THE BIG IDEA
in five steps

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STEP ONE
Why are you here?

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Understand the context first.

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Why are you doing this?
What is the physical, economical, social and technological (PEST)
environments like as you think of about the big idea?
Why does the Client need you?

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It’d be quite dumb to be selling
hi-notes investments now, wunnit?
Now you won’t know that unless
you understood your environments.

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Don’t assume you understand them all.
Do some bloody homework.

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STEP TWO
What is the problem?

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If there is no problem,
there’s no need for a solution.
Why is there a need for this big idea?

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Say you’re the marketer
in charge of launching a new pair
of running shoes. You’re currently ranked #4
worldwide in terms of sales figures.
What do you think your problem is?

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Typical answer:
To increase brand awareness.

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Duh.

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That’s not the problem.
If you’re ranked #4, do you think
you really have an issue with brand awareness?

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Is this the right answer?
Runners are too loyal
to their existing brands of shoes.

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Well, sort of. That’s a consumer insight.

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You need to find out the
consumer insight to unveil the problem.

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The right answer:
There is no compelling reason
why a runner should experiment
with a new brand of shoes.

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Coming up with a solution
to tackle that problem is much easier,
don’t you think?

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STEP THREE
Why is there a problem?

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Why do you think the problem exists?

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Here’s a tip: it’s usually
due to the environments.

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Let’s continue with selling the running shoes.

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Physical Environment:
Are you launching your shoes during the monsoon season,
and most runners prefer running outdoors than indoors?

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Physical Environment:
Or maybe your competitors have twice as much marketing budget,
and are launching their new shoes at the same time?

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Economic Environment:
Are your shoes too expensive?
Or maybe too cheap?

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Isn’t being cheap a good thing?

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Well, it depends on how the society thinks.

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Social Environment:
How do runners perceive you?

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Social Environment:
How do they run? In packs? Alone?

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Social Environment:
What do they do on a social basis?

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Social Environment:
How do they socialise?

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Social Environment:
Do they think cheap = good?
Do they even care?

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STEP FOUR
Based on what you know so far,
what is your single-minded proposition?

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The single-minded proposition sums up
the single most important thing you can say
about the brand that influences the consumer
in such that it addresses your problem.

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It should be kept to a single sentence.

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You’re not writing a freaking thesis.

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It is not a tagline.

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So save the fluff for later.

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The best big ideas we’ve seen all
have a single-minded proposition.
Not multiple-minded. Don’t be greedy.

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The more you want to say,
the less people will remember.

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Do you remember what Creative Technology
was trying to say with their MP3 advertisements?

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How about the iPhone?

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My point exactly.

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STEP FIVE
Coming up with the big idea.

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The big idea is an umbrella idea that
delivers the single-minded proposition.

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It is not a tactical idea.

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And certainly not a media buy suggestion.

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Huh? What do you mean?

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Shoot the next agency
that tells you your big idea is to
start a blog or Facebook group.

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A big idea is big enough to be adapted
through various media.

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A big idea is also big enough to be adapted
into various tactical ideas.

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Not everyone can come up with a big idea.

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And not all big ideas
are good enough to disrespect time.

Good luck coming up with the big idea.
This presentation was brought to you by Pat Law.
website: blankanvas.bypatlaw.com
email: pat@bypatlaw.com
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