FG276: Innovate, Engage, Create
What is Design Thinking?
Design thinking has been around for centuries. One famous example is Thomas Edison’s invention of the light bulb and the industry that grew around it, which reflects principles now associated with design thinking. While definitions of design thinking vary, a recent Harvard Business Review article calls it “a mindset and approach to problem-solving and innovation anchored around human-centered design”. At its core, design thinking is a mindset, approach, and system—a strategic process and toolkit for collaboration and problem-solving. It revolves around a deep, empathetic understanding of human needs and behaviors. Simply put, it’s a way of formalizing what many design teams already do, enabling others to ‘think like designers’.
Popularized by David M. Kelley and Tim Brown of IDEO and Roger Martin of the Rotman School, design thinking into stages:
- Empathize: Gather user insights and empathy from observation, interviews, and other sources, and summarize them in memorable and actionable terms.
- Define: Work together to get crystal clear on what problem or problems we are trying to solve.
- Ideate: Use a mix of divergent and convergent thinking to generate numerous ideas for solving the identified problem.
- Prototype: Develop prototypes, often quite simple, of the ideas to be tested.
- Test: Test the ideas with would-be users. Iterate and re-test as necessary.
- Implement: Launch.
“Creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought.”
– Albert Einstein
Creative Strategies for Marketing Success
Creativity in marketing is more than just flashy visuals or clever slogans—it’s about strategy and context that resonates with the right audience. As consumers crave authenticity and innovation, taking a creative, long-term approach to marketing will help position your brand to stand out and stay top-of-mind. Here are some tips for the development of effective creative marketing campaigns:
- Find Inspiration: Look to successful campaigns to spark new ideas.
- Focus on a Specific Challenge: Channel creativity into solving a particular problem, like reaching diverse audience segments.
- Build Partnerships: Collaborate with internal and external partners to provide new creative insights.
- Apply Across the Organization: Ensure creative thinking is integrated into all aspects of your business to create a unified brand message.
- Be Consistent: Memorable campaigns with consistent messaging help your brand remain front and center for your audience.
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Zenergy Communications is a proudly Canadian MARCOM agency but our expertise spans far beyond our national borders. Whether you’re an American business looking to ramp up your MARCOM strategy or want to expand your presence to Canada, you don’t need to look further than your own backyard! Look North and discover our extensive range of services all while taking advantage of the lower exchange rate.
What We’re Reading
- ‘Everything you know about happiness is a lie.’ This is the secret to getting the ‘new happy’.
- Increase Profitability Through Visual Merchandising
- Report: AI will Drive B2B Personalization
- You don’t need to be a ’90s kid to know: Millennial nostalgia is now driving culture
- Ingenious Self-Ask Prompting Technique
Please share what you’re reading by tweeting #FGFreads or DM us.
t is common opinion that our attention spans are shrinking. With our addiction to our smartphones and the endless scrolling of short-form social media feeds, it’s no wonder that it’s more difficult to grab people’s attention, and investors are no exception.
New research shows 79% of institutional investors still prefer written content above all other formats—but with a catch: they want it short and sharp!
For reports and whitepapers, the majority want them under five pages, ideally less than three. For videos and podcasts, which often run an hour or more, the preferential length is under 15 minutes and no longer than 30.
This means that IROs need to prioritize concise communication while keeping it focused and digestible. As our society evolves and more people consume their information via short-form content, IROs need to ensure they keep up with the times.
In a remarkable achievement, one of YouTube’s most influential stars, MrBeast (James Donaldson), spearheaded a global initiative to clean up the oceans, removing 34 million pounds of trash and plastic from waterways worldwide. Teaming up with the Ocean Conservancy and the Ocean Cleanup, MrBeast’s ‘TeamSeas’ initiative brought together hundreds of popular social media influencers to drive donations, raising $30 million and mobilized thousands of volunteers.
The initiative garnered incredible support, with digital content from over 200 countries and territories generating 1.3 billion views. The massive cleanup effort highlights the power of social media and the internet to unite people for positive environmental action.
Read more here
#ProInsight
“Creativity isn’t something you can force. It’s something that flows naturally when you allow yourself the space to think, explore, and experiment. For me, it’s not about following trends or sticking to conventional ideas; it’s about taking risks, trusting my instincts, and being open to new perspectives.”
