Creativity That Pays Its Way: How to Link Ideas to Commercial Outcomes
When the pressure for short-term results keeps getting louder, how and why should you still emphasise creativity?
In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, James Lawrence sits down with Jules Hall, CEO and Founder of The Hallway, to unpack how creativity, data and commercial thinking need to work together if brands want sustainable growth. From navigating short-termism and AI hype to building credibility with CFOs and boards, Jules shares a grounded, practical view on what effective marketing leadership looks like today, and what it takes to earn the licence to do truly great creative work.
Listen to the chat:
Work we talk about:
Watch Cardboard Cake - The Hallway’s Cannes Lion-winning campaign
Key Takeaways:
Why creativity isn’t at odds with commercial rigour, and why “trust me” no longer cuts it
How the best marketers link brand investment to real business outcomes
What AI is actually useful for inside agencies (and where humans still win)
Why short-term pressure is holding marketing back and how leaders can balance both
How to “market marketing” internally and earn trust across the business
What the Webjet rebrand reveals about modern brand growth and measurement
Why relevance to culture still matters, even in a fragmented media landscape
