You must have experienced a time when the problem seems unsolved, the brain is not moving and all the way that you are looking for is closed. And nothing that you do previously is satisfying enough to be called a solution to your problem.
Desperate. Is it the thing that you are experience?
To my experience, brain clogging and inability to continue solving the problem is the most common enemy to every job. Happen all the time. All the moment.
Here's my tips on working to your brain to stop the brain clogging:
1. Understand the situation and take it. Without your big heart to say that your brain is clogged and your admittance that you are on your limit, and you keep continue your effort at the moment is totally will never get you anywhere. Your brain has limits and if you keep moving on the same direction towards the problem, it will not get you anywhere.
2. Take a fun break, really fun break, get out and do not touch your problem. Let it go and have some fun. The point is to recharge and to regain your relaxation and self esteem. Don't push. Just enjoy a fun. Set for a couple hour break that really fruitful.
3. When you are relax, come back again, but this time, look into the problem in a new way. Do not ever bring the point where you stop the last time. Just have a new point of view, just look at the problem like the 1st time you do. Force yourself to seek from the other new angle.
4. Always simplify the problem. If you think that the marketing and advertising jargon is killing you, why can't you transform into a simpler day to day language that will make you understand the problem better? It definitely will make you able to solve the problem better.
5. Remember: if you understand that an idea is just a solvent to a problem, then everything will be much easier. Find the problem, define it into simpler language and find the solution, and try to relate the solution into some different and unique thoughts that will spark the mind and heart of the audience.
6. I hope it works, cause it works for me.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Writing is the easiest most difficult job I know
I have to admit that I am not born as a copywriter and my career is not developed on copywriting. My career starts as an art director whom through time is forced to write by the situation and gain my own learning as what to write, where to start and what to do.
So, there, here's a little tips in my learning that I would like to share:
1. Writing is talking.
If you know how to talk properly, if you know how to speak out your mind in the most vivid and clearest way so others would respond as per what you expect, then you know how to write. Keep the writing in the talking way, and when you are writing always perceive it as if you are talking to the audience that you would like to do. It would make it simpler. Because talking is always simple. You can easily convert the problem as you talk.
2. Writing is reading.
If you can appreciate reading a good writing, then actually you can write a good writing. Just simply put your state of mental and mind as if you are reading a good material, not writing. So you could find a better mind and mental while you are writing. A focussed and great mental and mind condition is definitely a must while you are writing. Write like a good writer, write like inspired writer. Writing good need confidence, so have confidence.
3. Writing is not for yourself.
Put the ego aside. Never have it, it's really killing you and what you write. Unless, you are writing about your ego. Always be someone who as objective as you can to criticize your writing. Always be the reader. Always be the 3rd person. That way, you can always enjoy what you write as you would like it to be read. To be understood.
4. Writing is to inspire.
A good writer could inspire the reader to change his perception. Almost about everything. Have always the positive mental and point of view when you are writing. The mood and the set up is totally important because when the words are so inspiring, it could lift up every energy that the reader has to make your writing worth more. In simpler thoughts, a writer is kinda like a motivator.
5. Writing is to surprise.
Surprising element is great to be had in the writing. A little twist and turn when people reading your writing will keep the interest and mystery alive. It will not bore the reader. Because the biggest enemy of the reader is boredom and casuality. Don't enter into that trap. Focus your mind and think about some great ending or unexpected turns. Keep your writing alive.
6. Writing is to transfer a vision.
You cannot write anything without a vision. That's blabbering. Always know what to write before you write. How? Think about a general thought and ideas first before you write. Let it flow according to your mind. Do not stop. You stop when you are ready to analyze what you have write. With a vision you could achieve a sharper mind and thought about what actually you are going to give the reader. A vision is like an outline to your work and with a clear ideas.
7. Writing is a fun thing.
Create fun in it. Either witty jokes, witty thought, sharp argument, irony, hyperbola, etc. There's thousand way to write a thought. Find the fun way to approach your thought. Enjoy it. And share the enjoyment to others so they could got it the way it was expected.
8. Writing is finding who you are.
You are what your mind is. Never be somebody else. Everybody has their own way to write and share things they have in their life. Some has the ability to look and tell through detail. Some like the big thoughts. Some prefer to dance around. Some choose to shoot it straight. Some like to be precise. But choose who you are. Never be someone else.
