How to build creative confidence

Matthew Bull, founder of SoloUnion and global chief creative advisor at AB InBev joined Vaughan Croeser, Vice-President of Marketing at South African Breweries (AB InBev), to address a critical challenge: How do you embed creativity into organisational DNA while delivering the outcomes demanded by business stakeholders?

The paradox of process-driven creativity

Process and creativity seem like a contradiction, yet AB InBev has proven otherwise by developing what they call the Creative X programme – a systematic approach to nurturing and measuring creative excellence across the organisation.

The key lies in understanding that process doesn't constrain creativity, it enables it. "If there's one thing you need when you're creating and having to rely on your intuition or intellect, you need confidence," Bull explained. "These systems give people confidence."

This confidence manifests through what Croeser calls "metaphorical rooms" – structured spaces where teams can express themselves, disagree productively, and challenge each other without descending into chaos. The framework provides safety nets that paradoxically allow for greater risk-taking.

The greenhouse principle

One of the session's most practical takeaways was the "Greenhouse Principle," which Croeser explained using the acronym SUN, which provides a simple framework for handling new creative ideas:

• Suspend judgment when first confronted with an idea.
  
• Understand the concept fully before reacting.
  
• Nurture it – "give it a bit of water and see where it could go"

This approach addresses a common creative killer - the immediate negative reaction that can potentially destroy breakthrough ideas before they've had a chance to develop. As noted, initial discomfort with an idea often signals it deserves more consideration, not less.

Making creativity accountable to business

Perhaps the most striking aspect of AB InBev's approach is how directly it ties creativity to business accountability. "If the company is not growing, it's marketing's fault," Croeser stated bluntly. This positioning gives marketing genuine authority.

By taking accountability for growth, marketing earns its seat at the leadership table. But this only works when creativity serves a clear business strategy. "Creativity is not just for creativity's sake," Croeser emphasised. "It must serve a purpose. It's the thing that helps us solve real business problems."

This philosophy extends beyond advertising. Bull pointed out that innovation and creativity must permeate the entire organisation – from product development to customer connection and systems to operational methods. "Every business strategy is about growth, therefore the role of creativity and innovation is to support and enable this."

The research trap

In one of the session's most provocative moments, Bull challenged conventional wisdom about researching creative work. "Most people react to creative emotionally," he argued. "You don't think logically when you see a painting or walk out of a movie... yet in research, we're asking consumers to logically tell us what they think."

The disconnect is fundamental. Great creative work operates on emotional wavelengths, while traditional research methods demand rational analysis. This mismatch can kill genuinely innovative ideas that might initially make people uncomfortable – which is often a sign of breakthrough potential rather than failure.

Bull offered a simple but powerful suggestion - when researching creative work, always start by asking what people like about it, not what they dislike. This positive framing can reveal strengths that might otherwise be overshadowed by an initial discomfort.

Building long-term creative advantage

The session revealed three types of consistency that create competitive advantage:

Brand positioning consistency - while execution can be fresh and varied, core brand messages should remain stable. Research shows this "creative compounding" effect means consistent brands need less media spend over time to achieve the same impact.

Relationship consistency - changing agencies frequently incurs what Croeser calls a "penalty" – the time and resources lost as new partners learn the brand. Long-term agency relationships enable deeper understanding and braver work.

Team culture consistency - creating what Croeser calls a "cult" around brands – complete with rituals, symbols, and a shared mission – this builds the internal alignment necessary for breakthrough work. His marketing team's choir, which performed at the 2025 Nedbank IMC conference, serves as both a team-building exercise and a metaphor for creative collaboration.

When creative isn't working

When creative output disappoints, the instinct is often to blame the agency. Croeser offers different advice: "Look in the mirror." In his experience, creative problems "10 times out of 10" trace back to client-side issues:

• Unclear brand positioning
  
• Ambiguous role in the portfolio
  
• Multiple objectives crammed into one brief

This self-accountability extends to a broader philosophy about creative partnerships. Rather than cycling through agencies searching for magic, successful brands invest in making current relationships work better.

Real impact beyond campaigns

The session's most inspiring examples went beyond traditional advertising:

• The Corona lime project. When Corona launched in South Africa, there weren't enough quality limes for the signature serve. Rather than compromise, the team established a lime farm with the Moletele Trust that now produces 70% of South Africa's limes – solving a supply chain problem while creating sustainable rural employment.
  
• Global expansion of local innovation. South African creations Brutal Fruit and Flying Fish are now expanding to Brazil, China, and Europe – proof that local creative excellence can achieve global scale.

These examples demonstrate creativity's role in solving fundamental business challenges, not just communication problems.

The bottom line

The session's central insight challenges a fundamental assumption about creativity in business. Rather than seeing structure and creativity as opposites, AB InBev has proven that the right frameworks actually enable greater creative risk-taking.

"You know you're on the right track when you have a lot of lawyers involved in the idea," Bull joked, highlighting how breakthrough creativity often requires navigating calculated risks within responsible guardrails.

For marketers seeking to elevate creativity within their organisations, the message is clear: don't apologise for process or accountability. Instead, use them as foundations for building the confidence necessary for truly breakthrough work. When creativity is institutionalised rather than departmentalised, when it's tied to business growth rather than treated as overhead, and when it's nurtured through consistent relationships rather than constant churn, it becomes a genuine competitive advantage.

As Bull noted, echoing a truth that extends far beyond marketing: "No creativity, no growth, no progress." The question isn't whether your organisation can afford to invest in creativity – it's whether you can afford not to.

This nine-part Marketing Masterclass series is designed to offer practical, real-world insights for marketers navigating complexity, career growth, and creative leadership. To view the series, visit Daily Maverick Events.