Wednesday 22 April 2009

Redefining the design problem

Just a brief recap of the key points in my tutorial today.
You need to be sure of your RoA.  You need to tell in a brief sentence and if you are uncertain about what it is, there is no way you can create a big idea.  After all these presentation critiques and comments, you might be confused.  In that case, please go back to your design problem. Redefine it.  It's time to undo the thinking that you have tried out so far, not that they are useless, but because you need to clarify what exactly you are doing for. So,

1. Redefine the design problem.
Ask again, what is the design problem?
e.g. People don't know what 61382A is; XTC is no normal ice-cream; Bathing is seen as a formality that's been taken for granted; Chinese chess is forgotten, it is unimportant in our daily lives; No one cares about Cantonese opera, it is none of my business, no one notice it; Books are boring; "Snacks Story" has no surprise...

then
2. Refine your RoA, in order to show that...
e.g. 61382A is a "creative" ("fill in any adjective that's relevant here") advertising course; XTC can add "colors" to your lives; LUSH bathing is something "_____" to treat yourself; Chinese chess is living among us; Cantonese opera becomes your business, brings your attention, becomes a talking point; Books are not boring; Snacks Story has many surprise...

Work harder and show me your layouts and testing on Friday morning.  Break rules and think different!

7 comments:

DDTse said...

Thomas, would u explain a little bit more about 'big ideas'?

Just get confused about that Big word.

Thomas Kan said...

Basically it's the design concept really.
You have to be aware that different people use different wordings (or jargons) when they talk about concept in their design practices. While 'concept' is widely used in all design areas, aka design concept, or theme. The ad guys used to call it 'big idea', the soul of the advert that can drive the AIR, something really spot on. In our words, big idea 就係條橋!

DDTse said...

Then is it if I catch the insight clearly in a simple sentence, the big ideas should normally come?

DDTse said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Thomas Kan said...

I like the word 'should'. Yes, but we should be aware that any insight, if it is so-called, should only lead you to an insight idea and from that insight idea, we need to push forward in order to get the big idea. Let me give an example here:
Research shows that people are afraid of giving blood (mainly because of pain)- (insight). We can easily start to develop ideas from it and they will become insight ideas (in fact preliminary ideas), if they can give spark, that's it. But because it starts off with a normal- taken for granted thinking, the ideas wouldn't be 'big'. So instead of telling people that giving blood (blood donation)is no pain (which is quite normal (and how can you persuade them as it is quite scary to watch some blood coming out from your body, like bleeding, right?), we think the opposite, and just by doing this, we got another insight idea -what if people enjoy bleeding? So with this new insight idea, we develop along the line showing people smiling or actually showing no fear when they are bleeding. One of the thinking is to show people bleeding after acdient but look unreasonably comfortable, why? BEcause they are 有持無恐! Because there is a blood bank - Red Cross. It's the big idea! Telling us IF we have plenty of blood, THEN you should have no worry! So instantly making a satirical accusation on the viewers that they should be giving blood if they want to face accident relaxingly. The rest is the A.I.R. Fill then in yourself! :)

DDTse said...

wow. thanks Thomas.

Looks like as soon as we have a good and big ideas. we are the man =]

Nice example~ actually it was a really cool idea, just do a little on the execution, everything will be so cool!!

Thanks again~ =]

Thomas Kan said...

Yes, in fact it is the big idea from one of my NFP groups. I hope they can turn it into great ad, with fine crafted copywriting and art direction.
I have just demonstrated how important it is to think different and believe in our intuition and work hard to protect and make the insight idea shine, despite any comment we might get. I want everyone here to really understand that everything is possible!