This document provides 23 techniques for generating creative ideas, organized by category. Some techniques discussed include using images without words to convey meaning, metaphors and analogies to represent brands or benefits, juxtapositions to dramatize products, exaggerations to emphasize benefits, doing the opposite of expectations to create interest, omissions and suggestions to let viewers connect the dots, and changing perspectives. Other techniques involve endorsements, literal interpretations, altering physical attributes, self-deprecation, competitive comparisons, hypothetical scenarios, dramatizing processes, interactive elements, wordplay, and focusing on keywords. The document aims to spark new ideas by exploring different creative approaches.

1. Coraggio
’23 techniques for generating better creative ideas’
Friday, 14 October 2011

3. Idea Generation
Techniques

4. Area Questions & Techniques Examples
Without words The image is constructed in a way that says more about the product than is actually seen. ! Parmalat
! Burger king
Are there any scenes or situations in which the product benefit could be conveyed without words? ! Bic
Metaphor and Create mental images that express a ‘thing’ in terms of another ‘thing’. ! Volvo
analogy What metaphors or analogies can be found that will represent the brand or benefit at a glance? ! VW beetle
Juxtaposition A comparison can generate a response that dramatises the product. ! Caesar dog food
What kind of juxtaposition could be used to create a surprising, provocative or humorous meaning? ! Safety Centre
Exaggeration Exaggeration can grab a viewers attention and emphasise the benefit. ! VW bus
What exaggeration could represent the brand more forcefully? ! Heinz tomato ketchup
Do the opposite Doing the opposite of what people expect creates interest and humour. ! Whiskas
How can the benefits be shown by inverting something familiar?
Omissions and Let the viewer finish off the missing link. ! Toyota Land Cruiser
suggestions How can the benefits be represented by suggestion? ! Adidas
! Japan Sushi
Playing with Make the effect of time visible. ! Sims Snowboards
time What effect does time have on the product or the user?
Endorsement Connect with the target market by using a familiar face to promote the benefit. ! Poison the sea
Who is a good spokesperson for your product? ! Vegetarian society
! ING - Billy Connolly
Change in A change of perspective can be as simple as using an unusual viewpoint. ! Toaster
perspective ! IRN-BRU
How can the product be shown from the eyes of an object or creature? ! Smirnoff
Dramatic style A dramatic style is a way to bring an everyday situation to life. ! Carton Draught - ‘Big Ad’
What everyday situations could best show the benefits of the product? ! Nike
Take it literally Try taking everything literally. You will soon notice that word-for-word translations into a direct picture often lead to ! The Famous Grouse
comical representations. ! Nokia 6110 - “A phone that tells you
where to go”
What images do you get if you take descriptions of the product benefit literally?

5. Area Questions & Techniques Examples
Physical Altering the product can produce countless possibilities that can give the product meaning and enhance the benefit. ! Guinness
attributes ! Margarine
How could changing the shape of the product enhance its benefits? ! Durex
Whatʼs the Think like the product user. What feeling does it give them when they use it? ! Sony
feeling? What can be associated with the product to emphasis its special features? ! BMW
Self-deprecation Put yourself in the negative to draw attention and create unexpected results. ! VW - ‘think small’
! Toyota
Can you provoke the target audience in a way that draws attention to the product message?
Slice of life A slice of life is a direct way to connect with the target market. ! Adidas
How could dramatic style be incorporated to enhance the situation? ! Visual colour
Competitive sets Used to show how the product’s features and benefits compare to the competitor’s product. ! Apple Mac
What are the strengths of the product over the competitors?
What if It’s a conceptual shift that can lead to great discoveries and put a new perspective on the problem. ! Pepsi - ice cubes
What’s the good side of losing your wallet?
How is the Exaggerate the process in which the product is created and delivered to the consumer. ! Tuna in a can
product really What is the simplest way of describing the process of manufacturing your product? ! John West
made? ! Toohey’s Extra Dry
(hyperbole)
Mouse trap Grab your target market’s attention by getting them involved in a game. ! Dog Home
How can you use the advertising medium to create an interactive toy? ! Vapona - fly killer
Dramatise the What is the most surreal or absurd idea that will put the benefit at centre-stage? ! Rexona
benefit ! Skittles
What bizarre ideas can the product be associated with?
Double- What opportunities for ambiguity or double-meaning are there in the words you are using to describe the product? ! All Bran - trouble passing?
meanings Describe the product without naming it, in such a way that it produces double-meaning. ! Gold’s Gym
Play with words Experiment with type so that copy turns into pictures and the typography becomes the message. ! M&Ms
! Nandos - Spice Grills
How can words, symbols or logos be integrated into a picture without using the usual typography treatment?
Focusing on a A keyword tells a story that the viewer finishes off. ! VW - Married and Divorced
keyword ! Mercedes - Soon
Is the central statement addressed by the keyword?

6. Without words
Stories can be told in an effective way without using words. The image is constructed in a way that says
more about the product than is actually seen. They invite the viewer to ‘finish off’ the meaning of the image.
- How can the benefit be shown in one picture?

7. Metaphor and
analogy
To understand the benefit of something new it is best to use something we already know. Comparisons create
mental images that express a ‘thing’ in terms of another ‘thing’. For example, a Volvo as safe as a safety pin.
- What metaphors or analogies can be found that will represent the brand or benefit at a glance?
- What can the product be compared to?
- What looks like it, or works in a similar manner?
- What visual images do these metaphors suggest?
- What parallels can be drawn?

