Something I've increasingly noticed in initial client conversations is a missing link between how businesses approach their creative assets and the experience they're creating across the customer journey, particularly through digital channels.
Setting the Scene
Imagine the picture-perfect retail space. Gorgeous products, design-led displays and everything perfectly on brand.
The missing ingredient? There's nobody to serve you.
No welcome. No conversation. No connection.
Just a beautifully polished physical environment with a decidedly transactional vibe.
Would you feel connected to the brand? Would you engage? Is this a brand you’re going to do business with?
Unlikely.
So why has it become so acceptable for creative assets and content through digital channels to end up leaving customers feeling very much the same?
Is the customer journey a one way ticket to a ghost town?
Often, the focus can be on how things look, what needs to be published and whether everything feels on brand.
But what about the actual experience we're creating for the people on the other side of the screen? Have you ever thought about the journey? Are there areas where this could be improved?
Are we thinking about the journey as a whole? Is there a warm welcome? Are we nurturing the connection at each key stage? And who's taking ownership of evaluating the experience from the customer's perspective?
Does the content someone encounters when discovering your business connect with what they see when they visit your website, explore your offer and decide whether to enquire?
Ghosted?
We understand the importance of the experience when it comes to physical spaces, yet the same thinking doesn't always carry through into the creative assets whether they’re print or digital.
Think about hospitality for a moment.
The surroundings might be beautiful, the menu enticing and the presentation impeccable.
But if the service feels cold, inattentive or impersonal, the overall experience falls flat.
It's not just about what you're buying. It's how the experience makes you feel.
The same principle applies to any business.
Your digital presence is often where people begin to form an impression of you. Your website, campaigns, social content and creative assets all contribute to that impression, helping people understand who you are, what you offer and what it might feel like to do business with you.
Your digital channels don't operate in isolation. Each interaction contributes to the wider customer journey, from the first time someone discovers your business to the moment they explore your offer or decide to get in touch. The creative, messaging and content they encounter along the way all help shape that experience. Do they work together to build recognition, connection and confidence, or are they simply individual assets doing their own thing?
So, if the experience you're trying to communicate is personal, considered, welcoming or distinctive, does your creative actually bring that to life?
Or are we so focused on presenting the product that we've forgotten about the person looking at it?
The Lazy Bones of Marketing
It's easy to get caught up in the mechanics of marketing.
The content calendar needs filling. The campaign needs delivering. The next set of assets needs creating. Everything needs to look consistent and go live on time.
And, of course, those things matter.
But when the emphasis is on producing the next piece of content, it's worth stepping back and asking what that content is actually doing for the customer experience.
Does it help someone recognise themselves in the story? Give them a sense of the people behind the business? Help them understand the value of what you're offering? Make the experience feel more human?
Or is it simply another asset occupying space in a feed?
The opportunity isn't to put a person in every picture. It's to think more deliberately about the role creative plays in building a connection between a business and the people it wants to reach.
Because looking the part and creating an experience are two very different things.
So, is it time to bring your creative back to life?
If you've got a bone to pick with your creative assets, let's talk about how to bring more personality, connection and a little creative alchemy into your digital experience.
Drop me a message. Let's rattle a few bones. 💀.
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