Revolutionary Insights from the Greatest Showmen: A Romantic Reprisal

What ignites a creative revolution? Is it the relentless advance of innovation and technology, the democratisation of knowledge and economic opportunities brought about by AI, cultural and social shifts, or a blend of all these factors?

In the recent webinar “The Next Creative Revolution,” Orlando Wood and Sir John Hegarty argue that for too long, advertisers have been churning out mediocrity, leaving consumers weary and disenchanted. They compare the current state of advertising to a cold war—where increasing output leads only to greater consumer disengagement. The reality is clear: advertising has lost its way.  

So, what can be done to turn the tide? 

The Romantic Reprisal 

It’s not uncommon for creative thinking to suddenly stall in culture and society. We’ve seen persistent debates between the rationality of science and the intuitive depths of emotion—enlightenment versus romanticism, behaviourism versus constructivism, System 1 versus System 2 processing. Yet, despite these discussions, emotion frequently overshadows rationality, particularly in how people behave and interact with the world. Behavioural science indicates that decision-making is largely emotional, intuitive, and driven by System 1 thinking. So, given the compelling evidence supporting the power of emotional creativity, why does the industry still heavily emphasise the rational?

The statistics reveal a troubling reality: the current state of advertising is not merely stagnant but in serious jeopardy, with only 6% of ads proving effective in terms of long-term business impact. As Sir John Hegarty points out, “If Bosch, who make brakes for cars, said ‘only 6% of our brakes are effective,’ they’d be out of business tomorrow.” So why does the $750 billion advertising industry continue to entertain such risk?

The Shy Showman 

Stagnation in advertising can often be attributed to the dominance of salesmanship over showmanship. Salesmanship is characterised by a focus on direct product selling, price promotions, and text-heavy messaging, while showmanship prioritises emotional storytelling, human expressions, and visual narratives. Showmanship allows audiences to engage with and interpret the story, rather than passively receiving a sales pitch. These two approaches influence brand growth in different ways, with showmanship consistently proving more effective at driving long-term growth and building stronger brand connections.

However, the rise of digital advertising has complicated creativity. While reaching audiences is now easier and more cost-effective than during the days of CRT TV, digital platforms encourage brands to hyper-target consumers with ‘stalker-like’ precision. This shift has often come at the expense of broad-reach methods like TV, radio, and outdoor advertising, fuelling the growth of short-termist, sales-driven advertising. Consequently, many marketing teams have evolved within this digital paradox—where creativity is encouraged in quantity over quality, yet rarely delivers sustainable, long-term business outcomes.