Quarantine Creativity

We are all aware that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has asked people to engage in social distancing to avoid the spread of COVID-19. For many, this is easier said than done. Why not use this as a chance to improve your life. What have you been meaning to do? What do you never have time for? What would set you up for success once social distancing is over? Here are 20 ways to combat loneliness and take advantage of this time:

1. Organize your photos...and share them with your loved ones

2. Create new playlists

3. Organize family game and movie nights

4. Stay active and set new fitness goals

5. Spring clean your closets

6. Spruce up your social media accounts

7. Video call three old friends

8. Watch a documentary on something you know nothing about

9. Finish that book

10. Take a free online course

11. Start learning a new language

12. Watch a TED Talk

13. Create a vision board

14. Order online and plant some spring bulbs

15. Take a virtual tour of a museum

16. Join a virtual trivia league

17. Unleash your inner artist

18. Get creative with food

19. Write a letter to someone you love

20. Use Netflixparty to watch cult classics with friends 

TRASH TALK

What TXDOT Taught the Marketing World

 Somewhere around the mid-80s, litter was a big problem in Texas. A nearly 20 percent rise in trash tossing was costing us $20 million annually. To combat the issue, the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) hired Tim McClure and his colleagues at Austin-based advertising agency GSD&M to create an anti-litter campaign. They came up with the slogan, “Don’t Mess with Texas.”

 Along with the agency’s catchy slogan, they enlisted the help of Daniel B. Syrek, a California researcher who specialized in measuring litter. His hard data indicated that young men between the ages of 16 and 24 were the major offenders. McClure and his team were stashing bumper stickers spouting the slogan in truck stops and fast food restaurants, places frequented by their target demographic. But this paraphernalia wasn’t labeled as from the TxDOT and had no clear indication about its true meaning. The ambiguity was an intentional tactic.

 Officially launching on New Year’s Day in 1986 during the broadcast of the 50th annual Cotton Bowl, television viewers saw a commercial starring Texas blues musician Stevie Ray Vaughan strumming a guitar in front of a large Texas flag at the Austin City Limits studio. A voiceover reminded the audience of the expense and illegality of littering. The commercial ended with Vaughan saying, “Don’t mess with Texas.” 

 The campaign was hugely effective because instead of working to change people’s negative behaviors, it tapped into Texans’ strong sense of state pride. Beyond its immediate role in reducing litter, the slogan has been popularly appropriated by Texans and is associate with our Texas swagger. 

 The iconic red, white and blue trash cans and the help of fellow Texans such as Willie Nelson, Matthew McConaughey, Lyle Lovett, LeAnn Rimes, Kevin Fowler and Jack Ingram, have spread the word about keeping Texas highways litter-free. 

Block Busters

Whether you’re a student, book author, grant writer or advertising director, there’s nothing worst than being up against an important deadline and your brain seizing up. There can be many reasons your block may occur. Maybe the timing is off and you aren’t in the right state of mind to produce creative copy. Or maybe it’s fear. Many writers struggle with being afraid of putting themselves and their ideas out there for everyone to see and critique.

Staring at the computer screen as the blinking cursor taunts you can be beyond frustrating, but don’t worry…there’s hope! Here are five powerful ways you can bust your writer’s block and get back into the flow.

1. Just Walk Away

Go grab a coffee, start making dinner or go for a run. The key is to distract your brain temporarily, and then when you return, you’ll have a fresh perspective. Don’t keep banging your head against a wall. Take a break. It’ll still be waiting for you in an hour or two.

 2. Write Early in the Morning

According to science, the best time of the day to write is the very first thing in the morning when your brain is most alert.  While it might sound unrealistic to start as soon as you roll out of bed, the arguments behind this approach are very compelling. Your willpower is at its strongest before you've had to use it for anything else in the day.

 3. Stick to a Writing Schedule

Carve out a time to write every day. Show up to write, even if nothing comes to you right away. When you show up to the page at the same time and place every day, eventually your creative inspiration will do the same. It may also be helpful to set a word limit you try to hit every day.

