5 techniques for creative thinking

Along with automation, a creative approach can turn a project into a successful milestone. But what happens when it’s a bad day for creativity? When Mercury is in retrograde and creative thinking seems to fade away? Don’t call it cheating, but there are some templates which help you be more imaginative and see the product you have to advertise for in a different light.

Here are five examples of creative thinking templates you can use, according to your product:

Think of an extreme consequence

Consider what would happen if your consumer couldn’t use your product. Find a comic negative perspective and exaggerate as you wish, within the brand’s limitations. You can also use the positive perspective: what happens when your consumer uses the product? Play with this premise and go as far as your tone of voice and your brand admits. 

The most popular exemple for Extreme Consequence is the Axe commercial, when all the ladies come along after the man uses the spray.

Use an absurd alternative

This template is pretty similar to the previous, as creative thinking. It makes you wonder what you would use if you couldn't use your product. The effect is always funny and sometimes catastrophic, enhancing the idea that the product is the best solution for your need.

A famous example is a guy wrapped in cotton wool to ensure his safety instead of using a Volvo car.

Associate your product with a cause

When your product triggers something meaningful for the user, your chances to be top of mind for him are getting bigger. And associating your product with a relevant cause might be beneficial both for your product and for the cause.

If you are looking for an example, you can take Dove’s manifest for natural beauty. 

Interact with the consumer

Advertising is a dynamic world and attention span is something you have to keep in mind while creating a campaign. In order to drag attention, you could require an interaction from your consumer, when in contact with your product. You might ask it to take a selfie in a funny way with the product, chances are you'll be well remembered if the consumer connects an emotion to this experience.

An example would be the small child chairs Ikea put at the subway in order for children to sit while waiting for the metro in Bucharest.

Introduce a variable 

If you have to create a promotion, think how you could introduce a relevant variable into it. The variable might relate to weather, society, your boss or even something online.

In Australia, a chocolate bar company related its chocolate price to weather. Every time the temperature rose above a certain grade, chocolate would get a discount. 

Other tricks? Just relax. Sometimes you have to give time some time.