THINKING STRATEGICALLY

Presented to Miami Ad School, October 6th, 2009Minneapolis College of Art and Design, October 8th, 2009

By Dion Hughes

OR...“AND YOU THOUGHT BEING AN

ADVERTISING CREATIVE WAS ONLY ABOUT HAVING IDEAS, HAHAHAHAHAHA.”

Back in my student days.The simple visual solutions I dreamed of doing.

(D&AD 1985)

So I did a lot of ads like this.Funny, huh?

But it was work like this that got me my first job.

Also from D&AD 1985. The loved/hated leader of the Greater London Council,

(kinda like a mayor) argues against the abolition of the GLC.

Insight-free. “Bovril beef cubes taste a lot like beef.”

Insight-full. “It’s not me they’re abolishing, it’s your rights as a voter.”

Two award-winning ads, but very different.

Insight-free. “Boner joke.” Insight-full. “You are earnestly looking to solve a sensitive issue.”

Two ‘final student book’ ads, but very different.

THINKING STRATEGICALLY. INSIGHT. WHATEVER.

ALL ELSE BEING EQUAL, A BOOKFILLED WITH IT WINS THE JOB.

image: streetfly_jz

INSIGHT IS A HEAD START. YOU’LL BE DIFFERENT

FROM THE BEGINNING.

image: jepnow

THERE ARE MANY FORMS OF INSIGHT.

http://www.simon-law.com/

AND THEY ARE EVERYWHERE.

the brief, even

your gut

business reviews

corporate annual reports

what competitors are doing

different product categories

what your mum thinks the opposite direction

youtube/flickr/twitter etc

your own life/experience

pop culture

image: tyrian123

ALL YOU NEED TO GET STARTEDIS CURIOSITY.

(CREATIVES ARE NATURALS AT THAT, RIGHT?)

image: fatmanad

CREATIVITYIS

LATERAL THINKINGIS

CONNECTING DOTS

image: smsch67

THE HARDER YOU LOOK,THE MORE DOTS YOU’LL FIND.

THE MORE DOTS YOU FIND,THE MORE CREATIVE YOU CAN BE.

BTW, IT’S YOUR JOB (AND GIFT) TO BEDOT-CONNECTING CHAMPION.

image: chitrasudar

AN EXAMPLE:

STRAWBERRYFROG WASPITCHING HYUNDAI.

HYUNDAI WANTED TO INJECTPASSION INTO THEIR BRAND.

ON THE FACE OF IT,A TALL ORDER.image: daveseven

BUT IN A BRIEFING ROOM FILLEDWALL TO WALL WITH FACTS,

OPINIONS AND FOCUS GROUP MUSINGS, WE FOUND A 2 SQ INCH DOT.

“Hyundai drivers index

highest for the amount of

research they do on their car

purchase.”

“Hyundai drivers index highest for the amount of

research they do on their car purchase.”

The creative platform described the audience and set up the idea.That gave us a name for the audience,

a passionate position,and what became the mission for the brand.

This is (some of) the work from the pitch.

SOME MORE EXAMPLES.CAN YOU SPOT THE INSIGHT

IN THE FOLLOWING ADS?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I07xDdFMdgw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhwH04Hl_G4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwRCBHhyrAA

A COUPLE MORE THINGS ABOUT INSIGHT.

AN IDEA CREATES SOMETHINGENTIRELY NEW.

AN INSIGHT COMES FROMWHAT ALREADY EXISTS.

image: hinderik

AND INSIGHT ISN’T EVERYTHING.I’D STILL LOVE TO DO IDEAS LIKE THIS.

THANK YOU

Further reading:http://www.simon-law.com/insightshttp://scampblog.blogspot.comhttp://www.cstadvertising.com/blog/

Find me at:http://persuasionism.comhttp://twitter.com/dionhughes