Quantcast
MarkLives.com

MarkLives.com

Independent industry news for marketing, advertising & media execs

  • Home
  • Sections
    • Adland
    • #CoronavirusSA
    • Media
    • Marketing
    • S’HOT
    • Tech
    • Archive
  • Columns
    • #AdChamps – Kyle & Morgan
    • #AgencyLeaders – Most Admired Poll
    • Accountant in Adland – Siwe Lawrence
    • Big Q – MarkLives Panel
    • Campaigns – MarkLives
    • Circulation Data – ABC Analysis
    • Clicks ‘n Tricks – Charlie Stewart
    • #CoronavirusSA – Special Section
    • Curiosity – Marguerite Coetzee
    • #CustomerFirst – Craig Hannabus
    • Dear Radio – Paulo Dias
    • Extracts — Books & research
    • Fair Exchange – Erna George
    • Hard Relate – David Alves
    • Herding Words – Wendy Shepherd
    • Hermaneutics – Herman Manson
    • Masterclass Notes – Johanna McDowell
    • Media Redefined – Martin MacGregor
    • Mission – Tom Fels
    • Motive – By Invitation Only
    • #NotSoOrdinary – Taazima Kala-Essack
    • Press Pass – Carey Finn
    • Q5 – Carey Finn
    • SA TV Ratings – MarkLives
    • #TheInterlocker – Emma King
    • The Martini Shot – Bobby Amm
    • The Power Report – Megan Power
    • The Suit – Jason Harrison
    • Thinking B2B – Warren Moss
    • #Transformers Transform 2020
    • Watched – Richard Lord
    • #WritersBlock – Tiffany Markman
    • WTF?! – Leigh Tayler
    • Young, Gifted & Killing It – Veli Ngubane
    • Zeitgeist of Now – Jason Stewart
  • Find an Agency
    • Shortlist & Compare Agencies
    • List your Agency
    • List as Agency Supplier/Service
    • Register as a Marketer
    • Company News Feed
    • Upgrade to Ramify Premium
    • RamifyPRO
    • Add Premium to Cart
  • Data
    • Agency Revenue Rankings 2020
    • Agency Salary Survey
    • Biggest SA consumer magazines
    • Biggest newspapers in SA
    • The 50 most-valuable brands in SA
    • Top 50 SA advertisers 2016
    • SA TV Ratings – MarkLives
  • Careers
    • Advertising
    • Digital
    • Marketing
    • Media
    • Public Relations
    • View All
  • About
    • About & Contact
    • Advertise
    • Business supporters
    • Privacy Policy
    • Readership
    • Submissions
  • Partners
    • Brands & Branding
    • Brands & Branding – Profiles
    • Retailing Africa
    • Retailer/Supplier profiles
    • Ramify.biz
Elaine Rumboll and The Creative Leadership Consultancy logo

#Marketers: Prof Elaine Rumboll & the pursuit of creativity

  •   6 Feb 2019
  •   0
Share

by Julie Pughe-Parry (@pugheparables) According to Prof Elaine Rumboll (@elainerumboll) the only way to overcome the double-edged nature of creativity is to embrace uncertainty. Once this has been done, marketers will have more success in tackling the challenges that arise in the everchanging landscape of adland.

Transferability of creativity

The founder and MD of The Creative Leadership Consultancy, Rumboll will be keynote speaker at this year’s Nedbank IMC Conference in Johannesburg — testament to the transferability of creativity across industries and disciplines, a principle well-acknowledged by her in her teachings. Rumboll’s own career has been shaped by this: not only is she a keen and driven academic, she is also an exceptional blues singer and an internationally published, award-winning poet.

Rumboll started out by hosting creative workshops at maximum security prisons before moving into the education sphere, where she held high-ranking positions such as dean of Damelin Management School and director of Executive Education at the UCT Graduate School of Business.With her experience in education and her passion for creativity, in 2011 she founded The Creative Leadership Consultancy.

