The Creative Hack Pack: 7 Ways to Generate Big Ideas from a Brief

For this edition of ‘Thoughts by Animo’, I’m taking a look at how creative teams turn a proposition into a big idea. Think of it as a creative hack pack; a guide to unlocking fresh, impactful concepts from a brief.

And what better way to illustrate ‘7 Ways to Generate Big Ideas from a Brief’ than by showing them in action? So I dug into the archives and pulled out some ideas that never made the final cut from a past campaign for Octopus Investments.

When we first tackled this brief a few years back, we came up with a whole range of ideas…some great, some less so… but all part of the creative process. Here are some of the strongest, demonstrating how these creative hacks work in practice.

Let's Start With The Brief

The Task: Develop a campaign promoting the benefits of an Innovative Finance ISA to armchair investors. Show there’s an alternative that carries less risk than shares, offers better returns than cash savings, and is simpler than being a landlord.

The Proposition: Octopus Choice – the smart choice when it comes to investments.

1. Find the Human Truth

The best ideas connect emotionally.

Look for universal insights in the brief; fears, desires, humour, nostalgia.

Trends fade, as do investments.

One idea played on this by using humour to exaggerate the absurdity of clinging to outdated financial opportunities.

2. Flip the Expected

Take the obvious approach and reverse it.

Challenge clichés and disrupt predictable storytelling.

One concept juxtaposed the same old, tired investment options with the fresh, modern choice – Octopus Choice.

3. Steal Like an Artist (But Make It Your Own)

Look beyond advertising for inspiration; art, music, memes, subcultures. Remix ideas in new ways.

We used wry humour, well-known quotes and clever visuals to prompt audiences to rethink investments and consider Octopus Choice.

4. Shift the Setting

How would the idea work in space?
Underwater?
In a different era?

One idea compared outdated investment opportunities to prehistoric relics, positioning Octopus Choice as the superior species.

5. Keep It Simple

Strip the message down to its core.
The best ideas are simple, not complicated.

We created a concept highlighting that, compared to Octopus Choice, other investment options were well past their sell-by date.

6. Break the Medium

Use the format in an unexpected way.

One idea demonstrated this by using media placement creatively – playing on the idea that knowing where to look makes all the difference.

7. Have Fun With It

If it makes you laugh, smile, or say, “I wish I’d thought of that,” you’re probably onto something.

Our client agreed and ultimately went with a concept using humour to highlight the absurdity of sticking with outdated investments.