Since social media burst onto the scene, it has fundamentally changed the way that we interact online. Facebook is being used by over a billion people on the planet to share pictures and stories, LinkedIn shares business news and contacts and Twitter has gone some way towards providing a space where these two audiences can happily co-exist.
While each social media channel certainly has a place in the marketing mix, none have quite managed to hit the mark when it comes to the creative industry. We exist in a colourful, interactive world where businesses, brands and individuals collide to create a truly dynamic and visual industry.
The talent out there is extraordinary but more often than not, it exists in small pockets across the country. If we are to really hammer home the value of the creative industries and get the industry the recognition it deserves, we need to join forces. We need to give the creative industries the social network treatment and give individuals, creative agencies and brands a place where they can really come together.
A creative social network – connecting creatives across the UK – would provide a place where individuals and businesses can co-exist, connect, collaborate and showcase the full spectrum of work happening in the UK.
Here are 6 reasons why the creative industries should get the social network treatment:
1. To create a destination for visual credentials
One of the advantages of being a creative is that it’s all about the work. Unlike other industries, we have a real opportunity to inject creativity and innovation into how we present our work to the world beyond a black and white CV. Social media networks provide the ideal platform for this, creating a space where digital design and marketing campaigns can be easily shared.
The opportunity is certainly there for individuals but the reality is that agencies and brands need to have the same mindset for attracting key talent and new business leads. It’s important for people to be able to see straight away the kind of campaigns businesses are currently delivering now and what they might be capable of in the future. A creative social network could take this a step further and house a brand’s entire back-catalogue of work to create a visual CV for the business.
2. To give credit where it’s due
Going beyond simply being a place where brands and individuals can show off their work, the creative industries can make use of a creative social network to give people credit for the work they produce. By ‘tagging’ people to creative projects you can switch the discussion from ‘look at what our business is doing’ to ‘look what great things our people are doing’. It creates a sense of pride in the work that is being produced and enables people in the network to see exactly who is responsible for what and for businesses to give credit where it’s due. The creative industries have a real opportunity to be the trailblazers here, setting the trend for other sectors to follow by connecting people through the work they share.
3. Create a level playing field
The internet is a brilliant medium to create a level playing field. It removes the boundaries which people often find restricting when sharing their work and provides a living portfolio connecting thousands of people to their work and each other. Whether you are starting out in the industry or you are an established creative, a creative social network can give your work a public profile. It stands to be seen by the ‘great and the good’ of the industry, whoever you are and whatever experience you have.
4. Do business without borders
The theory of a level playing field goes beyond experience; a creative social network can also help to break down geographic borders. With creative industries typically clustered around key hubs like London, Manchester and Bristol, it can sometimes be a challenge to for businesses and individuals based outside these areas to feel like they have the same opportunities as everyone else.
By using an online showcase-driven network, you have the same opportunity for your work to be seen as any of the bigger players and can easily connect and collaborate with people wherever they are based.
5. Connect with people that inspire you
By having a place where you can view other peoples work you can not only see who is doing what, but also see the people who are pushing creative boundaries. In the creative industry we all have our strengths and weaknesses and by seeing the breadth of work happening across the country, you can identify who is succeeding where you might be struggling and vice versa. If you are a business looking to expand, you have the opportunity to reach out to some of these people, collaborate on projects and really learn from each other’s expertise. Like marriage and sport, pick a partner who is strong where you might be weak and see how you can do things differently.
Whether you are designing an advertising campaign, armchair restaurant interior, a new car, fashion line, video game or apartment complex – the creative social network theory of connecting people to their work stays the same. It provides a destination where we can showcase our work, interact with projects we like and connect with the people behind them. The potential for an industry specific social network is vast and, thanks to the visual nature of our work, no industry is better placed to do this than the creative sector.
6. Advertising is welcomed, liked and shared openly
After all, this is a network for creative individuals and companies; a place where the best creative is celebrated not segmented, shared not shunned, praised not put down. The creative network is the home for brands and branding, the final destination for iconic campaigns and a safe-house for professionals whose favourite work can have pride of place on every page instead of being banished to a 120 pixel-squared expandable MPU.
