1. Start
What is the problem?
Your first, hugest, and ongoingest question is: “What is the prospect’s problem?” Ask yourself again: “What’s the problem?” Then answer it repeatedly...in different ways.
The deal is: When you examine the prospect’s problem in different ways, it leads you to new ideas.
For example: “What’s the problem?” you ask yourself. Answer:
“The prospect is tired of the same old runaround.” Noodle that thought in your head, and then express it in a different way. “The prospect dreads having to endure all the red tape.” Hmm. What can be done with red tape? Maybe the headline should be, “Cut the red tape.” And put red plastic scissors inside direct mail pieces.
Moral: By focusing on the problem, you’re halfway toward finding the right idea. If your thinking gets way too far from the problem, your ideas will lack relevancy.
Content and form
Writing ideas is like having a metronome in your head. It continually swings between content (what you’re doing) and form (how you’re doing it). Until you hatch the idea, you won’t know if it will be stronger on content or form. Look at ads and you’ll see every combination. Here are four ads:
10%? content, 10% form: Ew – this ad does nothing.
20%? content, 80% form: It’s creative, but it doesn’t say much.
80%? content, 20% form: It says a lot, but it lacks imagination.
90%? content, 90% form: This radical ad is off the charts!
Back to strategy
Short note on a big to-do: When you’re forming the idea, everything in the strategy section should be reexamined. You aren’t trying to change the strategy. You want to find stuff that can help you invent ideas. For example, you should think a lot about the prospect...his needs, activities, etc.
Reference: “Zig and zag” and the different approaches under them. See page 91.
Think through the logic
For example, “This is mustard. Its job is to liven up foods. OK, what do you do with mustard? You spread it. How about this line: ‘The flavor is spreading.’ Maybe.”
2. Explore
What does each word mean?
For example: “The prospect is a mechanic. What does it mean to be a mechanic? What are mechanics doing for people?”
Don’t rely on formulas
There are a lot of matrixes and formulas designed to help you develop ideas. Unfortunately, they oversimplify a process that requires a lot of abstract thought. Instead, get your pen, notepad, and solitude.
5Ws+H vs. Framework
We talked about “Who, what, when, where, why and how” back on page 15. Put those six key words up against the framework, and some idea-startering questions arise. For example: Why is the prospect? Who is the problem? How is the product?
Under normal circumstances, these might be nonsensical questions. However, idea development can be a nonsensical process, so it’s worthy.
Ideas can form strategy
For example: You have an Alabama-based airline, and you want to talk about their service. You come up with this line: “Southern hospitality...all over the world.” It was never a strategic objective to emphasize this airline’s Dixie-ness, but it hits you that this would go over big: Southern hospitality can be a lively and distinguishing characteristic for them. Go see if it flies.
What else is it?
Look at your product and ask yourself, “What else is it?”
A lazy way to get inspired
Of course you’re tired. Instead of thinking, let your thesaurus give you words that will spark ideas. Use a great computer-based thesaurus, and enter your key word. Let’s say it’s “run.” You get back “rush, gallop, dash,” etc. Think of ideas from that list. Then, look up “dash,” and see what new words you find. And so forth.
Synonyms can also change your strategy. You originally thought the best appeal was “you get many choices.” Now you’re thinking “restore hope” is better.
Tap your memories
You have ’em, so use ’em.
Theme it on a meaningless aspect
For example, if your company has May in the name, hold events in the month of May.
Work with another creative person
Two heads are better than one.
Boundless thinking
For example: You’re creating something pertaining to doors. Ask yourself questions like, “What would a door say?”
There is a method to this madness, because it takes wide-range thinking to hit on the right ideas.
From drifting to dazzling
Let your mind escape the task for a few minutes and then come back.
Reasons this is worthwhile:
1. Thinking is exhausting. Drifting helps you recharge.
2. You’ll write down other notes, such as to-do’s you’ve been forgetting. This is because your mind is zooming everywhere.
3. It makes the work easier.
Talk it out
Talk to yourself aloud. Do this even more when you find yourself drifting too much. (That’s “drifting,” not “drinking.”) Say to yourself, “Hey! Come on! What are we doing?”
It’s mind-expanding, dude
The more close-minded you are the worse your ads will be. This isn’t a helpful statement, because everyone believes they are open-minded.
Let’s check your open-mindedness. Take a controversial issue you’re passionate about, and see if you can convincingly express the opposite view for five minutes. No rolling your eyes. No phonying your tone. The more you can understand and state the other side’s case, the more open- minded you are.
