Genero’s Masterclass
CREATIVE FLEXIBILITY
Are fixed structures holding you back from long-term growth?
How embracing flexibility can drive change and innovation.
Drawing on 20 years of marketing experience, it’s evident that change is ever-present. The marketing landscape continually shifts due to economic changes and evolving consumer demands. According to PWC’s 26th Annual Global CEO Survey, an impressive 72% of CEOs think there will be more changes in the next three years than in the last 50.
Despite all this change, the main goal for businesses is still growth. The Gartner CFO Perspective on the 2023 CEO Survey shows that 62% of CFOs and 45% of CEOs see growth as their main target. However, this goal is often challenged by economic worries. In fact, 84% of CFOs and 68% of CEOs are concerned about how inflation might affect their growth plans.
This brings up a big question: In such unpredictable times, how can businesses not just keep going, but actually grow?
In a world where changes and challenges are routine, being flexible becomes crucial. It’s essential to be quick and adaptable to keep up with market changes and to respond to consumer needs. With this kind of agility, companies can lean into new growth opportunities and quickly adjust their strategies to keep growing, even as disruptions continue.
The challenge of doing more with less
In the next three years, marketers will have to defend against more disruptions than faced in the last 50 years. At the same time, they have to support their leaders in achieving major growth while also doing more with less. According to Gartner, average marketing budgets have fallen to 7.7% of overall company revenue, down from 9.1% in 2023.
The traditional ‘more for less’ approach involving the creation of vast amounts of assets to saturate platforms, hasn’t worked. Essentially, it’s like throwing as much as possible at the wall and hoping something sticks - and it doesn’t. In fact, in 2023, the total global ad spend wasted was over $73 billion. Marketers must move from ‘more for less’ to ‘more impact for less.’ This means delivering more effective marketing, making every dollar count, and driving greater impact.
Effective marketing is not just about creating content; it’s about understanding what consumers want and coming up with ideas that truly grab their attention. Having diversity of ideas and specialised skills is crucial for creating impactful content. Leveraging tools and AI can help streamline tasks and enhance decision-making, freeing up time for creative work by handling routine tasks, enabling large-scale content creation, and providing data-driven insights. But the real impact happens when human creativity is combined with these technologies, resulting in truly compelling and effective marketing.
As marketers refocus their strategies, they also need to look at their organisational structures to ensure they can support these strategies effectively. It’s essential to set things up in a way that unlocks creative potential, leads to better ideas, and results in more effective content that makes an impact.
Redefining marketing structures
There has always been a debate about whether to keep creative and production work in-house or to outsource it. This isn’t a new challenge. It’s ongoing, especially when lots of content needs to be created for different platforms and to react to consumer demands.
In my experience working with both in-house setups and agencies, many approaches have been seen. Brand work has been moved in-house, internal agencies have been set up, and different models like decoupling and onsite/offshoring setups have been tried. Currently, the trend is strongly towards keeping work in-house. According to the ANA - The continued rise of the in-house agency 2023 report, 82% of companies prefer this as it offers greater control over talent and budget, while also being more cost-effective and scalable.
However, the challenge isn’t just about choosing in-house or outsourcing, but how setups are structured. The common practice of relying mostly on full-time, “fixed” structures is becoming problematic. These fixed structures lack the flexibility needed today. They struggle to adapt swiftly to market trends or generate the diverse creative ideas necessary to truly engage with the audience.
Relying heavily on these fixed structures means dealing with high costs and not enough new ideas. Even when shifting to in-house setups for more control and better alignment with strategies, issues with agility and creativity remain. It’s worth noting that in-house setups are trying to bring in more flexible resources, like freelancers, into their mix. But it’s tough. The IHALC IHA Benchmarking Survey 2023 says 57% of internal setups find it a challenge. And external agencies, often looked to for flexibility, face their own issues with fixed resources, leading to rigid scopes and costs.
