Creatives in advertising are tireless warriors crafting compelling campaigns under tight deadlines. They pitch numerous businesses, sell ideas internally to stakeholders and overwork to accommodate constant changes.
While some stress can take you out of your comfort zone, a high-stress environment can lead to creative burnout, marked by a lack of inspiration, procrastination, and complacency.
When demands on creatives are constant, there lies a potent, often untapped reservoir of inspiration and rejuvenation – creative side projects.
These passion-driven pursuits reignite our love for creativity, sharpen our skills, enhance our portfolios and potentially steer our careers in new directions.
Passion projects serve as a rescue rope that can alleviate work-related stress, rekindle lost passion, breathe new life into creative thoughts and improve mental health.
They’re the playground where a graphic designer morphs into a photographer, an art director transforms into a blogging guru, and a copywriter becomes a novelist.
Here, mistakes are welcomed and serve as stepping stones to new ideas. Away from the professional pressure, side projects are the secret place where passion is rekindled, and the joy of creation is rediscovered.
Creativity is based on our experience and openness to ideas around us. This ability to view the world with fresh eyes allows us to develop new ideas and find new solutions to old problems.
When feeling creatively burned out and directionless, the transformative power of side projects can offer a way to break from repetitive patterns and get unstuck.
While researching for exciting examples of side projects, I was surprised to find compelling stories.
In 1995 pop icon Mariah Carey produced a grunge album named “Someone’s Ugly Daughter” under the pseudonym Chick.
Despite concerns from record label executives about her image, this project allowed Carey to explore a different creative path.
Slack started as a side project by Stewart Butterfield. After experiencing several setbacks, Butterfield developed Slack as a team communication tool while engaged in other ventures.
As a creative, If you feel stuck, don’t allow complacency to set in. By trying new tools, techniques, and mediums, creatives can stumble on fresh ideas.
Creating an edge
These unexpected discoveries can enrich portfolios and bring a unique edge to the work. Mistakes can become valuable lessons without the fear of professional fallout.
Creatives should take risks, push boundaries, and venture into new territories, refining their craft and expanding their creative toolbox. In a field where standing out is crucial, side projects provide an opportunity to do just that.
Additionally, side projects can significantly boost mental health and creativity, acting as a sanctuary and providing a pressure-free zone for self-expression. This rejuvenates the mind, recharges creatives, and refreshes their professional enthusiasm.
The benefits extend far beyond merely staving off creative fatigue. Instead, consider viewing these ventures as integral catalysts that can propel your career forward in a more personally fulfilling and creatively enriching way.
Start small and remember that your creativity and professional life are not isolated—they complement and reinforce each other.
In advertising, creativity reigns. Launch that side project now, and witness how it revolutionises your work, career and yourself.
Raul Arantes is the creative director at MediaMonks
