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Why Weak Thinking Is Starving Creativity

A strange thing is happening in adland.

Budgets are holding. Tools are multiplying. Content is everywhere.
And yet—campaigns are feeling flatter, safer, forgettable.
We’re showing up more. But saying less.

According to Lions’ State of Creativity 2025 report, we now know why:

51% of brands say their insights are too weak to fuel bold creativity.

The very oxygen of original work—insight—is running low.

Creativity Isn’t Dead. It’s Malnourished.

The study surveyed 1,000 marketers and creatives globally.
Only 13% said they were “very good” at developing high-quality insights.
And over half admitted their strategic thinking wasn’t strong enough to support brave ideas.

This isn’t about copy or color palettes.
It’s about the starting point—the thinking beneath the campaign.

When that’s soft, everything collapses.
We don’t create culture. We decorate it.

The Great Disconnect

Here’s where it gets messier.

26% of brands believe they’re good at generating insights.
Only 10% of agencies agree.

That’s not a disagreement. That’s a misalignment.
And it shows up in the work: campaigns with zero tension, zero edge, and zero memory.

It’s a quiet crisis—because no one gets fired for playing it safe.
But no one gets remembered for it, either.

Why This Is Happening

The report points to three key reasons:

  1. No one agrees on what a “good insight” actually is.
    29% of agencies said the core problem is not knowing how to define it.
  2. Insight development isn’t prioritized.
    It’s not funded. It’s not briefed. It’s not protected.
    (But production timelines? Always urgent.)
  3. Brands struggle to react to culture in real time.
    57% said they can’t respond fast enough to cultural moments.
    Insight, by the time it surfaces, is already stale.

As one respondent put it:

“Capturing cultural moments requires real-time data and courage. But fear of failure gets in the way.”

What Insight Isn’t

  • It’s not a stat.
  • Not a demographic.
  • Not “Millennials love experiences.”
  • Not pulled from a deck last year and recycled today.

Insight is friction. It’s clarity on a human truth your category hasn’t touched yet.
It’s the gut-punch behind the campaign—not the headline.

Without it, the work may look good.
But it won’t feel anything.

What This Means for Brands

If creativity is how we stand out, insight is how we break in.
Into minds. Into culture. Into relevance.

Without it, your ad becomes wallpaper.
With it, your ad becomes signal.

And right now, in an industry that can generate 10,000 versions of an idea with AI in under a minute,insight is the last unfair advantage.

This isn’t a creativity crisis. It’s a thinking one.

We’ve never had more tools, more channels, more data—
and yet, we keep mistaking noise for impact.

Without real insight, we’re just adding color to the void.
Insight is what gives a campaign a spine, a soul, and a shot at mattering.
Without it, we’re not communicating—we’re just performing.

And in a world flooded with content,
only the brands that see deeper will ever be seen at all.

The Quiet Rebellion of Becoming a Maker in a World of Shoppers

They told you who you were in price tags.

Your taste? That’s your streaming algorithm.
Your vibe? It’s your sneakers, your iPhone case, your skincare routine.
Your tribe? It’s who you follow, what you order, what you wear.

We used to introduce ourselves with names.
Now we do it with brands. We all try to create our personal brands and interact with them.

And it’s no accident.
Because if they can convince you that identity lives in the checkout cart,
they never have to teach you how to create your own.

The Subtle Lie of Lifestyle

Capitalism doesn’t just sell things.
It sells selves.
Curated. Packaged. Predictable.

You don’t like oat milk. You’re an Oat Milk Person™.
You didn’t just go to Burning Man. You are Burning Man.
You didn’t just buy a Tesla. You bought virtue, tech-savviness, and status in one click.

But here’s the catch:
Consumption is hollow.
No matter how much you buy, you’re always left with more craving than clarity.

Because deep down, we all know:

You don’t become someone by choosing between flavors.
You become someone when you build something real.

Creation: The Lost Mirror

When was the last time you made something that wasn’t for likes or money?
A story.
A garden.
A tool.
A ritual.
A real moment of care that couldn’t be posted?

We’ve forgotten the texture of selfhood that comes from effort.
From choosing your own inputs. From sitting in the friction of making.

Because building is slow. Messy. Unmonetized.
Which is exactly why it’s yours.

You Are Not a Brand. You Are a Builder.

We’ve been trained to curate ourselves like storefronts.
But your soul isn’t a product page.

You are not the shoes you saved up for.
You are the conversation you started.
You are the community you shaped.
You are the words you strung together when you didn’t know if they’d land.
You are the thing you made when no one was watching.

That is identity.


Not what you signal.
What you sow.

