From concept to execution: Create your next big idea with a different kind of A-I

“Ideas are a dime a dozen”, because you are searching in a cluttered cesspool. It is not often, if at all, that you find treasures in a crowded space.

We are in the era of artificial intelligence (AI); the age of building computers with machine learning and self-awareness.

It is all the rave around us, from movies to documentaries and it has even sparked expert debates about the future of humanity.

If you want to trigger a conspiracy theorist, mention these words: sentient robots and watch the room explode.

Although AI can do that job twice as fast with great results, there is one thing we will always crave and that is the human touch.

This post is not about using a machine to craft your next big idea. Instead, we will explore how to generate ideas that are just as high-quality with 100% originality and soul.

Getting your inspiration from an alternate metaverse

If you are in the creative industry, you will have heard this buzzword thrown about a lot; “Big Idea”. In fact, one might argue that it is almost on cue to be one of those words copywriters would love to blacklist.

A big idea is the overarching theme that guides the direction of your campaign’s storytelling and you can adapt it across various media channels.

Every campaign needs a big creative idea to maintain a consistent message in each communication.

 

According to David Ogilvy, the acclaimed “Father of Advertising”, “Unless your advertising has a big idea, it will pass like a ship in the night.”

Over the years, marketers and ad men have conceived different ways to develop your big idea. From:

• The consumer insight and USP theory to

• The emotionally compelling + intellectually interesting formula.

Big ideas are centered on creativity. But, in this era of innovation where consumers are cynical and ad-conscious, it would take a more unconventional approach to catch their attention and interest, let alone create a desire that drives action.

This is where an alternative approach comes in; the concept of seeking creative inspiration from an alternate metaverse. Something I call “Alternate Immersion - A-I.”

Imagine a world where you can zag everyday ideas into left-field concepts.

What is alternate immersion?

A new approach to big ideas

For a marketing campaign to be groundbreaking, it must be unusual or atypical.

Some people say, “ideas are a dime a dozen”, and that’s because they are searching in the same cluttered cesspool. It is not often, if at all, that you find treasures in a crowded space.

The idea behind Alternate Immersion [A-I] is immersing yourself into an alternative space; the path less treaded. Because that is where the juicy ideas live.

The A-I Concept is a creative method of problem-solving where we derive our solutions from the alternative approach of unconventional thinking.

What alternative way can we probe a problem to tell our story in a way no-one has done before? A story that is rich yet exciting from an unusual perspective?

How to apply the A-I approach

To do this:

• We must first understand the problem.
  

• Then we identify the conventional truth, because this is how we interrogate the problem further to uncover the unconventional truth. One way to achieve this is through lateral thinking.
  

• Next, we seek out the immersion point, which is how your brand comes in to resolve this problem.

The intersection between the unconventional truth and the immersion point is our Alternate Immersion.

Example: a chocolate bar company

Take this example of a “fictional” chocolate bar company.

“Problem” – Chocolate bars are often considered snacks and will usually be consumed when people want to indulge themselves or as a treat [rather than as a meal]. But selective/occasional consumption hardly drives sales volumes in the food market.

Conventional Truth – People will love to treat themselves to the tastiest chocolate bar.

Unconventional Truth – Hungry people are “irrational” and will eat anything edible to satisfy their hunger, and this could be a chocolate bar.

Immersion Point – Our XX chocolate bar is fortified with enough calories to quell your hunger before the next big meal.

Big Idea [Alternate Immersion] – “You are not you when you are hungry.”

Try the steps above when crafting your next idea.

Why stories matter

In a recent survey, 55% of people interviewed said that a compelling story keeps them engaged through an ad.

This is the same reason why people think it is drudgery to attend a 20-minute office meeting but will gladly binge all 8 seasons of Game of Thrones without getting up from the couch.

Alternate Immersion helps you achieve this level of interest with your big idea.

Big ideas conceived from the A-I concept will deliver creativity beyond mediocrity.

The beauty is that they can also solve problems beyond advertising. A-I is a meta-versatile concept that could be used in content writing, sales negotiation, conflict resolution, crisis management and even the Art of War [strategy] as Sun Tzu knew it.

I could go on about how to apply this, but it would take another article to cover the concept in all its simplification.

Next time you're stuck on a creative challenge, don’t look where everyone else is looking. Try an A-I approach.

What’s the most unconventional way to solve your problem? Let’s hear your thoughts!

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