From brainstorming techniques to harnessing technology, discover our top tips for crafting brilliant B2B marketing and PR campaigns
What’s the secret behind crafting the perfect solutions for our clients’ needs? The clue’s in our name: we spend a lot of time thinking, brainstorming and refining every detail to get it just right.
And, we like to think (pun unintended), it shows in the quality of our multi-award-winning campaigns.
So, where do our Thinkers start when it comes to the creative process? We sat down with the following experts…
- Jesper Andreasson, Senior Copywriter
- Alison Clements, PR Copy Lead
- Ben Wright, Lead Creative
- Ros Rowlatt, Digital Media Director
- Justina Jackune, Senior Operations Manager
…to find out.
What do you do to spark creativity?
Jesper: I like to wake up early and write at the same time everyday. This helps turn my brain on and prime it to think in a certain way. It tends to be when all of my best ideas happen.
Alison: In PR, we regularly hold workshops with clients to understand their audiences’ challenges and aspirations, followed by internal brainstorms. Conferences and exhibitions are also hotbeds of industry-specific inspiration, directly informing our creative thinking.
Ben: Working alongside others always brings different perspectives to the mix. Someone else might say a thought which helps me to spark an idea and vice versa – and that can really get the creativity flowing!
What are some of your sources of inspiration?
Ros: Podcasts can be great – I listen to Uncensored CMO. I also read Marketing Week and follow key industry figures such as Mark Ritson, as well as keeping an eye on digital marketing groups.
Justina: Art, books and galleries are all good for sparking new ideas. I especially like it when a creative idea of ours links back to broader cultural and societal topics.
Alison: Major events like the Olympics and the annual COP summits offer rich opportunities for sparking creativity, thanks to their global significance and the emotional connections they foster. However, B2B PR involves changing perceptions and raising awareness, so it helps to be inspired by the people involved, rather than the product itself.
What role does technology play in your creative process?
Ben: It enhances our speed. With AI and other advances in software and products, it’s never been easier to quickly bring an idea to life.
Jesper: I find that writing on a computer rather than writing longhand helps to get the bad ideas out of the way faster. Writing is 99% editing, so using a keyboard helps you get past the hardest step: having something on the page to edit.
Ros: Technology helps me put together the evidence for a strategic rationale. I use platforms such as ads libraries, SEMRush, Google Ads audience manager and Chat GPT everyday, all of which strengthen my ideas.
How do you stay up-to-date with trends and new ideas in your field?
Ben: In my view, trends are just what everyone else is doing and generally new ideas are rare. It’s all about solving problems and enjoying the process, whatever you turn to for inspiration.
Ros: I check out the work people are doing in different fields and industries. As infamous ad man Rory Sutherland says, “the best ideas do not emerge within disciplines, they emerge at the intersections between them”. The most effective ideas are often sparked when we draw inspiration from diverse sources and combine them in new and unexpected ways.
What advice would you give to someone looking to enhance their creativity – or overcome creative blocks?
Jesper: If you’re working on a specific idea, sit with it and play around until you’re almost exhausted, but not completely. Then put it away overnight, and your unconscious mind will work it out for you. Everybody from Hemingway to John Cleese will tell you the same – I swear by it.
Ben: Understand that everyone gets creative blocks, and that it’s just part of the process. When it’s there, step away from the problem – go for a walk, play with your kids, lift some weights, do whatever you need to do to take your focus away.
It’s also key to really understand the problem you’re trying to solve. Read and research as much as possible, and ask questions – lots!
Ros: Expose yourself to different media. One of my favourite things to do while travelling is to look at the country’s ads, what they’re doing on billboards, in the press etc. Read as much as possible, listen to podcasts and watch TV. The more broad and diverse your input, the better the output will be.
Justina: Remember that there are no failures in creativity. Ideas that don’t click today might tomorrow, or in another context.
The takeaway
We all have our own approach to creativity. But our Thinkers have identified some universal tips that everyone can benefit from – and we can vouch for with our results.
Stay curious, recognise that creative blocks are a natural part of the process and trust your instincts; brilliant things might just happen.
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