Tom, an expert in digital content marketing and founder of Mediaforta, has made it his mission to help brands and editorial teams create outstanding content. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry and more than seven in advertising, Tom has launched multiple magazines and created content for countless brands. His years of close collaboration with Coca-Cola Belgium and the Netherlands gave him valuable insight into the advertising world — expertise he now combines with his media background at Mediaforta.

What is creativity?

If we look at the Van Dale dictionary, creativity is defined as “the ability to create.” ChatGPT describes it as “the ability to come up with new and original ideas, solutions, or works of art.” Google points us to another definition:

“Creativity is the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others.”
(source: California State University, Northridge)

I’d personally add that creativity has the power to delight and inspire people.

Within a business environment, creativity drives innovation, product differentiation, clearer communication, and more. It creates competitive advantages that allow companies to grow.

Back in 2017, McKinsey conducted a study based on 16 years of Cannes Lions data to measure the impact of creativity. They introduced the Award Creativity Score (ACS) as a way to quantify creative work. Their conclusion: companies with higher ACS scores achieve stronger financial results, confirming that innovation actively boosts business performance. (You can find the full study here.)

Today’s businesses operate in rapidly changing markets, facing constant technological innovations and intensifying competition. Creativity should, therefore, be a core business priority.

Creativity in communication

As consumers, we are bombarded daily by an overwhelming stream of messages and stimuli. Unsurprisingly, we’ve grown increasingly resistant to these messages. Creativity is the key to breaking through this clutter. It has the power to communicate complex messages in simple, accessible ways — and to capture attention where others fail. Most importantly, creative communication connects with people on a deeper, emotional level.

This is why brands go to great lengths to deliver their message in clear, distinctive, and original ways. But creativity is no easy feat. It’s a skill, a talent, a unique ability to think differently. Some people are naturally more creative than others. And creativity doesn’t just live in how you think — it’s also about how you execute ideas. Many creatives are highly educated professionals with specialized skills.

Creatives deserve better

When you consider everything creativity contributes to business success, you’d expect these people to be valued accordingly.

The reality is different. Many freelance creatives barely make a living from their work. Working conditions are often far from ideal: unstable income, fierce competition, and relentless price pressure. The EU explored this issue in a 2023 study: The status and working conditions of artists and cultural and creative professionals.

Exploiting creative talent

Brussels Airlines

In 2025, Brussels Airlines launched a competition for a plane design. The winning creation would be displayed on one of their aircraft, and the winner would receive a few plane tickets and… public recognition. In exchange, the designer was required to give up all rights to the design — allowing the airline to reuse it freely on other platforms without further compensation.

Pitch culture

How often are agencies still asked to pitch? Creatives are expected to deliver valuable work — often unpaid — simply to be considered for a project. Despite industry initiatives like the UBA charter and Creative Fair Play, many brands continue to ignore these agreements.

At Mediaforta, we’ve received similar requests from large, financially powerful brands, asking us to take part in unpaid pitches or develop concepts for next to nothing. Every creative and agency we know has similar stories. As an agency, we’ve chosen to no longer participate in pitches. We know what we do, we have the credentials, we work with top talent, and our clients are free to stop working with us if they’re not satisfied.

AI: another challenge

Then there’s the growing role of AI — models trained on creative work, often without consent or fair compensation. Those companies pay for their electricity and rent, so why shouldn’t they pay for the creative content that feeds their technology?

It’s time for change

It’s long past time to put an end to this exploitation and to recognize creativity for what it’s worth — and that includes fair, appropriate compensation. Creativity isn’t a luxury or a side note. It’s one of the driving forces behind meaningful business growth, innovation, and connection.