advertise, up from 47% last year. That’s good news for the multitude of food and drink brands in this year’s game, including Lay’s, Poppi, Pepsi, Ritz, Liquid Death, Kinder Bueno, Pringles and Nerds.

SB2026 – Teaser – Love at first bite: Pringles U.S. Commercial

Seventy-two percent believe restaurants and food delivery apps should have ads, but only 63% of Gen Z agrees. Instacart and Uber Eats return, joined by Grubhub, while DoorDash opts for a social-first strategy.

Gen Zers (in their late 20s) and millennials (around 30 to 45 in 2026) were most excited about celebrity-driven ads, at 40% and 39%, respectively. Last year, 68% of Super Bowl ads featured a celebrity. This year, Pringles teams up with Sabrina Carpenter, Kinder Bueno features influencer Paige DeSorbo, Instacart collaborates with Ben Stiller and Benson Boone.

Bud Light brings back Peyton Manning, Shane Gillis, and Post Malone.

Gen Z and millennials plan to stay active on their second screens, with 61% and 62% looking up featured brands, texting about ads, and posting reactions on social media.

When it comes to alcohol advertising, there is a generational divide: 67% of Gen Xers (ages 45 to 60) think alcohol brands should advertise, compared to 49% of Gen Zers, reflecting the younger generation’s lower alcohol consumption. Additionally, 70% of Gen Xers believed automotive brands should advertise, significantly higher than Gen Z’s 32%. Thus far, Cadillac and Toyota are the only auto brands to confirm ad buys.

The good news for advertisers is that excitement for the game builds annually, with 82% of those surveyed likely to watch this year’s game on Feb. 8, up from 72% last year and 67% in 2024.

Last year’s Super Bowl drew 127.7 million viewers across Fox, Fox Deportes, Telemundo and the Tubi streaming platform, making it the largest audience in the history of the game, according to Nielsen. NBCUniversal announced in early September that it had sold out of ad inventory for this year’s game, which will air on NBC, Peacock and Telemundo.

Let’s hope this year’s batch of ads will be much improved over last year’s underwhelming batch. Until then, we’ll wait and see.

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog,Joe’s Journey, for selected short stories and personal insights on life and its detours.

 

Measuring Creativity


Fueling Creativity in Education bridges the gap between the science of creativity and classroom practice, with a focus on both creative teaching and teaching creativity. Since launching during the pandemic, we’ve interviewed over 100 leading researchers, educators, and administrators.

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog,Joe’s Journey, for selected short stories and personal insights on life and its detours.

Creatives can lead a humanistic approach to AI . . . Here’s how.

Canadian graphic designer Jean-Pierre Lacroix explains how creative agencies and brands can make better use of generative AI by using it to expand team creativity.

As in the past I came across this article on the Web and thought it both interesting and inspiring. Given our challenging times, I think you will too. Enjoy!

The concept of generative AI technology creating content from user prompts using advanced algorithms. Adobe Stock

Every brand and agency is trying to tap into the promise of generative AI. So far, the results don’t always meet expectations. Is that so surprising? AI is brand new technology that no one fully understands, including its creators. Right now, we’re in an era that calls for experimentation. Results will come, but maybe not how we imagine. In the meantime, we must adopt a human-centered approach to AI, enabling creative teams to use AI as a platform for thinking differently and learning. 

So far, the best AI brand activations aren’t AI-generated ads or design. Successful examples of creatives using AI have a distinctly human perspective. For example, Heinz created an ad showing the audience what happens when they prompt AI to create images of ketchup: it reproduces hundreds of variations of the iconic Heinz bottle design. No matter how they try, according to the ad, they can’t get AI to drop the Heinz label because it’s synonymous with ketchup. 

Although the ad shows AI-generated imagery, Heinz is cleverly using AI to make a point about their brand rather than to generate and execute a creative idea. 

On the other hand, when companies try to generate creative using AI, even the best work requires enormous human effort and it doesn’t always come off well with consumers. That may change, but today, AI-generated material just doesn’t look and feel right. The fear that AI will take jobs away from humans causes concern in some scenarios, for example with the use of AI-generated models.  

