Why Generic Ideation Tools Fall Short for Remote Creative Agencies

Many virtual brainstorming tools focus on one main function—creating a shared virtual space for ideas. Platforms like Miro and Google Docs provide simple online frameworks for brainstorming, offering a blank canvas or a shared document where teams can contribute ideas in realtime or over time. While effective for light collaboration, it doesn’t take long to realize these tools were not developed for the advertising business. Google Docs wasn’t even developed for idea generation. Here’s why that matters and what you can do about it.

CommentaryWill BurnsNovember 1, 2024remote work, advertising, brainstorm

Are You Channeling The Brand Or Just Branding The Channel?

Many businesses think their logo is their brand. Spoiler alert: it’s not. A logo, like a brand name, is simply a symbol that represents a brand, but it doesn’t define the brand itself. What makes a brand truly powerful goes much deeper than visuals or words.

CommentaryWill BurnsOctober 22, 2024brand, branding, logo

2025 is Calling—And It Wants These 3 Marketing Ideas Ready In Advance

2024 is moving by at a blinding pace. But 2025 is giving us clues as to what marketers could be doing now in order to get ready. We want you to be prepared, so we’ve been thinking about what the three most important “kinds” of ideas marketers can be thinking about now in preparation for what will likely be a wild 2025.

CommentaryWill BurnsOctober 18, 20242025, marketing, ideas

Turning the Creative Brief Into A Living Organism

In much of the advertising world, the creative brief is treated like a static document—a checklist, a rulebook, a set of instructions. But at Ideasicle X, we see it differently. For us, the brief isn’t the final word—it’s the first spark. It ignites the creative process, and while the brief itself doesn’t change during the creative process, its influence on the creative team grows and evolves as the ideas take shape. When approached the right way, a brief doesn’t dictate creative solutions, it fuels them, turning into something dynamic and alive.

Creativity, CommentaryWill BurnsOctober 9, 2024creative brief, advertising, inspiration

Clients Want Agencies Who Are Obsessed With Something

I talk to agencies all the time, from the large global players to the nimble boutiques. I talk to clients all the time, too. And as I hear their stories, a few clear themes are emerging. Themes that will require a more energetic and potent way to for agencies to differentiate from other agencies.

Commentary, PromotionWill BurnsOctober 7, 2024agencies, clients, new business, obsession

Ageism In Advertising Needs To Get Off My Lawn

The advertising world often worships the new, the fresh, and the young. But dismissing older creative people as "out of touch" is highly short-sighted. Are experienced creatives more expensive? Sure, on paper. But here are five reasons why older creatives can be invaluable to any advertising or marketing team, despite their higher ticket prices:

CommentaryWill BurnsOctober 4, 2024Geezer, ageism, advertising

The Future Of Advertising: Temporary Help On A Continuous Basis

The advertising world is in flux, and so is the way we think about utilizing creative talent. Good talent is expensive and hard to find, the talent an agency has is maxed out, and to top it off client budgets aren’t getting any bigger. In fact, brands are rejecting traditional "agency of record" relationships. Instead, brands are dipping in and out of agencies as they build up their in-house teams. What is an advertising agency to do in this environment? I’ll tell you. Agencies need temporary help on a continuous basis.

CommentaryWill BurnsSeptember 27, 2024freelance, advertising, talent

The Perils Of Brands Taking Sides In Highly Charged Social Issues

I was interviewed this week by Fox News Digital about the effects of brands going “woke” in their advertising. Since my Forbes Contributor days I’ve written about the perils of brands taking sides in highly charged political issues. Because once a company takes a side—either side, mind you— the company alienates its brand to the same degree the issue is polarized.

CommentaryWill BurnsAugust 11, 2024fox news, woke, branding

In-House Agencies And The Rise Of The New AOR: "Angel Of Record"

The recent news of Liberty Mutual hiring Bandits & Friends, a small 15-person agency in New York City, as their lead creative partner marks a significant shift in the advertising industry. This move away from larger, established agencies signals a broader trend: the rise of robust in-house agencies on one hand and the evolving scope of the “Agency of Record.” Is that even the right name for these agency/client relationships anymore? More on that in a minute.

CommentaryWill BurnsJune 27, 2024liberty mutual, bandits & friends, AOR, agency of record, Goodby

Idea We Wish We Thought Of: Staples Launders Amazon Returns

Imagine Godzilla and King Kong opened a lemonade stand together. That’s how I perceive this agreement between retail enemies, Staples and Amazon. At first, you hear the idea and you’re like, okay whatever, Staples is accepting returns from Amazon orders. Who cares? But dig into the details and one can see how brilliant this move is for Staples. It’s an idea Sun Tzu (“Art of War”) would be proud of. Let’s break it down.

CommentaryWill BurnsJune 4, 2024staples, amazon, returns, idea

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