Economies progress through distinct stages as cultures acquire knowledge, skill and experience. The past century has seen a shift from agriculture being the dominant contributor to wealth, to industry, service and, finally, to one based on creativity. This Creative Economy is the new Gold Rush and is based more on human ingenuity and less on sweat and blood.
The Creative Economy, is characterized as consisting of fifteen distinct professions, which offer extreme, high value as opposed to barely making a profit. For example, Apple's "Designed in California" has profit margins of around forty percent as compared with oil profits, which hover around seven percent. Take a look below at some of the characteristics of the fifteen areas within the Creative Economy and how they have made a dent in our universe.
Advertising
Intended to persuade an audience to take action and also used for building brand awareness. An innovative ad that helped people see cars differently is the "Think Small" ad for Volkswagen, since big cars were then no longer seen as necessarily a good thing.
Architecture
Captures a cultures' dreams and turns them into special and everyday spaces. Mies van der Rohe's World Exposition Pavilion in Barcelona, with its minimalistic design and large glass walls, forever changed the way we look at buildings.
Art
Exploring new visual realities and providing a jolt of inspiration: An example of an innovative piece of art is the cubist painting "Woman from Avignon", by Pablo Picasso, that questions the value of truthfully replicating nature.
Craft
Hand-made, unique everyday objects, giving the user a sense of originality. The Green & Green Brothers' electrical lamp, custom designed to each individual home helped to define the electrical lighting of that time period.
Design
Creation of industrially manufactured artifacts, such as automotive, aviation, medical, consumer products or furniture: The first steel tubing chair, the Wassily-Chair, by Marcel Breuer changed seating when it turned a chair into a machine for sitting.
Fashion
Garments and accessories offer protection from the environment, as well as, projecting our unique style. The humble T-shirt changed the way the world dressed.
Film
Moving image experiences, passively observed. An example of an innovative film is the Vietnam War movie "The Deer Hunter," co-written and directed by Michael Cimino, changing war's description from heroic to devastating.
Music
Productions consisting of lyric and melody: "The Yellow Submarine" by The Beetles, changed music from traditional structures to psychedelic expressions.
Performing Arts
Dance, theater, standup, circus and other live performances in front of an audience. "The Death of a Salesman," by Arthur Miller, refocused theater from classical drama to the description of everyday human and social challenges.
Publishing
Includes physical and digital production of books, newspapers. An example of a book challenging the meaning of life is the innovative "The Little Prince," a book on the simple truths in life by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
Research & Development (R&D)
Provides new technologies or improvement of existing technologies and embeds these in new product and service offerings. The first moon landing is an R&D innovation that hugely shifted our perception of the world.
Software
Digital code enables the user to operate computers and computing devices. Macintosh OS graphic user interface made it possible for everyone, from children to grandparents, to use a computer, tablet and smart phone.
Toys & Games
Mental and playful interactive stories in physical form engaged with and played by both children and adults. The Barbie Doll is an example of an innovative toy.
TV & Radio
One directional audio or audio and visual communication of news, documentaries, events, real or fictitious stories or information of interest to a larger audience: Gene Roddenberry's science fiction television show, Star Trek, made generations dream of new frontiers and of space exploration.
Video Games.
Games in digital form played on gaming consoles or other dedicated devices, including computers, tablets or smart phones. An example of an innovative game is the virtual online world, Second Life.
To experience the Creative Economy, look no further than your kitchen, clothes, accessories and computing devices. Objects such as coffee machines, toothpaste, jeans, and Velcro locks were once considered breakthrough innovations and the Creative Economy continues to be what makes our contemporary life convenient and interesting.