The Dux Approach to Brainstorming
We love when we get to join the creative conversation with schools. We suggest whenever you have an idea, ask yourself:
Does it differentiate you from the market
Is it relevant to your market
Is it true and authentic
Aligning your idea with these three principles can help you and your team validate that your campaign could actually connect with someone or even influence their decisions.
One of my go-to reads, "Honest! A True Story of a Ridiculous Attempt to Make Advertising More Truthful," by Nick Cohen, serves up a quote that hit me right between the eyes—and trust me, this book is packed with gems! It says, “Great ideas can come from anyone, and the best idea wins. It doesn’t matter if you’re the boss or a slightly hungover intern from Yorkshire.” The takeaway? No one in the room has a monopoly on good ideas. If you want innovative thinking, you need diverse perspectives. So, invite different voices to your brainstorms—they might just be the game-changer that takes your campaign to the next level. Remember, you’re all in this together!
Back to Back
What we like to do at Dux and with our clients, is build an environment within our teams where brainstorming and reflection forms part of our/their weekly or monthly planning process. We build a “safe space” for great ideas to grow.
Set clear objectives
We outline the hit points we want for visual concepts. This stems from the research and strategic positioning stage. “What does your school stand for and what you want people to know about you?”
Create a stimulating environment
Every work environment has its own unique approach. Since we primarily operate remotely, we often draw inspiration from campaigns we come across on social media, in the advertising and PR landscape, and beyond. Our process starts with conversations around these inspirations, and from there, we explore how current trends might shape and influence the ideas we develop.
Whether you’re online or offline, to make things a little more comfortable, a few suggestions:
Introduce music, food and drinks. What makes you relax, what makes you step out of your head and just relax?
Integrate visual aids
Start with some activities, chats about general news or interesting socials you saw this week
Take a walk with your team around your local neighborhood, head to a cafe or bar - a space that will stimulate connections between the school, location, community and feeling.
The goal? To ignite inspiration and get ideas rolling.
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The goal? To ignite inspiration and get ideas rolling. 〰️
Bring Different People into the Conversation
This is not a solo sport, nor are there try-outs!
At Dux, every quarter, we bring fresh faces into the conversation. This approach gives us new perspectives and keeps us connected to our community. We tap into a wide range of voices—from friends and family to professionals in education, PR, advertising, and marketing. Including different ages and backgrounds broadens our understanding of brand perception, experience, and digital trends.
Inviting your community into these discussions doesn't just generate more ideas; it shows you're genuinely interested in their input. This involvement builds their buy-in, making the brand rollout more impactful and engaging for everyone.
Encourage Wild Ideas!
Let’s go big or go home! We’re all about thinking outside the box and throwing those wild, out-there ideas into the mix. It’s often the unconventional concepts that spark the most innovative solutions.
Build on Crazy Concepts
Don’t just brush off an idea because it seems a little wild or doesn’t perfectly fit right now. Play with it, shape it, and build on it—these ideas can quickly evolve into game-changing directions that help us hit the mark.
Mix It Up with Creative Techniques
These techniques have been around for a VERY long time! So, we aren’t here to say we came up with them, but we are just saying explore them.
Brainwriting
Rapid Ideation
Brainstorming (whether it’s online or round robin)
Mind Mapping
SWOT Analysis (because it’s always good to know the challenges ahead)
At Dux, it’s all about letting ideas fly and watching where they take us!
NEWS ALERT
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NEWS ALERT 〰️
One-and-done brainstorms? Absolutely not, that’s not our vibe. One of the biggest mistakes people make is not revisiting!
Revisit your ideas. Keep them visible—plaster them where you’ll see them every day. Step away, come back, and ask yourself: do they still hit as hard, or have you leveled up with something even better?
Our mantra at Dux? Go big or go home! Be bold, be daring, and don’t hold back from sharing what’s on your mind. We live by that #safespace motto!