I would argue that the best creativity comes when other disciplines work together and appreciate what the other has to offer. Seeing through another lens is optimal for growth and collaboration; as well as for enhancing the critical eye and opening up to a more philosophical point-of-view. I am a marketer who finds a few core commonalities between the two creative disciplines: architecture and marketing. Here’s what I learned from the wonderful experience of having friends who are designers:

1) To find balance and order in the details
Architects and marketers alike must focus on the details because they create the bigger picture. It doesn’t mean we overlook the bigger picture, just that we recognize and appreciate the parts that make up the whole. Details are balancing when they create a sense of order or establish a common ground. Details allow the bigger picture to come together so that we can then influence and show others our ideas. Color psychology is fascinating. Color has many different meanings for different people, cultures, or generations. It has the power to play on our emotions, making it a valuable tool for both professions. Keeping a neutral color scheme, for instance, can be beneficial when communicating a particular message to the target audience or to potential clients. Therefore, neutrals can be perceived as sophisticated, universal, and minimal. Also, my designer friends’ wardrobes made me appreciate the color black just a little bit more!

2) To learn from the past, live in the present, and create a better future
Both disciplines focus on learning from what either worked or didn’t work in the past and living in the present moment is key in order to create a better future for society. By living in the present, we are connected to what is around us at all times and are conscious of what we want to accomplish in our professions. Architecture is a slow process, but it ultimately is one of the most influential industries because of its power to impact peoples’ emotions, perceptions, and lives. In marketing it’s important to understand the consumers’ perceptions and values, and match those with your organization’s values. It’s about connecting on a deeper level and being aware of the messages you’re sending to others to hopefully get them to agree and support you. Being conscious of space, time, and people is crucial. Staying up-to-date with technology shows how the disciplines adapt and evolve with the times and the current tools in order to stay relevant. Think of the power of social media or 3d design software; these tools have radically changed the way we work, communicate, and create, thus impacting the professions entirely.

3) To appreciate the environment around us
The built environment has a lot to do with architecture for obvious reasons, but it relates to marketing as well. Say you’re a new retail company establishing new stores. This is the first point of contact you make with your potential customers. The architecture of this new space leaves a lasting first impression on consumers; reiterating the point that architecture allows people to form a deeper connection with the built environment around them, whether it is conscious or not. Not only does this idea relate to retail stores, but also to educational institutions, businesses, healthcare facilities, or even residential buildings. The way people view a building trickles all the way down the ladder to the fundamentals of marketing, which is the organization’s image. The image exists purely in the minds of consumers or stakeholders, so creating an environment that people want to be in, appreciate, and feel good about is ideal.Most importantly, bringing together a designer’s point of view and mixing it with a marketer’s point of view has the potential for optimum creativity and discovery. This multi-dimensional approach allows both industries to understand people, places, products, buildings, and space with a clear message. Ultimately, it’s about focusing on the process and not the end result. Developing over time and adapting to the current environment in order to stay relevant to the changing times and generations is necessary. These 3 valuable connections that I made from every day discussions with my designer friends show how architecture has the power to blend and mesh with other disciplines; impacting the future of architecture and marketing as a whole to be more balanced, conscious, and appreciative of the past, present, and future. I believe it’s important to keep an open mind and view possibilities from different perspectives in order to truly understand what people and society as a whole values, needs, and aspires for the future.

As Wayne Dyer said, “if you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”