Managing Creativity in the Age of Data-Driven Marketing Communication: A Model for Agencies to Improve Their Distribution and Valuation of Creativity

Whereas the need for integrated marketing communication has been given considerable attention by researchers in recent decades, the integration of creativity into integrated marketing communication has not. Differences between how creativity is valued in advertising versus specialized digital marketing agencies within an integrated marketing communication environment may lead to brand message diffusion. The current study addresses these differences and investigates what defines, drives, and inspires creative collaboration and how it relates to the motivational theory of creativity. Drawing on a social-constructivist methodology, the authors generated empirical data from leaders of industry-acclaimed agencies from four European countries (Norway, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom). On the basis of that data, the authors propose a conceptual model which managers can use as a roadmap for improving the creative integrated marketing communication process, while opening the door to future research possibilities.