how to

create
a concept
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A short introDUCTION.
 I am

Occupation : CREATIVE AT IDFCTRY.COM

Education : The Dutch Academy of Art and Design
Rietveld Academie Amsterdam.
Philosophy : Everything is a chance.
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Thinks : Reality is chaos

Naïeve belief : Everybody is creative.
Motivation : Let’s make better mistakes tomorrow.

Do you have a design project you need help with?

I would love to hear about it.
Please send an email: INFO@IDFCTRY.COM
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Creating concepts is trying to think of ways that the impossible seems probable!
 what is a concept?

In one sentence:
It is a story.
A concept is a story told with two major
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components:
Content (what it’s told) and Form (How it’s told)
Note: In relation to (graphic) design, everything is a concept
or an adaption of a concept. From a logo to live events.
Everything tells a story. Preferably the same.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Form_and_content
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Is it worth all the trouble? Yes!

 How do you tell a story?

How do you tell a story? Simple.

Every story has a beginning, a middle and an end*.
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To get the nessary input, just ask the right questions.

This sounds a little zen, grasshoppers, but:

At the heart of every question lies the answer

*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnoJwfnzmqA (Classic Sesame Street)

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCyJRXvPNRo
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The fenomenale sculpture Rodin believed it was not he who sculpted

the statues out of the marble.The statues where already in the rocks,
all he had to do is reveal them.
 1+1= 2 (Wrong?)
1+1=11 (Right?)
To get you on your way to asking the right
questions. Use the 5w’s and H*.
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I always start every project using this method. The answers found
this way are my guide during a concept project. They are my starting
point of thinking and my checklist when finishing a project.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Ws
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Search google: stupid diesel. Watch this brilliant concept for diesel. It’s all about the story between logic and illogic.
 How do The Five W’s and H
work in action
Who? For whom is the concept meant.
Be specific. Think in persons, not in groups
What? What’s the essence? Look beyond the obvious:
Insurance companies sells “peace of mind” not insurances
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When? What is the moment the concept is consumed?

Where? What is the best way or place to reach its audience?
How?* What is to be used to give the audience the message?
Why? The purpose. Why is it important?
Try to be poetic in your thinking!
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persuasion
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Good pictures tells you more then a thousand words.

 Beware of the why answer!
Why is not How (?)
Lesser gods among us, use a How answers
to a Why question. This a common mistake.
Example: Why are polar bears white?
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A how answer is as follows: Polar bears are white because snow is

white. This sounds right and clear and for most people it is satisfying.
A why answer is as follows: Polar bears come in any color as
long, as long it is successful in its environment. If snow where
to be purple. Polarbears where purple. It is not the snow that makes
him white it is the ability to survive that makes him white.
How answers leaves less options open, as WHY answers leaves all
options over to think further. And that is what concept thinking is all
about: think further.
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Why are polarbears the color they are? There is no reason to be white.
 The creative brief (1)
a note to my Special friend
Five W’s? But I thought a concept starts
with a creative brief (CB)?

True. And ideally a good CB has all the input

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needed to use the Five W’s.

In basic a CB is a Five W’s story in itself.

 The creative brief (2)

Why is it then that a CB is not a concept

generation document?

Because CB’s have buildt-in conflicts.

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A CB has conclusions for the “to be created concept” before

there is a clear vision on that concept.

These flaws are especially seen in the deliverables, budget

and mandatory elements parts.
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Example: A CB for a soft-drink brand dictates the use of print ad’s.

That sounds oke? Not! The created concept is beter executed on live
events, it doesn’t need print. These kind of conflicts are to expected
in every CB.
 The creative brief (3)

Nevertheless good creative brief are rare.

In most cases you have to create answers yourself.

It is amazing to see how many clients (not all)

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have no idea on what they are doing or sell.

Example: A insurance company doesn’t sell insurance’s.
The’re selling Peace of Mind. How many employes of those company’s
say that on a parties to there friends, when asked what do for a living.
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“We’re in the business of creating, not science”

Don’t be afraid to Make Stuf Up to proof a point. Don’t lie, but bend information as its fits the purpose
 A tale of Two Creative briefs
- The average one
Used in many different agencies.
With some varieties here and there, but in general:
Background What is the background of the project? Why is it being done?
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Target audience What do they already think about this subject? Is there anything that should be avoided?
Objectives What is to be accomplished? How will this be measured and success understood?
Single message What is the one thing to tell the audience? What is the single thing they should remember
about the offering? How will they believe what we say?
Mandatory What are the mandatory elements such as the client’s logo, address and so forth.
Deliverables What is to be used to give the audience the message?
What is the best way or place to reach this audience?
Timeline How soon is this needed? When is it expected to be done? How many rounds (revisions) will
this project undergo?
Budget How much can be spent to get this developed? Is there any budget needed to publish/flight
the creative?
Approvals Who needs to give the “okay”?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_brief
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Remember: “A good concept is more than the sum of its parts.”

 A tale of Two Creative briefs
- The brilliant one
This how the ideal brief
shout be. Keywords are
trust and respect.
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Basically, it says:
“Do your thing the best
way you can.”

http://www.swiss-miss.com/2009/10/the-perfect-brief.html
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The briefing resultated in the album’s artwork cover for Sticky Fingers.
 final Sum up

• A concept is a story.
• Ask the right questions
• Why questions make you think.
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• Be poetic in your thinking.

• Question everything. Always!
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 To get you started
the right way
Since there are a milion ways ask yourself
questions and brainstorm, you might think:
“How do I start?”
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I’ve put together a sum of brainstorm methods:

“How to have a briljant brainstorm”
Here on slideshare:
http://www.slideshare.net/chungkong/how-to-have-a-briljant-brainstorm
 Disclaimer

The information in this document is intended for informational and educational

purposes only, to provide readers better understanding.

all Designated trademarks, brands and images are the property of their respective owners.
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please respect them.