By Alice Burden

 

Ten steps to get creative

 

So you want to make adverts. That’s cool. As an art director, I’ve been asked how I get into my creative state of mind. Over the last few months or so, I’ve been listening in on conversations between people at SCA about how they make their best work.

 

So here’s a list of the ten best things you can do to loosen up and make great creative work. If you follow these step by step, you’re guaranteed to produce a 10/10 book.

 

1. Drink coca-cola energy

This stuff will leave you buzzing. You’ll be bouncing off the walls and ready to make work. Sure, you’ll be unfocused and majorly jazzed, so I can’t guarantee your work will be any good – but at least it will be prolific. 

 

2. Sleep less

 

Now here’s something interesting. Apparently, if you sleep less than 8 hours a night, you’re still dreaming when you wake up [sic]. So it helps you to be creative. And if you don’t sleep at all, like most of us here, you’ll be permanently in a dreamlike state… Welcome to the Matrix.

 

3. Eat Peperamis

 

Gobble down these garlicky meat sticks and you’re certain to produce fantastic work. No one knows how they do it, but these stinky pork spears inspire even the driest of creatives.

 

4. Find inspiration on the tube

 

Peak advertising. ART. The tube is where you’ll find the best ads. Breathe in the craftsmanship on your daily commute. Wow, my brain can’t handle the creativity.

 

5. Wear nappies

 

You’ve got to get into that playful child state.*

 

6. Don’t skateboard

 

Skateboarding was invented by Stalin. DO NOT AT ANY COST USE A SKATEBOARD. It’s a little known fact that the material skateboards are made of actually suck creativity out of you like a sponge. Avoid.

 

7. Never ever go home

 

Home is for losers. End of. Don’t ever work on anything else, your work should be your main focus until everything is done.

 

8. Keep all, and I mean all, your ideas in your head

 

This is super important. People are vultures. Free association is fake news spread by uncreative people who want to steal your work. I wouldn’t even tell your partner your ideas. Repeat after me. Creativity lives inside the head, and not outside.

 

9. Always wear a black hat **

 

Mi’lady.

 

10. Just force it

 

If you sit down, stare at a blank page and just think about being creative, you will become creative. Thank you and goodnight. 

 

So there you have it, ten steps to make yourself super creative. Sure you can read all the books but they’re just a waste of money. All you need is hard headedness, no sleep and peperamis. Do all your work at a computer and you’ll be fine. If this doesn’t work for you, you clearly aren’t creative. You should give up now and become a copywriter. 

 

• Dummies are also recommended but not essential.

** http://www.debonogroup.com/six_thinking_hats.php