Preparing For Watford.

1. Do stuff.

IF YOU’RE GOING TO CREATE FOR A LIVING- CREATE. EVERY DAY.

CREATIVITY IS A PREOCCUPATION NOT AN OCCUPATION.

Pick simple brand problems. Start with writing down loads of insights and truths. Turn one of these truths in to a benefit. An emotional benefit for the consumer-your audience of one.  Be positive. Don't rubbish the competition. Deliver the benefit with executions that the audience can relate to.

Example. Becks Blue bottled beer.

The message; Becks Blue is a bottled beer that contains no alcohol. Insight/Truth: a 24 year old can blend in with his beer buddies. 
Write to emotionally true benefits with pithy strategy lines.

Here are three strategies as examples.

Becks Blue No Alcohol. No questions asked.
( Your mates won't ask if you why you're not drinking a beer.

Becks Blue No Alcohol. You're not drunk you're you. (Drinkers doing silly things in bars  because it is their personality.)

Becks Blue. No alcohol. Mornings are wonderful.
Show the opportunities of the early morning. ( The beauty of the sun rise, the bargains at a car boot sale, the wildlife in the local park before the dog walkers arrive.)

Write 10-20 concepts in posters for your strategies and then make a judgement.

The above example should be done in one hour.

2. Widen your cultural hinterland.

Go beyond the creativity of your time.

Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin can teach you how to tell stories.  

Stanley Kubrick can teach you the importance of detail.

Charles Bukowski can show you how words can punch.

Stand up comedians  and shows like Friends and The Simpsons are based on human truths. Watch hundreds of episodes of well observed comedy.

You should also research the history of advertising and be aware of every great idea that's gone before. 

People like George Lois and Mary Wells Lawrence should not be strange names to you.

3. Start an ideas book.

Keep a scrapbook or a note pad by your side. Jot down truths, insights, experiences and ideas.

Use pen and paper-not a computer.

The biggest barrier to creativity is your mobile phone.

4. Work hard and have fun.

The more you have fun the more you work the more you have fun the more you work. 

It's a lovely circle.

The teams that do well are always the hardest working and never the most talented.