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The creative result

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By far the most important aspect of creativity is the creative result. The result is creative if it fulfils two criteria. Firstly, it must be new and contribute something to the field that was not there before. Secondly, it must serve a purpose. Novelty has a very limited direct effect on a company's result. It is more important that the product is perceived to be meaningful.

By far the most important aspect of creativity is the creative result. In the introduction, we saw evidence that businesses that are perceived as creative are more successful. At the end of the day, success is what counts.

Most authors agree that the result is creative if it fulfils two criteria. Firstly, it must be new and contribute something to the field that was not there before. Secondly, it must serve a purpose. A blue ketchup bottle, for example, may not have been on the market before, but it is not particularly meaningful – why would anyone want a blue ketchup bottle? But if instead the ketchup bottle were in the shape of a cube, which is also new, it could then be meaningful.

A cubic ketchup bottle could be easier to store, both on the shelf and at home in the fridge or in a shopping bag. In contrast to the blue ketchup bottle, the cubic bottle is therefore creative.

The example of the ketchup bottle might seem trivial; changing the shape of a bottle is not especially revolutionary. ...

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