Posted on August 18, 2011, in Uncategorized | No comments yet

I have been spending a lot of time lately thinking about and discussing what goes into developing Big Ideas.  Ideas that are so powerful that they make the crowd leap from their seats and chant your name.  Or at least erupt in laughter.

So I guess to begin we should define what constitutes a Big Idea.  If, like me, you are a fan of the great minds of advertising that paved the way for the rest of us, then you know the name David Ogilvy.  Ogilvy has been referred to as the Father Of Advertising and branded products that would read as the what’s what of modern culture.

The desire is to invent “The Big Idea” that attracts attention. So, what constitutes a “Big Idea”?  Well, according to the Master if your idea can hold up to these five questions, you are on your way.

1. Did it make me gasp when I first saw it?
2. Do I wish I had thought of it myself?
3. Is it unique?
4. Does it fit the strategy to perfection?
5. Could it be used for 30 years?

So the question is how do we develop Big Ideas?  That’s easy.

Be Smart

Be Creaitve

Don’t be uncreative.

But for the rest of us…it isn’t always that easy.  Sometimes inspiration materializes in a flash; but most of the time great ideas come from Quantity of Exposure.  Quantity of Exposure can be defined as the experience of different ideas that trick your brain in seeing a product from a different angle.

If you are able to turn the product you are developing an idea for on its side and twist it all around, you have the opportunity to see it with fresh eyes.  I call this the process of getting out of your own way. 

The next time you are brainstorming an idea, try seeing the product from the viewpoint of a man if you are a woman or take on the perspective of a dog or a tree or an ant that ate too much.  Just do something to get out of your own way and allow the creative process to explode.

It’s now, without divine intervention, that you will develop a Big Idea.

Or you can just be really creative.  It’s your choice.

Posted on May 31, 2011, in Uncategorized | 4 comments

While on a recent trip to a small neighborhood market, I was struck with amazement. Plastered on the walls throughout the store were a myriad of signs; some hailed reduced prices on a seemingly endless variety of products while others exclaimed the freshest produce and greatest selections.

The store’s attempt at winning me over with their overwhelming display of information resulted in sensory overload. It generated a chuckle when it occurred to me that this is what many advertisers do: force too much information in too little space.

One of Aesop’s popular fables is about a monkey who tries to pull a handful of nuts out of a small-necked jar. He finally realized that he could remove his hand only after he let go of some of the nuts. He only succeeded by taking less. That fable is an idyllic reflection of the public’s ever-shortening attention span. Less is more.

We may think that we need to take full advantage of every second of each radio or television commercial, or every square inch of print space to be effective. But, what commercials grab your attention? It’s the Corona beer on the beach campaign; it’s the Clydesdales playing football in the snow; it’s the relaxed voice of the announcer.

Consumers will pay attention to and absorb more of your advertising when it doesn’t bombard them with a lot of detail. Seize their attention with simplicity.