Feel Good Friday: Types of Creativity

We work with so many creative people in our industry and each one is unique in their very own way. Content creators, creative directors. You name it, we’ve worked alongside them to help make the best UGC campaigns possible. We’ve always been under the impression that you are either creative or you’re just not but apparently, and surprising, this is not the case. There are four different types of creativity, according to neuroscienctists. Did you know this? That means we’re all creatives in one way or another. The four ways of creativity are deliberate & cognitive, deliberate & emotional, spontaneous & cognitive and spontaneous & emotional. Let’s dive in to each type.

1.     Deliberate & Cognitive: This comes from the prefrontal cortex of the brain tasked with focused attention and forming connections between information. This type of creativity is associated with a scientist. It requires a lot research, investigation and problem-solving as well as a lot of time and knowledge.

2.     Deliberate & Emotional: This style of creativity requires quiet time and has to do with those “ah-ha” moments. It is influenced by our emotions and those with this creative style tend to be logical/rational as well as emotional. Located in the amygdala and cingulate cortex, these moments happen someone suddenly thinks of a solution working on a problem in a particular emotional state.

3.     Spontaneous & Cognitive: Taking place in the basal ganglia of the brain, this type in unconscious by doing an unrelated activity. “Eureka Moments” type of creativity. Your unconscious mind took over and solved the problem for you. We’ve all had this happen when we’re doing something mundane like the dishes when a big answer just comes to you out of the blue for something else.  

4.     Spontaneous & Emotional: This type of creativity is associated with musicians and artists and comes primarily from the amygdala that deals solely with emotions. These moments occur when the prefrontal brain is just chilling. Some call these the “epiphany” moments, where rare discoveries take place. This is a style that cannot be worked on. This is the creativity we think of when we think of being creative. The, “you either have it or you don’t” kind. We all have it but some just more than others.

What’s interesting is that most of us are dominant in one type of creativity but not limited to it. Someone can be an engineer as well as a writer. Creativity is more important in business than one might think.  If you understand what creative strengths you bring to the table for your current or future employers you will be more confident and know what roles suit you best. When it comes to hiring, the opposite can be said. You need to know what type of creative style you’re looking for each role you are trying to fill.  You want the right type creative people working for your brand in the right roles. So ,it’s key that you understand which type creative individuals you are looking for.

Creative Ways to Advertise

Did you know that it typically takes 5-7 brand interactions before a consumer remember the brand? (Start Up Bonsai) We’ve written articles in the past on how to make your advertisements stand out from the crowd with the use of Interactive Advertising. We’ve also talked about what contributes to the effectiveness of an advertisement. Creativity will always win in advertising campaigns so why should the way that you advertise be any different? Not only should the advertisements themselves stand out, the way that you advertise should as well. Here are some creative and not so creative, but tried and tested, ideas to get you started.

1.     Magazines. This type of advertising is one of the oldest. Ads began in newspapers so this is similar. This can cost your brand anywhere from $500-$20K depending on which publication it is as well as the placement within the magazine. Ads in the back are typically better so they are going to cost your brand more. Cost will also be affected by the size and colors you choose.

2.     Sponsor local city maps. This one is a bit old school but tested to work. This will work especially well if your brand is located in a tourist destination.

3.     Use the space creatively. Put an ad on the celling of a building. On the floor or the staircase. Use the space creatively to draw attention to the campaign.

4.     Swag. Everyone loves free stuff and it helps your brand advertise. Think pens, tee shirts, reusable water bottles, stickers, bottle openers, etc. Keep costs low by ordering early, buying in bulk, shopping around for the best deals and also negotiate pricing.

5.     Vehicle wraps. We’ve all seen the bus side ads. It’s dynamic since the vehicle is always in motion. Many people will see the ad but make sure that it legible to read in motion. This type of advertising is also a bit costly ranging anywhere from $3K-5K. That being said, this type of ad generates 2.5x’s more attention than static billboards according to Sign Post. You can easily find companies in your area that specialize in vehicle wraps with a simple Google search. 

6.     Banner Ads. Banner ads are a great way to get your brand to the eyes of those that potentially are interested in what you have to offer. These are placed on specific websites that have similar interest to your business through publishers. This can help grow your audience big time. They should be animated to get the viewers’ attention immediately. Costs of this type of advertising varies. Some do 50cents per 1,000 impressions. Meaning that it will be displayed 1,000 times. Some charge one-time fees for a specified span of time.

These are some fun ways to mix up the ways that your brand is advertising. Not only should your advertisement be creatively sound, the way that you choose to advertise that campaign should be as well. We hope this helps give you some ideas to add diversity to your advertising strategies.