NJCI Insights | Getting the recognition you deserve
TL:DR The first question from the NJCI survey 2024 highlights the need to recognise creative professionals in the licensing and brand extension industry. Here, we investigate the causes and offer practical solutions.""
To kick off our survey we asked respondents if they felt their work was recognised internally and externally, and the results were, well, a bit meh. You can see from the graph, there was a good spread of you on the positive side but the average answer to this question was a mediocre 6.6 out of 10. This middling score highlights an essential aspect of creatives professional life: the need for more recognition.
Current State of Recognition in the Licensing Industry
The Licensing industry does a good job of celebrating work. They have international award shows, industry events and publications showcasing the latest projects. However, these accolades usually focus on the deal makers. The dynamic exec.’s and sales people have no end of opportunities to shout about their work, and rightly so. But you have noticed a conspicuous absence of creatives.
It’s not all about external recognition. Along with your commercial colleagues often being front and centre, you also have to contend with client NDAs. So, if you (legally) can’t receive public recognition for work, how do you give designers the warm and fuzzies they deserve? Here are a couple of examples of the kind of thing we do at Skew to ensure our team knows how great their work is.
A ‘didn’t we do well’ Slack channel. Here we share client feedback, NPS scores, work featured in the press plus anything else that highlights the amazing work our designers do.
OfficeVibe. Alongside workplace surveys, this platform prompts employees to send colleagues bespoke, specific compliments.
Regular shout outs. At every Monday meeting department heads select a designer or project to spotlight that week.
Creating a Culture of Confidence
Although this is not an exhaustive list, like every self-help book ever written says, change starts from within. If creative leaders regularly lift up their teams, this practice will create a culture of confidence and encourage self-advocacy.
‘In a recent Gallup workplace survey, employees were asked to recall who gave them their most meaningful and memorable recognition. The data revealed the most memorable recognition comes most often from an employee's manager (28%), followed by a high-level leader or CEO (24%), the manager's manager (12%), a customer (10%) and peers (9%).’ Source.
Recognition is not a one-size-fits-all concept; it means different things to different people. For some, recognition might come in the form of public praise during a team meeting or a formal award from the company. For others, it could be a simple, heartfelt thank you from a manager. The key is understanding that different individuals have unique preferences for how they like to be recognised and appreciated.
The NJCI survey is all about championing the work of creatives in Licensing. In this spirit every NJCI Insights article will provide a simple recommendation to prove creatives are not just colouring in:
- Creative leads: You are not just colouring in if … you have put in place practices that enable your team's work to be recognised internally and externally by the wider industry.
- Creative professionals: You are not just colouring in if … you consistently and confidently advocate for recognition of your work.
Want to be part of NJCI?
NJCI is about flipping the script. You’ve told us you want to shift the perception of creative departments from being seen as a cost to control, to being recognised and celebrated as profit centres. The 2024 NJCI report is the first step in that mission.
Understanding and valuing the contributions of creatives in brand licensing is crucial for fostering innovation and driving success in our industry. We want to empower creative teams to be able to advocate for a seat at the table and become more involved in the direction of the industry.
Join NJCI by signing up here and receive the report today. It’s packed full of insights from creatives working in licensing and Skew’s recommendations for the future.
