How Do You Know An Idea Is Great?
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
It’s one thing to come up with an idea. Doing so requires hard work, perseverance, and an open mind. But it’s quite another to recognize an idea as great. In fact, I’d argue recognizing a great idea is as important a skill as coming up with the idea in the first place. So I asked a few of my well-oiled advertising and marketing friends to tell us how THEY know an idea is great.
John and Paul
But first, let’s start with two of the greatest creators of all time, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Paul has often said that in the early days when the two were writing multiple songs a day, they would see which songs they remembered the next day. And THAT would tell them whether or not it was a good idea. Interesting, right?
david lubars, chairman/chief creative officer, bbdo
“Well, when I first see it, I become inflamed with raging jealousy and feel hatred for whoever did it. Then I transition from hating whoever did it to hating myself for not having done it. Then I transition from hating myself to grabbing the first person I see and saying, ‘You have to check this thing out, it’s so great.’ All of this happens inside of ten seconds.”
Hilarious, but insightful comment. Creativity is a very personal, powerful, emotional thing.
Jen Weise, Creative Director
"I know an idea is great when it won't shut up—a great idea is loud and persistent and keeps popping in my head until I do something with it."
Sort of Beatle-esque, I’d say. The ones you remember the next day won’t shut up.
Rob Schwartz, Chair TBWA Group
“When I’m pitching an idea, I know it’s good when I see the audience unconsciously lean in. People’s faces and body language rarely lie. With a good idea, they can’t help it. You can see someone’s eyes widen or a smile breaks lit. And even on screen, a good idea will draw someone in.”
Love this because it gets to a fundamental truth about ideas. Ideas are energy. Good ones elicit a visceral, unconscious response from people. Rob captures that perfectly here.
Kara Goodrich, Senior Creative Director, BBDO
“I know an idea is great when I think about it more than once and actually feel compelled to describe it in detail to people I know, who aren’t even in the business.”
I think it’s interesting that Kara goes outside to the “real world” to share her idea when she thinks it’s great. And notice Kara also deployed the Beatles’ method, if she thinks about the idea “more than once.”
Ernie Schenck, Freestyle Creative Director, Writer, Author and Brand Strategist
“I know I’m on the frequency when I’ve gotten someone to feel something. Sadness. Happiness. Fear. Pride. If a thought’s enough to make me cry, then I flat out know it’s going to have the same effect on other people. It’s kind of a canary in the coal mine thing.”
He had me at frequency. And another ad legend who depends on emotion to know if an idea is great.
Suzanne McKenzie, Founder/CCO Able Made
“I know an idea is great when it is grounded in truth and authenticity and it is a new, creative way of expressing that idea–and emotionally, I just have a good gut feeling about it.”
There’s another reference to how an idea feels. We might be onto something here.
David Baldwin, Lead Guitar, Baldwin&
"You know an idea is big (great) when it creates a hundred other ideas."
Dang if that’s not the truth. It’s like a great idea unlocks the floodgates of its own possibilities. I also love how David said “…it creates” as if this new, great idea was now a conscious, independent force.
Lance Jensen, Chief Creative Officer
“For me, any of the truly great work I've been a part of is immediate. Suddenly, you can see it, all of it. See how it works everywhere. There is no doubt. No hesitation. No "thinking" about its validity. It's the one. And it comes to you whole and complete, all wrapped up in a nice red bow. A present from the universe. The key is to be in that mental state that allows you to receive it. After that, all you need to do is stay true to it and not drop the ball in the production.”
A present from the universe. Love that, and sometimes it absolutely feels that way. But Lance also brings up the immediacy I’ve experienced myself. You immediately see the potency of the idea. Immediately.
Melina Engel, CMO at JobGet
“For me I know it's a great idea if it's fecund—it sparks a waterfall of other great ideas.“
Okay, I admit I had to look up “fecund” but now I see Melina is so right and appears to agree wholeheartedly with David Baldwin above.
And now perhaps my favorite quote of all my advertising and marketing friends. It’s closer to a feature film than a quote, but man does it capture what a great idea feels like.
Roger Baldacci, Co-founder, Strange Animal
“You can tell an idea is great if it makes you jump off your chair. Like literally jump up, pound your fist in the air and shout “Fuck, nailed it!” Your heart starts pounding. Your mind starts racing with all the ways it can branch out into all mediums. Social, digital and activations ideas flow so effortlessly. You can tell you have a great idea when you want to celebrate by drinking beer at lunch. And only beer. And once you nail that great idea? That’s when you truly relax. Which allows you to come up with even better ideas.”
I can almost feel Roger feeling like he’s had a great idea, can you? And again we’ve got the visceral and physical reactions to mental prowess.
Having a great idea or witnessing the birth of one is one of life’s great thrills. In fact, it’s an important skill and one that can be sharpened with experience. Honestly, it’s the reason I started Ideasicle X. I just love the dopamine hit I get when I witness (or have) a great idea.
How about you? How do YOU know a great idea when you see one? Pile on below in the comments.
Will Burns is the CEO of Ideasicle X. Contact him via email: willb@ideasiclex.com.