We don’t have to look back too far into recent history to grasp the meaning of these words. In 1970s Britain, a time of economic recession and high unemployment rose the rebellious and politically motivated punk movement, and the likes of David Bowie igniting a ‘boom of creativity’. In 1960s America despite deep racial tensions and burgeoning civil rights movement rose some of the most beloved and hopeful music of our time, and the birth of a golden era of advertising. And if we reflect more recently, the pandemic gave rise to innovation on a global scale, from 3D printable masks, to glow in the dark testing kits.

Creativity has served as a constant during these disruptive times. It’s vital that we remain creative in spite of what’s going on around us, and because of what’s going on around us.

We spoke to three dentsu creatives to get their perspectives on why modern creativity has the power to change the world…

Yes, we are not operating in ‘normal times’ – but define normal. Ananya tells us that in times like these advertising should give hope to society and should seek to steer conversation in ways we haven’t previously thought of, educating, and creating a movement for change.

‘That’s what we tried to achieve with the Unfiltered History Tour.’ explains Ananya, “we picked a topic that technically 1/3 of the world’s population still suffers from, but we don’t talk about it… so we needed to find an innovative way to address colonialism, ignite conversation, and give a voice to many underrepresented people.”

Sven also believes in the power of creating a moment of cultural conversation that invites people to participate. Working with Adobe to celebrate 75 years of David Bowie, and inspired by his memorable, colourful and vibrant personas, Adobe used tools to invite people to explore their own forms of self-expression.

And we saw through our campaign with Malaria No More that creating a movement and giving a voice to previously unheard groups is game-changing in seeing not just a societal shift in attitudes, but a tangible societal impact and changes in governmental policy.

Generation Z, like no generation before them, are fixated on, and much more in tune with, the world they inhabit and their impact on that world. So, does this present a challenge or an opportunity for brands who want to engage with this conscious consumer?

Sven believes it’s the latter, “For them [Gen Z], it’s inconceivable to think of their lives without the digital version of it. This generation doesn't distinguish real from virtual, they expect brands to collaborate and co-create with them… they’re constantly educating themselves and mobilising around issues at pace – so I would say it’s the most interesting time for brands and we should embrace the dynamism and fragmentation of the unknown aspect of what these consumers are doing and where they are going to go next.”

Speaking first hand as a member of Generation Z, Ananya explains that brands really need to consider how they engage with this group, “I think the answer is a fairly simple one. Just cut the clutter. We are a generation that grew up with media, it is easy for us to see through the fluff.”

This shift in expectations of brands has been tested to its limit over the last few years, from the death of George Floyd, to the pandemic, to the invasion of Ukraine, brands have not only been expected to stand up against bigotry and hate but against political systems as well. And this, Ananya says, is what’s making brands stand out and believes there is no place for diplomacy anymore, but admits the stakes are higher than ever with the rise of cancel culture.

Modern Creativity can change the world. It’s a bold claim. But society is demanding it, and it is brands that have the unique power and influence to make it real. We see this come to life through campaigns like ‘Better Half Recipes: the world’s first feminist kitchen’, where we challenged the discourse around gender roles in India and questioned cultural norms by equipping couples with a fairer way to share one of life’s daily essential tasks: cooking.

It's addressing child hunger with Heinz Beanz by shining a light on how difficult it is for children to learn when they are hungry and helping families facing increasing financial pressures to simply give their child a healthy breakfast.

And it’s breaking the boundaries of traditional banking advertising with Co-op – who notably hasn’t provided any financing to the fossil fuel industry in two decades – to help customers make more ethical choices about where they put their money. “We really pushed the boundaries with this campaign, with really unique ideas using projection mapping to showcase the terrible impact that fossil fuels continue to have on our planet.” explains James.

Designing for the modern world means investing in teams that reflect the modern world. Today’s agencies must embrace difference as the only true way to deliver work that makes a difference. James puts this commitment front and centre, “It’s not a quick fix. From the people we hire, to who we cast to produce the work we make, to ensuring we have diverse and representative supply chains, we are using the best possible practices to make sure we are operating together in a sustainable fashion and following our commitments to DEI.”

James explains that modern creativity is not just about having the skills and capabilities to drive awareness but partnering across our technology and data capabilities in CXM and Media and building a team of experts that can deliver differentiation. A seemingly simple concept but one that has the potential to unlock incalculable value for brands on their journey to truly modern creativity.

Dentsu has a rich and unparalleled history of innovation and creativity, and on 1 January, we will officially become an integrated dentsu. Bringing together dentsu Japan and dentsu international into one organization, with a goal to collaborate with clients to resolve social issues and evolve into a Business to Business to Society (B2B2S) entity.

At dentsu we believe modern creativity should create culture, change society, and invent the future. Get in touch and invent the future with us.