A younger version of myself was prone to complaining about limitations. I’d heap a load of blame on a lack of budget, lack of time, or compliance teams as solely responsible for my failing to achieve true creative brilliance and receiving the piles of One-Show Pencils I so richly deserved.
Years later—and a helluva lot more mellowed out—I’m pretty partial to some wisdom I picked up along the way. Given enough budget and time, anyone can bring a good idea to life, but a true creative? They can create something beautiful, impactful, and compliant. Real creatives—the rare ones—are Rumplestiltskin; they can spin gold from hay.
This is especially significant in the Medtech and adjacent spaces, wherein brand standards and claims can be as highly regulated as the medical offering itself. As such, creating breakthrough work means adapting conceptualization strategies.
Compliance is an asset…
Compliance asks for a shift in mindset. It doesn’t restrict creativity. Compliance sets the rules of play, establishes boundaries, and keeps you from wading into conceptual waters that are off-limits. Understanding the do’s and don’ts helps you play the game smarter.
…brand standards are too
Working with established brands means drawing from a pool of pre-existing creative assets like color, typography, and tonality. While some may think of this as restrictive, the reality is that these elements have served to establish a recognizable foundation with your audience. That kind of resonance is invaluable when it comes to introducing new ideas and products.
Clarity is essential
Never forget your work is in service of a precious audience; that holds especially true in the MedTech space, where time is not only valuable, but sometimes it can be critical. On writing, Hemingway said: “Write the truest sentence you know.” It’s sage advice. Plainly stated sentiments can be elegant, engaging, and creative.
Bend the rules in good faith
Familiarize yourself with brand standards and compliance early on and look for the spaces between the regulations and requirements. Always work in “good faith,” but if something isn’t specifically listed as a “don’t,” then it’s fertile territory to explore, creating an opportunity to be compliant and show the brand in a new way.
Little-kid creative
Compliant or not, some concepts are like seven-year-olds; they’ll nag at you until they get what they want. There’s nothing wrong with showing a good idea that doesn’t adhere to all of the rules, so long as it’s presented as a non-compliant concept in addition to creative executions that adhere to the assignment requirements. Your engagement with your customer is a partnership, and sharing creative work outside the bounds of the ask shows your commitment and offers the opportunity to work together to find a way to bring it to life.
There’s no board game, no video game, no sport that doesn’t come with a set of rules. In fact, overcoming those regulations to achieve great feats is what defines athletic legacies. Creative is no different; delivering impactful creative that resonates within the confines of compliance is what makes audiences stop and pay attention. It’s what defines stand-out content and creates stronger brands.
Great work in regulated spaces doesn’t happen in isolation. If you’re looking for a creative partner who understands compliance, start a conversation with us.