8. Juxtaposition
Comparative juxtapositions such as ‘before and after’ can be used to great effect. Sometimes the comparisons
may not be so obvious but can generate a response that dramatises the product.
- What before and after comparisons could underline the product benefit?
- What can the product be compared with?
- What kind of juxtaposition could be used to create a surprising, provocative or humorous meaning?

9. Exaggeration
Exaggerating features of the product can grab a viewer’s attention and emphasise the benefit.
- What exaggeration could represent the brand more forcefully?
- What can be added?
- Can it be made bigger, longer or thicker?
- Increase in numbers?
- What reductions could also represent the brand more forcefully?

10. Do the opposite
Doing the opposite of what people expect creates interest and humour.
- How can the benefits be shown by inverting something familiar?
- Convert the benefit into a disadvantage?
- What about reversing the roles?
- Turn it upside down?
- Turn the familiar into the unfamiliar?

11. Omissions and
suggestions
Pauses give music life, and covering up can be more erotic than being naked. Sometimes the best way to
emphasise something is to let the viewer finish off the missing link.
- What could replace the product?
- What could be removed?
- How can the benefits be represented by suggestion?

12. Playing with
time
Making the effect of time visible can show just how important your product has been, or could be,
over history.
- What effect does time have on the product or the user?
- Where does the product take the user now?
- How does the viewer now look at the past?

13. Endorsement
Connect with the target market by using a familiar face or object to promote the benefit of your product.
- Who’s for it?
- Who’s against it?
- Who from history really needed it?
- What familiar people, objects, locations could you utilise to grab attention in a provocative way?

14. Change in
perspective
A change of perspective can be as simple as using an unusual viewpoint: bird’s-eye view, close-up. Another
way can be to give human characteristics to objects and animals.
- How can the product be shown from the eyes of an object or creature?
- How can a change in viewpoint add meaning to the product and its benefits?
- How can the product reveal new perspectives to the target market?

15. Dramatic style
A dramatic style is a way to bring an everyday situation to life. Think of ways to give the product and the
situation an exciting twist. Show a new angle, invent comical situations.
- How would the story change if the dramatic style was to change from horror to action or comedy?
- What genres are creatively rich?

16. Take it
literally
Try taking everything literally. You will soon notice that word-for-word translations into a direct picture often
lead to comical representations.
- What images do you get if you take descriptions of the product benefit literally?
- What ideas or statements can be taken literally to create funny, satirical or witty images?
- What slang phrases, nicknames or metaphors can conjure up useful images?

17. Physical
attributes
Altering the product means changing its shape, cutting it into pieces, blowing it up, squeezing it, squashing it
and so on. There are countless possibilities that can all give the product meaning and enhance the benefit.
- How could changing the shape of the product enhance its benefits?
- What would happen if you changed the location of the product?
- What would happen if you altered the way it looks, moves, smells or sounds?

18. What’s the
feeling?
Think like the product user and try to understand the feeling it could give them when they use it.
- How can the feeling be portrayed in an image?
- What associations can communicate the feeling on a metaphorical level?

19. Self -
deprecation
Sometimes the best reaction can be found by putting yourself in the negative. More often than not it will draw
attention and create unexpected results.
- What would no one dare to say about the product?
- Can you provoke the target audience to draw attention to the product message?
- What has no one else ever associated with this product?

20. Slice of life
A slice of life is a direct way to connect with the target market, and shows that the company clearly know who
they are dealing with.
- How can the product be shown subtly to evoke a response?
- What sort of story can put an importance on the product?
- How could dramatic style be incorporated to enhance the situation?

21. Competitive
sets
Competitive sets can be successfully used to show how the product’s features and benefits compare to the
competitor’s product.
- What are the strengths of the product over the competitors?
- How can you show superiority?
- Can a dramatic style or change in perspective help to enhance the comparison?

22. What if
Think ‘What if...’. It’s a conceptual shift that can lead to great discoveries and put a new perspective on the
problem. Put yourself in someone else's shoes.
- What if grass was pink?
- What if dogs could talk?
- What if losing your wallet was a good thing?

23. How the products
really made
(hyperbole)
Exaggerate the process in which the product is created and delivered to the consumer.
- What is the simplest way of describing the process of manufacturing your product?
- What aspects of the manufacturing process can you dramatise?

24. Mouse trap
Grab your target market’s attention by getting them involved in a game. Remind them of games they played
when they were kids. Challenge them, amuse them, get their mind working.
- What kind of games can you use to engage your target audience?
- How can you use the advertising medium to create an interactive toy?
- What sort of witty instructions could you use to get the target group to play?

25. Dramatise
the benefit
Contradiction, exaggeration, distortion and fantasising are the tools to dramatise the benefit.
- What is the most surreal or absurd idea that will put the benefit at centre-stage?
- What is the best way to represent the benefit within a surreal situation?
- What bizarre ideas can the product be associated with?

26. Double
meanings
Verbal ambiguity makes the point of witty wordplay and suggestion, leading the viewer to an
alternative meaning.
- What opportunities for ambiguity or double-meaning are there in the words you are using to
describe the product?
“Laugh and the world laughs with you, pun and you pun alone”

27. Play with
words
Playing with words is about experimenting with type so that copy turns into pictures and the typography
becomes the message.
- How can you play with typography to represent the product in an effective visual way?
- How can words, symbols or logos be integrated into a picture without using the usual typography
treatment?

28. Focusing on
a keyword
Focusing on a keyword puts the whole emphasis of the ad onto a few letters of type. When describing the
benefit, which word is the master of all keywords?
- Is the central statement addressed by the keyword?
- Is the keyword ambiguous enough to allow the viewer to be engaged?

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