Will YouTube change creativity?
Nov 14th, 2006 by Simon
Scamp has been writing about something that reminded me of a recent conversation with a creative. Which was around the value of YouTube in finding thoughts.
At first glance, like many, it seemed a bit lazy and somewhat of a joke to say that you scan YouTube for ideas. But, then, the more I thought about it, the more I felt it was right. More than just OK, it was the sort of shift we all need to make. We need to embrace getting ideas from other people then building on them. We do still need to add something, though.
After all, YouTube is really just a massive outlet for everyone’s creativity in the world. It’s a huge showcase. Much like the director’s reels have always been showcases that spur ideas. And, art influences artists as well as advertising creatives. Books and films are based on thoughts that have been reported in the press and in science journals. Experiences lead to stories. etc, etc…
It is often said, there are no new ideas – just new versions and new expressions. Now, I don’t entirely agree with that – I think there are new ideas. But that doesn’t mean that you HAVE to come up with something new every time.
Anyway, my thought is this – if the future will have consumers able to opt out of advertising easily, then any marketing communication will need to actually be WORTH watching. Which is exactly what YouTube content is today.
So, if the creatives of tomorrow are going to need to be able to replicate that YouTube effect in marketing communications, then maybe they do need to learn to find inspiration in the very same place?
Whatever happens, and wherever our creatives of the future find inspiration, the nature of ads will change – and, with it, the dross that invades our brains 50,000 times a week will be forced to reappraise the concept of effectiveness, hopefully.
But, at the same time, the messages that bother to be worth watching – that have genuine creative thought applied and aren’t brutal instruments to communicate some product benefit – will break through to people still.
It’s all getting a bit ranty and a bit worthy, but the short version is: we need to produce work that gets people saying “Have you seen… ?” in order to be retained in a world where push-advertising is dying.
Sony ‘Balls’ did that, and I applaud them.
And YouTube is full of examples that do it. Should we really ignore it as a source of ideas and inspirations?