Sometimes, the best creative ideas don’t involve layers of complexity or clever references to popular culture – sometimes they’re just a case of looking at something differently and adding a little touch.
Take a look at this – my local barber shop:
They’ve turned the drainpipes either side of their shop into barber’s poles, with the simple addition of red tape, in swirls.
They looked at those drainpipes and saw something different – a quick, simple, visual idea.
Take a look at the barcode on this packaging for Ryvita thins (crispy strips, made with both wheat and rye flour):
Someone looked at a simple barcode and saw something else. It doesn’t make me more inclined to buy the product, but it’s clever nonetheless.
How about this for simplicity:
This is taken from answers to a @OneMinuteBriefs brief to advertise jump leads. It’s from @ZedTrafficker.
It’s so simple – to the point where you wonder how it’s not been done before (it definitely hasn’t, just in case you were wondering).
@ZedTrafficker looked at that logo – those two letters – and saw something no-one else did. Two little touches is all it took to create a work of genius.
And here’s some more genius simplicity, taken from answers to another @OneMinuteBriefs brief – to advertise an advertising awards event showcasing creative talent outside of London:
These come from @BLACKTEA_DESIGN and nail the brief with ease: @BLACKTEA_DESIGN saw something the rest of us didn’t – that little touch to something already out there.
It takes a real clarity of mind to come up with these ideas, but they’re so quick and simple. It’s just a case of looking at one thing, making a slight tweak, and turning it into something quite different.
It’s the little touches that lead to brilliant ideas.