How Innovation Impacts Artistic Creativity — Managing Innovation In The Advertising Sector

This paper describes and discusses how innovation impacts creativity in the advertising sector. It points to the double meaning of creativity — as innovativeness and as artistic skills — and indicates a tension between the two. Empirical illustrations consist of two case studies from the advertising sector. These point to how innovations (in terms of adaptation of new technology) negatively impact artistic creativity. Contextual factors creating a need for new technology did have an impact, and meant that companies became increasingly competitive and roles became unclear. On the company level, innovation caused knowledge gaps, increased formalization, and expanded the division of work. Contribution is made to research on the management of creativity by suggesting how innovation impacts artistic creativity. Furthermore, the discussion on company level creativity contributes to research on the advertising sector, since the literature has foremost discussed creative processes of individual campaigns.