How should creative teams be using AI today? It’s about testing and learning to develop skills and confidence. No one can say for sure how AI models will evolve but being prepared means teams need to start experimenting now. 

Key considerations for AI experimentation

Create a cross-functional team assigned to explore AI tools relevant to their roles. Tracking and testing new models, staying informed about potential legal concerns and gathering case studies will ensure you have a strong foundational knowledge to guide decision-making. 

Establish guidelines for AI use at your company. You’ll need someone who’s on top of legal matters, keeping in mind that various legislation is pending in many regions. You also need to understand how your consumers or clients perceive AI. Although there are some who hate AI no matter the circumstances, for most people, context matters. Conduct research with your stakeholders to make sure your intended uses align with their preferences. Provide your team with an approved list of licensed tools to use and establish a process for testing new ones. 

Try, fail, try again. At our company, we created an AI self-assessment platform that allows brands to evaluate their design against a competitor through the lens of our branding philosophy. This was a test-and-learn scenario that resulted in numerous unsatisfactory iterations, ultimately leading to a beta model that runs well, albeit with some caveats. (You can test it for yourself.) As we continue to improve the tool, our team continues to learn. Don’t expect perfection because you won’t get it. Building confidence, knowledge and skills should be the goal.  

Be transparent. If you work with clients, gauge their comfort level with AI and give them the option to opt out if you intend to make it part of your workflow. Something as simple as AI notetaking may run counter to privacy policies, for example. 

Protect your privacy and the privacy of clients. Before using any AI platform, ensure your IT team reviews their data policies. This brings us back to establishing guidelines. Ensure that everyone at your company is aware of which platforms they’re permitted to use, and that the appropriate people have licensed accounts where data will be kept confidential. 

Better, faster creative? Not yet

The hype around AI may lead some to think creative work can be completed faster and at a lower cost. At this stage, efficiency-finding with AI is only possible if you significantly lower your standards. Most creative agencies and brands would likely agree that AI can be useful in ideation but isn’t as helpful in execution. 

For example, we’ve found that even when given clear design guidelines, it’s very difficult for AI to create final art for packaging that works in real life. We’ve found it useful for editing images, brainstorming a hundred ways to depict a watermelon and general ideation. But so far, human creatives are still significantly better at everything else. 

AI does a decent job writing emails and copy for social media, but that too is bumping up against some limitations. Consumers are starting to recognize the tone of AI-generated copy and they find it grating.

AI is best suited to help structure content, create headlines and keywords and clean up copy. Marketers shouldn’t let their writing skills decline! AI can decipher what makes a clickable headline, but it doesn’t have any fresh ideas – it’s a solid Beatles cover band, but it’s no Lennon or McCartney. 

Where we’ve found it most useful is with coding, where it helps us do more in a shorter time frame. However, teams still need to be proficient enough to know how to prompt for the right code and how to correct mistakes.  

The human connection gap

One of the most common consumer-facing uses of AI is chatbots. They give us insight into the human connection gap that can occur with AI. Although serviceable and polite, AI chatbots annoy people. We know they’re not human and this changes the way we treat them. 

Consider the Taco Bell drive-through incidentwhere a customer derailed an AI chatbot by ordering thousands of glasses of water. In cities with fleets of self-driving cars, they often get stuck and cause traffic jams because drivers won’t let them in the way they would a human driver. 

Then there are the many incidents of people assaulting robots, especially humanoids. As much as we love a fun tool to play with, creatives can’t ignore the dehumanizing potential of AI.

How do we deal with this?  The answer isn’t ignoring AI but learning how to use it to support human ideas and interactions. If what the utopia tech companies are selling is achievable, it will be because users engage with it thoughtfully. Creative teams are in a great position to lead this kind of conscientious, intelligent use of AI.  

Jean-Pierre Lacroix is president of Shikatani Lacroix Design

Jean-Pierre Lacroix is president of Shikatani Lacroix Design, a global branding firm specializing in transforming customer experiences for consumer packaged goods companies, financial institutions and retailers. He is a member of the Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario, and has sat on the board of the Society of Environmental Graphic Designers, Packaging Association of Canada and the Association of Professional Futurists.

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog, Joe’s Journey, for selected short stories and personal insights on life and its detours.