Using your creativity to develop unique ideas to sell a product or service isn’t easy. Creativity transcends everything from professions to culture, television, and movies and of course marketing campaigns. The slightest idea can flourish into something that touches and impacts people around the world. In music, lyrics are written down, recorded, and laid over guitars, pianos, drums, and other instruments played with precision by masterful musicians. But where does the idea itself come from? Do the words come first, or does the musical score inspire the artist to write the lyrics? While many examples could express how an idea can take on a life of its own, let’s consider two that reference the pain associated with the loss or the absence of children.
Tears in Heaven was written and released by Eric Clapton in 1992. While the song itself is beautiful, it becomes more impactful when you understand the painful circumstances ingrained in its roots. Tears in Heaven was written and dedicated to the memory of Eric Clapton's son Connor. He tragically fell from a balcony and was killed when he was only four years old. Many of us could never comprehend the toll a tragedy like this would have on a parent's psyche and yet, Eric Clapton was able to put his pain and loss into words and share it through his music.
Letter 2 My Unborn was released in 2001, almost six years after Tupac's death. It was to be a love letter to guide his unborn child with the lessons he learned through his life. Imagine having the foresight to put pen to paper to share your knowledge, hopes, and dreams with a child you somehow knew you would never meet. Whether Tupac had a child or not remains unknown. What is widely known is that he regularly predicted his death in his music. Tupac's lifestyle and confrontations with the police might have inspired him to write a song to communicate with his unborn child from beyond the grave in case he had one.
Good creative ideas are hard to come by, and people always say creativity is subjective. Sometimes, regardless of how strong you believe they are, the ideas you come up with don't resonate with your audience. It's hard to be unique. Still, if the two songs above are proof of anything, a creative spark can come from anywhere and under any circumstance. Whether it's a new brand campaign, blog, short story, content marketing piece, musical composition, or something else entirely, your own life experiences can provide inspiration. You may find the idea you're looking for is just beneath the surface.
As you look at your phone, you realize that while you're still not sure which one is right for you in the moment, one thing's for sure: you like the idea of being valued for the knowledge you bring. After all, as Francis Bacon once said, "Knowledge is power."
From Old Spice's "I'm a man on a horse" to Connor starring in the Georgetown Hospital Foundation video known as "Lottery girl," Connor discusses how unhinged ideas could become a major success for your brand.
Marketing case competitions will exceed your expectations and open doors you never knew you wanted to walk through. You can become a better marketer by taking a chance now. What are you waiting for?