Embracing the independent workforce
Beyond the more obvious actions marketers can take to increase flexibility, there are valuable lessons to be learned from other industries. Take Airbnb and Uber, for example. These businesses have revolutionised their spaces by leveraging an independent workforce at scale without long-term commitments. Airbnb transformed the hospitality industry by creating a platform that connects hosts with travellers, allowing people to offer their homes as accommodations without Airbnb owning any properties. Similarly, Uber disrupted the transport industry by offering on-demand ride services through a scalable platform that connects drivers with passengers, all without owning a single vehicle.
Marketing can adopt similar strategies by tapping into the growing independent creative workforce. Did you know that 57% of the global economy is made up of independent talent, and this number is growing (McKinsey)? By leveraging this workforce, marketers can bring fresh perspectives and adaptability to their teams without the long-term commitment of traditional hiring.
In today’s fast-changing market, the independent creative workforce is becoming a powerful force, providing the flexibility crucial for growth. While other industries have embraced the transformative power of technology, marketing has been more cautious, often sticking to traditional methods. However, a shift is underway.
Technology plays a crucial role in this shift. By leveraging digital tools, marketers can streamline processes and tap into a global network of flexible talent. Collaborations that were once challenging are now seamlessly achievable. This innovative approach enables overcoming the limitations of fixed structures.
Introducing the Growth Concept
To illustrate why flexibility is so important, I’ve developed something I call the Growth Concept: Flexibility→Creativity→Impact→Growth. Flexibility enhances creativity, which increases impact, and ultimately drives growth.
Flexibility helps marketers adapt quickly to market trends and what consumers want. It allows them to move away from a ‘that’s how it’s always been done’ mindset and be more open to new ways of thinking. When marketers are flexible, they can be more creative, think outside the box, try new things, and innovate. Effective creativity leads to impact, capturing attention, resonating with audiences, and leaving a lasting impression. Impactful creative drives growth by increasing engagement, lifting sales, and building brand loyalty.
In the constantly evolving world of marketing, change is the only constant. Flexibility has become the key driver of growth and innovation. Whether it’s improving structures or making full use of technology, the future of marketing is all about adaptability. It’s not just about being agile; it’s about being resilient. Flexibility is the crucial element set to redefine the future of marketing.
As marketers continue on this transformative journey, flexibility isn’t just an option; it’s the foundation of success. It empowers marketing teams to navigate uncertainty, let creativity lead, and drive growth. As the exciting new era in marketing begins, one thing is clear: flexibility is the key to unlocking endless possibilities.
Actions you can take today
Identify fixed and flexible needs: Look at your structure and figure out which tasks need to stay fixed and where you can introduce flexibility.
Encourage a flexibility mindset: Shift the culture to value experimentation and innovation. Start small by supporting your team with independent creatives or by testing new tools.
Start with low-risk areas: Test flexible strategies in low-risk areas first, then measure the outcomes, refine your approach, and expand to other areas.
Flexibility is the foundation. It helps marketers adapt, be creative, and create impactful work that drives growth. Small steps towards flexibility can make a big difference.
About Genero
Genero transforms in-house creative capabilities, combining a vast global network of over 130,000 independent creative and production professionals with a purpose-built platform that simplifies the entire creative process. Our platform makes it easy to find and collaborate with creative partners around the world, while our team of experts - drawn from creative agencies, marketing, and production - supports clients both locally and globally. Founded 15 years ago to modernise how brands access creativity away from the traditional agency model, Genero enables marketers to harness diverse, global creative talent quickly and efficiently. This approach not only cuts costs but also drives brand growth by ensuring content is culturally relevant and strategically aligned at the speed of culture.
About Chloe Lane
Chloe Lane is Managing Director of Global Client Solutions for Genero, with over 20 years of experience in marketing and transforming business growth, both agency, tech and client-side. Chloe has a strong track record of introducing innovative and flexible strategies in the industry. Her work includes major projects with well-known brands like Nestlé, Woolworths, Vodafone, Dan Murphy’s, and Suncorp, where she led the development of large-scale, multi-brand content studios. Her expertise in tackling the rigid structures of fixed setups has made her a key player in making marketing strategies more adaptable and cost-effective. Chloe joined Genero to push the boundaries further, aiming to build more dynamic and future-focused partnerships.