 4. Eliminate Distractions

It’s amazing how many distractions there can be for a writer. Turn off the phone. Clean your workspace and eliminate clutter. It’s also not a bad idea to have a conversation with friends, family or coworkers about honoring ta set period of time so you can write without interruptions.

 5. Freewrite

As much as it may remind you of your high school writing class, freewriting exercises can loosen up the mind and get you to write things you would never write otherwise. If nothing else, they get words on the page, and if you do enough of that, some of it is bound to be good.

Even Dean Koontz, who has sold more than 450 million books in his successful writing career, knows all too well the reality of writer’s block. “The best writing is borne of humility. The great stuff comes to life in those agonizing and exhilarating moments when writers become acutely aware of the limitations of their skills, for it is then that they strain the hardest to make use of the imperfect tools with which they must work,” Koontz says.

Strategize Like a Navy SEAL

Why do you matter?

That is one of the fundamental questions we always ask during a client strategy session. Such a big part of strategy is leadership. I was recently gifted Rob Roy’s “The Navy SEAL Art of War,” and after the first few pages, I knew Roy had a lot he could teach me. What better example of agility and mental strength for CEOs and entrepreneurs to emulate than that of the Navy SEALS.

Roy, who was a Navy SEAL for 20 years, created an 80-hour intensive program that puts CEOs through SEAL training to teach them leadership skills. They are taught self-awareness, inner strength and teamwork all while doing push-ups, carrying huge logs, floating in the ocean at night and storming a building.

In his book, Roy shares 57 hard lessons he picked up during his service. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Character is everything.

• Dress for success.

• There is no finish line. You keep pushing and don’t stop.

• Put team before self.

• Care about those you lead and lead from ahead.

• Yesterday is behind you.

• Be humble and have a servant’s heart.

• Pain tells you that you are still alive; embrace it.

• Embrace technology. Don’t run from it.

• Excellence is a habit.

What I found most applicable professionally was the chapter about ringing the bell. During training SEALS can quit by ringing the bell three times. They are given that choice to either ring the bell and pack their bag or commit 100 percent. I suspect every CEO or entrepreneur can relate to this. I wonder how many of you are thinking about ringing the bell.

If you’d like your own copy of “The Navy SEAL Art of War,” visit sot-g.com.

Is Creativity Being "Taught Out of Us" in School?

When my daughter was 7 years old, we went to Meet the Teacher Night at her school. While being given the rundown, her teacher told us that if a child was going to have to miss a class for an appointment, then it should be either music or art class because those weren’t as important. At the time my husband was working as an oil painter, and I was a children’s story writer. We were dumbfounded.

While I don’t think everyone has the innate imagination to be Picasso or Hemingway, everyone is born creative. But then we begin our education, where we are taught conformity. Think about it…young children are spilling with ideas. We go from dinosaurs wearing roller skates, mountains made of ice cream and invisibility potions to being taught to color in the lines and the skill of passing exams. Are we trained to be good workers as opposed to creative thinkers? Why is it that the arts are not as supported and valued as science and math?

I think there is also a level of uncertainty about the creative industry. That is why later on while kids are deciding what they will major in, many parents don’t see the value of a creative profession. They push their children towards other professions. 

Creativity is one of the most powerful competitive advantages a company can have. A business needs to sparkle with new ideas and fresh thinking. But that’s where there’s a problem. Sometimes that sparkly creativity just isn’t present in the conference room.

 What would happen if we worked to build creative leaders who were equally business and creatively minded…utilizing both the right and left sides of the brain. Gaining mental muscle with both sides can offer left-brainers comfort in thinking outside the box and more creatively in your problem solving, marketing and team management efforts. And as a right-sider, developing your left-side can give you confidence in negotiating business terms, crunching numbers, raising capital and building projections. If we stopped treating creativity and intelligence as separate cognitive processes, the student benefits most.

Spring Fever

With such a short window of time before the summer sizzle, it’s common for us office dwellers to get a little spring fever. If you or your co-workers are experiencing this, here are 12 tips our creative team uses to boost productivity.

1.    MAKE A REASONABLE TO-DO LIST

Don’t make an unrealistic list of tasks to complete in one workday. To-do lists often fail because we make them way too complex or the tasks are unequal.

