Time To Innovate… AGAIN: Step 1

Ever sit in a room and try to come up with new ideas?

I do this all the time. I have these mini-innovation sessions with myself.

Occasionally, I do it in the lobby of a bougie hotel; more often, it’s on a plane… but most of the time, it happens in the shower. Hot water seems to make the creative flow better.

Innovation comes with inspiration, but we don’t always feel inspired—so how do we innovate when the well is dry? Take a look in the rearview mirror.

Back To The Future: Step 2

The verb innovate means to introduce something new. It can also be defined as making changes to something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products.

You see, innovation doesn’t always mean starting from zero.

It’s easy to look in the past, see something that’s been done, and improve upon it. That’s what I decided to do this year as I relaunched EVERY advertising message we run, EVERYWHERE!

Classic Hits Reimagined: Step 3

Since the 17th century, humans wanting to sell something have turned to advertising. This means you have a deep historical well of advertising inspiration to drink from.

Since I make many gut decisions, I pulled all the ads we were running. I am not talking about pulling them from a single platform. No, I pulled them off Facebook, Instagram, Google Search, Display, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Pinterest… if there is a platform with my ads running—they were pulled.

I got bored with our ads and felt it was time for an overhaul, but with what?

Time for inspiration. It’s time to reimagine iconic ads and put my signature on them.

Built On A Foundation Of Funny: Step 4

I like to laugh.

Most people enjoy laughter, so I make funny ads. Being built on a foundation of funny is what makes my ads memorable.

When Ad Zombies took its first breath, I had to create the brand voice and develop the style of messaging people quickly grew to know and love. Most of our ads inject humor, sarcasm, and wit into them. It’s what makes them sticky.

What’s a sticky ad? A sticky ad is like a sticky movie theater floor. You know how when someone spills a Coke in a theater, and it dries into this gooey sticky syrup that grips your sneaker bottom and makes that awful noise? The noise sounds like a combination of someone open-mouth chewing pancakes and sticking their arm in a watermelon. That’s sticky, right? You never forget the feeling of that floor; thus, every time you go to the theatre, the first thing you think about is that sticky floor experience.

Building a sticky ad has the same effect, but if done right, it’s a positive experience. I make memorable, sticky ads people talk about, share, and comment on.

Our latest ad, The Book Of Zombie, features a missionary holding our sacred book, another testament of Jesús the copywriter. While Jesús isn’t a real team member, the inspiration was real, a classic Timberland boot ad and a photo of a Mormon Missionary. I simply created an ad from inspiration around me.

Humorous inspiration is all around us. You just have to look for it.

Inspiration Is Everywhere: Step 5

Sometimes I like being the passenger in a car. As a passenger, you tend to see more of the stuff around you. Billboards, bus stops, walls filled with graffiti, trains, buses, taxi toppers… the world is filled with creative ideas. Inspiration is everywhere if you know where to look for it.

For those of you who don’t leave your office or travel, allow me to introduce this thing called Google.

Google terms like: Classic Ads, Inspiring Billboards, Greatest Bus Advertising, Best Print Ads.

There’s no reason to make boring ads. Be inspired and make something new using a classic ad as your inspirational starting point.

Let The Crowd Judge, Not You: Step 6

Judgment, especially self-judgment, is the final nail in your creative coffin. Stop it! Let the crowd judge, not you.

Truth: WE ARE OWN OWN WORST CRITIC

Don’t judge your ideas, your work, or your creative. Put it out there and let the consumers of your creative decide if they like it. You never know what will hit out in the wild.

Innovation Doesn't Always Mean Starting From Zero