sparking curious mind

Assessing creative ideas effectively is a combination of art and science, subjectivity and objectivity. This requires: shared agendas and honesty, a deep knowledge of what communications does and a profound understanding of the brand itself, clients recognising and nurturing a great idea, the ability to handle difficult discussions about creativity, the need to appreciate the agency’s approach to presenting work, and making informed decisions based on agency advice and experience.

Ten-stage framework of shared criteria for closer, more effective relationships:

1. Be knowledgeable in advance – assess ideas in a broader context
2. Come to the meeting with a smile – be ready to be inspired
3. Back to the brief – use brief as a framework against which to evaluate the idea
4. Empathise – with the people bringing the ideas to you
5. Clarify – is it on brief? What exactly is the idea? How is the idea going to work?
6. Question yourself – be both subjective and objective
7. Question the idea – use open questions to encourage ideas to develop
8. Reflection – listen to the agency, go away, think, ask the ‘how’ questions
9. Refinement and the role of research – these are the ‘why’ questions
10. Relax – you’ve done everything you can to help the idea survive and flourish

To download the world’s first guide for Judging Creative Ideas click here