Writing is great experience. To share what your mind has and be able to be perceived the way you want it to be. But remember, writing is a one way medium, the reader cannot argue about right or wrong, instead they choose to continue or stop. So always talk about the absolutivity and be objective, unless you are writing about something subjective that doesn't require argument.
Enjoy your writing. Find your path. Be a reader that write.
So, there, here's a little tips in my learning that I would like to share:
1. Writing is talking.
If you know how to talk properly, if you know how to speak out your mind in the most vivid and clearest way so others would respond as per what you expect, then you know how to write. Keep the writing in the talking way, and when you are writing always perceive it as if you are talking to the audience that you would like to do. It would make it simpler. Because talking is always simple. You can easily convert the problem as you talk.
2. Writing is reading.
If you can appreciate reading a good writing, then actually you can write a good writing. Just simply put your state of mental and mind as if you are reading a good material, not writing. So you could find a better mind and mental while you are writing. A focussed and great mental and mind condition is definitely a must while you are writing. Write like a good writer, write like inspired writer. Writing good need confidence, so have confidence.
3. Writing is not for yourself.
Put the ego aside. Never have it, it's really killing you and what you write. Unless, you are writing about your ego. Always be someone who as objective as you can to criticize your writing. Always be the reader. Always be the 3rd person. That way, you can always enjoy what you write as you would like it to be read. To be understood.
4. Writing is to inspire.
A good writer could inspire the reader to change his perception. Almost about everything. Have always the positive mental and point of view when you are writing. The mood and the set up is totally important because when the words are so inspiring, it could lift up every energy that the reader has to make your writing worth more. In simpler thoughts, a writer is kinda like a motivator.
5. Writing is to surprise.
Surprising element is great to be had in the writing. A little twist and turn when people reading your writing will keep the interest and mystery alive. It will not bore the reader. Because the biggest enemy of the reader is boredom and casuality. Don't enter into that trap. Focus your mind and think about some great ending or unexpected turns. Keep your writing alive.
6. Writing is to transfer a vision.
You cannot write anything without a vision. That's blabbering. Always know what to write before you write. How? Think about a general thought and ideas first before you write. Let it flow according to your mind. Do not stop. You stop when you are ready to analyze what you have write. With a vision you could achieve a sharper mind and thought about what actually you are going to give the reader. A vision is like an outline to your work and with a clear ideas.
7. Writing is a fun thing.
Create fun in it. Either witty jokes, witty thought, sharp argument, irony, hyperbola, etc. There's thousand way to write a thought. Find the fun way to approach your thought. Enjoy it. And share the enjoyment to others so they could got it the way it was expected.
8. Writing is finding who you are.
You are what your mind is. Never be somebody else. Everybody has their own way to write and share things they have in their life. Some has the ability to look and tell through detail. Some like the big thoughts. Some prefer to dance around. Some choose to shoot it straight. Some like to be precise. But choose who you are. Never be someone else.
Writing is great experience. To share what your mind has and be able to be perceived the way you want it to be. But remember, writing is a one way medium, the reader cannot argue about right or wrong, instead they choose to continue or stop. So always talk about the absolutivity and be objective, unless you are writing about something subjective that doesn't require argument.
Enjoy your writing. Find your path. Be a reader that write.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The Way I Do Brainstorming
Brainstorming seems to be a mystery these days. Everybody seems to be confused with the meaning and what actually we should be doing and what actually we are searching.
First, before the technique, I would like to discuss about the "brainstorming" itself.
What is that animal?
At the 1st time when I enter this industry 17 years ago, I always thought that brainstorming is a discussion we do to make ads and searching ideas. I always sit amongst the crowd, listen to undefined topic of discussions, jokes and blabber, and suddenly they try to develop ideas out of those ridiculous talks. Then, there are scribbles on the paper and talks about headlines: what could the headlines be? and - it's either silence or another jokes and blabber again.
Frankly, I was confused by the process and confused by those questions: where do the ideas comes from? and why the ideas form that way? how is it possible that we are not talking about anything relevant of the brief and problems and suddenly there is ideas? They must be genius and may be I am not belong to this industry because I don't know shit about the how to.
When time goes by, I realize and found something significant when I start to be able to mold something good enough to be called ideas, that the whole process that I saw before is actually a crap.
