Collaborative Dynamics of Creative Teams: Modeling Creative Process in Advertising Design

Literature is very much clear about the role of teams in developing more creative outcome. However, question such as why one team produces greater creative outcome than others is very little addressed. This study addresses this question by looking into team dynamics in the context of advertising. More precisely, the study explores the creative process of advertising design by looking at how creative team members collaborate during the development of creative advertising in four advertising agencies using a qualitative comparative case study approach. Data was collected from teams comprising of creative directors, copywriters and art directors in four advertising agencies using semi-structured interviews followed by observation of the respective team members’ interactions during the development of an experimental advertisement. Based on the creativity assessment of these advertisements by an independent jury of creatives, interview responses, and observation of the actual process of ad-design in four ad-agencies, the study findings reveal that the most creative advertisement follows a substantially much richer collaboration among the creative team members compared to least creative advertisements. In light of the actual interactions of the most creative advertising team, a preliminary model of creative advertising process is proposed that emphasizes on balanced configuration of domain competency of creative team members which plays a detrimental role in developing an interactional environment among creatives that leads to a creative advertising design. The study presents both theoretical and practical implications for better team management in organizations to produce more creative and innovative outcomes.