Creative Marketing Ideas for Branding
Want to generate more creative ideas in Ireland? Here’s what you need to know.
Where do you summon your great ideas from. How do you get inspired. How do you get creative?
Our minds are endlessly filtering thoughts and ideas, we direct and prioritize these ideas which we tend to take for granted, but when you explore the depths of your imagination, you will discover abundant material for creativity.
Don’t be too hard on your mind.
We tend to censor ourselves and seek approval from others. To be creative your mind must be open to suggestion and challenge your emotions.
When you were at school, the chances are that you got into trouble and would do anything to escape your punishment. What did you do, panic ! Yes, your mind went into survival mode and started to be creative. Sometimes it did not work but it definitely put you outside your comfort zone, thus creating great creativity.
Break thought patterns
I am thinking how to make this article more creative and need to unblock my regular thought patterns. By changing the way I normally approach the writing process challenges my imagination and by listening to the radio inspires me and vocabulary flows from the speakers.
Some of the best ideas are born by chance and quite often something you hear or see are totally unconnected to the situation in hand.
Creativity is to connect the unconnected. Steve Jobs
One way to clear your mind and enhance your creative ideas is to do simple things like going for a walk. This time of 
year is a very creative with the stunning autumn colours in full bloom. Look at passing people and smile, make a comment. This could inspire you to be creative and implement ideas that do not necessarily relate to your surroundings.
I heard a good piece of advise recently, during your working routine, take a break every twenty minutes. Go for a walk, talk to people, but not work related, have a coffee. This will encourage the thought process to make more creative decisions.
Get very Uncomfortable
It is easy for us to fall into a daily routine and this stifles our creative juices so why not get uncomfortable and stimulate your mind.
One way to do this is to travel and land in an unfamiliar environment. You will be exposed to new cultures and new solutions to problems.
Back in 2001 I traveled to Vietnam not knowing anything about the country. I landed armed with a camera and a suitcase and went straight to Saigon. The first morning I awoke in complete panic thinking what am I doing here. ( I had no plan! ) I changed to a smaller hotel nearer town, then met an English girl who lived in Saigon. She asked me to go to the local Irish pub that night to meet the local expats. I stayed for three years ! I have returned several times, very exciting. Get on a plane and get lost in someone else’s world.
Write it Down
Having travelled I not only took hundreds of pictures it made sense to write a travel blog. Wherever you go take a notebook and record quirky things, overheard conversations.
I heard recently about a film producer travelling on the subway in New York and overheard a group of girls who were returning from ice skating. What he heard inspired him and he is now making a movie about their story.
You could keep a journal of your weekly activities but put an amusing slant on it. By writing can trigger different neurological reactions that enhance creativity.
Mess up Your Routine
Sometimes you wonder why you wear a watches you do the same thing everyday at the same time. I used to drive to work in Manchester and every morning a saw a red Jaguar with a businessman reading the Financial Times. I knew it was 11 minutes past eight. This routine went on for two years !
Try taking an alternative route or method to get to work or going to the shops. Rather than sitting when having a meeting, stand up and walk around.
Try new and colorful food and go to a different coffee house. ( don’t forget your notebook )
When you travel on the train or bus, strike up a conversation and try to smile to three strangers a day. You should get a good response which will fire up your creativity.
A game which is great fun to play is comparing people to animals and guess what pet they would own. This stretches your creative imagination.
How do you make your ideas more creative?
