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Ernie Mosteller, who describes himself as a “Southern farm boy with an education,” embraces and embodies advertising’s transition from traditional to new media. His award-winning work as a creative director jump-started a successful 15-year run as a nationally-known commercial director. Energized by the endless possibilities of a changing media landscape, he combined his strategic, creative, narrative and digital skills to found a hybrid digital/traditional boutique, release an early eBook on the changes agencies face today, and cultivate a loyal following of weekly blog readers. His current position as VP, Interactive Creative Director at Brunner Digital, and VP, Creative Director for the DC office of Brunner, complete the circle – finding him back on the agency side, helping clients, creatives, and agency management understand the possibilities of digital, and create compelling messages across all media. His personal blog is erniemosteller.com.

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The Architecture of Creativity

Written on
July 23rd 2008
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by Ernie Mosteller  |
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digital_marketing_small.jpgADOTAS EXCLUSIVE — I just got back from Mexico City, where I stayed in the Hotel Camino Real, which is a wonderful example of modern Latin American architecture. One evening, a friend drove me around Plaza de la Constitución — El Zócalo — where I got to see Catedral Metropolitana, a truly stunning example of Spanish Baroque style.

I’ve always been a fan of architecture. Not any one particular type, though. I’m a fan of the idea of architecture — where the goal is to create space dedicated to a specific function, and to combine artistic vision with practical engineering to produce delight, positive emotions, and a pleasing environment for the user.

It’s kind of a shame, really, that we in advertising are most often compared (sometimes, deservedly, I’m afraid) to used car salesmen. Because when we’re practicing our craft at the highest level, the parallel that’s potentially much closer — is architecture. As the Web becomes more and more powerful relative to other media, the more of a parallel I see. Which means we would do ourselves a favor to think, especially when thinking interactively, less like used car salesmen, and more like architects. Because architects have some important lessons to teach us.

If you think about it for a minute, you’ll come up with most of the obvious lessons. But here, I want to discuss one that’s less obvious: the creativity that lives (or should live) in more utilitarian spaces.

For centuries, the most celebrated, spectacular, and well-funded architecture was embodied in places of worship. Cathedrals, churches, temples, mosques, and major government buildings (which are sort of a place of worship, when you think about it,) got all the attention. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule — but if you take just one art history class that includes architecture, you’ll see more cathedrals in a semester than most clergy see in a career. Architects designed and built elaborate places of worship because societies and institutions expected their places of worship to be elaborate, wanted the creativity the architects brought to the table, and put the money up to make it happen.

Likewise, in the early days of the Web (which, by my definition, we’re still very much in) much of what we consider stunningly creative is coming from what I would call places of worship. Brand sites and micro-sites that exist solely to provide the user with more intimate and interesting ways to strengthen their relationship with the brand, or a specific campaign for the brand, are, metaphorically, churches for the brand. And like their real-world architectural counterparts, they are elaborate, and creative — because the desire and the funding has been there to make them so.

Back to architecture: As the world became more modern, we began to see the impact of great architecture on more utilitarian spaces. Office buildings, hotels, regular homes, schools, small-town post offices, airports and even gas stations have all benefited at one time or another from the vision of great architects. But here’s the thing: it’s not just the buildings that have benefited. It’s the users of those buildings. And, by extension, the brands that provided the inspirational space for the users to use.

The same can be said whether the subject is architecture or interactive marketing: Powerful relationships can be built between brands and customers by providing users with delightful and creative spaces they use every day.

The glamor is still in cathedrals. But that’s changing. The opportunities to build the digital equivalent of a Chrysler Building (globally-recognized creativity, but, ultimately, office space) may be few and far between, for now. But there are plenty of chances to bring creativity to a huge range of utilitarian sites, much the way the Art Moderne movement redesigned gas stations, or the Apple Store redefined retail rental space inside a mall. And that’s great news for the brands that build those sites.

From purely personal experience, I find that the deeper your understanding of how people actually use the Web, the more appreciation you probably have for the art of information architecture, and for elegantly designed utilitarian sites. They don’t always come with trophies, but they do come with an intense satisfaction from having made something that is at once both truly useful, and a pleasure to use. Not only that, but they deepen the relationship between your client’s brand and her customers. Because they deliver information those customers need, want, and use — in a delightful, emotionally appealing and pleasing space.



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Reader Comments.

Architecture’s a good metaphor for web design, in lots of ways. Unfortunately, most architecture is stunningly, soul-deadeningly ugly: think strip malls, McMansions, generic light industrial and office parks, parking lots, self-storage facilities, etc..

Why? Great architecture’s expensive, and great architects are few and far between. If we follow through with the metaphor, what might that say about the future of web design?

Posted by Ken | 10:54 am on July 25, 2008.

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