The “right problem” problem
March 4, 2026
By Marcel Witbooi • February 2026
I used to think that talent was a God-given gift, and sometimes it is, but talent is something that can be taught and nurtured. It requires a willingness to learn, a willingness to work and determination. So does that mean anyone can be a Creative? Of course they can.
Now this one is incredibly important. It’s what’s going to set your work apart from everyone else. This one’s harder than talent. You’ve gotta dig deep. Focus on what’s personal to you, and share it through your work. This is what will make your work resonate with others.
The final one is specificity. You know your insights. Now paint a picture with them. As detailed as you can. It might seem counterintuitive, but the more specific you are, the more universal your work will be. That’s because you’re being authentic, and people can feel that.
Talent can be taught. Insight and Specificity can not. They are products of lived experience.I remember working on a campaign years ago. There was a reversal of roles, that somehow made sense. My writer had a super clear idea of the aesthetic for our commercial, and I knew exactly what to put into the script. When we read the script to the marketing team, one of our colleagues began to weep. The ad was to commemorate Youth Day in South Africa.
It’s a Day we remember the school kids who were slain in Soweto in the June 16 Uprising. I tapped into my own family’s experience in the Struggle and that’s what struck a chord with my colleague. And none of the other writers in our team could write it that way.
There would be projects out there, for which I definitely wouldn’t have the right insights to make work more authentic. That’s why, if you want to broaden the power of your work, you need to broaden the people doing the work.
There are so many underrepresented voices here in Canada, from Black and Indigenous to Asian and LGBTQ Creatives. Amplifying those voices can only make the work stronger. Make the work richer.
Seek out these voices? Look to organizations like Pocam (People of Colour in Advertising and Marketing), Black Designers of Canada or the Black Indigenous Design
About Marcel Witbooi
Marcel Witbooi is an Ad Industry veteran with over 25 years of experience as a Graphic Designer, Art Director and Creative Director. He’s worked on numerous award-winning campaigns for clients across numerous industries. Born and raised in South Africa, Marcel has called Toronto home for the last 13 years. Outside of his Freelance work, he is the creator of the Something in the Water Newsletter on LinkedIn, which celebrates South African Creativity.