Creative blocks are more common at agencies, than you may think. Not due to a lack of talent, but rather, due to workplace pressure. Here are some strategies that work:
1. Go back to the problem, not the idea
When you get blocked, it’s often because you’re thinking ‘what idea should I try?’ instead of ‘what problem do I have to solve?’ Reread the brief and summarize it in a single clear sentence.
2. Focus on insights, not slogans
Forget the headline for a while. Ask yourself:
What hurts people?
What does he do but not say?
What contradiction is there?
One good insight is worth ten “creative” concepts.
3. Make bad ideas first (on purpose)
Write down the most obvious, clichéd, and absurd ideas. Getting them out of the way frees up mental space… and many times a good idea can hide behind a bad one.
4. Change the format before the concept
If you don’t see an ad, think:
– And if it were a meme?
– Fake news?
– A real history?
– A TikTok recorded on a cellphone?
Changing the packaging can unlock content.
5. Teamwork (even if it’s just 15 minutes)
Advertising is best thought out loud. A casual comment can trigger an idea.
6. Research (without copying)
Look at how other brands solved similar problems, even in other countries or categories. Not to steal ideas, but for inspiration – it is important to investigate.
7. Turn off the “imaginary customer”
That mental judge that says “they are not going to approve this” kills ideas before they can come together. First create, then filter.
8. Give your brain time
Walking, showering, or doing something mechanical can help more than staring at the screen in hopes of a miracle. Ideas appear when you relax.