2.    SET SMALL GOALS FOR THE TASKS

Once you start breaking down the individual tasks and realizing what can be accomplished, you’ll notice how each part builds upon the other. One of the easiest and most practical things you can do is to break down your marketing project into smaller goals.

3.    PRIORITIZE YOUR PROJECTS

One way to do this is through the 90-90-1 rule. Commit the first 90 minutes of your day for 90 days to the most important task. This will help focus your priorities before the day even really gets going.

4.    TRACK YOUR TIME AND LOOK FOR PATTERNS

Tracking your time, even if no one is asking you for it, can help you understand your work habits and the time of day when you finish work most successfully. If you simply rearrange some of those things, you may be able to get more done.

5.    CREATE A DASHBOARD

List out the number of times that you do certain tasks each week. The goal here is to record inputs, not just outcomes. This is especially useful for social media gurus who need to tweet or write a certain number of LinkedIn posts each week.

6.    DISCOVER YOUR TWO PEAK HOURS

It’s suggested that we should find at least two hours each day to dive into the harder strategic work. The rest of the time may be left for meetings or less important tasks. This will allow you to schedule less-strategic tasks during hours when you’re not as engaged.

7.    TIDY UP AND THROW STUFF OUT

Believe it or not, a clean workspace helps you be more productive. You’ll save time by not having to hunt for what you need.  You’ll also get more clarity and focus for your tasks at hand. 

8.    WALK AWAY

Try to find time to walk at least once a day. That could be around the parking lot, up and down flights of stairs or in a nearby park. This isn’t about getting fit or losing weight. Exercise helps you be more productive because it increases blood flow and cardiovascular health. You’ll return to your desk more focused and less anxious.

9.    FOLLOW THE TWO-PIZZA RULE

Meetings can slow or stall momentum, especially when there are too many in attendance. If you have to order more than two pizzas to feed those in the meeting, there are too many people in the conference room. Not enough ideas will get shared. If you decrease the number, more vibrant ideas should emerge.

10. GROUP SIMILAR TASKS TOGETHER

When we are switching back and forth between tasks, we create a lack of fluidity. Starting and stopping over and over again decreases productivity. All of those small moments add up and break our concentration. Then we get distracted and forget what we were doing in the first place. By grouping similar tasks together, you will decrease the number of times you have to break focus or flow.

11. DO YOUR MOST IMPORTANT TASKS BEFORE LUNCH  

Projects with the tightest deadlines should be done first. Some days you may be working straight through lunch, but make sure you get done what absolutely needs to get done today.

12. MANAGE YOUR TIME WITH EMAIL  

Spending too much time in your email inbox can drain your time and energy. Pick a few times a day, maybe in the morning, at noon and once around 5:00 to check your email. If you don’t, your priorities will take a back seat to your e-mails.

Your Worst Idea Might Lead to the Best Idea

Sometimes thinking outside the box just isn’t enough. If you’re ever really stuck, try getting to the right answer by thinking of the wrong answer first. "Reverse thinking” or the idea of turning a problem upside down can be an incredibly helpful tool for creative teams.

An example of this was illustrated by artist William Kentridge who used the dirt and grime along the walls of Rome’s Tiber River to create a large mural to tell the city’s history. He began by reverse thinking: Grime and graffiti is good for the city. That led him to the right idea: Let me use grime as an art material to create a mural that highlights the history of the city.

Steps for Using This Tool:

1. Clearly identify the problem or challenge, and write it down.

2. Reverse the problem or challenge by asking, "How could I possibly cause the problem?" or "How could I possibly achieve the opposite effect?"

3. Brainstorm the reverse problem to generate reverse solution ideas. Allow the brainstorm ideas to flow freely. Do not reject anything at this stage.

4. Once you have brainstormed all the ideas to solve the reverse problem, now reverse these into solution ideas for the original problem or challenge.

5. Evaluate these solution ideas. Can you see a potential solution? Can you see attributes of a potential solution?

Another example of this process being utilized was when a commercial training institute was working to remedy the fact that they had been getting a lot of complaints from students. The student management planned a reverse brainstorming session with members of the customer service, teacher management and marketing team. The problem is defined as follows: ‘How can we improve student satisfaction?’ Subsequently, this problem then reversed: ‘How can we increase the students’ dissatisfaction?’ This resulted in the following suggestions:

• Not returning students calls immediately upon a call request;

• Returning students’ emails after at least 1 week;

• Scheduling exams for students without consultation, making it difficult for them to get the time off from work.