Describe the product in a different way
Come up with a new word or phrase for your product. For example: “It’s a time machine, because it takes you into the future.” Really!
3. Chain
Visual association
When you’re developing concepts, look at a wide assortment of visuals, and link them to your task. For example: You’re advertising fast delivery of data. You see a water tower, and you ask yourself, “What can I do with a water tower? OK, water from this tower flows to the homes all around. So, there’s a flow from a higher source. I guess a stream does that as well. How about this: ‘Rapid information for your business,’ and I show white water rapids.”
Reference: “Use borrowed interest,” on page 99.
What is comparable to this?
Look at your problem and ask, “What would be a similar situation to this one? What’s analogous to this? For example: Buying a too-small car is like a tall man trying to ride a tricycle. Maybe that’s our image.”
The point: Often, a problem doesn’t become clear until it is seen in another light.
Reference: “Become someone else,” on page 134.
Turn two problems into one solution
When you’re dealing with two different problems, don’t fret over them separately. Try to put them both together. Sometimes they can help solve each other.
For example, here are two separate problems. The prospect…
1. Dislikes overspending to get what he needs
2. Complains that all the products are too slow for him
Your headline: “Expensive add-ons slow you down! Get the streamlined solution.”
4. Angle
A right...then a left
Here are three steps to creating ideas:
1. You let your creative right brain take over. You think, “I’m just knocking out ideas.”
2. You go and watch TV for a while. Then, you let your wise left- brain looks at these ideas. Leftie thinks, “I’ll decide what’s good enough to keep.”
3. You let the right and left sides work together to sharpen the best ideas.
Look at it another way
Example? 1: You make electric motors. This means you also transport energy.
Example? 2: You transport freight. This means you also make satisfaction.
Moral: Your product or service does more than meets the eye, and your job is to make that apparent.
What is it saving or making?
That’s a key question.
5. Visualize
Quick advice: Look through online stock photo sources for inspiration.
Words help, pictures help
Coworker Vis Ual says, “I create ads by thinking visually.” OK Vis, but don’t limit yourself. Use words, too. You need all the help you can get.
Doodle
Draw your problem, product, and prospect in different ways.
Show the product in other states
No, not Utah. (That is a fine state, however.)
Example? 1: Show your product empty instead of full.
Example? 2: Show your product enduring harsh treatment.
How can we express that visually?
Don’t say it – show it.
Increasing emphasis on what’s unique
Is your product visually different? Then put that difference on display.
Don’t water it down with meaninglesses.
Don’t say what is seen
For example: Your ad shows a hand making a cash machine transaction. Don’t say this headline: “Do you panic at a cash machine?” Say: “Panic time?”
Single focus
Don’t expect the prospect to absorb several visual messages in order to understand the picture.
Here’s an example of the wrong way: “Show a lady at the health club, and the wall calendar shows it’s Friday, and the wall clock shows it’s 9:45 p.m.” You’re not going to get the prospect to think, “She’s exercising on a Friday night.” Go back to the drawing board.
Getting it
You don’t need help recognizing that you came up with the ideal concept.
Hence, this subject is lightly covered.
“I got hit with an overwhelming idea”
A tremendous idea will strike you, and after about four of them, you’ll feel beaten up...in a good way.
“How will the reader react to my visual?”
Answer honestly. If your ad were like many out there, you’d have to say, “There won’t be much reaction at all. So, it’s not going to be an effective ad.” Instead, hopefully you can say something like, “I think it will give people a jolt.”
“If the idea is so good, why hasn’t anyone else thought of it?”
Thirty percent of the time you should think, “Maybe there’s a reason nobody has done this, and I should ask some industry veterans why.”
However, 70% of the time you should think, “The other companies aren’t as smart as me.”
No aping
It’s pathetic to see Al Waysbehind do a weak imitation of his competitor’s innovative campaign. Often, the competitor succeeded by breaking new ground. Mimicking the competition won’t produce anything new, so Al’s knockoff will get knocked off.
Reference: “Innovation can’t be faked,” on page 108.
“Kill the new thinking!”
Some will rehash an old-style campaign...because it’s comforting for the advertiser. However, an ad succeeds when it’s new and different...because it’s refreshing for the prospect.
