The Importance of Having a Chief Creative Officer in the C-suite

If you are a CMO, congratulations on reaching the top of your field! You have shown your expertise in navigating the complexities of markets, understanding consumers, and keeping up with societal and macro trends.

As the chief marketing officer, you hold a prestigious position with the authority, responsibilities, and influence to back it up. The challenges may seem overwhelming at times, but there is a sense of pride in being part of the esteemed C-suite - a group where titles are the same yet different.

In the corporate world, the title usually follows a pattern: 'Chief' at the start, 'Officer' at the end, and in between, the specific function that sets you apart. In your case, it's marketing. Other common titles in the C-suite include Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Technology Officer.

Executive

Financial

Operating

Legal

People

Information

Growth

And of course, you, with your marketing remit.

So many experienced leaders. So many capable team members. So many layers of responsibility to manage. It seems like everything is already taken care of. Who would want to introduce another leader into the mix?

Well, I would.

Introducing the Chief Creative Officer

Take another look at the list and notice what is missing. Can you see the important quality that stands out? It's creativity, and that's why I believe it's essential to have a chief creative officer on board.

Some businesses, especially those in industries like advertising, fashion, and design, prioritize creativity as a key aspect of their product.

However, in other sectors, creativity is often overlooked and not considered essential for success. It seems like not being defined by creativity gives companies the excuse to exclude it from their operations. Creativity is seen as a unpredictable force that is best kept outside the confines of the corporate world, only to be flirted with occasionally, but deemed too risky to fully embrace.

Even businesses in the most ordinary industries must think creatively to stand out from competitors and avoid blending in with industry standards. Ideas can come from anyone, so leaders from different fields gather in stuffy hotel rooms to brainstorm and come up with innovative concepts.

During these brainstorming sessions, the importance of a chief creative officer becomes evident and can make your more data-driven colleagues feel uneasy.

Creativity should not be excluded from the corporate environment simply because it is not explicitly required. It should be embraced and integrated into the company's culture.

Rather than focusing on clichés like boldness or thinking outside the box, true creative leaders exhibit two key characteristics in their approach to work.

The first characteristic is defiance. When you bring up the term 'best practice' to them, they will question it and ask why. They may listen to your explanations, but ultimately they will go their own way, believing that what has worked in the past may not lead to a breakthrough in the future.

The second trait is a brutal honesty, a readiness to face the harsh reality of the challenge ahead. In a YouTube interview, Steve Babcock, the chief creative officer of VaynerMedia, described commercial creativity as the skill of "making people care about something they are not interested in".

The modern corporation often uses upbeat language like 'awesome', 'passion', and 'right to win'. This is in stark contrast to the straightforward honesty of candour.

Starting point for generating and rejecting ideas is that people simply don't care. It can be a tiring and demoralizing process until a promising idea emerges, ready to be developed and refined into something that can capture attention.

The agency inside

This is where the chief creative officer plays a key role in ensuring that every part of your brand's outward image is cohesive and unique.

Be ready for a thorough evaluation of your current agency setup and a suggestion to move your creative work in-house.

In the past, marketers have been hesitant to bring creative work in-house, believing that creatives need a variety of challenges to stay fresh.

Creative individuals simply want the opportunity to produce outstanding work. Contrary to popular belief, it is interesting to examine two major brands that have flourished by nurturing creativity within their own organizations.

Specsavers has been following this approach since 1984 and has reaped the rewards of consistently applying a smart, captivating, and sometimes humorously entertaining tone of voice. The company has also been successful at various award ceremonies, boasting accolades such as a Cannes Lion, Campaign Big Award, and IPA Effectiveness Gold.

Nobody said it’s easy

Oatly, the alternative milk brand, is just as impressive. The brand's global chief creative officer, John Schoolcraft, established the brand's communication style by creatively splitting the brand name with a hyphen. Instead of using typical shots of pouring milk and product enjoyment, Oatly's brand book showcases its unique attitude through images of wood. With creative teams in three different continents, Oatly maintains a balance of distinctiveness and unity that would have been difficult to achieve with multiple competing agencies.

Businesses today often boast about big ideas, even if they lack true innovation. They often claim, "We're here to shape the future," or "Our goal is to make the world a better place." However, it seems like 'create' is just a convenient word, easily replaced with 'deliver', 'provide', or 'bring about'.

But in reality, to create is to face the challenge of starting from scratch, to confront the fear of failure, to delve into your own ego and withstand self-criticism, and to keep pushing through obstacles until something truly unique and unexpected is born.

Creative individuals can be a handful, trust me, I understand. However, if you are a CMO facing the challenges of growth in a complex world, having a skilled chief creative officer by your side will make you braver, clearer, and stronger.

Editor's P/S:

The article highlights the importance of creativity in modern businesses and advocates for the inclusion of a Chief Creative Officer (CCO) in the C-suite. It argues that creativity is not just a nice-to-have, but an essential ingredient for standing out in competitive markets. The CCO, with their unique perspective and ability to challenge conventional thinking, can help organizations embrace creativity and foster innovation.

The article provides examples of successful companies like Specsavers and Oatly that have flourished by nurturing creativity in-house. It emphasizes that creative individuals are not merely cogs in a machine, but passionate professionals who thrive on the opportunity to produce exceptional work. By bringing creative work in-house, organizations can achieve a cohesive and unique brand image that resonates with customers. Despite the inherent challenges of working with creative individuals, CCOs provide CMOs with invaluable support. Their presence fosters a culture of bravery, clarity, and strength, enabling organizations to stand out, generate groundbreaking ideas, and achieve lasting success.