Creative Focus: Standing Out in a World of Copycats

A wildflower in a field that is slightly out of focus (Matt Pierce/Route Three Productions)

In today’s sea of self-proclaimed experts, every marketer, photographer, and creative seems to be clawing for the same slice of the pie. It begs the question: how can you stand out when everyone is seemingly doing the same thing?

It’s a common scene: one person succeeds, and suddenly there’s a swarm of imitators claiming they’ve made it better. But is a slight tweak and an overblown claim really innovation? Hardly. As a Creative Director, I’ve seen my share of these “everything in focus” folks, all hustling to outdo one another until their offerings become indistinguishable.

True creativity isn't about copying—it's about transforming. It's about listening to the client and then elevating their vision into something wholly unique. That’s where being out of focus comes into play. Like in photography, sometimes what’s right in front of us needs to blur so we can gaze further, towards the horizon. This is all about aperture—the tool that either gives us that sought-after bokeh or the vivid clarity of distant scenes.

As a photographer and Creative Director, playing with aperture is a metaphor for our creative process. Starting slightly out of focus can be a strategic move. From there, you tweak and adjust until the composition sings in perfect harmony. It’s fine to be out of focus; it’s a starting point that can lead to true clarity and distinction.

We’ve been conditioned to think that being "in focus" means we're on the right track. But sometimes, real focus means allowing ourselves to blur the edges, to look beyond the immediate, and to challenge conventions. This is where every groundbreaking project begins. Embrace being out of focus. It's not a sign of confusion, but a mark of stepping outside the conformist's line, and it’s where you’ll find the heart of true creativity.