Understand the nature: if there is no problem on the client side, there will be no us. There will be no need of us at all. The sales person could do all the job. But the fact of the need of either: awareness, a stronger positioning, a shift of positioning, more sales to be gained by promotion, regeneration of target audience, a stronger competition, a pressure of the national economy situation, a new competition that enter the market, and et cetera (if you don't know or even question any of those problems, you are not ready to brainstorm) is justified by the presence of us. And we are called for an answer.
The problems are not jokes. It involves lots of money and it involves lots of lives.
So begin the brainstorming by understanding the problem, and state it very clearly in your mind about the actual problem.
By understanding the problem, usually comes the answer. Since the problem is always marketing, have the answer in marketing way. Simple. Marketing solved by marketing.
That answer is called vision. Without a vision then you could not answer any of the problem needed.
Now, you know why I am asking you all to understand about marketing, the terms, the cases, and to read more about all aspect surrounding marketing.
If you don't believe it, it will not harm you to understand marketing, but believe me, when you start to see it in marketing way, your ability to solve clients' problem will be much clearer and it will be a great start to enter brainstorming.
Let's continue:
When you carry a vision into brainstorming room, you also need counterpart that have may be another vision too. That way, you could argue and discuss about all the available possibilities and talk about the answer there, directly.
And ideas will flow and headlines and visual will follow. Fast and quickly.
There. That is brainstorming. Easy. You might find it difficult if you are not following the path and questioning the needs. Just follow the path, and trust me, it will be as easy as when the famous Columbus egg question.
Let me throw my simple example of my experience when we are brainstorming The Pakubuwono Residence (TPR).
First, the team understand the fact that TPR has promised to build the apartment to be the most luxurious apartment. We also know the fact that TPR is not the 1st apartment in town, so there is no surprise in the market about an apartment, in fact the market just drop into a recession that make a lot of developer freeze the development of building and some of them cannot pay the investment that some customer already have. That situation creates crisis in trust amongst the customer that will harm the chance of TPR to gain some believe in the mind of the consumer. Not to mention that the developer behind this development is agung podomoro whose track record is just finish making cheap apartment in sunter, how could they have the credibility to build such an expensive place, it's like if a brand like suzuki builds a limousine, who would believe that? (Sigh, tough!) But we have to understand the market situation.
Second, finding an answer: We know that we couldn't use the agung podomoro name. It will definitely kill the luxurious image that we should be carrying. We also know that we need a good entrance for the brand to be perceived luxurious, good and expensive. If we learn from expensive brands, we know that when we buy a rolex, we are not buying a watch, we are buying another value, some for its luxury, some for its strength. When we buy a mercedes, we are not buying a car, we buy status, image. So, we definitely should be able to create a value for TPR, it's not just an apartment, it is a "some place". A what? Discussion follows to a conclusion that TPR should be sold as a home, a life. A dream home, a perfect home and a perfect life.
We got a positioning now!
Third, how to present the entrance we need (in your language may be a launch ad)? We need to surprise the audience and present a line that define the perfect home and life. (A tag line for you). Now, the brainstorming begins.. The talk of brainstorming comes to a question what do rich people dream about a perfect home and life? Luxury.. boring. Greatness.. boring. Then comes the cling! The thought begins from.. The thought that after a man have a car, they want a luxury car, a luxury home, a more luxurious home, a more and more, more power, more life.. eternity.. why? Greed may be.. but they want one.. endless happiness.. mmmm.. happily ever after? It reminds me about HC Andersen and all his stories that end with happily ever after. And all those people who are rich at that moment should know about HC Andersen for all of them must grow with his stories. Ok, great clues. Go on: But its all predictable. But wait, let's think again.. Let's think a bigger scope, the whole pattern of HC Andersen is correct. He starts always with "Once upon a time..." and always end with "..they happily life ever after". The 1st line seems more unique and interesting than the latter. Once upon a time is great. It describe only once happening, which is giving you a presence of being ultimate. And it's about life. It could be alter to the audience life. Great thought! Go on: Ok, since there is no rule, I would like to put the tag line on top of the brand and make it a "topline" let's say: Once upon your lifetime.. The Pakubuwono Residence.. how does it sound? Perfect. Because happily ever after then will just rhyme in the readers heart following what I say before. Perfect. Good connection. The audience follow my line without effort, make them interconnect with my brand and not only creating a definite great luxury brand but also a perfect interconnection. Got it!
Fourth: Now comes to the trick to present it. After another discussion about layout and probability, comes a thought: The client cannot use agung podomoro as a driving vehicle to present its capability to build such a place. But they definitely needs a credibility to become somebody who could build and have money. How to make such an impression?
