Five Questions about Finding Your Creative Edge with Grant Plotkin

“There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns.” — Edward De Bono

For Grant Plotkin, Founder and CEO of design studio meet the edge, creativity is the lifeblood of his business. The agency, founded in 2021 in Brooklyn, has worked on projects for clients such as Yves St. Laurent, The Paley Center for Media, and Cipriani. He also believes creativity can provide a competitive advantage, allowing organizations to stand apart from their peers.

Grant shared his thoughts on what the creative edge is, challenges in finding it, the impact on AI, and the advice he would give to those launching creative projects.

What is the creative edge?

Your edge is what makes you unforgettable. It’s your calling card. Your largest asset. Your audition in front of potential customers. If you don’t invest in your edge..well, you may get left behind.

Your creative edge is the byproduct of relentless curiosity–reframing questions to seek answers that provide direction. The creative process requires one to embrace the vulnerability that so often holds us back. Growing up, my dad fostered this concept of “you never know unless you try,” and I carry that spirit with me in all of my work today.

How do you help clients find their creative edge?

I help clients unlock their creative edge by bringing their vision to life. From storyboarding a website into a digital home or transforming a corrugated cardboard box into a packaging portal, I encourage clients to adopt a philosophy of “What if?” instead of accepting the status quo. Challenging conventionality is a core pillar I integrate into all marketing practices at meet the edge.

The difference between good and great is what you remember. When I started the studio, I created a proprietary FIND YOUR EDGE workshop, where we ask specifically tailored questions to clients to inform design and strategy decisions.

What kind of challenges do you come across in helping clients find their creative edge?

I find working with clients that not everyone is prepared to find their creative edge for myriad reasons, but most often it’s this idea that they think they want a fresh take on their branding, website, marketing campaign, etc. However, when presented with new creative directions they aren’t able to keep an open mind because they’re blinded by previous versions, which impact their expectations.

Another challenge I witness is clients spending too much time analyzing the competition and following trends instead of forming their own viewpoints, perspectives, and opinions. These attributes form a brand’s personality and become part of their intrinsic DNA.

What effect do you believe AI will have on your work/field?

I view AI as a tool in the moodboard creation process but I leave it at that. I make a conscious choice not to use ChatGPT with copywriting because I believe in originality. I know clients turn to myself and the studio for work that will withstand the test of time. If we live in a world where everything starts to look and sound the same, that is not only uninspiring, it’s the antithesis of meeting the edge.

With the advent of AI we gain instant results, but we lose our ability to experiment, beta test, and stress test an idea. It’s harder now to put pen to paper only using our memory, but it’s in those moments I enjoy the most because it extracts an emotional feeling that a software could never reproduce.

If you could give someone advice about launching a creative project, what would it be?

For those thinking about launching a project, I encourage ultimate creative expression especially in the early stages. The genesis of any great idea is a thought, and writing it down helps bring you closer to achieving that outcome. I’m a firm believer in manifesting, and ideas must be protected in their most fragile state. Don’t limit yourself with parameters (those will naturally appear later).

See how far you can take a concept, but I would be cautious of how many people you share your ideas with as it begins to shift your vision. A lesson I learned whilst building meet the edge was to be wary of what you put validation in/what you seek validation from. You have to believe in yourself and your idea before you can expect anyone else to buy-in.

Check out meet the edge projects on its site. Follow and connect with Grant on LinkedIn and Instagram.