:: Creative Concept - a method

by Carole Guevin

Creative:

showing ability or power to conceive, given to creating, make an impression

Concept:

the originating of something in the mind, imagine as possible, a generic idea abstracted from particular instances, foresee result(s)

Thus, a creative concept is a generic idea conceived to make an impression, carrying meaning and generating understanding.

The context:

The grand scheme meaning attribution in short, the buzzword *creative*, is way far too reaching like a huge canopy falling all over a wide range of activities and too often, misinterpreted as *expression* or *production* activities.

Keep in mind the fundamental difference between expression and impression. One use the prefix *ex* as in external or exterior the latter uses the prefix *in/im* pointing to *internal* or *interior*.

So, when one is creative, it refers in its strict first meaning: to inner activity. In this article, I will try to (re)define what is a creative concept and its role in the process chain necessary to deliver a powerful project.

The word creative stems from the word conceive... which is most of the time in reference with human conception, done inside, one that is private, hidden, and unseen. Interestingly, being creative is not a public activity and demands as such, a proper environment setting in order for you to conceive with brilliance.

The environment:

Let's assume you have landed a new project and you have the client's brief in hand. You need to immerse yourself with this new information and challenge.

You need to set in motion new thought patterns because your task is to generate a new way of messaging the client service/product.

You need to find a powerful concept.

You need to shift yourself into parallel thinking 1 - which means all ideas are possible or perhaps you are more familiar with the out of the box process.

To achieve this, you have to let go of immediate environment and preoccupations. One thing that blocks creativity is stress. The worst ideas come from stress-induced decisions. Remember the core immediate meaning of *being* creative means you need to retreat *inside*.

Do one or two things first

Absorption of new information is best done when the mind can drift. So is your studio or workstation the appropriate physical place? If yes, then grab your favorite music and headphones, put it loud enough so that it occupies first plan in your attention. If the studio is not suitable, go to a favorite spot like a library; anywhere a place actually, where external stimulations are present but not overwhelmingly so. In order for the mind to find the right drifting environment - daily stimuli must be shutdown temporarily.

By the way, the studio war room as known as the boardroom is NOT a good place. Why?

As humans, we associate activities with certain places - it conditions certain activities. When you're in the kitchen - you will be drawn to the fridge to grab a snack, etc. Well, you get the general idea. So the war room, is dedicated to meeting with clients for presentations or to brainstorm with your colleagues both *external/exterior* activities and aimed at outside results - it is an out-going mode. To come up with a creative concept, you must be in an *in-going* mode.

Conditioning yourself to have set steps i.e. a recipe, to conduct internal mind drifting, demands discipline and some preparation ahead. Most important: find the one that works for you. Remember your workstation is associated with *production* activities again, make sure you are capable of inducing this interior retreat.

No matter what your recipe is - to be creative - you need to permit your mind to shutdown to present activities, stimuli, and preoccupations.

You need to wander in your imagination in an unrestrained and free fashion.

You need to be in the proper mindset to conceive new ideas.

Also - if you think the environment to be a foolish step - let me remind you that, what you need to attempt is to overcome your client's past communication history and strategies (and in fact, that's ALL they remember) and you were hired to come up with something new that will support their branding mission. That is a sobering fact and a huge responsibility. Coming up with something NEW is a really big challenge since you will have to convey your *concept* in a way that the client gets the right impression and understanding.

Blank pad page #1

Now you’re settled and ready to start. The only things you need for this first exercise is a blank pad, pen, highlighter, dictionary and client brief. Take the brief - read it slowly. Write down in a list style, keywords or elements that seem to *jump* out. Now turn the brief pages face down, flip to a new page and write the five first words that come to mind in a cluster like fashion - meaning spread them on the page as you see fit with a lot of blank space between them. Write your own definition of that word. No intellectual justification - right off - write what it means to you.

Then, look up each words in the dictionary - one that has a thesaurus included is even better so you can get a vast array of similar meaning, synonymous words. Around the word using arrows - look for the *meaning* that explains best the words you've written. Keep in mind - that the words are already half-processed thoughts. The exercise is to help give form to your intuitive thinking. Let yourself absorb the meaning... and when you stop thinking, go the next word on the page.

