According to 'The State of Creativity 2025', released by Lions on 30 April, just 13% of companies consider themselves open to creative risk, while nearly one in three (29%) admit to being highly risk-averse - and more than half say they struggle to keep pace with cultural shifts.

The global survey-led report, now in its fifth edition, draws from responses from more than 1,000 marketers and creatives worldwide and includes in-depth interviews with industry leaders.

The study offers a practical guide for marketing teams navigating the year ahead, with key findings pointing to widespread creative stagnation driven by weak insight development and delayed cultural response.

The insights stem from a global pool of over 1,000 brand marketers and creative professionals surveyed between November 2024 and January 2025. Participants spanned a diverse range of industries and roles, offering a comprehensive view of the current creative climate.

Key findings suggest that businesses lacking creative agility are falling behind. Although creative risk-taking - defined as bold, unconventional ideas that challenge the norm - correlates with significantly higher margins and long-term growth, most brands remain hesitant to pursue such strategies.

Highlights of the report:

• Brands embracing creative risk see 4x higher profit margins 
• Half (51%) of brands say their insights are too weak to develop bold creativity
• 57% of brands struggle to respond quickly to cultural moments
• Only 12% rate their cultural agility as ‘excellent’
• Short-term marketing priorities have grown — 63% in 2025 vs 53% in 2023
• Strong brand-agency relationships and use of AI enhance insight quality
• Layers of approvals and limited resources hinder cultural responsiveness

Patrick Jeffrey, vice president, Lions advisory, said, “The State of Creativity report is a unique window into the global creative landscape. The findings from this latest research show that largely due to a lack of solid insights and cultural relevance, we are seeing less ‘creative risk-taking’, which involves stepping outside traditional boundaries and surpassing category conventions. Addressing these two key barriers will unlock creative confidence and drive better long-term business results.”

Jeffrey added, "To boost creative confidence, we advise to invest in additional training to enhance teams’ skills and capability. As teams upskill and confidence grows, so will the appetite for bigger, bolder work.”