You Tell Us: Is Advertising Really All That Creative?

On the surface, advertising should be the ideal place for anyone who fancies themselves as a bit creative. It's the place to write, design, make and innovate while earning (at least if you're not trapped in the Sisyphean cycle of unpaid internships... or if the freelance situation hasn't transformed you into the 21st century equivalent of a Depression-era dock worker). But shrinking (sometimes non-existent) budgets, copy cat clients, recession-stoked job fears and an obsession with data and tech has left many wondering just how creative the industry is any more. Last week Brothers and Sisters CEO Matthew Charlton argued that industry leaders have got their work cut out if they're to relieve the frustrations felt by creatives and tempt young people back from the lure of rock 'n' roll and sexy start ups.

So what do you think? Is advertising still the place for creative people?