Our industry trades on ideas. Oftentimes, we compete to win or lose based on the quality of those ideas. Creative ideas. Media ideas. Social ideas. But the typical path to get to big ideas has been to perfect something for one channel, then think of the extensions that amplify it in the store, on the web and everywhere in between.
That approach doesn’t work today. Here’s why:
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The alternative way to develop big ideas is much harder. But it leads to superior results. Why? People don’t know what they don’t know. We’ve all been there. Ideas are conceived and sold but aren’t functionally capable in a channel or on a platform. That’s why having creative technologists or social platform experts involved in the ideation phase is so critical. They’ll illuminate the possibilities and make implementation go faster.
The User’s Guide
First, build a diverse teamwith expertise in creativity, media (paid, owned and earned) and technology.
Next, demand a willingness to collaborate. This means the traditional writer/art director team has to unlock whatever concepting room they’re hiding out in and let other smart people join in the fun.
Finally, start with a deep understanding of yourconsumers’ behavior and theirjourney in the category. And because an idea isn’t that big anymore unless consumers can participate, that includes the technology they use and content they seek for entertainment and utility.
So what makes a cross-channel idea ... big?
The first three criteria are familiar. The fourth point takes work. Because a big idea is channel independent. The channels simply become the tools we use to communicate and connect that idea with our audience.
DOs and DON'Ts of Cross-Channel Concepting
Getting started
When concepting
When presenting:
Who does it well?
There are plenty of noteworthy examples of smart, cross-channel thinking. Bank of America uses TV ads to drive to its mobile utilities. Virgin Atlantic’s trip planning tools lead to nicely formatted printed itineraries. And REI’s magazine ads seamlessly enable mobile shopping. These big brands really get it.
Change ingrained habits
In his book, The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg reveals a fundamental truth: “When a habit emerges, the brain stops fully participating in decision making … so unless you fight a habit — unless you find new routines — the pattern will unfold automatically.”
To be sure, old habits die hard. Concepting a big, cross-channel idea is no different from biting your nails or raiding the freezer for ice cream. To change old concepting habits, get more diverse brains fully participating in the concepting process.