Creativity v. Innovation

Image via Christopher Raeburn

Back when I first started my last semester in college, one of the questions raised by my professors really stuck to me. She posed this question to the whole class, comfortably and curiously: "Is there a difference between creativity and innovation?"

The whole class was silent at first, as how most classes seemed to go. And then, slowly, a hand was raised.

"Yes," a student said, "Being creative usually applies to fine art or fashion, while being innovative usually is associated in the tech industry."

While somewhat true, you can tell that that wasn't quite the answer my professor was looking for. Other students ventured a guess, saying that "Being creative meant that you're able to create something beautiful and interesting, while being innovative meant that you're creating something that people have not seen before."

Technically speaking, if you looked up the definitions of both words, you would find something similar: According to the dictionary, the word "creative" meant "having original ideas," while the word "innovative" meant "introducing new and advanced ideas." In fact, the two words seem so similar that if you look up either word in a thesaurus, the other word would come up as a synonym.

However, what my professor wanted to point out is that there is a very important difference between the two. And it is what sets apart designers, brands, stores, PR firms, lawyers, colleges, schools, corporations, and other institutions from each other.
Unlike what my former classmate suggested, being creative does not apply solely in the fine arts sector. It might seem like on the surface that only artists and designers can express their creativity, but on the contrary, we are all creative in some way. Being creative does not only exist in art or writing, it can also manifest in sports, business, and even in day-to-day life. Being creative usually happens when we are confronted with an obstacle, and it is how we overcome that obstacle, whether big or small, that we are able to express one form of our creativity. Say it's having to deal with different personalities in the workplace and being able to appease each and every one to an agreement or having to change the recipe on the fly because the store doesn't carry the ingredients that you need. This, to me, is being creative: the ability to overcome problems using the tools that are readily available to you.

On the other hand, being innovative is not quite so simple. Unlike creativity, innovation is hard to come by. In fact, only a select few can claim to be innovative. Being innovative takes skill, talent, drive, intellect, and a lot of hard work. Innovation does not happen overnight. It takes patience and a determined set of mind. It's not just about having original ideas, it's about putting those ideas to work and constantly tweaking and changing and improving them to the point where it can change the status quo.

Take Apple, for instance. We all know the story of Steve Jobs, and how this visionary was able to change the way we listen, buy, and share music. Not only that, he was able to revolutionize the way we see phones and technology in general. He was able to achieve what most tech geeks can only dream of achieving, he made computers sexy.

As a result, whatever Apple churns out next, the public wants it. And it's not just because the product has the half-bitten Apple logo stamped on it that people are willing to pay for it, they actually believe in the product and more importantly, the technology inside it. Today, it's been said that there are now more iPhones being sold than there are babies being born every day.

In fashion, I can think of two companies in particular that has been able to have the same, if not more, level of impact. Levi's has not only been able to deliver high-quality products to different tiers of consumers, it's also been able to successfully stand against the test of time. It seems to me that there's been no other company that's been able to consistently deliver amazing products season after season, all while keeping the one product that they're known for revelant: a pair of denim jeans. The other, would be Ralph Lauren. The company has been able to expand its reach from beyond clothing to accessories, fragrances, homeware, bedding, even paint. Their idea of not just selling clothes to their customer but a lifestyle is probably the most innovative idea in marketing history.

I'm not saying that one is better than the other. However, I think it is important to realize the distinction between the two. Being creative is not the same as being innovative, while being innovative might mean being creative in some way. The two terms are not mutually exclusive. People need to realize the difference, especially if you're a company that's just starting up. One must realize that the public is indifferent to your problems and issues, they only really care about the next best thing and how they're going to get it. To be truly innovative, one must understand the needs of their market and then use creative methods in order to deliver it to them.

What about you? What's your idea of creativity/innovation? Who do you think is an important player(s) in fashion that displays this characteristic?