What you will get from this presentation is a real insight into the creative mind and process, you will learn how to write an insurance ad, the 4 steps to writing a better creative brief and how to run and feedback on a creative presentation. This workshop was written for MercerBell clients to enable them to prepare better briefs that will lead to more customer delight. Enjoy. Ps. And please share if you have learnt something from this presentation.

1. “I’m not
creative”

2. Every child is an artist.
The problem is how to
remain an artist once
you grow up.

3. 1.CREATIVE PROCESS
2.BETTER BRIEFS
3.EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK

4. BETTER BRIEFS
MATTER

5. 1.YOUR ROLE
INTHE CREATIVE
PROCESS MATTERS

6. INFORM TO
INSPIRE

7. UNDERSTANDING THE
CREATIVE PROCESS

8. 7BILLION

9. 1.Thisisawesome
2.Thisistricky
3.Thisisshit
4.I’mshit
5.Thismightbeokay
6.Thisisawesome

10. CREATIVE TRIGGERS THAT
GUIDE THE CREATIVE PROCESS

11. “So what are we doing, again?”
Who are we talking to?
And why are they
going to
believe us?
And how are we
going to tell them?
CREATIVETRIGGERS

12. 3 WAYSYOU
CAN HELP INFORM
TO INSPIRE

13. 1.ALWAYS GIVE THE
AGENCYACCESS TOTHE
PRODUCT OR SERVICE

14. “Have the
product on
your desk”

15. Taste
Touch
Smell
See
Hear

16. 2.EMPLOY
‘WORD BOMBS’

17. Wordsarelittlebombs.
Therightonescanexplode
insideus,demandingan
originalandexcitingidea.

18. Crazy, zany orange drink

19. Taste the buzz of real oranges

20. Taste the buzz of real oranges. c.1990
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyJ5D35Fx4M

21. Taste the buzz of real oranges. c.2014
‘AARGH!’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv_sNJpQM14

22. 3.BE COURAGEOUS
WITHYOUR BRIEFS
SETCREATIVECHALLENGES

24. TIP No. 1
~ Is there an idea in where it was
made or where the company is from?
~ What if it’s not an ad?
Think social, digital ambient,
ambush etc~ Current events~ Trends
~ Is there an idea in showing what
happens without the product?
~ Repetition~ Shock tactics~ Metaphor & analogy
~ Surreal & Bizarre

25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv_sNJpQM14

26. Is there an idea
in unexpected
humour?

27. Create a character

28. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoSzcjcRefM

31. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_YL0HzCCJg

32. Is there an
idea in celebrity?

33. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlRjYlsC3bc

34. Is there an idea
in demonstration?

36. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTmbFcXJPb4
Is there an
idea in parody?

38. Small budgets.
Big ideas.
Is there an idea
using just words?

39. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koeeo6yAsiI
Is there an idea using animals?

43. Maxwell
Hump day camel
Scapegoat

44. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxRoXuPjAKc

45. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEBdkzelVWY

46. FUELTHECREATIVEFIRE
~ Always expose the product
~ Inform to inspire through ‘word bombs’
~ Be courageous and never boring

47. 2.BETTER
BRIEFS
MATTER

48. “So what are we doing, again?”
CREATIVETRIGGERS

49. “aproblemwellputishalf solved”
John Dewey

50. The what?
How you define the problem defines the solution.
TRIGGER No. 1

51. Tips in writing a ‘well put’ problem
________________________________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________________________
HINTS ‘N’ TIPS No. 3
Try reducing the problem to a challenging question.
State the problem, don’t prescribe the solution.
Be excited by the problem/opportunity.

52. Who are we
talking to?
CREATIVETRIGGERS

53. The Archer family
Three things you should consider when
uncovering the customer insight.
1. The Archer families demographics
2. The Archer families psychographics
3. Examine their beliefs
TRIGGER No. 2
The who?

