If you speak to any blooded planner, they can provide an example of when they have briefed work in to the creative department and the output is void of any of their intial strategic thinking . Likewise, I am positive that I can speak to any fully fledged creative and they can recall a project where their creativity has been stamped out completely by rigourous strategic guard rails.
Whatever side of the fence you fall on, creative or planning, I hope you don't experience too many of these instances because when we work in harmony, and the relationship is truly sembiotic, some really cool ish can be made!
Diesel's latest ad is a case in point.The ad turns a simple, yet connective and universal insight, into something exciting, playful and, dare I say it, aspirational.
The insight: People often buy clothes that they will wear once or twice then return. This is usually because they just want to wear it for something specfic, but don't want it long term. Now, you are probably wondering why any clothing brand would want to highlight this fact, let alone glorify it. Indeed, it is a pervasive behaviour that costs clothing brands a lot of money but as the saying goes, "if you can't beat them, join them!".
No one brand has the power to stop people wearing and returing clothes, and in all honesty, any who tried would probably come off worse for their effort. With that in mind, Diesel are saying "if you are going to borrow any clothes, why not our clothes". This move makes the brand connect with their target audience by showing them that they understand them, while putting the brand in their consideration set . Not everyone is going to return your clothes and the first step it's getting them to buy them in the first place, right?! The call to action "Enjoy Before Returning" will also help people think twice about returning their clothes. By making this behaviour permissible, they might focus on loving these items instead of returing them, or naturally wear them into a condition that can't be returned. Either way, the brand wins.
Well, enough of my rationalisation, see the beautiful love child of planning and creativity for yourself.
