In my years of generating Ideas, I have found that while
each one is unique, the path is eerily similar. In my head this process is
generational in that it takes one step to create the next.
The first generation of Ideas are the easy ones. The puns,
the things that are like other things, the simple connections. These make
sense, have the basic feel of an Idea and sometimes convince you that you are
done. A little time watching TV and you’ll see plenty of these. The most basic
is the illustrate the problem. “Auto Insurance got you pulling your hair out?”
And the visual is a guy pulling his hair out. Heh Heh. That’s great. Look at
him with the wacky hair and he looks pissed. And there’s your logo.
Illustrate the problem is but one example of First
Generation Ideas. Write em down so they no longer take up valuable space in
your brain.
Second Generation Ideas make no sense. Sometimes in
brainstorming you think they make sense. But when you go back over your list,
you end up asking, “What did we mean Ice Cream Sundae of home repair options. I
thought that was cool yesterday, but I can’t really explain it today.”
Don’t worry. You are moving toward an Idea. Crazy
connections that don’t work, that others don’t understand, that take three page
explanations are part of the process.
Because then you come to the beauties of third generation
Ideas. Having gone thru the obvious and the derivative, moved past the insane,
you’ve arrived at Gold. OK all the concepts you develop here aren’t Gold, but to
come up with a clear, strong concept that uniquely connects your
product/service to your customer/prospect, it takes work.
So don’t settle for the common or the crazy. Work to get to
the Idea.
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