That's the thought that runs through my head every time I see templated work. Now, I understand the need for design style guides. I understand the reasoning behind having a TV format that feels like your brand. I understand why so much advertising lives in templates. I really do. But templates are lazy, uninspired and lack passion. And templates are the opposite of creative.
Let's say you have a client who has run the same campaign for the past five years. They love it. They don't want to change it. Great. No really, that's great. A happy client is important. But you're a creative. You want to do something new and exciting. Guess what? YOU STILL CAN.
Here comes the fun, the challenge. Here's what separates a good creative from a bad. Because a bad creative will do the lazy thing: they'll churn out the same templated work the client has done for the past five years. A good creative will see the challenge and rise to it. They'll change things up from within.
Apple does this all the time in their Mac vs PC ads. They are constantly playing within the frameworks of the campaign. Flashbacks, legal copy, new characters, pop culture references. Sure the spots look the same. And they have the same tone. But each spot was carefully crafted to be unique. Each spot feels fresh. It's why consumers love the campaign. It's why when I'm DVRing through commercials and I pass one I go back and watch it.
The point is this: There's always room for creativity. You have to be passionate enough rise to the challenge. You have to take the time to solve the puzzle. You can't simply settle for the easiest way to get the project out the door. Because once you accept the framework of a campaign, you're resigning yourself to a template. And that's just uninspired.
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