WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?
The recent purchase of some literature here at White Space has brought into question how we go about solving creative challenges and moving forward with innovation. It's vital to keep ideas fresh and inventive, as more often than not the process, if left unchanged, can get stuck in a rut of repetition and routine, with people unable to see beyond a certain world view. For example...
In 1899, the commissioner of the US Patent Office, Charles Duell, believed that the office should be closed down because all that could be invented had been invented!
The two books we're currently reading are designed to inspire creative ideas and solutions -
Cracking Creativity: The Secrets of Creative Genius by Michael Michalko provides techniques used by the greatest thinkers of our time and
A Technique for Producing Ideas by James Webb Young, the smallest and cheapest book of the two, but in some ways the best, looks at the thought processes that actually breathe life into an idea. Both books can be found on Amazon.
It's interesting to look at how different companies go about solving problems. Recently, Portuguese advertising agency
Torke held a competition to find the best students for their
Unlikely Internship. They pitted candidates against each other by creating their own online TV show where contestants were given a product to sell and a minute to generate an advert. In one instance the candidates were told to create an advert for a razor for ladies' moustaches. The winning candidate replied that he would have a picture of Big Foot's wife, completely covered in hair except for her upper lip.
This innovative and interesting way of tackling a problem helped to ensure that Torke not only found the most creative people to work for them, but also generated massive exposure for the agency.
It's also important to use creativity to identify opportunities. A good example would be the Specsavers advert
(pictured) released shortly after England's 4 - 1 defeat to Germany in the World Cup, where an obvious goal was disallowed.
Both of these ideas were effective because they injected an element of playfulness into their thinking. Sometimes solving a creative challenge can be seen as just another problem to overcome, but coming up with creative ideas is supposed to be fun and enjoyable! People are attracted to things that are witty, creative and clever because it appeals to their sense of humour and ultimately makes them feel happier.
At White Space we use the image of a superhero to represent ourselves, it shows that we don't take ourselves too seriously and at the same time presents the company as heroic. Everyone wants to be saved - whether it's from a burning building or from the hassle of crafting a successful marketing campaign. Please get in touch if you'd like to find out how our award-winning creative techniques can work for you!