Reexamining advertising creativity : a qualitative examination of copywriters' perceptions of creativity in advertising

Abstract

Creativity is an intangible concept that is in a perceived constant state of change, a state that necessitates the occasional reexamination of previous findings in an effort to further understand the roles and perceptions held by advertising practitioners. This qualitative study offers insights and expands on previous quantitative studies of agency creatives' views on advertising creativity (Reid, King, & DeLorme, 1998). Through ten semi-structured interviews of senior agency copywriters, the author compared past and present perceptions of creativity in advertising. The study's findings help to clarify what factors into such perceptions and what impact technological advancements have had upon said perceived levels of creativity. The study found that copywriters do not unanimously agree that creativity has increased, though a majority believes it has remained constant or slightly increased. Copywriters do perceive creativity to have changed since they entered the profession, and they assert that changes in approach, business models, and technological advancements are the primary factors contributing to change. This study provides practical and theoretical value by contributing to role-based models of advertising and by informing current copywriters of the opinions of their peers.