Don’t let the cart pull the horse: Why a process driven approach to creative projects delivers the best results.

Here at Content Coms, we regularly join forces with our good friend and collaborator Mike Garlick the founder of Mike Garlick Design Ltd on projects where a combination of powerful content and awesome creative is required.

Regardless of the client, the brief or the overall objective, one thing stays the same: our creative response process always starts with a conversation.

On day one, we sit down together to explore every avenue and every perspective. These sessions drive our joint projects in the right direction. By asking the right questions right at the start (and always from the perspective of our customer’s customer) – we ensure we nail the brief.

Any other process is simply a case of the cart leading the horse.

Steering the creative output

It’s this customer-driven approach that steers, defines and shapes the creative response. This is what makes our collaborative ventures such a success. And, time and time again, we’ve proven that it’s what gets our projects over the finish line sooner (and with minimum requirement for client involvement, amends or iterations). So, we’re keeping time and costs under control, too.

(To read Mike Garlick’s perspective on this take a look at his blog process-led creativity.)

So how does it work in practice?

A great example of how this works in practice is our (very) successful jointly-delivered project for the National Centre for Environmental Toxicology (NCET).

Here, we deployed our trusty process and once again, it worked. The results? Well, it’s a truly awesome brand identity, a beautifully designed website and powerful, audience-focused content that’s befitting of a world-class scientific organisation.

How did we do?

I think it’s best we let the client do the talking. Find out what Dr Joanna Rowland ERT who is Head of NCET/Principal Toxicology Consultant had to say about the project:

Hi Mike and Jo

Thanks to the both of you for your excellent work with this website. I really like the branding and look and feel of the site – it’s easy to navigate and while there is a surprising amount of information on there, it doesn’t feel too content heavy. It will hopefully provide a clear snapshot to our clients on what the NCET team can offer and has digitally brought the team into 2016. Similarly as we intend to use the same messaging in our flyers/email communications to our clients it provides a great platform to build on.

Thanks again for all your hard work, we needed support to make this happen and the output is very impressive. I am very happy with the outcome.

Dr Joanna Rowland ERT
Head of NCET/Principal Toxicology Consultant
WRc plc