by Angelika Orgacki | Oct 7, 2011 | Creative
Sitting in on a production meeting at 3H and listening to how the team is trying to come up with an innovative idea for a new project caused me to recall a video I had watched in my Design Thinking class. The video was titled “The Deep Dive” and was about the employees at IDEO, a design firm, who were devising a plan to redesign the shopping cart. As with any of their projects, the employees at IDEO stress the importance of brainstorming to help create the best idea. The most interesting part of the video, and the one that seemed most fitting to this production meeting at 3H was IDEO’s acceptance and encouragement of wild ideas. The video reveals several ideas the team comes up with and emphasizes the need to build on wild ideas in order to ultimately achieve something innovative. This type of brainstorming was referred to as “focused chaos” and I have come to understand its practical application here at 3H as the team strives for innovative and creative ideas in everything they do.
The idea of brainstorming has peaked my curiousity of the actual origin of brainstorming. I visited Google for a little help to learn that Alex Faickney Osborn was the first to introduce group-thinking sessions to generate more ideas. He essentially set the technique of brainstorming into action. Osborn developed 4 rules to follow:
- Focus on quantity
- Withold criticism
- Welcome unusual ideas
- Combine and improve ideas.
Looking at these ideas, and comparing it to the brainstorming methods at IDEO and 3H, it is obvious to see that we continue to apply Osborn’s method as we search for the perfect answer to any and every problem at hand. It is with these unrealistic and diverse thoughts that we can step back and see what elements can be combined and eliminated to develop something new and creative.
by Miriam Hara | Oct 6, 2011 | Business Success, Creative, Events
Steve Jobs passed Wednesday October 5, 2011 and around the world people have written and spoken of the contributions that he has made to our world. If there ever was a person that demonstrated what drive, vision, creativity and above all passion can lead to… it definitely was Steve Jobs. We watched as he changed our world, and continued to do so, even as he was faced with his own mortality. President Obama released this statement regarding the passing of Steve Jobs. Bill Gates, Microsoft’s Co-founder and technology competitor to Steve Jobs wrote what an insane honour… and talks about their 30 year relationship. Across the world sentiments chime in from all types of people. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated “People like Steve Jobs change our world.”
As a creative person, I have professionally grown up with the MAC and by default, followed Steve Jobs and MAC ‘s innovation. Steve Jobs initially changed the landscape of my professional world… and in the last few years, I have watched him changed the landscape of our everyday lives. His legacy has changed the course of human communications and interactions. Few people leave behind such a profound mark on humanity so, in the true measure of a life, I say, well done Steve Jobs. Bravo!
Interpretation by Jonathan Mak Long
by Lindsay Sleightholm | Aug 31, 2011 | Creative
Creativity. Where does it come from? How does it happen? Some may think that an idea simply pops into your head. When you’re lucky, sometimes it does. Most of the time it needs to be coaxed. In a world of steady deadlines and day to day expectations, it is easy for the creative mind to get lost behind the left brain obligations. So, how can you inspire creativity when it is needed – when the idea doesn’t just ‘pop’ into your head?
There are various techniques and exercises that many creative people, be it designers, creative directors, marketers even artists use to summon the right brain when they need it. Everyone has a different process that inspires creativity. It is unique to the individual. What works for one person, may not work for the next. The only real mystery is finding the right combination of techniques that work for you.
Here are a few techniques to help inspire your creative thinking. Who knew listening to the left brain could help us develop the right brain?
- Sketching
- Free Writing
- Mind Mapping
- Problem Reversal
- Group Brainstorming
by Miriam Hara | Mar 2, 2011 | Creative, Design
Typography, although not known to many outside of the design field, is a huge factor when it comes to print and interactive media. A lot of the toil and sweat goes unnoticed in those 2-10 key words that usually make up headlines. It is a subtle art, and is not as simple as some have surmised – the ability to convey a message that marries the design perfectly. It is an integral process of the design strategy. It can’t be obvious, has to be understated – yet it has to be bold enough to marshal attention. A good headline could even be the entire base of a creative.
Think of the creative dynamic as a sturdy table, and the headline is the top of the table, where all the ideas sit, and the design, copy, creative are the legs.
A good headline not only conveys an instant message, but also embodies the concept of the ad total. It can’t compete with the visual, it has to make the visual snap into a conscious place in the ad viewer’s conscious – and it has to aim to stay there.
The message has to be clear, but the typography should somehow embody it.
Typography is no accident – just look at your ads and decide – what really catches your eye? What do you remember? If typography wasn’t essential, do you think most corporations would bother regulating their font types? (ie. Apple’s most notable success found with the now iconic Adobe Myriad, and the market’s constant notice of its change.)
3 things to remember:
Positioning : placement tells a story
Size and font type: sets the tone and feel
Content: Consider what will make the design memorable
by Miriam Hara | Jun 7, 2010 | Advertising, Business Success, Creative
Advertising 101: Deadlines don’t change at the last minute, so why wait till the day of delivery to state that to clients? It always surprises me to hear a certain timbre of frustration in clients’ voices when speaking about this topic in reference to their agencies. How complicated can this be? Our business is based on creativity and deadlines. Advertising 101 is all about meeting both of these requirements is what solidifies sound working partnerships and relationships.
Photo by @mikepick available under a creative commons license
The philosophy at my agency has always been to be transparent with our clients. If we are brought into a project and briefed with a set deadline that we feel we cannot meet based on our quality standard and the mandate, we will say so right there. That’s exercising Advertising 101 for relationship building. Nothing is worse than accepting a project and not respecting the time commitment, and in fact, letting down your client. That is setting up your team for failure. At times it hasn’t been easy, but with our process efficiencies, knowledge and talent, we can proudly say we have never missed a deadline in over 20 years… and that really means that we have never failed our clients.