There's the ideas comes from: How about if they show that they can spend money like crazy? Just book 3 consecutive pages in Kompas which priced like crazy and all the rich people know it, and spend it like crazy because we have money and fill it only with one line of sentence on each page:
1st page: Once upon your lifetime...
2nd page: The Pakubuwono Residence presents you all the finest things in life...
3rd page: and you may life happily ever after.
Perfecto!
In conclusion, the process of brainstorming is clear if we understand the problem and have a vision of direction of what we are searching for. As clear as possible!
And focussing our brains, and time, and knowledge.. all knowledges. And a little luck!
Good luck!
First, before the technique, I would like to discuss about the "brainstorming" itself.
What is that animal?
At the 1st time when I enter this industry 17 years ago, I always thought that brainstorming is a discussion we do to make ads and searching ideas. I always sit amongst the crowd, listen to undefined topic of discussions, jokes and blabber, and suddenly they try to develop ideas out of those ridiculous talks. Then, there are scribbles on the paper and talks about headlines: what could the headlines be? and - it's either silence or another jokes and blabber again.
Frankly, I was confused by the process and confused by those questions: where do the ideas comes from? and why the ideas form that way? how is it possible that we are not talking about anything relevant of the brief and problems and suddenly there is ideas? They must be genius and may be I am not belong to this industry because I don't know shit about the how to.
When time goes by, I realize and found something significant when I start to be able to mold something good enough to be called ideas, that the whole process that I saw before is actually a crap.
Understand the nature: if there is no problem on the client side, there will be no us. There will be no need of us at all. The sales person could do all the job. But the fact of the need of either: awareness, a stronger positioning, a shift of positioning, more sales to be gained by promotion, regeneration of target audience, a stronger competition, a pressure of the national economy situation, a new competition that enter the market, and et cetera (if you don't know or even question any of those problems, you are not ready to brainstorm) is justified by the presence of us. And we are called for an answer.
The problems are not jokes. It involves lots of money and it involves lots of lives.
So begin the brainstorming by understanding the problem, and state it very clearly in your mind about the actual problem.
By understanding the problem, usually comes the answer. Since the problem is always marketing, have the answer in marketing way. Simple. Marketing solved by marketing.
That answer is called vision. Without a vision then you could not answer any of the problem needed.
Now, you know why I am asking you all to understand about marketing, the terms, the cases, and to read more about all aspect surrounding marketing.
If you don't believe it, it will not harm you to understand marketing, but believe me, when you start to see it in marketing way, your ability to solve clients' problem will be much clearer and it will be a great start to enter brainstorming.
Let's continue:
When you carry a vision into brainstorming room, you also need counterpart that have may be another vision too. That way, you could argue and discuss about all the available possibilities and talk about the answer there, directly.
And ideas will flow and headlines and visual will follow. Fast and quickly.
There. That is brainstorming. Easy. You might find it difficult if you are not following the path and questioning the needs. Just follow the path, and trust me, it will be as easy as when the famous Columbus egg question.
Let me throw my simple example of my experience when we are brainstorming The Pakubuwono Residence (TPR).
First, the team understand the fact that TPR has promised to build the apartment to be the most luxurious apartment. We also know the fact that TPR is not the 1st apartment in town, so there is no surprise in the market about an apartment, in fact the market just drop into a recession that make a lot of developer freeze the development of building and some of them cannot pay the investment that some customer already have. That situation creates crisis in trust amongst the customer that will harm the chance of TPR to gain some believe in the mind of the consumer. Not to mention that the developer behind this development is agung podomoro whose track record is just finish making cheap apartment in sunter, how could they have the credibility to build such an expensive place, it's like if a brand like suzuki builds a limousine, who would believe that? (Sigh, tough!) But we have to understand the market situation.
Second, finding an answer: We know that we couldn't use the agung podomoro name. It will definitely kill the luxurious image that we should be carrying. We also know that we need a good entrance for the brand to be perceived luxurious, good and expensive. If we learn from expensive brands, we know that when we buy a rolex, we are not buying a watch, we are buying another value, some for its luxury, some for its strength. When we buy a mercedes, we are not buying a car, we buy status, image. So, we definitely should be able to create a value for TPR, it's not just an apartment, it is a "some place". A what? Discussion follows to a conclusion that TPR should be sold as a home, a life. A dream home, a perfect home and a perfect life.
