Giving feedback on creative as a strategist
Some topics I have strong conviction in. For example, that strategists should collaborate on projects instead of having to work alone is a hill I will die on. But when it comes to how strategists should give feedback on creative I’m not nearly so dogmatic. The reason is that part of the role the strategist plays in the creative process is based on their functional expertise in strategy, but part is also based on their personality.
My personality is a Respecter of Authority. I tend to recognize and appreciate expertise, and not armchair quarterback the world around me. At a restaurant, I’d never put salt on my food. If the chef intended for there to be more seasoning, they would have added it.
So when it comes to creative feedback, I tend to stay in my lane - at least with respect to points of execution. I probably wouldn’t say, for example, “that typeface looks too heavy” or “this concept feels a little whimsical for me.” The creative team chose what they chose for a reason. My job is not to prosecute those choices.
But as a strategist, maybe I can probe on the reasons. Instead of saying, I might ask. “What’s the thinking behind the heavy typeface?” or “Why did you go whimsical with this one?” The strategist’s job is to find the through line between the strategy and the creative, and make sure it’s intact. Maybe you didn’t think a whimsical tone would work. But that doesn’t mean it won’t - you just need to make sure that the idea is still doing the work outlined by the strategy. I call this category of feedback rather blandly and eponymously, “Strategic Feedback.”
The second lens I look at creative through is not specifically as a strategist, but as a human. I don’t imagine I’m the target customer but I do look at creative ideas to see if they make sense and they’re clear, and that they’re not introducing any pitfalls. An example might be if a creative concept hinged on the audience knowing Wes Anderson’s directing style and the researched showed that they didn’t. Or if an automotive brand got really excited about the name of a new car, but whose name actually means “It doesn’t go” in one of their most important global markets. (An apocryphal story, but still instructive.) This category of feedback exists in my mind as “Human Feedback.” Clearly naming is not my forté.
And finally, remember that strategy is a function, not a phase. It doesn’t end when the creative begins, but can be influenced and sharpened by the creative ideas. Sometimes the creative throws light on the cracks in the strategy. Maybe the whimsical tone explored really works because of a different interpretation of an insight, and that insight needs to be clarified. In these cases the feedback you’re giving is not to the creative team, but to yourself. No, it’s not “Self Feedback.” I call it “Reflexive Feedback” because it sounds a little smarter.
So here’s my quick creative feedback rubric:
Strategic Feedback: Explore creative ideas to understand why they are the way they are, and make sure that they are doing the work outlined by the strategy.
Human Feedback: Step back from the creative and view it as an outsider, to make sure it’s clear and precise.
Reflexive Feedback: Look for gaps between the creative and the strategy as written, and see if these gaps need to be closed by tightening or twisting the strategy.
There are other lenses I’ve seen strategists use for their creative feedback. Many of you are more facile with the creative process than I am and more comfortable (and valuable) weighing in on the specifics of execution. That’s fine too - go ahead and salt your dishes when they come out of the kitchen. Just don’t neglect the unique role that you need to play as a strategist in this process as well.