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CREATIVE COUNCIL

Council Objectives

The Creative Council develops guidelines for using research to optimize effective advertising creative by compiling definitions of advertising testing terms and exploring new language, theories, and tools to enhance understanding of how advertising research and data can be used to increase the power of advertising creative.

Research & Past Event Highlights

A Peek Behind the Curtain at Improv-Driven Insights
On February 24, 2022, the ARF Creative Council brought to light a new method for brain-storming great advertising creative. Industry leaders partnered with improv experts to showcase how combining qualitative research and the art of improvisation can kick-start innovative advertising ideas. Access video and presentations here.

A Peek under the Hood of AI in Creative Development Research
The ARF Creative Council hosted its fourth happy hour event to demystify the use of AI as a research tool in the creative development process. During this event, council member Pedr Howard hosted several guests to unpack the topic. Access video and presentations here.

A Peek Inside the Brain – Behavioral Scientist Rory Sutherland Weighs In On Creative
This is the third in a series of “Happy Hour” events produced by the Creative Council on bringing researchers, creatives, and strategists closer together. Rory Sutherland, a strong proponent of behavioral science, shared his perspective on the ways that behavioral science thinking can potentially unlock solutions to creative and marketing problems that might not be apparent to “rational” business thinkers. Access video and presentation here.

A Happy Hour Peek Inside Grand Ogilvy Winner, “Not a Gun”
For its second virtual happy hour event, the Council brought the process described in its White Paper to life by focusing on one of the most highly-recognized creative campaigns of 2020 — the Grand Ogilvy-winning, “Not A Gun.” The campaign highlighted an issue that garnered unprecedented attention in the past year — violence by police officers against unarmed African Americans.
Access presentation and video here..

Bridging the Creative Divide: How to Collaborate & Unleash Powerful Advertising
In 2019, the ARF Creative Council issued a ground-breaking white paper that uncovered gaps between researchers, strategists, and creatives in their beliefs about the role of research in the creative process, and recommended ways of bridging these gaps. At this unique, virtual happy hour event, the Council provided an overview of the survey’s key findings, and presented one-on-one interviews with researchers, creatives, and planners to shed light on their experiences in using research to generate first-rate creative. Access video here.

The Creative Glossary
There has never been an authoritative resource for creative testing terms, until now. The ARF Creative Council has created the world’s first, definitive glossary for creative testing terms. There are over 800 terms included. Many also have references to one or more related terms. The ARF has released this comprehensive, empirical resource through its website, offering the glossary free to the public in order to give students access to it. A members-only, print version will also be made available.

White Paper
We have access to more data and research than ever before. But how well are they being used? It’s apparent to many in the advertising industry that there’s a gap between the research/data and creative/strategy communities, in terms of using data and insights effectively. To investigate this divide, the ARF Creative Council conducted a quantitative and qualitative research project, which has led to the publication of a new white paper entitled: How to Get Better Creative from Better Insights. Read more

CONSUMERxSCIENCE 2018 Panel
Insights: The Killer of Creative? Or the Driver of Killer Creative?
Does research help or hinder the process of advertising creative development? This session from the ARF Creative Council explores this question, drawing on the results of an ARF member survey. Read more

Working Group Missions

Driving the Power of Creative through New Research Guidelines

Increase understanding of the impact of research on creativity from multiple points of view and in multiple organizations. Identify research approaches that can serve as a baseline for creating new guidelines on the “right” way to use research in creatively-driven endeavors and establish how research – used correctly – can inspire, unlock and amplify creative thinking.

 

Research Industry Vernacular and Vocabulary

Clarify and develop standards around the key terms and practices essential to researchers looking to inform the creative process in today’s marketing environment. The goal is to reduce miscommunication and misunderstanding and create a foundation to better prepare marketers, practitioners, and the academic community for future success in advertising by creating standard definitions and frameworks, informed by multiple perspectives.

Andy Smith

VP, Consumer Insights,
Flowers Food

Creative Council Chair

Mark Truss

Chief Research Officer,
Wunderman Thompson

Creative Council Co-Chair

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