Overworked creatives are producing more content than ever before
Is your creative team overwhelmed? This is probably why…
Do you work at a creative digital agency or as part of an in-house creative team? Chance are, you’re overworked.
More work, less time – it’s taking a toll on creative output and the quality of creative web design ideas.
This was the conclusion from a recent In House Creative Management Report released by InSource. The survey queried 400 in-house creatives – including general marketers, web designers, copywriters and project managers – and found that the rapidity in which creatives are expected to produce content and the volume of demand for their work were the top concerns raised by respondents.
What’s going on with creatives?
It’s no surprise, given the latest news that creatives are producing more content than ever. An IDC study found that 71% of creatives are producing 10x more content than they did in 2010 and that 85% of it is driven by the demand for content that’s personalised and provides a consistent cross-device experience.
A few of the iFactory web design team, who came through the ranks pre-digital explosion (we’re not that old, trust us) say that pre-digital importance, companies could get away with a single ad campaign spread over a few limited mediums – billboards, magazines, TV and radio. Today, the options are limitless, with companies able to produce individualised content for mobile, social media, website landing pages and ads, print media, physical retail and even shockvertising in water fountains – remember the Dexter tv show guerrilla marketing campaign that disgusted people into interest.
While it’s true that creative professionals aren’t the only ones under pressure to get a project across the line, content creators are often in a unique position. Often, they are working in small teams, with 60% of respondents saying they serve more than 20 stakeholders within a business.
Admin schmadmin
Sure, we’ve automated many of the mundane administration tasks endemic to creative work, but not enough to avoid it all together. 34% of creatives said they spend 7+ hours a week on administration tasks, such as chasing briefs, waiting for project approval, getting looped in on irrelevant email chains and invoicing.
It’s time to invest more in creatives
A change we’ve seen to the creative workload over the past ten years is creatives being seen as a strategic contributor. This can be challenging for many creatives who have a stake in the broader business goals, further adding to the workload if proper resources aren’t offered by the company.
InSource believes companies need to invest more in their creatives to further their professional development and diversify their skillset beyond being simply creative. The trick is, InSource director Andy Brenits says, is to “show the business how resources are allocated and what the business will or will not get with or without additional help.”
Offering more resources won’t solve the problem, however. The overall attitude needs to change too. Creative teams need to be perceived as more than “simply the art department” and more as strategic contributors to the business. On this, Brenits adds “This comes with a responsibly to create efficient processes and workflow to manage the constant flow of creative work. Creative teams can no longer act like they are always running downhill with their hair on fire, constantly trying to catch up. They need to have a systematic means to account for, and complete, work on a deadline. “
About iFactory
We’re a creative digital agency, specialising in all thing creative web design, development and marketing strategy. We believe in nurturing skills and developing out of the box concepts. If you can’t seem to get the word out about your amazing product or service, we’re here to help. Contact us today to see what an award-winning full-service agency can do your business.
