Can research help the creatives?

Patrick Collister

A creative man's view of research. Creative people almost always hate research, because 'if it narrows down the margins for error, it also narrows down the possibilities for soaringly original work'.

Can research help the creatives?

Patrick Collister of Ogilvy & Mather looks at the tensions between creativity and research in advertising development

Patrick Collister

Pity the poor clients. Most of the job is dealing with quantifiables. Volumes, sales, data: lots of lovely numbers to show if you're up or down against target. Then every now and then you are forced into this quagmire of emotion. Passions run high. Voices are raised. You suddenly feel insecure in your judgement and either become maddened into obduracy or wilt into acquiescence. I am talking about the presentation of new creative work, of course....

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