In August, IAPI, The Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland, canvassed its members for its inaugural survey. The aim? To gain an understanding of how creative professionals in the commercial creativity and communications industry in Ireland are feeling about a number of issues, which include the quality of work being produced, how they feel about working in Ireland right now and whether living here influences their creativity.
The results are now in, and with 224 responses in total, survey respondents come from all echelons of the industry. Twenty nine per cent of respondents are senior creatives, while 26 per cent are creative directors. Thirteen per cent of respondents’ identified themselves as executive creative directors, with mid-level and junior creatives adding an additional 24 per cent. Eighty two per cent of respondents are Irish and working in Ireland, 5 per cent are Irish working abroad, and a further 12 per cent are non-Irish, working here.
"It’s really encouraging to see such a large take-up of respondents to Ireland’s first Creative Influence survey,” says Sean Hynes, creative director at Bonfire. “It continues to demonstrate the ownership that creatives feel they have over our creative industry and the belief they have in the energy and originality of our creative output."
The survey’s respondents are employed across a wide range of creative businesses, including full service creative advertising agencies to events and experiential agencies, PR and communications agencies, in-house creative teams and more.
A strong overall sentiment from the survey results is that of pride. Sixty two per cent of respondents said they were they were either ‘very proud’ or ‘proud’ to be working in the Irish commercial creativity industry.
“Irish creativity is showing a pride in Irish culture and heritage right now. It wasn't always the case, and is a positive sign of our growing national awareness and confidence,” commented one respondent.
Fifty one per cent said the quality of creative work being produced in Ireland's commercial creativity sector right now is good, 17 per cent said it is excellent, with 28 per cent saying it is average, and only 3 per cent rating it as poor. “On the up, going from strength to strength, not far from excellent,” was one respondent’s comment.
Irish people are passionate about their Irish culture and heritage and it comes across in the work
Others offered balance. “A couple of agencies are pushing for great work but it can be extremely tough to get it created,” a respondent said, with another commenting, “I think the work the world is seeing through international awards is excellent. The everyday work the Irish consumer is seeing is not.”
Some think the pandemic has had an effect on the creative process. “Working from home has certainly had an effect of watering down some of the stronger creative ideas over the past 16 months,” said one respondent.
[Discover all the insights from IAPI's 2021 Ireland's Creative Influence survey here]
When it comes to what fuels that creative process in the first place, the question of how Irish culture and environment contributes to the quality of creative output was given considerable thought. Nine out 10 respondents said it had an influence on the quality of creative output.
“I think Irish people are passionate about their Irish culture and heritage and it comes across in the work. There is always room to see more diverse insights and stories coming through, say from different communities within Ireland,” said one respondent.
Respondents were keen to point out that notions of Irish culture have changed. “The environment, i.e. cost of living in major cities and low salaries drives down the quality of creative output,” said one, with another commenting that, “though we are influenced by Irish culture, we are living in times where the prevalent culture is global.”
Stimulating creativity
Of those innate aspects of Irish culture that stimulate commercial creativity, it was our irreverent sense of humour that came out top for the survey’s respondents with 60 per cent of them citing it as their top stimulus. Writing skills honed down the years, inherited and learned from literary greats, came in at 31 per cent. Ireland’s progressive society was also a factor for many, with 36 per cent citing it as a stimulating factor.
The country’s small size came under the lens too in both a positive and not so positive way. While nearly one third per cent felt brands can test or take a chance here with their consumers that they wouldn't be prepared to do in larger markets, three-quarters had experienced clients wanting to play it safe. Over half agreed that they are hampered by small budgets, a third by Irish conservatism and another third have to conform to brand tone stipulated by international HQs.
“Ireland has access to brands and accounts that creatives in other regions of the world wouldn't get to touch. There are masses of opportunities in that sense,” said one respondent, with another adding balance. “In many cases, our point of focus, or our inspiration often comes from within Ireland, so advertising tends to sound and look the same. Meaning it all gets a bit stale, very quickly.”
The work we are doing to promote Irish creativity and media planning internationally is starting to pay off
A hot topic for many, the move into big tech, was also addressed. As Ireland’s tech sector booms, many creatives have moved into creative roles in big tech firms. How are they faring?
Three quarters agreed that tech pays more but that comes at a creative cost, and the same number agreed that having experience in big tech is good for your CV. However, only six per cent think that tech offers truly creative roles. Money emerged as the big carrot tech can offer. Only six per cent believe that big tech is where’s it’s at these days, only seven per cent believe the agency model is outdated, and over half think that there are very few truly creative roles in big tech. Another half fear “getting lost” in big tech firms.
However, there is a perception that big tech offers security for the long-term. “Big tech appears to offer career longevity. In agencies you need to move around and eventually you hit the glass ceiling. In a big tech firm you can make senior management money without being the only senior manager there,” said one respondent. “Big tech offers financial security and better salaries. Agencies offer 'creative opportunities' and hope that will satisfy their employees,” answered another.
When responding to questions about the talent crunch, affecting all industries right now, one quarter of respondents stated that it is more difficult to find creative talent since the pandemic. Nearly half simply state that things are the same as always: finding great creative talent has never been easy.
“The work we are doing to promote Irish creativity and media planning internationally is starting to pay off and our ambition to create a European centre of excellence for the industry doesn’t look so far away now,” says Charley Stoney, CEO, IAPI. “It is heartening to see that 40 per cent of the creatives surveyed are optimistic that IAPI’s Ireland: where Creative is Native programme will make a difference to the quality of our commercial creativity. This will, in turn act as a siren call for both Irish and international talent to work in all aspects of our sector.”
Discover all the insights from IAPI’s 2021 Ireland's Creative Influence survey here
Ireland: where Creative is Native is an IAPI initiative to promote Ireland as a Centre of Excellence for the commercial creativity industry.
Ireland is a country where being creative is second nature; world-renowned for its writers, artists, poets, musicians and all-round change-makers. These talents spill into the commercial creative world of advertising, design and communications.
IAPI believe that the time has never been more opportune for the sector to grow their international reach. For brand owners looking to launch into the European market, Ireland is now a viable and agile alternative, aside from being the only English-speaking country left in the EU.
No longer do brand marketers seek creative expertise abroad as they know they can work with the global best, right here in Ireland. Domestic and International brands such as An Post, AIB, Vodafone, SuperValu, Allianz, Nissan, Lidl, Jameson, Diageo and Toyota and many others are creating world beating communications using Irish creative and media agencies.
Discover IAPI’s Creative is Native initiative - www.creativeisnative.com
