The study identifies two gaps in related fields of literature: in the creativity literature, the lived
experiences of advertising creatives, their field and culture have been unexplored, and in the
advertising literature, the relationship between the creatives' life histories and their creativity has
not been explored. Therefore this study has explored the life histories of advertising creatives and
the nature of advertising creativity. Life history interviews were conducted with thirty four
advertising creatives, including art directors, copywriters, creative directors and creative
chairmen in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow agencies. This study provides a better
understanding of advertising creatives, their creativity and their experiences of their
organisational culture and context than currently exists.
"How can we know the dancer from the dance?" These lines from Yeats illuminate the central
relationship found in this study: that between advertising creatives and their creativity. Just as
Yeats recognised that it is impossible to separate the dancer from the dance, this study concludes
that creativity is the central source of meaning throughout the creatives' lives. The creatives
experience "flow" as an intrinsic part of their "dance" (Csikszentmihalyi, 1996).
Central to their creative success in advertising is their pas de deux: the "dance " for two. Dancers,
like spouses in good marriages, grow together, complement and support one another. Sometimes
like 'Rudi and Margot', the chemistry and diversity between the partners creates something
unique. The creative director is also important to the choreography of their work; thus creatives
strategically create their careers. To the creatives the most important members of their audience
are their peers. Critical creative success influences their professional identities, career trajectories
and life course. A 'contemporary' hotshop or a 'classical' service company determines the type of
culture and structure the creatives 'live' within and the dance they perform. Just as contemporary
companies lead the development of new ways of dancing, creative hotshops in advertising are
redefining how marketing communications is practiced, particularly in terms of how creatives
relate to clients and expanding media options
