(PDF) A special professional development presentation for the American Advertising Federation of Northeast Arkansas on kick-starting the creative process using a variety of techniques and tips. New in this version are excerpts from a recent global study by Adobe, a few cartoons as well as tips on what makes for a good creative environment.

1. Kick-Starting Creativity -
Without Screwing Up the Idea!
A Special Presentation to
AAF-Northeast Arkansas
August 23, 2012
by
Joe Fournet
copyright 2012 Ideas & MORE, all rights reserved
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2. Handouts & Take Aways
Helpful Stuff - - websites & books
Top Tips
39 Around-the-Web Ways to Kick-Start
Highlights, SlideShare, Podcast
Questions throughout
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3. The iCloud: It’s not what you think
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4. Some Creativity Stuff
What is creativity
Power of ideas
Capturing creativity
Presenting the iKit
Warp Speed Thinking
Drill Down Techniques
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5. S’more Stuff
What to do with those ideas you generate?
Idea Wall
Idea Tub
What makes for a creative environment?
“SuckLess” mentality
Dead cat
Things to ponder & Wrap up
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6. Warning!
You are now entering
The
Creativity Zone™
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7. Creativity
C r ea tivity seems all about
th ought and concepts .
So, what is it really?
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8. What is creativity?
Cr eat i v i t y i s t h e s p a r k - th e s p ar k
that ignites what you say and how
y ou s ay i t .
Or . . .
what you do and how you do it.
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9. What does creativity mean to you?
OK, who wants to be first?
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10. Creativity . . .
should be
synonymous
with a popular 4-letter word
that begins with
F...U...
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11. Creativity . . .
Relax!
We’re talking
“FUN!”
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12. Creativity Insights
Creativity is a state of mind
When the mind has fun, creativity is
boundless
Creativity occurs when people perceive
there are no limits.
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13. More Creativity Insights
Creativity can be defined as the ability to see, feel, touch,
think and imagine what one has not seen, felt, touched,
thought or imagined before.
Creativity – the sudden cessation of stupidity.
My favorite definition:
“Intelligence having fun.”
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14. A Fickle Mistress
“Creative is a fickle mistress; she will not be rushed or
forced, she will not answer simply because your or I call;
It isn’t always the client’s fault that the work sucketh.”
-- D. Walker, Brown & Browner
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15. 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 don’t 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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16. You’re creative if . . .
You have the ability to challenge your own
imagination and stimulate thoughts to lead you to
a new level of solution.
We’re all creative because . . .
Each one of us represents a different perspective, a
different creative slant.
However . . .
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17. Adobe’s “State of Create”
Global benchmark study on attitudes and beliefs about creativity
Surveyed 5,000 adults in five countries
US, UK, Germany, France, Japan
Less than half described themselves as “creative”
Only 1 in 4 believe they are living up to their creative potential
Yet, 76% of Americans feel that being creative is valuable
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18. Workplace Creativity Gap
Defined by the increasing pressure to be productive rather
than creative at work
Average employee spends 25% of workday “creating”
Many did not recognize they were “creating” in non-
conventional positions
Universal concern: Educational systems stifling creativity
US takes creativity for granted
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19. Any Questions?
Well?
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20. Ideas
i
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21. Power of Ideas
Simplest idea, creatively and smartly executed, can
differentiate the forgettable from the memorable.
Ideas + Creativity = Logic + Magic.
Best results = ideas are media and discipline neutral.
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22. Don’t 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.
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.
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23. Technology in the Clouds
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24. Earthly Insights
Agencies and Clients should only care about two things:
How to make the idea work and be relevant.
Be creative business thinkers as well as storytellers in
relating to audiences.
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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25. Check Your Ego!
“Creative people are 50% ego and 50%
insecurity. They need to be constantly told
they’re good and they’re loved.”
--Lee Clow,
Worldwide Creative Director,
TBWA Chiat-Day
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26. Soooooooooooooooooo,
Never fall in love with your idea!
There’s always a better one
around the corner.
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27. Creativity’s Cardinal Rules
Don’t ever underestimate the power of your
mind or imagination.
In order to innovate or create, move
beyond the conventional.
To hell with the status quo (attitude)
Reality check will come, trust me
Don’t be afraid to ask . . .
“Why, why not, or what if?”
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28. Questions??
???????????????????????
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29. Capturing Creativity
How do you
do that?
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30. Presenting the iKit
Ye Olde Creativity Survival Kit:
Makes you feel creative, think creatively
Warp Speed Thinking
Drill Down
Idea Tub
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31. Warp Speed Thinking
Generating ideas at breakneck speed by
capturing one idea (single word or two or
phrase) per Post-it Note in answering simple
question to solve a problem.
No time to analyze or judge or be fearful!
Strive for 50 ideas in 5 minutes
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32. Drill Down Technique #1
Trying to hit THE idea from a standard approach
After eliminating duplicates . . .
Select “best” half from your Post-its
(you only have 2-3 minutes)
Select half of those until you’re down to 5.
Select 2, then 1.
Is it the best one? Supposedly. But wait . . .
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33. Drill Down #2
Trying to hit THE idea from a different perspective
Select 5 best ideas from Post-its (2-3 minutes)
Surprise!
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34. More Drill Down #2
After you have selected and discarded all Post-its until
you’re down to one,
consider this . . .
Is it the best one? It’s definitely one you would not have
paid any attention to were it not for this exercise.
It may be the hidden gem.
Consider doing BOTH techniques with different groups
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35. Idea Wall & Idea Tub
Idea Wall - anywhere your Post-it Note ideas can gather
together in one place
Idea Tub - physical place, thing or electronic file where all
ideas ever submitted are collected and organized in a manner
that’s easily accessible
Remember: Bad ideas are forgotten; good ones need storage
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36. Creative Environment
Don’t manage creativity; manage FOR creativity
Environment must be open and receptive to
exploring new ideas
Acknowledge them as achievement & worthy ambition
Be prepared to take risks
What toys do you have?
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37. “You’re going to screw up!”
“So it comes with being daring that you’re
going to screw up. But I’d rather apologize
than to be so timid as to not try and do
anything smart or brave.”
-- Lee Clow
Worldwide Creative Director
TBWA/ChiatDay
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38. Failure is an option
You can’t have success unless you’re prepared to have failure
As soon as you say “failure is not an option,” you’ve just said
“innovation is not an option.”
Have the courage and guts to accept failure. Build it into your
culture as part of the process; don’t ridicule it, embrace it.
Adopt Pixar Studio’s “SuckLess mentality”.
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39. What To Do With A Dead Cat
Do not bring a DEAD CAT without a shovel!
Never present a problem without bringing the shovel:
At least two possible solutions.
You save time if one of these is adopted, and you get to share your
creative thinking while learning what’s important to management.
Remember, you may not know all there is to know.
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40. It’s time now for . . .
Oddball
Observations
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41. Oddball Observation #1
When it comes to applying yourself and
being focused:
“It’s okay to be orderly in your normal life,
but be violent and original in your work.”
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42. Oddball Observation #2
The key to accomplishing anything great
is being too stupid to realize
it can’t be done.
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43. Oddball Observation #3
There will be mistakes made.
According to Scott Adams, The Dilbert Principle:
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.
Art is knowing which ones to keep.”
Copyright 2012 Ideas & MORE, all rights reserved
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44. Thank You, AAF-NE Arkansas!!
Please send your donations to:
Joe Fournet
Ideas & MORE
www.ideasnmore.net
j4net@ideasnmore.net
Twitter: @ideabeagle
281-980-1802
Copyright 2012 Ideas & MORE, all rights reserved
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