PARIS—A new report idenfities eight drivers that the PR industry should take onboard if it hopes to embrace a more creative future.

The 'Future of Creativity' study from MSLGroup was compiled by sourcing observations and insights from several of the firm's leading executives, including CEO Olivier Fleurot, SVP and chief strategy officer Pascal Beucler, and Publicis Groupe chief strategist Rishad Tobaccowala.

The authors highlight empathy, relevance, speed and fluidity as the cornerstones of the genre of creativity required today, if companies and brands are to survive and thrive in a tough, highly competitive environment.

"In our business, creativity should lead to the delivery of tangible value for companies, organisations and brands by ensuring clients’ voices stand out, and matter in today’s conversations," said Beucler. "The power to make oneself heard (through engagement) and to convince (through relevance) was never more reliant on creativity, we would argue."

Contemporary drivers of creativity identified, include:

•      Purpose + people: Purpose and creativity have a symbiotic relationship, with the two consistently raising the bar for each other.

•      For mobile, by mobile: The intersection of form factor and mobile user experience opens new avenues for creative ideation.

•      The intimacy of insights: Intimacy helps build and convey trust. Get to the intimate insight to change behaviour.

•      Custodians of collaboration: Collaboration with audiences can lead to stronger messages, proud influencers and better creativity.

•      Organising for realtime: People have come to expect instant creativity from brands. But there’s nothing instant about real-time.

•      Riding the flow of fluidity: Agencies must evolve, becoming more nimble and fluid, if they’re to deliver on whole ideas.

•      Have the smarts for It: Smartness is dynamic. Smart ideas come from minds that recognise change, and embrace it.

•      Creation via constraint: Creative breakthroughs are often a by-product of limitation. Embrace your constraints.

To read ‘The Future of Creativity’, visit http://msl.gp/creativity