We got a positioning now!
Third, how to present the entrance we need (in your language may be a launch ad)? We need to surprise the audience and present a line that define the perfect home and life. (A tag line for you). Now, the brainstorming begins.. The talk of brainstorming comes to a question what do rich people dream about a perfect home and life? Luxury.. boring. Greatness.. boring. Then comes the cling! The thought begins from.. The thought that after a man have a car, they want a luxury car, a luxury home, a more luxurious home, a more and more, more power, more life.. eternity.. why? Greed may be.. but they want one.. endless happiness.. mmmm.. happily ever after? It reminds me about HC Andersen and all his stories that end with happily ever after. And all those people who are rich at that moment should know about HC Andersen for all of them must grow with his stories. Ok, great clues. Go on: But its all predictable. But wait, let's think again.. Let's think a bigger scope, the whole pattern of HC Andersen is correct. He starts always with "Once upon a time..." and always end with "..they happily life ever after". The 1st line seems more unique and interesting than the latter. Once upon a time is great. It describe only once happening, which is giving you a presence of being ultimate. And it's about life. It could be alter to the audience life. Great thought! Go on: Ok, since there is no rule, I would like to put the tag line on top of the brand and make it a "topline" let's say: Once upon your lifetime.. The Pakubuwono Residence.. how does it sound? Perfect. Because happily ever after then will just rhyme in the readers heart following what I say before. Perfect. Good connection. The audience follow my line without effort, make them interconnect with my brand and not only creating a definite great luxury brand but also a perfect interconnection. Got it!
Fourth: Now comes to the trick to present it. After another discussion about layout and probability, comes a thought: The client cannot use agung podomoro as a driving vehicle to present its capability to build such a place. But they definitely needs a credibility to become somebody who could build and have money. How to make such an impression?
There's the ideas comes from: How about if they show that they can spend money like crazy? Just book 3 consecutive pages in Kompas which priced like crazy and all the rich people know it, and spend it like crazy because we have money and fill it only with one line of sentence on each page:
1st page: Once upon your lifetime...
2nd page: The Pakubuwono Residence presents you all the finest things in life...
3rd page: and you may life happily ever after.
Perfecto!
In conclusion, the process of brainstorming is clear if we understand the problem and have a vision of direction of what we are searching for. As clear as possible!
And focussing our brains, and time, and knowledge.. all knowledges. And a little luck!
Good luck!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Still talking about Taste
If you have read about The Power of Taste, then this is the continuity, if not please refer first to my previous writing about The Power of Taste.
Now, if you have been able to switch your personality and turning on your courage and richness, well.. the next thing I want to say is about "being fine and looking for the finest".
It will be a journey to walk on and a never ending search, looking a better things and situations, assessing what is fine and not fine.
Being fine is all about looking at the detail. No product that is labelled the finest, has no perfect detail, so being absolutely detail is a must to become fine.
A question once appeared when I was sharing about my pattern of thinking while looking onto a problem. Say it is Mr.Tasik:" Do you mean that we have to know all the aspect of life and knowledge such as psychology, economy, macro and micro, sociology, media, brand, creativity and others to be able to solve the problem in the correct way? I am just graduated to be an art director, and here I am, an art director."
The answer is going back to the quest of your life. If you see life that way, then it will be it. That simple. If you are looking to be one of the best in this field, then I encourage you to learn more.
For me, life is a learning process. My learning is and will not be finished. I read everything in my sight, I try to understand every bit that happenning in this life, and my curiosity is that huge, I just need to fulfill it and learn from what other people know.
I may not have a degree on each of the subject, but I believe that you should know about the general matter, either it's about psychology, sociology, brand, economy, culture, and anything about this life.
Because I believe a brand is alive. And brand is exactly the same with human, because human relates to brand the same way human relates to each other. Human is looking for an inspiration, trust and likability through and to the brand.
So, we are not advertiser, we are not art director or copywriter or account executive or media planner or researcher, we are simply a problem solver to seek an answer on how could a certain brand (human) gain more likability and popularity to increase more trust and believability.
Back to taste again, the knowledge we have through all these aspects of life will enable us to connect the dots between the subjects to find the finest condition that needed to be achieve when we solve a problem.
Do you understand now, why taste is needed to be a huge part of skill for you to be in this business?
