Advertising as a creative industry: a regime of paradoxes

In a world where creativity is the lifeblood of communication, the advertising industry stands out for its uncanny ability to blend art, commerce, innovation, and persuasion. In the recently published book ’Advertising as a Creative Industry: Regime of Paradoxes’, dr. Izabela Derda delves into the intricate dynamics of the today’s advertising world, revealing the industry’s complex relationship with creativity and its pursuit of hybrid messages that transcend traditional advertising.

’Advertising as a Creative Industry:  Regime of Paradoxes’, investigates how the advertising industry interacts with various creative sectors, attempting to blend in with numerous forms of culture and entertainment to hide its persuasive intent, but even more importantly, deconstructs own business models, creative practices and processes. It further explores the paradoxical dynamics of the industry’s placement at the crossroads of the cultural and commercial and examines the industry’s struggle between holding on to established practices and structures while simultaneously striving to reinvent itself in response to today’s fluid reality.

Izabela Derda: "Precarious working standards, lengthy working hours, limited inclusion and diversity, and a culture of flexibility, self-management, and creativity coexist in advertising. Driven by a set of established practices and structures on the one hand, and desperately looking to reinvent themselves on the other, advertising as a creative industry is a specific regime of paradoxes"                                                                                        

What sets ’Advertising as a Creative Sector: Regime of Paradoxes’ apart from other publications on advertising is its focus on practices by actors in the field. Izabela Derda interviewed prominent advertising figures, including top industry experts such as Bas Korsten, Mervyn ten Dam, Jae Goodman, Michael Wiese, Dawid Szczepaniak, Lionel Curt and many more. Their insights and perspectives contribute to the depth and richness of the book’s exploration, providing readers with a unique window into the complexities of the modern advertising industry.

About the
  • Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication