Working With Creative PartnershipsPosted by Currie Hinton on July 13th, 2021 Creative Partners is an integrated, independent, full-service creative marketing agency , specializing in brand promotion, public relations, interactive communications and social networking, with local offices in Los Angeles and Stamford, CT. The agency was founded in 1985 by Bill Davidson. Together, Bill and Gayle Davidson created the company that we know today. They remain responsible for leading the company through its many successful ventures and continue to seek innovative, creative solutions. A good creative partner is like a good friend. If you have a friend, you know what their interests are, and how they handle themselves, and generally how they make you feel. A creative partner in a marketing/ PR agency, like a good friend, is someone who is willing to listen to your ideas and share them with you. He or she also has to be well-organized and goal oriented and able to communicate effectively. There are many types of creative relationships. They include: creative tandem, strategic alliance, cross-brand strategy, specialty relationship, and global creative network. Creative partnerships may result from existing customer or brand loyalty, complementary products or services, or effective communications and community outreach. The most successful creative partners in the world are not always the best at their jobs, nor do they all know each other well. Creative partnerships develop through a process of careful planning and ongoing communication, which enable creatives to get to know each other and do what they do best, while helping each other grow and expand their potentials. Below are some of the best tips to keep creative partnerships alive and thriving. Don't be afraid to get creative. As creative partners, you should realize that it's okay to ask your creatives for help where needed (even if it's a little bit like asking a friend for help with something). Creatives and mentors have a wealth of resources at their disposal, and you don't need to feel like you're the only person trying to get your work done. Creative alliances make it possible for creatives to each other's strengths and weaknesses, and open up the collaboration between the two. You might ask your partner to act as a consultant, write a proposal, or take on a major client. Be sure to set clear goals when forming creative partnerships. Goals make the difference between working together successfully and working against each other. Set short-term and long-term goals that need to be met, but also identify how to measure progress toward those goals. This can be a little bit like setting forth a plan for running a business - it doesn't matter how much you talk about it, but it does matter whether everyone knows what it is you're trying to accomplish. Create a vision statement for the partnership. If you're going to hire an art director, designer, illustrator, copywriter, writer, or anything else, you have to clearly define what you hope to achieve through working together. What are the benefits to the company? What are the risks? Is the cost worth it? It's crucial to make sure that everyone involved understands the mission and the purpose of the partnership. In most cases, it will pay to find a creative partner that is complementary to your vision. Not every pairing is going to be a good match. However, if you try to cover all of the bases and try hard to make sure that both people really understand and share the same goals and the same sense of urgency for success, you'll find that working together will be easier and more effective than working individually. And, in the end, you'll both be happier!Like it? Share it! More by this author |