• Collecting the fees by means of direct debit without prior consultation with the student;

• Not scheduling students at their preferred location, but making them drive at least 50 miles for a class.

Another metric you can use when conducting reverse thinking is to ask yourself, "what is the worst idea that I can think of? The one that would get me fired if I told my boss." That is the level of "wrong thinking" you want to go for. Remember you're playing with ideas here and deliberately breaking your own prejudices.

Next time you're stuck, try reverse thinking. Be playful and remember to push the wrong ideas as far out as possible. Then use the wrong answers to generate new right ideas!

Secrets From Willie

Last week I was reading the May 2018 Texas Monthly article about Willie Nelson while waiting at the doctor’s office. I was fascinated in learning what keeps this 85-year-old country music legend still so full of life and vigor. Willie’s national tour schedule is enough to make a man a quarter of his age weary, and last year he released his 73rd studio album.

 So why does he still do it? He’s got money, an unparalleled legacy and a slice of heaven at his ranch outside Austin. He could kick back and put his feet up, but instead he’s still playing his guitar, writing songs and making music every day.

 Willie says that doing what he loves is the secret. “I think I need to keep being creative, not to prove anything but because it makes me happy just to do it…I think trying to be creative, keeping busy, has a lot to do with keeping you alive.”

 A recent Harvard study proved that engaging in creative behavior increases well-being. Creating and expressing ourselves gives us a sense of purpose and causes a particular kind of upward spiral. Creativity has also been linked to lowering stress and anxiety, enhancing resilience and contributing to our senses of playfulness and curiosity.

 Even if you don’t consider yourself an “artist” and think you don’t have a creative bone in your body, you can still benefit from creative activity. That can be anything from designing a new ad at work, writing a few stories in a journal, creating a floral arrangement or experimenting with a new recipe in the kitchen. For Willie it’s strumming his guitar and singing songs he’s written with his family on stage in front of a country full of his fans.

Power of Print

New Potential of an Old Medium

Waking up most days, I walk to the front lawn and snag the paper to read while I intake my morning caffeine. I jot down a few items on the grocery list hanging on the fridge and check my day planner to see what the week holds. My husband on the other hand scrolls through news stories on his phone. He asks Alexa to add items to his Amazon cart and is alerted by his online calendar that he has a meeting later in the day.

The contentious battle of “Print Versus Digital” exists in our everyday lives, especially for those trying to decide where to best utilize their marketing budget. Since the dawn of digital media, many have been of the mindset that new is best. The same thing happened with the birth of social media. However, success stats for these platforms aren’t as high as you’d think.

Here are two important reasons why SmartBomb believes in the power of print:

1. Print has staying power

An advertisement printed in a magazine will stay alive for as long as the reader possesses the publication. While it may lack in potential for instant response, it makes up for that in longevity and tactile shareability. Readers are more likely to hang onto stacks of magazines or a newspaper clipping than they would a news story or magazine article they read online.

Ads online are generally fleeting, fast and less likely to be memorable. There are also other online pitfalls such as ad blockers, whereas print readers choose to view the content they have purchased or obtained and have no choice but to view the ads contained within the publication.

Another factor to consider is reader trust. This trust comes from a source of reliability and knowledge of where the content comes from. The editors’ and writers’ names are listed in print, and with the growing issue of #FakeNews, reader trust is a major commodity. When readers see something online, their initial response is to question its source and authenticity.

2. Print has a sense of exclusivity

It takes a considerable amount of time to produce a print publication therefore they are viewed as more exclusive than online content. The fact that a publishing house has printed the content on high-quality, expensive paper means that the content is worth something. Keep in mind also that most printed content is bought by readers, so they consider it worth something too. Online content is usually free to access (minus some paid-for content sites) and readily available. Readers can find the same news from the various sources of online publishers.