Through masterclasses and focused workshops, the consultancy addresses the uncertainty within creativity by inspiring participants through play, agility, curiosity and energy. One method is Lego Serious Play, a process in which individuals are able to reflect on their decision-making through the act of play in a controlled environment.

“What is so interesting is that it’s often the people who are the most brilliant [who] go into that place of over-seriousness. To them, it matters so much that the work they do is considered incredible that they end up being alienated, burnt out, cynical, disengaged and actually incapable of creating things that are extraordinary anymore,” says Rumboll. “What play does is create a space where you can just laugh and try again.”

Advanced Creative Entrepreneurship Programme

At the moment, the consultancy is accepting applications to its Advanced Creative Entrepreneurship Programme later this year, which is specifically designed to help businesses overcome their sense of over-seriousness and to help them embrace play as a solution.

But it’s not only entrepreneurs who’ve grown out of touch with creativity; it’s something that’s experienced in all industries, especially in marketing. With ‘creativity’ finding its place among advertising buzzwords, Rumboll stresses the importance of maintaining its true meaning. “I think it’s something that is absolutely critical. Everything I do is in the service of creativity. They say that creativity won’t change the world but the world will change because of creativity and I just think that matters so enormously.”

In looking at South Africa’s marketing landscape, she explains that we need to shift from the idea that creativity is only for the creatives to acknowledge that creativity is for everyone.

#NoExcuse

Of several campaigns that she feels have carried the creative spirit she so endorses, the most poignant is the #NoExcuse campaign by Carling Black Label in 2018.

https://youtu.be/waYOMcXOCZo

With the insight of domestic violence often being worsened by alcohol consumption, the classic beer brand responded by actively advocating against domestic violence — during the Soweto Derby, where excessive drinking often occurs. The advertisers were able to take the data and information at their disposal, and create a campaign with the potential to effect change.

This campaign has also reminded her of the importance of bravery in marketing. “When you bring on authenticity, spontaneity and vulnerability, you build trust. And what happens when you have trust? You have the capacity to create massive impact,” she points out.

Advice for marketers

Apart from embracing creativity and dispelling the fear of uncertainty, Rumboll has one more piece of advice for marketers: “Stop giving yourself a hard time. Stop beating yourself up. Sometimes, just pat yourself on the back a bit… because, really, you are our visionaries.”

See also

  • Africa Dispatches: Elaine Rumboll on the power of play [interview]

 

Julie Pughe-ParryJulie Pughe-Parry (@pugheparables) graduated from Vega Cape Town with a BA in creative brand communications in 2017. A copywriter by day and freelance content writer by night, she continues to pursue her passion for the craft of written word.”

MarkLives profiles South African marketers in its regular #Marketers column.

— One subscription form, three newsletters: sign up now for the MarkLives newsletter, including Ramify headlines; The Interlocker, our new monthly comms-focused mailer; and Brands & Branding, launching soon!

