Here you’ll find relevant use cases for Ideasicle X. Articles on the art of generating ideas while working remotely. Insights and studies into creativity itself. All from the desk of our founder and CEO, Will Burns.
We like to think ideas are in our control. That we can sit down, think, and boom, an idea will happen. And that may happen for some, sometimes. But more often than not an idea hits you when you least expect it. In the shower, while gardening, or even by accident. I was curious about accidental ideas and did a little research. What follows are several great examples of these accidents and then ways we might be able to encourage happy accidents to occur.
Read MoreThe collaborative "build" on ideas was fun to watch. A nugget by one person would turn into a bigger idea and then bigger yet again. I have to be honest, it's great to arrive at a great idea, but the imagination and collaboration that the Ideasicle X platform enabled made the process more rewarding than the final output. Our meeting with the prospect was a success.
Read MoreLook at the problems you face, look at the components of those problems, and ask yourself, “I see what this component is, but what could it be?” The more we can train ourselves to realize nothing is as it seems, the more likely we are to see beyond the narrow definitions that surround us, and the more likely we are to see all that things that could be.
Read MoreHave you ever found yourself stuck in a creative rut when you're jamming like hell on a particular idea project, unable to generate new ideas? According to a recent study by Jackson G. Lu, Modupe Akinola, and Malia Mason at Columbia Business School, switching back and forth from one creative task to another can actually increase creativity by reducing a thing called “cognitive fixation.”
Read MoreI have known Scott Biniak for nearly my entire career. We worked together at Wieden & Kennedy in the late 1990s on the Microsoft account. I remember being struck by his intelligence, passion, and enthusiasm for advertising and strategy. Since that time he went client side at Nike (among other places) and was the force behind LeBron James’ “We are all witnesses” brand idea. I say “brand idea,” but did you know that line started as an unfunded billboard in Cleveland, OH? I didn’t either.
Read MoreThe game is over, the ads have run, and once again we are sorely disappointed. The Super Bowl is supposed to be The Beatles of advertising, the best of the best, the spots with the biggest and most creative ideas. But, with a few exceptions this year, they were flat and/or non-ideas. Yet still cost on average nearly $7M a pop to run. Not sure about you, but we’re tired of it and we’re taking this problem into our own hands.
Read MoreI’ve been told that working on Ideasicle X projects is like playing in a band. There are ideas thrown around to the rest of the “band” and they build on those ideas and riff on them until the polished gems emerge. Well, that’s never been more true, literally and figuratively, than when Ideasicle Expert, Mark Ray, is assigned to an idea job. He’s an idea guy and an accomplished musician. Here’s how he came to be, what he values, and how music is at his core.
Read MoreTurns out the most potent motivation techniques do not involve money or bonuses or better coffee (extrinsic motivation), but involve getting validation, recognition, and praise (intrinsic motivation). It occurred to me that virtual idea generation, because you can invite employees to an idea project, has a tangential benefit of providing employees many, if not all, of these intrinsic motivations.
Read MoreI was interviewed on the Brands In Action Podcast by David Baldwin. We really covered the gamut on this one. My advertising agencies past (Wieden, Goodby, Arnold, and Leonard/Monahan), how Ideasicle X came to be, how companies can take advantage of it, what creativity is (and isn’t) in public schools, and much more.
Read MoreWe’ve been playing around with ChatGPT now for a few weeks. And while many sages in the advertising industry are poo-pooing it for not being innovative or bringing truly original creativity, I think they are missing a powerful and useful application of this technology. And one we plan to use at Ideasicle X.
Read MoreClaudia Caplan is one of my go-to Ideasicle Experts because she has attitude, she is fearless, she’s brilliant, and says exactly what she thinks. All important ingredients in being successful within our little idea generating platform. But one thing I didn’t know until recently is her relentless curiosity and depth that comes with continuous higher learning. Just an inspiration. But I’m going to let her tell you.
Read MoreIntuitively I have always thought that creativity is a spiritual act. I mean, what is “God” to most people but the ultimate “creator,” right? But I’ve never been able to put my finger on why I feel that creativity is spiritual. So I asked the AI engine ChatGPT and its answer gave me a very interesting insight. Below is the prompt I used, the ChatGPT response, and then my reaction to it. Hope it inspires you a little.
Read MoreEvery Ideasicle Expert has agency over themselves. Beyond their individual genius, their agency over themselves pays powerful dividends when it comes to virtual idea generation. Here’s why.
Read MoreI regularly check the science boards and university press releases for new studies on creativity. Specifically, studies that show us some small or big way to increase our own creativity. In compiling ten years worth of such studies on our Scientific Studies page, I noticed a pattern across many, if not all of those studies. That is, reducing our ability to focus on the physical 3D world increases our creativity. These studies appear quite different on the surface—the creative effects of sound, light, certain activities like walking, etc.—but I believe they are just different ways we can get out of this world in order to be more creative.
Read MoreCould artificial intelligence further improve the virtual model we’ve already created with Ideasicle X? To explore what’s possible I’ve had several conversations with companies who specialize in AI. What follows are simple applications of AI we came up with, progressing from the basic wow to the less expected holy moly.
Read MoreCreative ideas are everything at Ideasicle X. That’s why a recent addition to the Ideasicle Expert ranks is Suzanne McKenzie. She began her career as a designer at Boston shops Arnold and Continuum (I worked with her at Arnold). She was not only a gifted designer, she was a conceptual, and big, thinker who could also design. However, soon after stints with the Boston agency world, a tragedy happened and her life changed forever.
Read MoreYou’ve got a pile of creative ideas in front of you. Maybe they were generated by your in-house team, your agency, or even from an Ideasicle X project. Regardless, you’re feeling good, fortified, and excited with all this potential. But now you’ve got to evaluate these ideas and decide which ones with which to move forward. Here are a few important criteria by which to filter that list down to the 3-5 best ones.
Read MoreI got to see Ernie in action several times when I was at Arnold when he freelanced on pitches. Not that he needed auditions for Ideasicle X. The man is an advertising legend. But I remember being so impressed with his lateral thinking and ability to tell a great story. Well, he wrote a book that is a must-read for anyone in advertising because it’s as relevant today as ever. Ernie, take it away.
Read MorePREEMPTIVE BRIEF SERIES: When we see a marketing challenge out there sometimes we’ll proactively write a “preemptive creative brief” for it and prepare a plan using Ideasicle X to solve that challenge. This is one of those times. Please use your connections to help us get this preemptive brief to someone at Peloton.
Read MoreLisa Taylor is an Ideasicle Expert. She is a writer by trade, but a mom when not trading words. Evidently, a very good mom. Her son had a learning disability—dyslexia—and Lisa, naturally, had a big idea to help not only her son, but all families dealing with this disability. Best if Lisa tells you the rest.
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