So who’s to say the right or most effective way of doing things? Sometimes it depends on the client, and sometimes it depends on the content being shared. Our philosophy is: Whatever gets the job done!

Risky Business

“If it doesn’t scare you, you’re probably not dreaming big enough.” Never did I understand that saying more than when I partnered up with a former colleague nearly a year ago and launched a creative agency. While I always knew that risk-taking was associated with entrepreneurship, I never realized just how scary those first steps could
be. Here are five things I’ve learned so far…

1. Payoff is oftentimes uncertain
Regardless of how much you’ve planned and calculated your strategies, nobody knows if the risk will pay off. This shouldn’t deter you from taking more risks necessary for your business’ growth. No matter what field you are in, risks will always be there waiting for you around the corner.

2. Risk-taking does not mean betting everything
Don’t take just any risk. You should know the type of risk you are facing and how to deal with it. Also, be prudent in moving toward your goals. When faced with a risk, it does not mean that you’ll immediately take the bait; of course, it’s mitigating the risk if possible as you work on conquering the obstacles along the way.

3. Learn from your failures
A successful entrepreneur looks at downfalls as an opportunity to learn and grow. If you took a risk but it didn’t work out, that’s no reason for you to give up. Instead, look at the bright side of things and learn from what didn’t work to mold new strategies. This will be one of the ways for your business to grow.

4. There’s no innovation without risks
As clients’ demands change, so should the services that you offer. It’s necessary to come up with innovative ideas to keep up with the changing times. Continue to change for the better with new and fresh ideas. It’s the only way to differentiate yourself from your competitors.

5. Less competition for those who take risks
Most entrepreneurs avoid taking risks because they are frightened of the repercussions. This fear holds them back and results in less competition for those who take risks and at the same time puts them in a favorable business position.
Need some inspiration??? Here are a handful of businesses, you may have heard of them, that took a risk and it really paid off.

Microsoft
The history of Microsoft is riddled with missteps, especially when it comes to
mobile devices. In 2001 the tech giant pushed the envelope by launching its first
gaming console: the Xbox. At a time when it seemed like there could be no rival
to the Playstation, the company doubled down on their marketing budget for the
device. Today the Xbox isn't just for playing games, but it’s also a major player
when it comes to television and streaming videos.

Whole Foods
Buying organic and natural products used to seem like something only the high-
class could afford. John Mackey and Renee Lawson Hardy, owners of Safer Way
Natural Foods, and Craig Weller and Mark Skiles, owners of Clarksville Natural
Grocery, and the ones responsible for the rise of the all-natural economy. They
all left their popular shopping market gigs to bet on Whole Foods, which could
have been a major flop. By believing in the model, and starting out with less than
20 employees in 1980, they've changed the entire culture of shopping for
groceries.

Twitter
Twitter's user base was growing when Facebook offered $500 million to take
over the growing social network. Twitter told them to take a hike. Sometimes
saying no and sticking it out through the tough times is the hardest risk of all.

Charmin
In 2014 the toilet paper company decided to use potty humor to get its audience
engaged in their product. Turning a wholesome family brand into one of the
most engaging, hysterical brands on social media was a big risk, but it’s how they
kept the company rolling.

Google
If you can imagine it, there used to be no Google. Sergey Brin and his co-founder
Larry Page created the company while getting their PhDs. They almost gave up
on it all because it was taking up too much of their time. Page almost sold the
company in 1997 for just $1.5 million. In 2006, when no one understood the
potential of a video service called YouTube, the tech company bought it up.

FedEx
FedEx was originally denied a business loan, and they needed to foot a gas bill
and stay afloat. Fred Smith, founder, had the bright idea to take his $5,000 to Las
Vegas to raise the cash. While it’s not a recommended way of taking risk, it paid
off for Smith.

Apple
Apple changed the world and how everyone connects with each other. They also
took big risks that paid off with how they’ve changed the way users listen to
music, going against popular opinion and betting on better audio all around.

Whether you’re running a small, one-man shop or a Fortune 500 company, you can set
your sites on just treading water by playing it safe. However, your business will appear
as tired as it is after a while and drown if you go that route. It’s best to take intelligent
risks and focus on winning, because if you don't your competition will.