Share

Columns

  • #AdChamps, #AdOfTheWeek & #AdOfTheYear
    #AdChamps, #AdOfTheWeek & #AdOfTheYear
  • #AgencyLeaders – Most Admired Poll
    #AgencyLeaders – Most Admired Poll
  • #CoronavirusSA – Special Section
    #CoronavirusSA – Special Section
  • #CustomerFirst – Craig Hannabus
    #CustomerFirst – Craig Hannabus
  • #NotSoOrdinary – Taazima Kala-Essack
    #NotSoOrdinary – Taazima Kala-Essack
  • #TheInterlocker – Emma King
    #TheInterlocker – Emma King
  • #Transformers Transform 2020
    #Transformers Transform 2020
  • #WritersBlock – Tiffany Markman
    #WritersBlock – Tiffany Markman
  • An Accountant in Adland – Siwe Lawrence
    An Accountant in Adland – Siwe Lawrence
  • Big Q – MarkLives Panel
    Big Q – MarkLives Panel
  • Big Reads on MarkLives
    Big Reads on MarkLives
  • By Invitation Only – Motive
    By Invitation Only – Motive
  • Campaigns – MarkLives
    Campaigns – MarkLives
  • Circulation Data – ABC Analysis
    Circulation Data – ABC Analysis
  • Clicks ’n Tricks – Charlie Stewart
    Clicks ’n Tricks – Charlie Stewart
  • Curiosity – Marguerite Coetzee
    Curiosity – Marguerite Coetzee
  • Dear Radio – Paulo Dias
    Dear Radio – Paulo Dias
  • Extracts — Books & Research
    Extracts — Books & Research
  • Fair Exchange – Erna George
    Fair Exchange – Erna George
  • Hard Relate – David Alves
    Hard Relate – David Alves
  • Herding Words – Wendy Shepherd
    Herding Words – Wendy Shepherd
  • Hermaneutics – Herman Manson
    Hermaneutics – Herman Manson
  • Masterclass Notes – Johanna McDowell
    Masterclass Notes – Johanna McDowell
  • Media Redefined – Martin MacGregor
    Media Redefined – Martin MacGregor
  • Mission – Tom Fels
    Mission – Tom Fels
  • Press Pass – Carey Finn
    Press Pass – Carey Finn
  • Q5 – Carey Finn
    Q5 – Carey Finn
  • SA TV Ratings – MarkLives
    SA TV Ratings – MarkLives
  • Spotlight – MarkLives
    Spotlight – MarkLives
  • The Martini Shot – Bobby Amm
    The Martini Shot – Bobby Amm
  • The Power Report – Megan Power
    The Power Report – Megan Power
  • The Suit – Jason Harrison
    The Suit – Jason Harrison
  • Thinking B2B – Warren Moss
    Thinking B2B – Warren Moss
  • Watched – Richard Lord
    Watched – Richard Lord
  • WTF?! – Leigh Tayler
    WTF?! – Leigh Tayler
  • Young, Gifted & Killing It – Veli Ngubane
    Young, Gifted & Killing It – Veli Ngubane
  • Zeitgeist of Now – Jason Stewart
    Zeitgeist of Now – Jason Stewart
  • View All
  • Freelance Integrated Account Director: Top Full-Service Ad Agency
    25 May 2022
  • Head of Video & Design: Sports Entertainment Platform
    25 May 2022
  • Head of SEO & Analytics: Full-Service Digital & PR Agency
    25 May 2022
  • Copywriter: TTL Creative Agency
    24 May 2022
  • Account Manager: Global Content Marketing Agency
    24 May 2022
  • Mid-Senior Digital Designer: Digital Agency
    23 May 2022
  • Motion Graphics Designer: Creative Advertising Agency
    20 May 2022
  • Integrated Retail Graphic Designer: Fashion
    19 May 2022
  • Head of Communications: Global Sports & Culture FMCG Brand
    19 May 2022
  • Digital Designer: Financial Services Sector
    18 May 2022
  • Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Leave a Reply Click here to cancel reply.

    No comments yet.

    Related News

    #Marketers – MarkLives, Columns, Featured, Marketing, Watch Absolut logo and Charl Bassil

    #Marketers: Charl Bassil — the making of a marketer

    15 Apr 2019
    #Marketers – MarkLives, Columns, Featured, Marketing Heineken logo and Carmen Mohapi

    #Marketers: Carmen Mohapi, marketing director, Heineken SA

    24 Oct 2018
    #Marketers – MarkLives, Columns, Featured, Marketing Claire Cobbledick

    #Marketers: Gumtree’s Claire Cobbledick on leadership

    4 Sep 2018
    Facebook
    Like us on Facebook
    Twitter
    Follow us on Twitter
    Google Plus
    Add us on Google Plus
    YouTube
    Join us on YouTube
    Pinterest
    Follow us on Pinterest
    Subscribe Newsletter

    Get our round-up of top ad and media industry news every Monday and Thursday.

    Online CPD Courses Psychology Online CPD Courses Marketing analytics software Marketing analytics software for small business Business management software Business accounting software Gearbox repair company Makeup artist