<b><font color="#FF0033">AAAI Symposium</font></b>: Bruce Matchett: “Great ideas emerge from human insights”

“Human insights are the truism that must reflect in advertising,” said Bruce Matchett, chief creative officer, JWT India, as he addressed those gathered at the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) diamond jubilee symposium, which was centred on the topic ‘The Future of Advertising.’

Matchett went on to reveal around 30 ways in which an adman can find that elusive creative idea and make it relevant to the brand. “First, take a book and scribble,” he advised. “One must write all one can observe from real life situations and people, or even from the movies. Go to a market place and watch consumers buy/use the brand. Interview people at pubs, and busy streets, and you will be surprised with the kind of nuggets you can come up with,” he said.

Matchett stressed on the importance of listening, saying that a great idea can come from anyone. “It is very important to change partners in the creative team from time to time. In a bid to impress the new partner, one tends to show off. This brainstorming can lead to the formation of an exciting idea. Sometimes, the more heads there are, the merrier it is.”

“Another interesting way to find out how an idea is to try describing it to a child. For one, the child will give his/her honest viewpoint. Besides, while narrating the idea, one often realises whether it is making sense or not, and what are its shortcomings. One should even try and write down the idea in a story form. That is the fastest way to check its feasibility,” he added.

The well known adman then went on to say that advertising is supposed to be fun, so one shouldn’t let the luxury of a break pass by, as it might be just the right thing to get the creative juices flowing. “Staying back all night won’t help if one is tired…instead, one should go home and rest and come back the next day. The problem will not seem so big when one is refreshed.”

A very crucial point that Matchett made was looking back into the past adverts of the brand and observing how they have evolved. “In order to look forward, look behind first,” he stressed. “Also, it is very important to feel the product. What role does the product play in the consumer’s life? Imagine life without the product, and how the consumer would be affected. What would he/she miss the most about the product? The answer could be one’s creative idea.”

Matchett added: “Don’t look in the same places. Otherwise, one will land up with the same answers every time. Also, it is vital to find someone in one’s life that fits the profile of his TG. Now, try talking to that person about the idea. On the other hand, one shouldn’t jump at the first solution that he comes up with. Sometimes, two or three unrelated thoughts lead to a third, complete idea.”

Matchett pointed out that the biggest risk of all is playing safe with a tried and tested idea, since it is as good as being invisible. “Creativity and self respect both die when an adman makes a ‘safe’ commercial. It is important to follow one’s heart and test new waters as fortune favours the brave.”

Matchett concluded, “Creative guys are prone to low self esteem. There is this adage, ‘most great work has blood on it’. By that, I mean it is important to fight for one’s idea and persevere, provided one believes he has a strong idea. One must always think beyond what one can achieve.”

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