Creativity, Wisconsin-style.

Recently, an article appeared in ADWEEK, one of the trade publications our agency subscribes to. It was written by Alex Bogusky, a very highly regarded Creative Director. Mr. Bogusky is co-chairman of Crispin Porter + Bogusky. The agency is located in Miami, but in 2006, they opened an office in Boulder, Colorado.

Anyone who is in politics or business of any kind here in Wisconsin ought to read it. It’s in the Art & Commerce section of the March 17th issue.

In the article, Mr. Bogusky tells of a meeting the mayor’s office invited him to when they decided to move. (I was impressed already). At the meeting, Mr. Bogusky was told, “Boulder isn’t looking for any new business.” It seems they only allow 1 percent growth per year and that they manage that growth very carefully.

“But,” said the Boulder folks, “yours is a creative company working in the field of creativity and employing creative individuals, and that is exactly what we want to invite more of into our community.”

Mr. Bogousky’s reaction was simple. “Oh, baby. I was home.”

I was born and raised here. I worked here for a number of years. Then I spent the majority of my career elsewhere, having returned in 2006. I love Milwaukee. And I believe that we have a tremendous future.

If we can manage to change our thinking.

When I was a boy, the machine shops and the breweries were going pretty much full blast. Life was good. But we were insulated from a lot of things. We didn’t really need to think creatively. All we needed to do was to keep the second and third shifts going.

Today, we’re a community divided. There are some folks out there who have seen the future and know that doing more of the same doesn’t cut it anymore. They are the ones who talk about connecting Chicago, Madison and Milwaukee. They are the ones who know that growing U.W.M. is vital.

But maybe too many of us have a home in the ‘burbs with two cars in the garage. Our interest goes about as far as our last property tax bill. So we vote for the guys who tell us they’ll build a wall to keep people out, the ones who define anything new only in terms of cost instead of value.

There are too many people here who have a vested interest in well, frankly, not doing anything. When I was in high school, the first thing I learned on the debate team was to try to take the negative side – of anything. It’s a lot easier to find the weak link in any argument. You only have to find one. It’s easier to ridicule and use sarcasm on anything and anyone who might have a creative solution. Want an example? Take a listen to some of our local radio yokels.

Here in town there’s an outfit called Strive Media Institute. They train inner city youth to work in the media industry. They have shelves full of awards for their work. They have graduates who have gone on to college (with scholarships) and have gotten high level, meaningful positions they might never have even known existed.

Last month, Matthew Johnson, the director of Strive, decided that he just could no longer make a go of it here. He’s moving his headquarters to Chicago.

Creativity. It’s finding new solutions to old problems. It’s trying and failing and trying again. It’s what the future is all about. As Alex Bogusky said, “It’s not the job. It’s how you do it. Creativity and excellence are synonymous.”

Creativity. It solves problems. In education. In government. In business.

But it doesn’t thrive unless it’s welcome.

Is it welcome here?

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