‘I Don’t Give Up on Craft’: Ciara O’Meara on Pushing Creativity Beyond Trends
In a landscape dominated by recycled references and fleeting social media trends, within an industry increasingly leaning on algorithms, trends, and convenience, VCCP creative director Ciara O’Meara is calling for a return to bold, daring creativity.
She draws from diverse and unexpected sources to craft work that resonates – and is inspired by Rekorder director Pascal Teixeira’s critique of advertising’s ‘perpetual recycling.’
He recently shared this thought with LBB: "There's a perpetual recycling of references, visuals and ideas in ad campaigns that didn’t exist before, making content generic and instantly forgettable. The temptation to follow TikTok and Instagram trends perpetuates this as does the flux of in-house staff members who don't come from artistic backgrounds or studies. The key purpose of advertising is to stand out but clients don't understand the value of being bold any more – and we've got complacent with how we infuse pop culture and art history into advertising. It's no longer a playground for experimentation or an inspirational source of wonder and really I'd like to see a return to this."
Ciara spoke with LBB’s Olivia Atkins to discuss the role of art, the power of persistence, and why creatives should never settle for conformity, even in the face of client expectations or the rapid pace of campaign creation.
LBB> How do you keep your work fresh and inspired when the industry is often leaning on recycled trends and references?
Ciara> I don't look at the industry for inspiration in what I create; I look elsewhere. As a young creative, it was drummed into me to never show an advert as a reference for the advert you want to make. You need to push yourself to be inspired by other things. For me, that's everything from fashion magazines (which I have a slightly unhealthy addiction to), art exhibitions, books, and even series and films I watch.
LBB> What role do you believe art history and pop culture should play in advertising, and how can brands use these influences without falling into repetition?
Ciara> A lot. All the great painters were inspired by their predecessors. Just as the Naturalist era inspired the Impressionist era, the same goes for music videos. They are pure entertainment so we should look to the best of them for entertainment inspiration. I don't think there's fear of falling into repetition if you look at a broad range of them. Like anything, if you only stick to the obvious then you'll make obvious work.
LBB> With the fast-paced nature of campaigns, how do you balance the pressure for speed with the need for craftsmanship and originality?
Ciara> I’ll put my hand up and say I'm probably every producer's nightmare because I don’t give up on craft. I will push until the last minute to make the work better. That's my job and I don't feel bad for doing so. I would have been out of a job a long time ago if I didn’t. After all, if my name is on it I want it to be crafted to the best level it can be. Don’t get me wrong, there have been moments I've failed, but it's not from lack of pushing or trying on my side as sometimes the gates just close earlier on work depending on client and budget.
LBB> How has the shift towards social media trends impacted your creative process? Do you feel it hinders or enhances originality?
Ciara> The main word in that question for me is trend. Social media is so fast and flippant that if you try to create work that is based on a trend you will probably not get it out in time. However, what I love about social is the way we can interact with brands differently so I’m more interested in the insights around that and how we can create ideas that feed into bigger aspects of how we use social. I don’t think the platform itself hinders originality. If anything it allows more and more people to express themselves but because of the sheer amount of content, it is harder than ever to stand out.
LBB> What are some unexpected sources or methods you use to inspire your ideas beyond conventional trends?
Ciara> I love magazines, so you will usually find me lost in one. If not, I’ll be nose-deep in an art book, or volume up on a podcast. When it comes to unexpected ways to start brainstorming on brands, I love to start by reading up on them on Wikipedia as sometimes a small nugget on there can spark a thought. I will also look at all their past work in places like Lürzer's Archive, Ads of the World and on social to see what was their best work and what not to do again.
LBB> How has the rapid evolution of technology, from AI tools to automation and social media platforms, influenced your approach to creativity, and do you feel it enhances or limits the creative process in advertising?
Ciara> I really feel like it enhances the creative process if anything. Now you can clone an image in seconds while before I spent hours doing that. It’s also great for jump-starting thoughts on everything from song ideas to lines to searching up references. These are all things that would eat up time or sometimes give you creative blocks, but now those walls are instantly shattered by using AI.
LBB> What advice would you give to creatives who feel constrained by client expectations to maintain brand conformity at the cost of innovation?
Ciara> Always remember that a client doesn’t really want what they can do themselves. No matter how restricted they are or seem to be, they want to be wowed and surprised. If we don’t at least try, they will eventually take their business elsewhere. Brands need to evolve or they will be left behind. So never stop pushing, if only for your own creativity. As the saying goes – ‘better to have tried and failed than to have never tried at all.’