Another example: A food will not be called the finest if the cook cannot serve the food in a great taste. That would include the taste of the food, the taste of the presentation, the taste of the view when you sit on the table, the taste of language on the menu, the taste of the language of the waiter, the taste of their clothes. It's all about taste.
So how about your taste?
Now, if you have been able to switch your personality and turning on your courage and richness, well.. the next thing I want to say is about "being fine and looking for the finest".
It will be a journey to walk on and a never ending search, looking a better things and situations, assessing what is fine and not fine.
Being fine is all about looking at the detail. No product that is labelled the finest, has no perfect detail, so being absolutely detail is a must to become fine.
A question once appeared when I was sharing about my pattern of thinking while looking onto a problem. Say it is Mr.Tasik:" Do you mean that we have to know all the aspect of life and knowledge such as psychology, economy, macro and micro, sociology, media, brand, creativity and others to be able to solve the problem in the correct way? I am just graduated to be an art director, and here I am, an art director."
The answer is going back to the quest of your life. If you see life that way, then it will be it. That simple. If you are looking to be one of the best in this field, then I encourage you to learn more.
For me, life is a learning process. My learning is and will not be finished. I read everything in my sight, I try to understand every bit that happenning in this life, and my curiosity is that huge, I just need to fulfill it and learn from what other people know.
I may not have a degree on each of the subject, but I believe that you should know about the general matter, either it's about psychology, sociology, brand, economy, culture, and anything about this life.
Because I believe a brand is alive. And brand is exactly the same with human, because human relates to brand the same way human relates to each other. Human is looking for an inspiration, trust and likability through and to the brand.
So, we are not advertiser, we are not art director or copywriter or account executive or media planner or researcher, we are simply a problem solver to seek an answer on how could a certain brand (human) gain more likability and popularity to increase more trust and believability.
Back to taste again, the knowledge we have through all these aspects of life will enable us to connect the dots between the subjects to find the finest condition that needed to be achieve when we solve a problem.
Do you understand now, why taste is needed to be a huge part of skill for you to be in this business?
Another example: A food will not be called the finest if the cook cannot serve the food in a great taste. That would include the taste of the food, the taste of the presentation, the taste of the view when you sit on the table, the taste of language on the menu, the taste of the language of the waiter, the taste of their clothes. It's all about taste.
So how about your taste?
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The Power of Taste
This earth is full of a lot of good things that if we can value that, it would be a such wonderful things that is available for us to enjoy and appreciate. But there is no 2 persons in this world would agree on all aspects of this world and life about what is the best of things that is available.
But everybody agree that diamond is precious stone. And everybody agree that mercedes benz is an excellent car. And nadine is pretty. And The Pakubuwono Residence is a luxury home to stay.
How can they be what they become?
Capitalism and the borjuis has created the difference from long time ago and from their power and money, they created a community and they choose the selected items of life to be categorized good or bad. The color they like, the things they collect, the food they prefer and the fashion they choose to wear, and the face they call pretty. They are the beginner, they are the innovator of lifestyle, the beginner of what we follow with in the name of taste.
The daring that they have in their heart to break all the rules and "society choosen path" is the cause of they power over the money that they have on their pocket, and with such condition they earn the power to say and the power of thought that they create for themselves to be different from the rest of the world of commoners.
They create what called taste. The power of difference. The power of good against bad.
Now, let's get back to us. Today the world has evolve into a place where good and bad has existed. But does it mean that we can only sit down and rest to what the world has offered? Or do we want to be the one who have the taste?
Does it mean we have to have the money to have the taste? Poor soul it is for the one who think such a condition. Poor soul.
The rule of this world is fortunately bigger and wider than our mind.
Taste is not related to how much money we have in our pocket and how much power we earn from the money we have in our pocket.
Taste is driven from the courage we have from our heart, the courage to innovate and become different and with the believe and experience we have of all the good things we ever taste in this life (either with eyes, ears, mind, lips, stories, and else) to create the believe in our heart to start a new different face of every thought and look and experience so everyone else could see.
Taste is driven because we are rich. But rich does not relate with money. Rich is a state of mind, rich is a self believe. A situation where we believe that we are full of something that make us someone not a no one. That we are better.
In simpler words, taste is a part of personality, value of life, and about how we act on life itself.
So, the learning of taste which are very important in creating a brand is:
1. Are you rich?
2. Do you believe you are better?
3. Do you have the courage to stand amongst the crowd and be judge that you are different?
4. Are you ready to share all your experience?
Make a change now. Start to be different. Begin with your taste.
