Check out this great presentation on how to bridge the gap between Strategic Thinkers and Creative Thinkers.  Created by the folks at Neutron LLC, this is one of the better presentations out there on the subject of Brand Building.  Even better, Neutron’s website invites you to “Steal this Idea” with free downloads the cover other brand building basics.

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Thanks to Anthony from Driven Leaders for passing this along

I came across this interesting site from P&G thanking our agency partners as we won Advertiser of the Year at Cannes.  Honestly at first I wondered if this was an officially sanctioned P&G effort but it appears to be.  I need to find out who did this internally to applaud them since it does a good job of not taking ourselves too seriously, while still talking about Brand Purpose through our efforts like HERO/Proctecting You, Protecting Futures. Check it out at: http://www.thankstoallouragenciesforhelpinguswinadvertiseroftheyear.com/

One of my best friends passed along a story that is a great reminder of the power of creativity and innovation.  The story revolves around the growing of square watermelons in Japan (a confirmed true story from Snopes).  Below is the email he passed along:

Japanese grocery stores had a problem. They are much smaller than their  US counterparts and therefore don’t have room to waste. Watermelons, big and round, wasted a lot of space. Most people would simply tell the grocery stores that watermelons grow round and there is nothing that can be done about it. But some Japanese farmers took a different approach.  ”If the supermarkets want a space efficient watermelon,”  they asked themselves, “How can we provide one?” It wasn’t long before they invented the square watermelon.

The solution to the problem of round watermelons wasn’t nearly as difficult to solve for those who didn’t assume the problem was impossible to begin with and simply asked how it could be done. It turns out that all you need to do is place them into a square box when they are growing and the watermelon will take on the shape of the box.

This made the grocery stores happy and had the added benefit that it was much easier and cost effective to ship the watermelons. Consumers also loved them because they took less space in their refrigerators which are much smaller than those in the US  - which resulted in the growers being able to charge a premium price for them.

What does this have do with anything besides square watermelons? There are a five lessons that you can take away from this story which will help you in all parts of your life. Here are a few of them:

1.) Don’t Assume:

The major problem was that most people had always seen round watermelons so they automatically assumed that square watermelons were impossible before even thinking about the question. Things that you have been doing a certain way your entire life have taken on the aura of the round watermelon and you likely don’t even take the time to consider if there is another way to do it. Breaking yourself from assuming this way can greatly improve your overall life as you are constantly looking for new and better ways to do things.

2.) Question Habits:

The best way to tackle these assumptions is to question your habits. If you can make an effort to question the way you do things on a consistent basis, you will find that you can continually improve the way that you live your life. Forming habits when they have been well thought out is usually a positive thing, but most of us have adopted our habits from various people and places without even thinking about them.

3.) Be Creative:

When faced with a problem, be creative in looking for a solution. This often requires thinking outside the box. Most people who viewed this question likely thought they were being asked how they could genetically alter water melons to grow square which would be a much more difficult process to accomplish.  By looking at the question from an alternative perspective, however, the solution was quite simple. Being creative and looking at things in different ways in all portions of your live will help you find solutions to many problems where others can’t see them.

4.) Look for a Better Way:

The square watermelon question was simply seeking a better and more convenient way to do something. The stores had flagged a problem they were having and asked if a solution was possible. It’s impossible to find a better way if you are never asking the question in the first place . Always ask if there is a better way of doing the things that you do and  constantly write down the things you wish you could do (but currently can’t) since these are usually hints about steps you need to change. Get into the habit of asking yourself, “Is there a better way I could be doing this?” and you will find there often is.

5.) Impossibilities Often Aren’t:

If you begin with the notion that something is impossible, then it obviously will be for you. If, on the other hand, you decide to see if something is possible or not, you will find out through trial and error.

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* Credits - This email was passed along to me by Bryan Radtke at P&G and in the body of the forward, Alistair Johnston appears to be the author.  I want to give credit where credit is due so if you know who originally wrote this, please let me know!

Very interesting new site courtesy of Greg Verdino. Ad agency AdmCom dubbed 2008 the Official Year of Creativity and crafted an interesting and entertaining site to give you inspiration on how to think differently about yourself and what you do. The first site is built around fun, graphical business cards that you can send to friends (see mine above).

I love the overal thinking beyond Year of Creativity. In the words of AdmCom:

Year of Creativity – YOC – is designed to stimulate something we all have in common: creativity. It is a starting point from which to explore the amazing potential of small changes and the infinite opportunities they offer. YOC is an invitation to be more curious and more imaginative. It is a catalyst that promotes real and virtual opportunities for us all to discuss and compare our own creativity. It is a space in which the endless personalities inside us can express themselves, as only those who are inwardly creative can also be creative with the world at large.

We all need a little bit of inspriation every day. There are going to be days where you are just feeling drained and wish you could do more than just be a “Brand Manager.” You want the chance to be a difference factor…the chance to be more than just a simple title. Maybe YOC will give you not only the chance to express yourself that way…but also the chance to act that way as well.