Creativity in the Digital Age: The Risks and Rewards
The fast-paced nature of the digital age and how it’s redefined media consumption can make a creative idea stand out – sometimes not for the right reasons.
Virality has become a key measurement of whether a creative idea has resonated with the target audience, due to the heightened exposure it brings.
Naturally, viral content often attracts media attention and has the potential to impact reputation of those involved. However, virality is a double-edged sword that can trigger a series of positive responses, backlash or mixed sentiments.
Balancing boldness and strategic thinking are crucial to ensure that ideas not only captivate but also strategically upholds brand reputation.
Planning for ‘possible consequences’ rather than ‘likely consequences’ then comes into play, and it starts when a lightbulb moment is sparked during ideation.
Possible consequences – a ‘what if’ approach – openly consider all forms of issues from cultural nuances, controversies, conflict of interest, to industry regulation compliance. Likely consequences are based on probability of issues occurring with outcomes expected.
Mapping out scenarios irrespective of their likelihood and anticipating various types of stakeholder response with preventive measures in place creates a solid foundation towards more favourable outcomes, well before the idea becomes reality.