No second chances
Disagree with anyone who says, “We’re not expecting the prospect to understand this ad the first time, because it’s a little complicated. Advertising is like that. Messages sink in over time.” No way. Your ad should be so crystal clear that someone who sees half gets it all.
When you repeat your basic point repeatedly in your ad, you increase the chances of people understanding it.
Reference: “Lather, rinse, repeat,” on page 127.
Deciding on the right idea
You must.
Put it down and pick it up later
You’ll always benefit by letting your mockups sit for a while...even if you have little time. Reason: You’ll catch errors that would otherwise damage your masterpieces. Here is how:
1. Finalize your project half an hour before the deadline.
2. Take a 10-minute break (you need it).
3. Read over everything for 20 minutes.
4. Fix the little mistakes you missed.
Show your concepts to others
Igws (it goes without saying): You want the input of people around you.
Rely upon the non-committeds
Seek the opinions of those who, by their personality, demonstrate that you mean little to them. (You always wondered what they were good for, and now you know.) They will be more like your prospect: blunt.
What is the reaction?
You’ll collect different opinions, and there should be some consensus.
For example: Five people looked at your ads, and three of them liked a particular one. Of course, that becomes your A1 ad.
Show the ad to others for clarity
As the creator of your idea, you’re close to it – too close. You can’t be sure if people will understand it. Readers can think you’re saying something other than what you mean. For example, you show your ad to Ron.
You: What do you get from this ad?
Ron: That we’re not smart enough to make a better product. You: Why would you say that?
Ron: This ad makes us sound like weaklings. You: I thought it makes us look humble.
Ron: It doesn’t come across that way at all. You: I’m gonna crack your head open!
Don’t do it, because Ron is only helping you be clear.
Extra 1: If two people tell you, “Oh, I didn’t get what you were trying to say,” don’t go forward with the ad. Even one is a mega-snag.
Extra 2: If something confuses three people, it will confuse three million.
Confusion can’t be yelled away
Advertisers who make the wrong point don’t help their cause by saying it louder and more frequently. For example, someone says, “Toaster! Book bag gyration. Socks.” Huh? Well, how about: “TOASTER! BOOK BAG GYRATION. SOCKS.” OK, um...thanks.
Related point: If something confuses three people, it will confuse three million.
Aspects with idea creation
There are aspects to everything in life, and the following supports that.
It takes work
It a guy says he comes up with great advertising idea while shaving, be skeptical. Rarely does anyone instantly churn out breakthrough ads. With each assignment, you’ll have to devote innumerable hours and brain synapses. If your coworker gets lazy he’ll only have 1/8s of concepts, and those with advertising experience will know he’s slacking.
To do: Put in the hours and push out the ideas.
Think about the reaction
For example: You want to show four people in your ad (a crowd) but only three will fit (doesn’t look as much like a crowd). Go with three people and don’t worry about it. All that matters is how the prospect sees your ad. If she’ll still get your point, everything is A-OK.
Try for one and get another
For example, you’re writing headlines for a winter sale and you think up a delightful summer event. Get used to occurrences like this, because your creative mind will produce many different things.
Don’t fret over what they didn’t see
For example: You want to show four people in your ad (a crowd) but only three will fit (not as much like a crowd). Go with three people and don’t worry about it. All that matters is how the prospect sees your ad. She’ll still get your point, so everything is A-OK.
Turn on the pressure
Be glad when you’re given an extraordinarily short deadline, because you’ll rise to the occasion, get brilliant on the spot, and dream up a wonderful concept.
A quick turnaround time also prevents over-futzing in the approval process, because the coworker doesn’t want to be responsible for missing the tight deadline. He says, “I wish we had more time to do this better, but we don’t.” True!
Upshot: When you only have a little time, you’ll get down to business, rock and roll, and create one of your most effective ads ever. It’s that simple.
Raise and lower the temp
Your initial idea may come in at the wrong temperature – too hot or too cold.
There’s a place where it feels right.
“I’ll know it when I see it”
An initial concept may have something to it, but it has to be sharpened up a lot. And, you may not know what it needs until you see it. Only then can you say, “That’s what I was having an issue with. This is better.”
Remember the sensation you had when you first saw the concept, and stay loyal to it. Don’t abandon the ad because you’re seeing it so much. Recall that the prospect has never seen the concept...and wowzie – is he going to get a kick.
Also, as the process proceeds, your initial “this is a wonderful idea” rush will be replaced by a staid sense of where the concept should be headed.
Happy ending: Your finished ad looks meant to be that way.