The Creative Process: How CATMEDIA Takes a Project From Start To Finish

CATMEDIA is one of the most acclaimed creative companies in the metro-Atlanta area, but how did we go from a handful of people crammed into a small office to where we are today? Well, a big part of that success has to do with our Creative Process Plan and how we take a project from start to finish!

DISCOVERY

man holding a magnifying glass Collect all of the information about the client. When making anything, it is important to know exactly whom you are making it for. For instance, by familiarizing yourself with your client and their brand, you can avoid basic and time-consuming mistakes.

EDUCATE

man looking at a white board

Read all of the client information, and do independent research. If a client has one, you should certainly request a brand and style guide from them. Any other information they have, whether it be written content, examples of previous work, or emails discussing the project, will prove itself useful. Further independent research provides inspiration, as well as information to help you provide the best product for your client.

TARGET MARKET

four people legsUnderstand the target market. We’ve written extensively on our blog about the importance of a target market analysis and how exactly to perform one. Suffice it to say; if you don’t understand your target market, you don’t understand your project.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES Learning goals

Understand the goals and objectives of the project or campaign. The simplest and most direct way to tackle this step is by creating an outline. Thoroughly laying out what exactly you and your client hope to achieve with this project will guide what you end up doing.

CORE REASON

writing on a board of reasonsWhat’s the point? Why are you making what you’re making? This point is similar to the Goals & Objectives section, but there is a subtle distinction. A goal is the end result desired by the product or campaign. But the reason is why? Why does this goal matter? What is the larger impact?

BIG IDEA

book with write ideas

Define the overall message or idea. What makes your work something beyond the conventional or simple? How do you take this project to the next level and make something exciting? By laying out the Big Idea, you can ensure that your client will be blown away.

 

TEST

wall of post it notesIt’s time to put your ideas to the test. This can mean different things depending on the project. In one case, you might run a mock-version of a marketing campaign, or use a focus group on a product you are creating. Such a process can open you up to creative experimentation. It can also give you the feedback necessary to know which risks were worth the reward. But be aware, often the testing phase can lead to unexpected results.

CREATE laptop with the word create

Develop ideas into visuals and/or script. This step should include deadlines for concepts, mockups, approvals, etc. Keep yourself organized throughout the creative process and adhering to deadlines. As a result, it keeps the client happy and also improves your creative capability.

For more information on how to improve your creative work, see our blogs here.

 

ABOUT US

CATMEDIA is an award-winning Inc. 500 company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1997, the company specializes in advertising, creative services, media production, program management, training, and human resource management. As a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), CATMEDIA provides world-class customer service and innovative solutions to government and commercial clients. Current CATMEDIA clients include Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

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Creativity: It’s Important to Your Business

What do you think of when you think about creativity? Some people think that creativity only lies within the paintbrush of an artist or in the sculpture of an architect, but perhaps creativity can appear in more places than just a studio. In reality, creativity is not detained within one sector, and that’s the beauty of it.

So, what is creativity you might ask? Well, according to Gestalt psychologists, creativity is defined as something that generates a new idea, insight, or solution through imagination rather than through logic or reason. Creative thinking often takes a different approach to problem-solving, and when that kind of approach is taken in a business atmosphere, the outcome can be both rewarding and pleasantly surprising.

Creativity and Innovation in Business 

creativity hands griping paperHave you ever heard of a business that had great success without any creative or innovative ideas? The chances that you have are slim to none because creativity is the driving force behind most businesses’ success. Creativity and innovation are often the reason that businesses flourish in today’s world—setting the bar higher for the next ‘big’ idea. Creative thinking leads to the implementation of innovative ideas in the workplace.

Importance of Creativity in Business

creativity strategy meetingCreative business ideas set companies apart from one another. Without creativity and innovation, every company would follow the same patterns in marketing/promotion, technique, or even the goods and services they may be selling. Creativity is crucial for businesses today, especially when the market is dependent on innovative, breaking technology. The collaboration of creative minds has the ability to push creative business ideas into reality. Once your business brain is able to think outside the box, the possibilities are endless.

Now that we’ve established how important creativity is to business success, it is only fair that employees have the opportunity to channel their inner creative mind.

