Werkshop Marketing » Dig Reflections

Brainstorming

Jenn — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:39:46 +0000

Like most Creatives I brainstorm for a living, but I had never really broken down or analyzed my brainstorming process until Holly started peppering me with questions about it. Brainstorming to me is all about collaborating, so when we were planning how to structure the Brainstorming DIG on 8/26 I immediately knew that putting together a panel of fellow brainstormers to discuss the topic was definitely the way to go. When I was choosing the panel I treated it like a brainstorming session, pulling together a variety of people who come from different scenarios (in-house and agency) as well as from different head spaces (email, web, media production, print design and marketing strategy) but who participate in the formal and informal act of brainstorming all the time. Thank you to Chris Blanz, Allison Davis and John Hussey for participating!

I guess I would peg my style within any creative project as “strategic/organic” which mainly just means that I always have clear goals in mind and do tons of research but arrive at my solutions in a very organic way. Creating a spark, layering ideas and collaboration are the key. Below are a few of my tips to help you have a productive brainstorming effort:

1. Know your goal. What problem are you trying to solve?
2. Use a group. Keep your group lean and mean and get the right variety. Maybe invite the accountant or someone who comes from a different head space.
3. Write down everything and encourage others to do the same.
4. Make sure there is a moderator who can guide the group (politics and all) through an effective session.
5. Give all participants equal time to share. A good moderator will encourage this to happen.
6. Embrace the ridiculous- even those ideas could lead to an effective solution.

Keep those creative juices flowing.

Dot-Com-Munication comes to Bowling Green!

Tim — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:37:59 +0000

Professor Rob, I have a question — How do we make our website so awesome that it totally integrates with social media? For all Diggers who attended the DIG in BG today, we received the answer to just that question. Call it going back to school. Call it “we learned a thing or two today”. Call it what ever you want, but I think we can all agree it was well worth our time. Rob Blackford knows his stuff. Yes, I said it, his stuff. I can honestly say that Rob is one of the most talented and genuine people I have ever had the distinct pleasure of working with.

Rob spent the time he had this morning educating us to this basic outline of thought — that Design + Content + Promotion = a really good Website. It doesn’t seem like rocket science, but unfortunately, not many are doing it the right way. To bad for them. If you’ve made a commitment to do it right, then do it. If we can be of help, call us.

-Tim

February DIG: Hammers & Thumbs

Justin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:56:06 +0000

Today, I had the distinct pleasure of serving as tour guide to a group of trusting fellow marketers through the world of marketing blunders. We relived New Coke, grumbled at the iPhone repricing debacle of 2007, and laughed at Snapple’s big idea of 2005 to create the world’s largest ice pop. (It melted – everywhere – in the middle of New York.)

What we learned today is that if we make marketing decisions based in strategy, we are far less likely to end up as fodder for a similar presentation. Of course, we also learned that it’s okay to laugh at ourselves — because if you aren’t making mistakes as a marketer, you probably aren’t trying very hard. The presentation portion of today’s DIG is below; to continue the conversation and get updates on upcoming educational opportunities, visit us (and be our fan) on Facebook.

Hammers & Thumbs: Examing the Origins of Ouch-Worthy Marketing Blunders