ZDO Blog
Where exactly do people in the creative fields get their inspiration?
If it were a single source that we could all turn to on a daily basis, I'd have a lot more time to kill in my work day. Unfortunately, it's different for everyone and every project that needs
that spark. I've been in this career for 21 years now and have found a few activities, publications and resources that I turn to on a regular basis for a creative kick-start.
I've always loved movies…all kinds…horror, comedy, sci-fi, foreign…you name it, I've probably seen it. Movies are a great insight into the emotional condition of the human race. Our profession does require us to connect your brand to it's target audience on an emotional level, so this is a great
resource. There's also many cultural aspects and current trends covered in movies. And you all thought I was just procrastinating! The first Creative Director I worked under used to take off in the middle of the afternoon to go see a flick — not something I would do, but it taught me that inspiration can be found there.
Music is my life! I listen to music on a daily basis, and I don't mean my ten minute commute to work. I actually sit down and (on a fairly descent audio system) listen to music at home. I've played guitar for some 20 odd years now, so listening, studying and going to see live shows of popular (and not so
popular) bands is as natural to me as reading a book or watching my favorite show. Music videos can also be very inspirational. Did you know many directors of music videos go on to direct TV commercials and/or full-length feature films.
There's one industry publication that has stood out among the rest for decades — Communication Arts,
a high-quality, well juried pub that covers all areas of commercial communications from photography
to interactive design. It has some of the best researched articles on trends and the state-of-the-industry that I've come across in my career. If you're a marketing professional, I'd highly recommend getting a subscription, it's not just pretty pictures and designers patting themselves on the back.
My own personal method of sparking creative direction when hitting the proverbial brick wall is word association. I didn't come up with this tactic on my own, it was taught to me by my high school English teacher and several professors in college. Start by making a list of the features or attributes of the product or service you need to sell, then spur off of each of those words into different directions. Nine times out of ten, you'll hit a word or phrase that just clicks. Cross reference your word associations
with a book of idioms (popular phrases), I swear this is where most headlines for advertising find their origin.
Pay attention to what others are creating. Do you ever wonder when watching a commercial on TV how they
came up with that idea? I do it almost to the point of an obsession. It's really interesting to pick apart a scenario
that could have led the art director or writer to that particular concept. I'm floored occasionally by how abstract
the thought process must have become. To me Super Bowl Sunday is almost as exciting as Christmas Day just because of the commercials! Flip through every magazine you can get your hands on. I try to get through three or four while waiting my turn for a haircut or at the dentist.
The next time you're reviewing some concepts, take a moment to think about the effort that went into
developing them. Not that I expect you to sit in awe of the process, just to see if you can trace the inspiration
behind the ideas. And don't forget, when you're shown two or three ideas from an agency or design firm,
they probably came up with a least six or seven before picking the strongest ones to show you. How many other
professions can say that 60% or more of their work will never see the light of day? Still, we do it every day,
and we do it passionately.
Lee Mauer, Creative Director @ ZDO
04.03.2010. 18:56
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