MIAMI — Powerful creativity starts with a compelling truth that resonates with audiences, panelists said at the Global PR Summit 2013 --- while also demonstrating this with real-life examples of creativity that “transcends borders.”

The panel, led by FleishmanHillard global head of brand marketing, Bill Power spotlighted this year’s UN Women’s search engine campaign for its simplicity and the impact of its visual.   

“It became contagious because it has an iconic image that shows something big, shocking and bold --- it immediately sets the premise,” said Contagious’ editorial director for the Americas Nick Parish. Shiv Singh, Visa’s head of global brand and marketing transformation, noted how the campaign compels action.

“You want to search on Google and see it for yourself,” he said, adding a similar 2011 campaign for a Romanian candy bar “fell flat” and highlights the importance for brands to have a purpose. The panel also considered how to follow-up a campaign that catches fire.

“What’s phase two of the UN women’s campaign? They should ask companies and brands to buy search terms against those negative phases to drive to a positive action,” Singh suggested.
Contagious’ Parish added, “Smart people think at the margins this holds true for any emerging media -- marginal activity forms the basis of an insight that forms something that can be shared far and wide.” 

GoPro’s curation of user-generated video was showcased as an example of creative strategy.

“GoPro is fascinating because it doesn’t have an ‘obvious’ creative example -- it’s a creative point-of-view,” Power said. “Your brand strategy is your creative strategy.”

The UPS “We Love Logistics” campaign demonstrated the dissolving line between B2B and B2C engagement with companies like GE and IBM being touted for treating their audiences “like humans first.”

“The best insight-driven campaigns give you license to play in zones that you didn’t have the license to play in before,” Parish added.

Yahoo’s “30 Days of Change” rebranding initiative was largely panned by the panelists, despite proclaimed nostalgia for the search challenger.

“They were trying to create their identity first then their story,” said Anne Swan global director of consumer brands at Siegel + Gale. “They should have started with a truth, their story --  then their identity would come from that.”