14 Places to find great advertising ideas - from the perspective of South Africa

Creating great ideas is not a very difficult task to overcome, you can say ".. But, I have a creative bone in my body." All I can say is open your eyes, think outside the box and the generation of ideas literally fall into your lap. People often ask me how I can generate as many ideas on so many levels of advertising. Most of my thinking is based on a technique called 'forced connections' that I mentioned in a ezinearticle (Creating advertising ideas from the perspectives of South Africa), not long ago. This technique has helped me to generate ideas from some interesting sources.

1. Shopping: The next time you go shopping, look at some of the products in the store and ask yourself the following questions.

- How can this product / service could be improved?

- What products / services are lacking in the range (my stamp of approval) - Can this product / service be produced at a cheaper cost?

- The package could be improved?

- Can the product / service is aimed at a different market?

- Can the product / service to be delivered more quickly

2. Media: While watching TV or reading magazines think of products that are advertised. Ask yourself if it could be improved or promoted differently. (My stamp of approval)

3. Housework: Think opportunities while performing menial chores, gardening, cooking, ironing, washing dishes, painting, after the children or sweeping. There is a faster, safer, easier, cheaper, more enjoyable and less boring to do it? Could you design a new labor-saving device.

4. Watching the kids: Visit a nursery and see how children play and interact, you will be surprised at how juxtaposed their way of thinking is and how to do many things seem so simplistic.

5. Vacations Going on a holiday that always seems to come across new and exciting products and services that you wont really find in your day to day living.

6. Sports and hobbies: If you have a hobby or a sport, look for products or services that are missing or could be improved.

7. Foreign products: the products overseas and not yet available in your area can often be adapted to your market. (My stamp of approval) 8. Visit to a factory: You can think of ways to improve the production process? You could apply the methods of production for a new product that already exists?

9. Other copies: If you decide to copy another business, you should try to improve so that your ideas become distinctive and unique, giving the competitive advantage over the original business.

10. Revive or modify an old product: Look at old catalogs and magazines from way back. You can find ideas ready for a big return in their original form or a modified version. (My stamp of approval) 11. Visit trade shows: Besides being a good source of business ideas, fairs offers you the opportunity to talk with exhibitors on the market, new ideas, technologies, product characteristics and even do business together. (My stamp of approval) 12. Examine the expired patents: There are many reasons why a prior patent that has not been put into production is now ready for market.

13. Talking to people: ask friends and family, whether they have thought of ideas for a new product or service. There are no products or services that you feel are poor or inadequate.

14. Examine the statistics of import and export: global trends can be evaluated by what product you start and finish within a country. The Department of Trade and Industry can provide this information.

My experience having acquired the marketing and advertising a wide range of products and services tells me that you can generate a huge number of ideas from the most unlikely sources. One might think that some of your ideas before advertising for a particular product or service is dead and buried, but with a little 'tweeking' they can get a new lease on life .......