Importance of Creative People in Companies

ight-bulb-on-green-backgroundPeople who believe that they aren’t the ‘creative type’, are probably the same people that believe creativity only comes from an artistic perspective, but the truth is, everyone is able to channel creative thinking when put in the right environment. Employing creative people to join your team allows for a more imaginative approach to business problems. Creative thinking can ultimately set your business apart from all of the others, making consumers want to have your product and service over others.

What if you were to channel the whole team’s creativity? Yes, in many cases there is only a small part of the company with the responsibilities of creative work, but your business could prosper much more if you had your entire team involved with creative brainstorming. 

What You Can Do to Implement Creativity in the Workplace

Implementing creativity in the workplace can be a challenging task, especially when you have a diverse group of employee skill sets. Get your employees engaged in more creative thinking and ideas with these tips.

Intellectually challenge your employees.

Match your employees with problem solving experiences that will help them think and approach situations creatively. Give the employee a certain problem or task and have them solve it in numerous ways. It is important that your employees are challenged a little bit every day. Too little of a challenge will cause boredom, but too much will cause stress. It is important to find a healthy balance.

lilian-cordova-focusing-camera

Freedom of expression.

Employees are most creative when they can choose which work methods they would like to use. If a method or line of work seems to be too difficult, it can suppress creativity. Avoid this negative byproduct by allowing your employees to work in their own way. It is also very important that employees take breaks from certain projects, assignments, or problem solving. When a break is taken, the mind regroups, and creativity can strike up again.

Create diverse work groups.

Diversity allows creative minds to collaborate and solve problems. When in a group, employees can listen to different approaches and build their opinions and thinking process off of one another. Have you ever been in a meeting where different thought processes were being expressed, and a great idea popped in your mind after someone voiced a similar approach? Working in diverse groups can help your employees further reach their creative capacity.

Being in a safe place.

Most of a person’s creativity evolves here. When an employee feels safe in their environment, they will most likely voice more of their creative business ideas. In order for an employee to feel safe, they must have encouragement from their managers and fellow coworkers. This helps employees know that they can think freely and creatively without judgment. This is not to say that you can’t let an employee know when they aren’t doing their best. That’s when corrective criticism can come into play.

man-putting-pictures-on-wall-creative

Organizational support.

This goes along with encouragement. Your entire team should praise creativity and allow others to feel as if they can discuss their ideas openly to multiple people in the office. You may not agree with some ideas, but never make a person feel as though it was a bad idea.

Allowing your employees to utilize their creative thinking throughout the workday can enhance self-confidence and motivation. Furthermore, by motivating your employees, they work harder to help make the business a success.

Advantages of Creativity in the Workplace

creativity team having a meetingIt’s clear to see that accepting creativity and innovation into the workplace can be advantageous for everyone. By implementing creativity, you open the door for employees from all different departments to come together as a team, increasing engagement and interaction in the workplace. When employees are able to work as a cohesive team, the staff morale goes up, making the environment more fun, happy, and laid back. This ultimately attracts more employees and retain quality workers. Creativity will always make your employees want to learn more by seeking multiple options, ideas, and solutions for the business. Your business can’t lose with creativity on its side.

CATMEDIA Knows the Importance of Creativity

Here at CATMEDIA, we know the importance of creativity in the workplace and put our creative minds to work every day. Without creativity and innovation, we would not be able to meet our client’s needs properly. Want to know more about our creative services? Visit our website! 

References 

[1] https://hovgaards.com/2011/04/06/what-is-creativity-and-why-is-it-important-for-businesses/

ABOUT CATMEDIA 

CATMEDIA is an award-winning Inc. 500 company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1997, the company specializes in advertising, creative services, media production, program management, training, and human resource management. As a Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), CATMEDIA provides world-class customer service and innovative solutions to government and commercial clients. Current CATMEDIA clients include Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Stay Connected with CATMEDIA:
For more information, please visit CATMEDIA.com

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From the CEO’s Desk: The Creative Process and Collaboration at CATMEDIA

Do you know anyone creative? What traits or characteristics do they have? What comes to mind? Now think about yourself. Do you consider yourself to be creative? Why or why not?