Going three meaning deep for each words should be your limit. Don't summarize the definitions in more than five to seven words. They have to be concise - if you can't make them concise - move on - the thought evocation is too complex - if you can't synthesize it - nor will anybody else. Don't try to apply these to your own definitions or to client's mandate yet. Just enjoy and marvel at the meaning of these words, at the newly found knowlege. You will discover that you probably knew of the first level meaning of a word but will discover, up to six or seven more levels. Bottom line: we don't know what words really mean.

Also, look up the words that are part of the definitions. This deepens the meaning... do so until you have no more interest in the word - or the next definition, becomes unrelated. Follow these leisurely as long as your interest is sustained. As soon as you loose interest, move to another.

Blank pad page #2

Flip to another blank page. Reread your cluster of words - and try to instantly grasp sentences that stand out. Write these down in cluster style again, meaning spread the different sentences all over the page. Then expand upon these - in a short sentence of four to five words.

Think liner style.

Think concise.

Think punchy.

Try to connect some definitions together using arrows. Doesn't matter if the 1st page starts to look like a visual mess. It's ok. It's your first take at following what I call an *unformed leading thought*. Don't push it. Don't rationalize. Just connect the different ideas, let your imagination drift. Keep on rereading - after a while - a pattern will emerge. It's like a glimpse into a possible scheme of thought, a primitive structure or just a new understanding.

Blank pad page #3

The next step is to isolate the fuzzy structures. Write down whatever thoughts you have retained from steps #1 and #2. NO longer than a 2-3 sentences paragraph. Try storytelling.

Example:

1) He rings

2) she answers

3) he walks away...

This is a delicate step. Your mind is, at this point, impregnated and saturated. You might feel a rush to write 2 pages right on the spot. BUT don't do it! The creative *cream* is churning. Go to step #4.

Blank pad page #4

Reread - pages #1 to #3 - write the most worthy combinations of words in a single sentence. At this point you can see *images*. You should be envisioning something, meaning, you should be able to have a good inner visualization of the thoughts you have retained.

If you can't - scrapt it. Keep only those for which you *see* something.

It can be color, it can be a graphic form, it can be a picture, and it can be a whole story. At this point, what you retain, is what you envision as possible and you're ready to attempt giving it a *face* i.e. a design.

What is a concept?

A concept is a string of ideas. As oppose to an idea, which is, a stand-alone direction. An idea is not enough to make a concept with. A concept if feasible, can be carried out and you should actually be able to produce a rough mock-up.

A concept holds many ideas together; an idea is like a lego block not the final construction. The final construction is the concept.

A creative concept has the role of achieving *credibility and believability* for your client's service/product. Beware, big sign flashing here: don't lie or twist meaning. The *creative* exercise is to immerse yourself in the true meaning of words upon which you will build a new message.

For example: your client has a new product and doesn't know how to present it? He has a problem. As communication designers, our role is to solve problems using visual and textual designs "to generate a perceived quality; perception of which, is based on facts of trustworthiness and expertise". 2

At this point, you should have at least two or three conceptual leads to start with. Next, you build the first design mock-up. Do it as close as possible to your *initial* concise sentence (scenario). Either draw it on paper - or if the *image* is clear enough, do a quick photoshop iteration. This is your starting point. Then brainstorm with your team.

While having the meeting - present your sentences, use your note if necessary - open the discussion and listen to the feedback. THEN show your mock-ups. If no team, an alter ego or trusted sources will do.

The session you will see - will turn out to be so energized and full of enthusiasm and, lastly, will avoid costly waste of time. Trying to search for the *concept* in a group effort is a no-no: remember conceptualization is an inner process and brainstorming an out-going process.

Never start a project on a single idea.

Build a solid creative concept first and watch both client and team members get charged with expectations.

Bibliography:

1Parallel thinking - From Socratic to de Bono Thinking - by Edward de Bono, ISBN 0-14-023076-9.

2The elements of computer credibility - by BJ Foggs and Hsiang Tseng, May 1999.

Originally published in Creative Behavior Magazine - ? 2002

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