Taste Is the Enemy of Creativity

We all have our preferences. Some people enjoy sweet food; others prefer something spicy. Some feel comfortable wearing bright colours, while others favour quieter shades. These everyday choices reveal something about our taste: what appeals to us, what feels familiar and what we naturally choose.

If we don’t change. We don’t grow. If we don’t grow we aren’t really living.” 

Gail Sheehy

When we eat or drink, taste helps us recognise flavours such as sweetness, bitterness, saltiness and sourness. In design and everyday life, however, taste describes our personal preferences. It influences the clothes we wear, the spaces we create, the artwork we admire and even the brands we trust. Our upbringing, culture, experiences and surroundings all help to shape these choices.

As the saying goes, “One man’s meat is another man’s poison.” A design that excites one person may leave another unimpressed. One client may see a simple brochure as elegant and professional, while another may feel it needs more colour and energy. Neither response automatically makes the design good or bad. It shows that people can look at the same thing and value different qualities.

Taste becomes an enemy of creativity when we treat our preferences as the only acceptable way of doing things. Having a favourite style is natural. Insisting that every idea must fit that style is limiting. A designer who loves blue may begin to use it in every project, even when another colour would better express the client’s brand. Over time, a personal preference can become a habit that prevents fresh thinking.

Think of a cook who uses the same seasoning in every meal because it is their favourite. The seasoning may be excellent, but it will not suit every dish or satisfy every guest. A thoughtful cook considers the ingredients, the occasion and the people at the table. In the same way, a thoughtful designer considers the message, the audience and the purpose of the work.

This distinction matters because creativity involves more than producing something we personally like. It requires us to explore possibilities and find an effective way to communicate. A school prospectus, a wedding invitation and a company’s annual report serve different purposes. Each deserves an approach shaped by its particular needs.

At Indes Procom, this understanding guides how we work with our clients. We begin by listening. We want to understand your ideas, your preferences, your audience and what you hope to achieve. Your taste gives us valuable insight into your expectations and helps us develop a direction that feels right for your brand.

Our role is to bring creative skill and professional judgement to that conversation. We translate your thoughts into clear, appealing communication, while explaining how choices such as colour, type size, images and layout affect the result. If a favourite font is difficult to read, for example, we can suggest an alternative that preserves the character you like while making the message easier to understand.

Good collaboration makes room for both the client’s perspective and the designer’s expertise. A client may introduce an idea that encourages us to explore an unfamiliar approach. A designer may suggest a possibility the client has not considered. When both sides listen, the project benefits from a wider range of ideas.

Imagine furnishing a living room with someone whose preferences differ from yours. You favour neutral colours; they enjoy bold patterns. Through discussion, you might choose neutral furniture and introduce colour through cushions, artwork and curtains. The finished room can reflect both perspectives in a balanced and pleasing way. Creative collaboration often works in much the same way.

We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.”  

Max de Pree

Openness makes this possible. An unfamiliar idea deserves consideration before it is dismissed. Sometimes, seeing a sample layout or comparing two colour options helps us appreciate something we could not easily imagine. Experimenting on a small scale gives us room to discover what works.

Of course, openness does not require us to accept every suggestion. Some ideas will not suit the brand, the audience or the message. The useful question is: “Does this help us achieve our purpose?” That question gives us a stronger basis for making decisions than personal preference alone.

The world would be far less interesting if everyone shared the same taste. Our differences create opportunities to learn, combine ideas and discover fresh ways of expressing familiar messages. Your favourite blue and someone else’s favourite yellow may work beautifully together when used with care and purpose.

At Indes Procom, we welcome that diversity. We bring your preferences into a thoughtful creative process, combining them with our experience to produce work that reflects your identity and connects with your audience.

Taste has a valuable place in creativity. It becomes an obstacle only when it closes the door to discovery. Let your taste help start the conversation, and give creativity room to take it further.