Kick-Starting Creativity Without Screwing Up the Idea!

A Special Presentation to
AAF-Rio Grande Valley
January 12, 2016
by
Joe Fournet
copyright 2016 Ideas & MORE, all rights reserved

30,000 Foot View

Exercise Time

A 12-Step Program (sort of)

A suggested 12-or-so-step program* to help

enhance, modify, make-better or derail your
creativity make-up for 2016.
*A.K.A. The Creativity Tip-of-the-Month Club

Creativity Tip #1
Library Selections
Read something like one of these

Ideaspotting - Sam Harrison

Little Blue Book of Advertising - Lance/Woll
How the Paper Fish Learned to Swim - Flaum
Anything by Edward De Bono
The Do-It-Yourself Lobotomy - Tom Monahan
Hegarty on Advertising - John Hegarty
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Card Carrying Creative

Dont leave home without it

Warning! Warning!
You are now entering

The
Creativity Zone

The Enemy of Creativity

The enemy of creativity . . . is fear.

We r e a l l b o r n c r e a t i v e ; i t t a k e s a l i t t l e w h i l e t o
become af r a i d.
A s u r p r is in g in s ig h t: an en emy o f f ear is
creativity. Acting in a creative way generates
action, and action persuades the fear to lighten up.

What is creativity?
Cr eat i v i t y i s t h e s p a r k - that
ignites what you say and how you
say it . . . Or . . . what you do and
h ow yo u d o i t .

Creativity . . .
The ability to see, feel, touch, think and imagine what one has not
seen, felt, touched, thought or imagined before.
The sudden cessation of stupidity.
Intelligence having fun.
A state of mind - when the mind has fun, creativity is boundless
Creativity occurs more easily when people perceive
there are no limits.

Be like Harley
Creativity as a weapon of business is under-leveraged
not for lack of ideas, but for lack of courage to use them
or refusal to give up on them. The phrase, We dont have
time for creativity, is not something you would ever hear
in the most successful businesses.
-- Mark-hans Richer, SVP/CMO
Harley-Davidson

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Dilberts Take on Creativity

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Creativity Tip #2
Kick Starting Creativity
Ye Olde Creativity Survival Kit:
Makes you feel creative, think creatively

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Creativity Tips #3 & 4

Warp Speed Thinking

Answering simple question to solve a problem

Generating ideas at breakneck speed

Capture one idea per Post-it Note (single word or two

or phrase)
Strive for 50 ideas in 5 minutes

Ideas must be clear with basic value explained in 20 seconds;

borrow an 8-year old--if she gets it, u r ok.

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Uncle Albert says . . .

Einstein Quote

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Creativity Tip #5
Drill Down Technique #1
Trying to hit THE idea from a standard approach
After eliminating duplicates . . .
Select best half from your Post-its
(another quick drill only 2-3 minutes)
Select half of those each time until youre down to 1.

Is it the best one? Supposedly. But wait . . .

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Creativity Tip #6
Drill Down Technique #2
Trying to hit THE idea from a different perspective
Select 5 best ideas from Post-its (2-3 minutes)
Is the last idea the best?

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Creativity Tips #7-12

7.) Awaken the Artist Within - crayon v. pencil
8.) Jekyl & Hyde Approach - funny or serious
9.) Ask a Better Question or Provoke Conversation
10.) Visit your Inner Sanctum or Safe Haven
11.) Consult your Aide or Braintrust
12.) Whats Happening in Your World (Oreo)

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The World of Oreo

Pay attention to the world around you
Oreos 100 Year Celebration

Mars Rover, Gay Pride, Eye Patch

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Creativity Tip #13

Idea Wall - anywhere your Post-it Note ideas can gather
together in one place

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Creativity Tip #14

Idea Tub - physical place, thing or electronic file where
all ideas ever submitted are collected and organized in a
manner thats easily accessible

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Creativity Tip #15 . . .

Dont manage creativity; manage for creativity
Be open and receptive to exploring new ideas
Be willing to take risks
Failure is an option. Cant have success unless
youre prepared to fail
Consider Pixars Suckless Mentality
What toys do you have?
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Have a Mr. Dithers at Work?

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Its time now for . . .

Oddball
Observations

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Oddball Observation #1
Do not bring a DEAD CAT without a shovel!
Never present a problem without bringing the shovel:
At least two possible solutions.
Share your creative thinking while learning whats
important to management.
Remember, you may not know all there is to know.

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Oddball Observation #2
Creative people are 50% ego and 50%
insecurity. They need to be constantly told
theyre good and theyre loved.
--Lee Clow,
Worldwide Creative Director,
TBWA Media Arts Lab

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Oddball Observation #3
The key to accomplishing anything great
is being too stupid to realize
it cant be done.

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Remember . . .
Dont Let Execution Bury Idea
Even when strategy is clear, message can still be diluted if the
creative is too cute, too complex or just plain dumb.

Care only about two things: Idea must work and be relevant.
The computer and software are just tools to enhance the idea,
not to compete with, replace, or screw it up.
Technology notwithstanding, be able to jot down your thoughts on
paper or the infamous cocktail napkin. Take the time to think and
capture creative thoughts.

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Steve & Moses

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Remember . . .

Dont ever underestimate the power of your mind

or imagination.
Dont be afraid to ask . . .
Why, why not, or what if?

Never fall in love with your idea. . .

Theres always a better one around the corner.

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Some Things to Think About . . .

Good ideas come from bad ideas, but only if there are
enough of them
You may not even need yet another new idea; better to figure out
what to do with the ones youve got
Ideas fear experts, but they adore a beginners mind;
A little awareness is a good thing
Bigger ideas leapfrog mediocre ones;
get a bigger crayon

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And . . .
We dont get creative once everything is okay; we are creative because
everything is not okay - yet. - - Seth Godin
Ideas foster creativity and vice versa - - Me
Innovation in one field can spark brilliant ideas in another.
- - Creativity Editor Ann-Christine Diaz
Whatever the case, a creative approach to problem solving will serve you well.
- - Advertising Age Editor Ken Wheaton

Now, its your time.

Be like a Renegade!

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Renegades*
Long live the pioneers
Rebels and mutineers
Go forth and have no fear
Come close and lend an ear

AAF Rio Grande Valley

Its your year to bring forth ideas
Its your year to innovate
Its your year to create
Its your year, but dont wait
Lets begin . . .

So, all hail the underdogs

All hail the new kids
All hail the outlaws
Spielbergs and Kubrics
Its our time to make a move
Its our time to make amends
Its our time to break the rules
Lets begin . . .

*Lyrics by the X-Ambassadors

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Thank You, AAF-Rio Grande Valley!

Joe Fournet
Ideas & MORE
www.ideasnmore.net
ideasnmoreblog.com

j4net.prosite.com
j4net@ideasnmore.net

#ideabeagle
713-459-1856
Copyright 2016 Ideas & MORE, all rights reserved

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