A workshop given by Joe Fournet of Ideas & MORE to the Professional Development for Marketers SIG of the American Marketing Association Houston. It covers tips and techniques for idea generation and sparking creativity.

1. Think Differently &
Spark Creativity:
Let Your Intelligence Have Fun!
A Workshop Presented to
AMA Houston
Professional Development for Marketers SIG
April 13, 2011
by
Joe Fournet
copyright 2011 Ideas & MORE, all rights reserved
1
1

2. Handouts & Take Aways
Helpful Stuff - - websites & books
Top Tips
Highlights
2
2

3. Some Creativity Stuff
What is creativity
Power of ideas
Capturing creativity when you don’t have an
iPad
Presenting the iKit
Warp Speed Thinking
Drill down technique
3
3

4. S’more Stuff and Some Fun . . .
What to do with those ideas you generate?
Idea Wall
Idea Tub
What makes for a creative environment?
Failure is an option
“SuckLess” mentality
Dead cat
Things to ponder & Wrap up
4
4

5. Warning!
You are now entering
The
Creativity Zone
5

6. Creativity
C r ea tivity seems all about
th ought and concepts .
So, what is it really?
6
6

7. What is creativity?
Cr eat i v i t y i s t h e spa rk - the spark
that ignites what you say and how
y ou s ay i t .
Or . . .
what you do and how you do it.
7
7

8. What does creativity mean to you?
OK, who wants to be first?
8
8

9. Creativity . . .
should be
synonymous
with a popular 4-letter word
that begins with
F...U...
9
9

10. Creativity . . .
Relax!
We’re talking
“FUN!”
10
10

11. 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.
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.
11
11

12. Creativity Insights
Creativity – the sudden cessation of stupidity.
“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
My favorite definition:
“Intelligence having fun.”
12
12

13. 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.
13
13

14. 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.
Don’t just think FaceBook or Twitter; think broader.
14
14

15. More on Ideas
Companies should only care about two things: How to make
the idea work and be relevant.
Ideas need to be the foundation for delivering creative
solutions to business problems.
Marketers need to 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.
An idea is only as good as its execution.
15
15

16. Don’t Let Execution Bury Idea
Plenty of good ideas have been trounced because execution sucked
or some decision maker didn’t have the guts to stay true to it.
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.
16
16

17. Are U creative?
How many of you
think you are creative?
17
17

18. 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
18
18

19. Soooooooooooooooooo,
Never fall in love with your idea!
There’s always a better one
around the corner.
19
19

20. 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)
There will be time for a reality check
Don’t be afraid to ask . . .
“Why, why not, or what if?”
20
20

21. Capturing Creativity
How do you
do that
when you
don’t have an iPad?
21
21

22. Presenting the iKit
Ye Olde Creativity Survival Kit:
Makes you feel creative, think creatively
Warp Speed Thinking
Drill Down
Idea Tub
22
22

23. 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 - Ready, Set
23
23

24. Warp Speed Thinking Reaction
So, whadyathink?
24
24

25. Drill Down Technique #1
Trying to hit THE idea from a standard approach
After eliminating duplicates . . .
Select half from your Post-its
(you only have 2-3 minutes)
Select half again until you’re down to 5.
Select 2, then 1.
Is it the best one? Supposedly. But wait . . .
25
25

26. Drill Down #2
Trying to hit THE idea from a different perspective
Select 5 best ideas from Post-its (2-3 minutes)
Surprise!
26
26

27. 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
27
27

28. 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
28
28

29. Creative Environment
Don’t manage creativity;
manage FOR creativity
Environment must be open and receptive
to exploring new ideas
They should be acknowledged as achievement & worthy ambition
Be prepared to take risks
What toys do you have?
29
29

30. “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
30
30

31. 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, but honor and
embrace it.
Adopt Pixar Studio’s “SuckLess mentality”.
When presented with something that doesn’t quite measure up, be
lighthearted.
Say something like “Gee, that really sucks. However, if your tried this or
that, it might suck less.”
31
31

32. 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
32
32

33. 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 your boss.
Remember, you may not know all there is to know.
33
33

34. 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.”
34
34

35. Oddball Observation #2
The key to accomplishing anything great
is being too stupid to realize
it can’t be done.
35
35

36. 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 2011 Ideas & MORE, all rights reserved
36
36

37. Thank You, AMA!!
Please send your donations to:
Joe Fournet
Ideas & MORE
www.ideasnmore.net
j4net@ideasnmore.net
281-980-1802
copyright 2011 Ideas & MORE, all rights reserved
37
37