Each piece of art, as well as any problem solving or the making of an advertising campaign, usually contains the same steps to take. They can be described as follows:
Acknowledge a problem and describe it.
What is the desired outcome?
Who is it for and why?
What would make it feel fulfilling and how?
Research the topic, the organization and the target group
Compare what has been done already and what competitors are doing and how
Come up with possible solutions within a set time and budget
Most creative processes include coming up with an idea. To come up with an idea is the actual creative effort, that in turn also has its own process. It can be to first gather research or to talk to its preferred recipients to find out what they need and would like. In my own creative process, I've found that taking a break and doing something practical often helps, just as pondering about it, evaluating ways, and finding something unique. We can also try something different to see possible alternatives to the actual finished result. In advertising, we often talk about returning to our first instinct, but not until we've tried other ways of expression too. All in all, the creative process is like baking a cake - blending the ingredients and letting them sit before we put it into the oven, ie printing the book or sawing the dress... You can be creative too!
What needs change in your life or at work? Which problem would you like to solve? Contact me for a first free meeting.
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