For some time now, students at advertising, marketing and communication schools and universities have been encouraged to think outside the box. They are encouraged to be original in their way of thinking and seeing the world because that is the only way to convince customers and sell products. This has been the call to break the mould and break with established norms, seeking innovation at all costs. Brands that have sought to be disruptive have achieved great campaigns thanks to this approach. Likewise, agencies have sought the next big idea, understanding
creativity
as a way to get ahead of the competition. But at what cost?
Greater creativity or knowledge of the target audience?
This call for originality can cause frustration among communication professionals. Having to create something from scratch and think about it from an unconventional point of view or in a way that is very different from what has always been done can be very overwhelming. For this very reason, this concept seems to have lost some of its lustre. Not because creativity is no longer valuable, but because the context has changed.
In an environment saturated with messages, platforms, formats and increasingly fragmented audiences, thinking ‘outside the box’ is no longer always the most effective approach. In many cases, what really matters is thinking inside the right box, knowing who – or whom – we are communicating with.
In other words, relevance has replaced novelty as the main value. Ideas that work are not necessarily the strangest or most surprising, but those that are best aligned with what the public needs, expects or values at a given moment. Data, empathy and in-depth user knowledge have taken the place of simple ‘creative brilliance’. Now, no one is saying that ‘you don’t have to be creative’, but you can be creative without going to almost forced extremes to achieve it, because you run the risk of not reaching your target audience.
Furthermore, thinking outside the box can involve unnecessary risks. In an ecosystem where
digital reputation can be affected in a matter of hours, many brands opt for safer strategies, focusing more on building sustainable relationships than on making an immediate impact. Innovation is no longer just about being different, but about being useful, authentic and consistent.
This does not mean giving up creativity. It means redirecting it. Today, more than ever, the challenge is not to break the box, but to understand it: to know what is inside, how it works, and how to use it intelligently. Thinking outside the box, in this context, can be more of an ego exercise than an effective strategy.
Some real cases
Advertising and marketing agencies are constantly challenged to break with tradition in order to make an impact on the public and remain top of mind. However, many succeed, but in a negative way:
- Bic for Her (2012). This was a product line launched by the well-known pen company Bic to target female consumers. They began marketing pens with a slimmer body for a better fit in a woman’s hand, or so they said. They used slogans such as ‘Look like a girl’ and ‘Think like a man’, which quickly caused a stir on the internet.
- Proud Whopper (2022). Burger King attempted to show its support for LGBTQ rights with the ‘Proud Whopper’ burger. But offering a burger with ‘two identical buns’ did not hit the mark, and many felt it was a superficial attempt to capitalise on social issues.
The lesson to be learned is that, in the end, it’s not about surprising for the sake of surprising, but about connecting. And for that, sometimes the most powerful thing is not the most extravagant idea, but the one that brings the audience closest. To do that, of course, you have to know your audience.
