Aha! I have a great idea!

Creativity , Industry News Jul 25, 2010

If you boil it down to the bare roots of delivering a marketing campaign, there are two key factors - idea and execution. Let's take a closer look at each.

IDEA

The first factor is the idea factor.

Isaac Newton himself, often told the story that watching an apple fall from a tree inspired him to formulate his theory of gravitation. Cartoons have gone further to suggest the apple hit Newton's head, and it was in this exact moment where we formulated the gravity theory. Both of these are incorrect. The apple never did hit Newton in the head according to the biographical manuscript by William Stukely, which was published in 1752. Further, although the apple was the inspiration, the full gravitational theory took over two decades to complete.

It could still be argued that Newton had an "Aha!" moment.

Chances are, watching an apple fall won’t inspire you. Should you be (un)fortunate enough to have it strike your head the result surely will not come in the form of a revolutionizing theory for humanity - rather it will most likely result in a bruised apple, a headache, and a thoughts that could be expressed as the following - *@!$*@#&*@*&@

So, having said that....how can you achieve your own "Aha!" moment?

Sure, sometimes the big idea comes quickly and almost without effort. At other times the process can be a long and frustrating one as good ideas are pushed aside because you know it's not THE idea. Now add to this time and budget pressures and constraints it can be particularly despairing at times. The following is a look at a creativity and innovation process that may help you.

Information Is Your Only Starting Point

Information is the first piece of the puzzle - without it, big ideas cannot be developed or imagined. Information really becomes your "food for thought". In the marketing world, this food can come in the form of industry research, consumer reports, company and product-specific information, and competitive marketing efforts. The most crucial piece however is personal immersion. Immerse yourself in the culture and behaviour of your target to achieve a deep understanding of their values.

Techniques for Generating the Big Idea

Despite information and potential insight gleaned from immersion it is possible that the big idea still has not come to the forefront. In this case a methodical approach may be required to develop an idea you many be fostering from your initial information collection. Here briefly are some techniques that can be used to stimulate thought that could lead to insight:

Changing patterns—unexpected juxtaposition
Looking at things in different ways—making the strange familiar and the familiar strange
Adaptation—changing the context
Imagining—asking “What if?”
Reversal—looking for the opposite
Connection—joining two unrelated ideas
Comparison—building a metaphor
Elimination—subtracting something or breaking the rules
Parody—making fun of something, looking for the humour

Even after trying these techniques, the big idea your are looking for can still be eluding you. As is often the case, you may need to step away from active thought on your marketing problem and allow time for the mind to continue working on the problem at the subconscious level. I'm sure you've had it happen before that an idea will come to you while driving and listening to music, or while you're out for a job. It's all part of the amazing way the human mind works.

The Aha Moment

Arriving at the big idea for a marketing campaign requires information gathering and immersion efforts so that you can create an engaging message for target that elicits a positive response for your product or service. Sometimes you must go further and be methodical in your approach and apply ideation techniques if the big idea is still not at hand. Finally give your mind time away from actively trying to come up with the idea. This subconscious time is crucial. Your mind continues to work even though you may not be aware of it. Then when the idea finally comes back to the conscious, your aha moment has arrived.

EXECUTION

The second factor is the execution factor.

There are many approaches to the successful execution of an idea. One marketing school of thought uses unconventional systems of promotions - Guerrilla Marketing. This approach relies on unique timing, energy and imagination - your great idea, instead of a large marketing budget. By nature guerrilla marketing campaigns are unexpected and unconventional. Target consumers are interacted with in unexpected places - the best way to "cut through the clutter'. If someone is expecting messages to be pushed onto them, chances are they already have their defence mechanisms in place to minimize their perceived annoyance.

Guerrilla Marketing's mandate is to create a compelling, engaging and thought-provoking concept, perfectly executed in hopes to generate buzz at first, then achieve viral status in a short period of time. Unusual approaches such as intercept encounters in public places, street-level product giveaways, and PR stunts. Essentially, any unconventional marketing approach is viable. Getting the biggest bang for your buck is the working mantra here.

In hopes of providing you with some Newton-apple-inspired ideas coupled with Guerrilla-style execution, I would like to share with you a small gallery of some outstanding campaigns with true "Street Stopping Power".

What other unusual campaigns can you find?