A Personal Vow

I don’t want to be remembered for what I owned.
I want to be remembered for what I offered.
I want my life to be proof that I made something out of the chaos—
even if it didn’t scale. Even if it didn’t sell. Even if no one clapped.

Because in a world designed to reduce us to shoppers,

creation is a quiet form of rebellion.

You are not what you buy.
You are what you build.

Don’t forget that.
Everything else is advertising and nonsense!

TikTok has been hailed as the great equalizer of modern marketing—a space where brands can reach millions with a single, well-timed post. Its algorithm rewards creativity and engagement, making it a tantalizing platform for brands eager to connect with younger audiences. Yet, new research reveals a troubling truth: much of this content isn’t working.

According to DAIVID, a global creative effectiveness platform, a staggering 84% of branded TikTok videos fail to deliver meaningful emotional engagement or recall. Even more concerning, 24% of these videos evoke intensely negative emotions, such as awkwardness, anxiety, or even disgust. For a platform built on fun and connection, these numbers are a wake-up call.

TikTok’s promise of virality comes with risks, and as more brands jump on the latest dance or hashtag challenge, a deeper issue emerges: When everyone is doing the same thing, what makes you stand out? Are we not supposed to continue building brands on differentiation?

The TikTok Trap: Chasing Trends, Losing Identity

TikTok’s algorithm is a double-edged sword. It rewards content that fits within existing trends, encouraging brands to mimic what’s already working. The result, many brands are producing content that feels interchangeable.

But here’s the problem: TikTok users might engage with these videos, but they don’t always remember the brands behind them. Research shows that TikTok content is 9% less likely to generate intense positive emotions and garners 2.5% less attention than global averages. This isn’t just a numbers game—it’s a question of relevance.

When every coffee shop, sneaker company, and clothing brand participates in the same viral dance, their messages blur together.

TikTok might boost short-term engagement, but does it build long-term loyalty, does it get your message across?

The Danger of Sameness

The biggest issue with TikTok marketing isn’t its creativity—it’s its conformity. The pressure to stay relevant on the platform often leads to a flood of repetitive, low-risk, low-value content.

According to Influencer Marketing Hub’s 2024 TikTok Marketing Report, user-generated content (55.7%) outperforms branded challenges (13.1%) in effectiveness. This suggests that audiences value authenticity over slickly produced, trend-chasing videos.

Even worse, DAIVID’s data highlights that 24% of TikTok videos evoke negative emotions, undermining brand trust. Whether it’s a poorly executed challenge or a tone-deaf campaign, these missteps have consequences. Consumers aren’t just disengaging—they’re forming negative associations with the brands involved.

Breaking Free From the Algorithm

The good news? Brands don’t have to play by TikTok’s rules to succeed on the platform. Instead of chasing trends, they can focus on creating content that reflects their unique voice and values.

  1. Lean Into Authenticity:
    TikTok thrives on genuine, relatable content. Instead of mimicking trends, brands can spotlight real stories, user-generated content, or behind-the-scenes glimpses.
  2. Embrace Feedback:
    According to the TikTok Marketing Report, 67.8% https://influencermarketinghub.com/tiktok-marketing-report/of marketers consider community feedback critical to their content strategies. Listening to what audiences want—and adapting accordingly—can set brands apart.
  3. Be Bold and Purposeful:
    Trends may drive views, but purpose builds loyalty. Brands that align their content with their mission and values will foster deeper connections.

The Opportunity Ahead

TikTok isn’t the problem—it’s how brands use it. The platform offers unparalleled reach and creativity, but only if brands resist the urge to conform. Instead of chasing fleeting trends, the most successful brands will innovate, crafting campaigns that are memorable and meaningful.

Great brands don’t just follow the crowd. They lead with purpose, the differentiate.

In a world of constant content, the challenge isn’t going viral—it’s being remembered.

The path forward is clear, and if the influencer marketing landscape has taught us anything, it’s that authenticity always wins in the long run.

So, the next time your marketing team proposes a TikTok dance or a challenge, ask: “Does this reflect who we are—or just what’s trending?”

In a world where attention spans are short and sameness is everywhere, the boldest move a brand can make is to be itself.

Takeaways from the Data

  1. 84% of TikTok videos underperform in emotional engagement and brand recall.
  2. 24% of TikTok videos evoke negative emotions, harming brand trust.
  3. User-generated content (55.7%) outshines branded challenges (13.1%) in effectiveness.
  4. Community feedback (67.8%) is critical for shaping successful campaigns.

from here here and here

What people will want from brands in 2015 from Jack Morton Worldwide

Interesting thoughts by Jack Morton Worldwide

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