Why it’s OK to embrace boundaries

In the ad business, there is no more thoughtlessly regurgitated cliché used to inspire creativity than “Think outside the box.” The implication is that the most creative ideas—those that break through, evoke emotion, and have real impact—all somehow live outside the box. The trouble is, that simply isn’t true.

Don’t buy it? Alright, let’s take a moment to examine this oppressive rectangular container. If we all hate the box so much, why can’t we just toss it in the alley on recycling day? What is it? Where did it come from?  Who created the pesky thing in the first place?

We’ve traced the call, and it’s coming from inside the box.

Yep, sorry fellow professional marketers, but we created it ourselves. With good reason. We’re not in the business of waving our creativity around aimlessly. We get paid to wield it wisely. Which means the first thing we do after we cash our clients’ checks is begin defining the problem we’ve been hired to solve. We give it shape by agreeing to parameters like budget, timing and deliverables. We add dimension by defining the customer needs, benefits and reasons to believe. We build it up with expectations, KPIs and desired outcomes. From day one, we start boxing ourselves in. And yes, that is a good thing…

(Read full article at Muse by Clio)