54. The Archer family

55. The Archer family

56. THE ARCHER’S PEN PORTRAIT
DEMOGRAPHIC:
AGE:
SEX:
ENTHNICITY:
FAMILY STATUS:
HOME:
JOB:
PSYCHOGRAPHIC:
LIFESTYLE:
HOBBIES:
INTERESTS:
ATTITUDES:
BEHAVIOUR:
VALUES:
Describe the Archers in relation to the brand and category.
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
The Archer family
EXERCISE No. 3

57. GETTINGTO
THE CUSTOMER
INSIGHT?

58. The Archer family

59. Is there a frustration, aspiration, or other a
related need that we can tap into and leverage?
The Archer family

61. And why are
they going to
believe us?
CREATIVETRIGGERS

62. The why?
TRIGGER No. 3
The Prop

63. THE SINGLE MOST
MOTIVATING THING
WE HAVE TO SAY

64. SAY IT IN
THE MOST
MOTIVATING WAY

65. Turning your
observations
into an insight
TIP No.

66. Observation: what people do or say
People consume chocolate
bars to satisfy their
hunger
EXAMPLE No.

67. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqbomTIWCZ8

68. EXERCISE No. 4

69. Don’t just list all the features. Draw out the benefits.

75. Don’t just list all the features, draw out the benefits.

78. PENCILSAVES MAN’S LIFE

79. And how are we
going to tell them?
CREATIVETRIGGERS

80. The how?
TRIGGER No. 4

81. TIP No. 4
WHY: Is the insight clear
and true?
~ Does the ‘PROP’ fully answer
the business challenge?
HOW: Are all the details
there and correct?

82. ~ In one sentence state what the agency is
being tasked to do
~ Bring the customer to life
~ Identify a fresh truth about the customer’s
emotion or behaviour, that can be used to solve
the problem
Thesecretof betterbriefs

83. 3.HOWYOU
GIVE FEEDBACK
MATTERS

84. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDadJaSERwg

85. 1.Before

86. 1. BEFORE
SMILE Creative types are nearly always very nervous.
For a smoother presentation be positive, open and engaged.
RECAP Begin by revisiting the four main areas of the brief.
• Problem • Audience • Insight • Prop

87. 1. BEFORE
EXPECTATIONS Have a clear understanding of the level of
creative that is being presented:
• Adcepts • Creative territories • Scamps Vs Full Mac layouts
QUANTITY Have agreement on the number of concepts or
territories. Three is about right. 1. Safe 2. Surprising 3. Courageous
IN PERSON Whenever possible try to have the
Creative team present their work.

88. 2.During

89. 2. DURING
BE THE CUSTOMER
You will have just revisited the main areas of the brief including
the target audience, so now it is vital that you think like, and
assess the ideas as if you were the customer. Be the customer.

90. 2. DURING
THE IDEA Does the creative idea bring to life the proposition
in a memorable or dramatic way?
LEGS Can the creative idea work well in multiple channels;
• film • paper • pixels • social
ahhh! Has the idea used the Allianz ‘ahhh’ device in the best
way possible?
MINUTIAE Don’t stress about a missing comma,
worry about a missing idea.

91. 2. DURING
FEEDBACK In the meeting be clear about who, when and
how you will be giving feedback.
• Recognise the good first
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions ‘be a Juror, not a Judge’
• Seek understanding if you aren’t sure about something
• Initial feedback is okay and appreciated
• However, don’t be afraid to sleep on it and give formal
feedback later

92. 3.After

93. 3. AFTER
CIRCULATION Attach the brief and identify the level of
presentation when presenting the concepts to the business for
internal approval.
THE DE-BRIEF Consolidate all feedback.
REDIRECT Resist the temptation to rework yourself.
Try redirecting it’s always more effective.
AND try separating the amends into mandatory
and optional changes.
TIMINGS Work with the team to allow a fair
amount of time to allow the amends to be made.

94. 3. AFTER
OPINIONS Avoid giving the work the good old
‘once round the office’. Other people always have a subjective
opinion about advertising. BUT have they read your brief?
NERVES Feeling nervous?
That’s a good thing. Pin the work on your wall and give the ideas
the overnight test, and see how they look in the morning.
1. Safe 2. Surprising 3. Courageous

95. 3. HOW TO GIVE MORE
EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK
~ Recap the brief
~ Be the customer
~ Redirect, don’t rework

96. Thank you

97. DA V I D B E L L – E C D M E R C E R B E L L
mercerbell.com.au