{"id":1293,"date":"2019-08-30T14:20:13","date_gmt":"2019-08-30T14:20:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jigsaw-research.co.uk\/?p=1293"},"modified":"2024-10-17T17:01:06","modified_gmt":"2024-10-17T16:01:06","slug":"creative-development-research-can-make-the-advertising-stronger-yes-really","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jigsaw-research.strat7.com\/us\/blog\/creative-development-research-can-make-the-advertising-stronger-yes-really\/","title":{"rendered":"Creative Development Research can make the advertising stronger. Yes really."},"content":{"rendered":"

We all know that ad agencies can feel very wary of creative development research. \u2018Wary\u2019 is putting it mildly. Some agencies have managed to forge close links with trusted qualitative researchers, but other agencies still see the research stage as a \u2018pre-test\u2019; as a client-mandated barrier they need to survive, and certainly not in any sense a constructive or insightful process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the creative teams in agencies who actually come up with ideas, the process can be painfully personal \u2013 it is their baby being \u2018tested\u2019 after all. Rather than getting involved, they tend to sit out the research with fingers crossed, waiting to see the damage inflicted \u2013 did their idea survive the research process? If so, in what form? This distance from the process means researcher recommended revisions often feel imposed upon them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This traditional suspicion has recently turned into outright hostility in some quarters. Creative guru Mathew Bull has gone on record to say:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWhy were we unable to produce great work? We were stifled by research \u2026
it has become a disease \u2026 it should be used
to enlighten not approve\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

A \u2018disease\u2019? That may be a little harsh \u2013 but many researchers know there is a grain of truth in some of these views \u2013 poor research can stifle creativity \u2013 yet they also know from experience that the right kind of research in the right hands, can actively strengthen an idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the \u2018right kind\u2019 of research? There has been precious little discussion on what constitutes good creative development research. Until now\u2026 this is the Jigsaw perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Firstly, language matters. Whilst some see this sort of research about \u2018testing\u2019 ideas, or others focus on \u2018developing\u2019. We feel the best research identifies and builds on potential \u2013 and this spirit guides our entire approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our approach is called Creative Licence \u2013 and it is based on the organisational change process called Appreciative Inquiry. Rather than talk about the theory, we focus on how we apply it in the research context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creative Licence is different to standard research in many ways \u2013 but there are 2 big differences:<\/p>\n\n\n\n