A better taste will enable you creating a better layout, a better copy, a stronger concept, a more excellent idea, an innovation that makes you the one this industry is looking for.
I urge you all to begin to change your mind. Now.
But everybody agree that diamond is precious stone. And everybody agree that mercedes benz is an excellent car. And nadine is pretty. And The Pakubuwono Residence is a luxury home to stay.
How can they be what they become?
Capitalism and the borjuis has created the difference from long time ago and from their power and money, they created a community and they choose the selected items of life to be categorized good or bad. The color they like, the things they collect, the food they prefer and the fashion they choose to wear, and the face they call pretty. They are the beginner, they are the innovator of lifestyle, the beginner of what we follow with in the name of taste.
The daring that they have in their heart to break all the rules and "society choosen path" is the cause of they power over the money that they have on their pocket, and with such condition they earn the power to say and the power of thought that they create for themselves to be different from the rest of the world of commoners.
They create what called taste. The power of difference. The power of good against bad.
Now, let's get back to us. Today the world has evolve into a place where good and bad has existed. But does it mean that we can only sit down and rest to what the world has offered? Or do we want to be the one who have the taste?
Does it mean we have to have the money to have the taste? Poor soul it is for the one who think such a condition. Poor soul.
The rule of this world is fortunately bigger and wider than our mind.
Taste is not related to how much money we have in our pocket and how much power we earn from the money we have in our pocket.
Taste is driven from the courage we have from our heart, the courage to innovate and become different and with the believe and experience we have of all the good things we ever taste in this life (either with eyes, ears, mind, lips, stories, and else) to create the believe in our heart to start a new different face of every thought and look and experience so everyone else could see.
Taste is driven because we are rich. But rich does not relate with money. Rich is a state of mind, rich is a self believe. A situation where we believe that we are full of something that make us someone not a no one. That we are better.
In simpler words, taste is a part of personality, value of life, and about how we act on life itself.
So, the learning of taste which are very important in creating a brand is:
1. Are you rich?
2. Do you believe you are better?
3. Do you have the courage to stand amongst the crowd and be judge that you are different?
4. Are you ready to share all your experience?
Make a change now. Start to be different. Begin with your taste.
A better taste will enable you creating a better layout, a better copy, a stronger concept, a more excellent idea, an innovation that makes you the one this industry is looking for.
I urge you all to begin to change your mind. Now.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
I like idea with wings to fly
When I think about ideas, I like it when it could flow to thousand of ways, thousand of routes and people could even think about it and make any alteration that it could be.
That is the ideal of idea that should be appreciated.
Why?
If what we are building is a brand campaign, then it would be a long term project that would last a long time with several corner to turn and grow into. No campaign will last forever, but a good idea would have a longer time to last, because the excitement will grow to lots and lots of variant and will create the brand to more angle and may be personality to help it grow as a person.
Example:
When a kid is growing, if it is a boy, you would like him to grow not only to be clever, but strong, but fast, and smart, and handsome, and cute, and nice personality, and cool, and may be lots of other things.
The same with a brand. But the kid and the brand don't change, the element of life that surround it should grow along side of it.
And there is where the good idea should cater.
Like The Pakubuwono Residence, through its lifetime, TPR has shift its positioning, from the luxurious living place to where the peace of life is. The shift will be happening everywhere, but the good idea will stay and should be able to cater its need.
So what is the form of a good idea?
Look at your idea.. could it be easily transformed into another form?
Could your idea be easily executed into thousand of execution ideas?
Could the entertainment element of the idea also entertain you in the most possible way?
Could you say that the idea is the current "most innovative argument or thought or concept" that you ever find or think in your life?
Could you say to your client that your idea is worth $ 1000000?
Could you face me and say that I would take your seat with this idea?
Because I love to, if somebody could challenge me like that.
Serious. Anybody?
That is the ideal of idea that should be appreciated.
Why?
If what we are building is a brand campaign, then it would be a long term project that would last a long time with several corner to turn and grow into. No campaign will last forever, but a good idea would have a longer time to last, because the excitement will grow to lots and lots of variant and will create the brand to more angle and may be personality to help it grow as a person.
Example:
When a kid is growing, if it is a boy, you would like him to grow not only to be clever, but strong, but fast, and smart, and handsome, and cute, and nice personality, and cool, and may be lots of other things.