CHANGE IS KEY

woman-working-on-creative-processAfter being creative and producing creative work for much of my life, I believe that creativity exists everywhere and in everyone. People tend to doubt their creative abilities because they think, “I’m not a painter. I’m not a writer. I’m not a musician,” but creativity is not just about being an artist. It’s not about whether you can dance or sing or play an instrument. Creativity is about being adaptable and open to change. So, today we’re going to cover why change is so critical in the creative process, and how it has impacted collaboration and creativity at CATMEDIA over the years.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO SHAKE THINGS UPdog shaking

Creativity has a tendency to manifest itself in people in different ways. For example, even in my personal life, there have been times when I’ve felt stressed or overwhelmed, and I’ve had to look at my life and see where I could make changes. I’ve had to stop to consider what I could do differently to make things run more smoothly, and this is something that we all feel the need to do from time to time. For some people, it’s a matter of rearranging furniture or switching up their hair color, but a huge part of our creative process involves having the need to shake things up and approach things from a different angle. At CATMEDIA, this desire crosses over into our professional lives and helps us to develop projects that are impactful and creative.

TENACITY TRUMPS TALENT

computer-do-more-creative-processOne thing my father used to always ask is, “Is it the talent, or is it the tenacity?” When it comes to creativity, the creative process itself does not require work, but the craft certainly does. If I’m a pianist, I have to practice. If I’m a baseball player, I have to practice, and this is true no matter the career path. There are a lot of talented people who don’t develop their talents and a lot of less talented people who managed to become successful through dedication and tenacity. To maintain that competitive edge, we have a responsibility to develop and sharpen our skills, no matter the industry.

CREATIVITY IN LEADERSHIP catherine downey creative director and ceo

Effective leadership would be almost nonexistent in the absence of creativity and change. “Leadership is a set of processes that creates organizations in the first place or adapts them to significantly changing circumstances.” As a leader, I try to encourage my employees to think creatively. I want them to think critically and independently, tell me what’s not working, and suggest ways that we can improve. I’m all about giving them the tools to help them succeed. However, I need them to take ownership, and use those tools to do great work. Here at CATMEDIA, we approach everything creatively. Yes, we have processes in place, but I expect my employees to be able to embrace change in order to make the most impact on our clients.

WE EMPLOY CREATIVITY TO HELP OUR CLIENTS SUCCEED

dollar sign on the napkinAt CATMEDIA, we employ creativity to help our clients succeed through program management and human resource management, in the fields of training and creative services. We provide a unique service for our clients by putting ourselves in their shoes and seeing the problem from their perspectives. As a team, we approach every new project from two different points of view: by acting like a customer and thinking like an owner. When acting like a customer, we ask ourselves what the client needs, what they want, and how we can make them more successful. When acting like an owner, we ask ourselves, “If I owned this business, what would I do?” By approaching each problem from these two perspectives, we are able to come up with the most ideal solutions for our clients. 

COLLABORATION AT CATMEDIA 4 fist bumps

There are many projects at CATMEDIA that I’m proud of, but there are two in particular that I believe are really great examples of our ability to employ creativity and work well as a team. The first would be our work with the Atlanta Housing Authority, where we came up with a marketing plan and tagline that was very unique to the client’s target audience. We also gathered research and obtained an in depth understanding of the marketplace. This led to us to create one of the most innovative marketing plans the organization had ever seen.

I’m also super proud of our work on the Flight Standards Administrative Manual (FSAM) with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In this project, we have exercised a great deal of creative problem solving. Meanwhile working collaboratively with the client to identify the organization’s needs and create an amazing product.

Conclusion

The creative process comes in all shapes and forms. Through creativity and adaptability, we have been able to imagine our customers’ needs. Consequently, providing them with the tools to help them be more successful. Creativity is about more than art. We are all creative thinkers, and the only block to creativity is when we are afraid to change.

About CATMEDIA

CATMEDIA is an award-winning Inc. 500 company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1997, the company specializes in advertising, creative services, media production, program management, training, and human resource management. As a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), CATMEDIA provides world-class customer service and innovative solutions to government and commercial clients. Current CATMEDIA clients include Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Stay Connected with CATMEDIA:
For more information, please visit CATMEDIA

Check us out on social media!
Facebook 
Twitter
Instagram
LinkedIn