Effective brainstorming is crucial for generating impactful PR ideas. Not every idea is going to be brilliant – although remember, there is no such thing as a bad idea – but once that ‘Eureka!’ moment occurs, you can then go forth and conquer with an impactful and creative marketing campaign.
So, how do you set about generating great ideas? Here are some suggestions to get those mental cogs turning:
Start with a clear brief
First of all, the stage needs to be set by outlining the key goals of your intended campaign – including the target audience, key messages and any trends or tactics being adopted by competitors. Think about what needs to be achieved and what tools you have at your disposal. Setting these foundations early will ensure everyone is aligned and focused.
Structure your session
Before you begin, look to create a structure to keep everybody on track and on topic. Channel your inner David Dimbleby/Fiona Bruce and chair the session, dividing it up into an introduction, followed by the brainstorming itself, before finally reviewing the outcomes. This will keep everything organised and productive.
Also, be aware of the location of the session – some techniques work better in person than remotely, for instance, while people tend to be more engaged away from their desks, avoiding distracting emails and telephone calls. Plus, try to keep the session length to a minimum; the aim of the game is to generate the most ideas possible in a set period of time, so 30 minutes to an hour is ideal.
Warm-up
Get into the big match mindset and kick-off with a recap of the brief, so everyone knows why they’re there and what needs to be achieved. Before starting on the main idea, it can sometimes be useful to run through a quick warm-up task to help everyone relax and get into a creative mindset. This could be something as simple as a word association game or mini quiz about the brand or sector you are brainstorming.
The brainstorm
For the main event, encourage open participation and ensure all ideas are recorded without judgement. There is no set technique to employ – although a quirky one is for the host to throw a tennis ball randomly at participants and whoever catches it has to say the first idea that comes into their head. If you’re looking for a method that’s a little less zany, some common alternatives are:
Mind mapping
Create a visual representation of ideas, connecting related concepts around a central theme. This technique helps to explore and expand thoughts organically.
Brainwriting
Participants write down their ideas on paper instead of saying them out loud. This method can prevent dominant voices from overshadowing quieter participants.
‘SCAMPER’
Use this checklist-based approach to think about a problem in different ways: Substitute; Combine; Adapt; Modify; Put to another use; Eliminate; and Reverse. Adopting this technique to think about something from these seven alternative perspectives helps find innovative ideas and solutions.
SWOT analysis
Use this marketing stalwart to evaluate strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to a specific project or idea. This structured approach is useful when it comes to comprehensive idea generation.
Round-robin
Participants take turns sharing their ideas one at a time. This ensures everyone has an equal chance to contribute and can build on each other’s thoughts.
Role storming
Participants assume different personas or roles, thinking about how those individuals would approach the problem. Adapting different personas can unlock new perspectives and ideas, particularly by focusing on end users’ desires and needs.
Six thinking hats
Adopt different perspectives by wearing metaphorical “hats”: white (facts and data), red (intuition and emotions), black (caution), yellow (positivity), green (creativity), and blue (process control). This structured approach ensures a holistic view of the problem.
Reverse brainstorming
Instead of thinking about solutions, think about how to cause the problem in the first place! This can reveal areas to avoid and inspire innovative solutions.
Affinity diagrams
This is not a Marvel film, but sees similar ideas grouped together to identify patterns and common themes. This helps to organise thoughts and outline key areas to focus on.
Using a combination of these techniques can enhance creativity and ensure a thorough exploration of all ideas.
Review and refine
After the session, categorise and evaluate all the ideas. Discuss each one to refine and align with the overall campaign goals. Remember to consider what makes an idea appealing, plus its relevance to the brand and target audience(s).
Once done, you can select the most promising ideas for future development and work them up further until they reach the stage when they can be presented to the client. Happy brainstorming!