The same with a brand. But the kid and the brand don't change, the element of life that surround it should grow along side of it.
And there is where the good idea should cater.
Like The Pakubuwono Residence, through its lifetime, TPR has shift its positioning, from the luxurious living place to where the peace of life is. The shift will be happening everywhere, but the good idea will stay and should be able to cater its need.
So what is the form of a good idea?
Look at your idea.. could it be easily transformed into another form?
Could your idea be easily executed into thousand of execution ideas?
Could the entertainment element of the idea also entertain you in the most possible way?
Could you say that the idea is the current "most innovative argument or thought or concept" that you ever find or think in your life?
Could you say to your client that your idea is worth $ 1000000?
Could you face me and say that I would take your seat with this idea?
Because I love to, if somebody could challenge me like that.
Serious. Anybody?
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Do you make ads?
I believe that the first rule of making an ad is by not thinking about it.
I often tell my boys: never make ads. Frankly I don't know if they got it or not. Most of the times, they actually let me see that we are all human, and it is hard not to think the way the old way of thinking actually conquer us and kill the whole options that we actually has.
They are all still thinking about making ads.
Then let me ask: what is an ad?
Could we go through the whole meaning of an ad to actually realize the meaning of its being?
I believe that it is first come from the need to sell something. "TO SELL" is the first objective it carries. Then by time, it comes as to differentiate the product that we are putting on the ads. "TO DIFFERENTIATE" comes second. Then as the educations and intellectuality comes and conquer the world, we understand the needs of branding, perceptions, positioning and humanizing the brand and building it. "TO BUILD A PERCEPTION ABOUT A BRAND" comes as the final approach that it might carry.
So, to recap: Ad is a tool for selling, differentiate and building a perception about a brand.
Apparently, we call it an ad. (We actually can call it anything we want, but now we call it an ad, do you agree?)
Why don't we start to see it as a blank page that we can draw and type anything we want, any size we want and any look we could build. And without a template or a jot of thinking that we have from another book and references, even with any ad that win awards format. Because we are not aiming for awards. We are aiming to sell, differentiate and build a perception about a brand.
A blank page is interesting, because we can start with any problem and comes to any solutions, and since our aim is to communicate. Then communicate. And solve the problem.
Does it have to have visuals? Does it have to have copy? Does it have to have a logo? Does it have to be moving? Does it have to have a voice? Does it have to be understood? Does it have to have a name?
The answer is whatever, as long as it solve the problem, communicate, sell, differentiate and build a perception about the brand.
Then begin with blank paper. Think different. Outside the box (different than any reference and ads that you have ever seen). Make it really different.
Really different.
But solve the problem.
So, are we still making ads?
I often tell my boys: never make ads. Frankly I don't know if they got it or not. Most of the times, they actually let me see that we are all human, and it is hard not to think the way the old way of thinking actually conquer us and kill the whole options that we actually has.
They are all still thinking about making ads.
Then let me ask: what is an ad?
Could we go through the whole meaning of an ad to actually realize the meaning of its being?
I believe that it is first come from the need to sell something. "TO SELL" is the first objective it carries. Then by time, it comes as to differentiate the product that we are putting on the ads. "TO DIFFERENTIATE" comes second. Then as the educations and intellectuality comes and conquer the world, we understand the needs of branding, perceptions, positioning and humanizing the brand and building it. "TO BUILD A PERCEPTION ABOUT A BRAND" comes as the final approach that it might carry.
So, to recap: Ad is a tool for selling, differentiate and building a perception about a brand.
Apparently, we call it an ad. (We actually can call it anything we want, but now we call it an ad, do you agree?)
Why don't we start to see it as a blank page that we can draw and type anything we want, any size we want and any look we could build. And without a template or a jot of thinking that we have from another book and references, even with any ad that win awards format. Because we are not aiming for awards. We are aiming to sell, differentiate and build a perception about a brand.
A blank page is interesting, because we can start with any problem and comes to any solutions, and since our aim is to communicate. Then communicate. And solve the problem.
Does it have to have visuals? Does it have to have copy? Does it have to have a logo? Does it have to be moving? Does it have to have a voice? Does it have to be understood? Does it have to have a name?
The answer is whatever, as long as it solve the problem, communicate, sell, differentiate and build a perception about the brand.
Then begin with blank paper. Think different. Outside the box (different than any reference and ads that you have ever seen). Make it really different.
Really different.
But solve the problem.
So, are we still making ads?
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