Creatives live in a pressure cooker. We have to come up with more and more ideas in less and less time. And do it again and again.

Whew!

So, if you don’t have a strong methodology for coming up with ideas it can mean the difference between no ideas and some ideas, or between some ideas and a brilliant one.

A 180 on how I approach thinking.”
– L McCann

The Make Brilliant Ideas method was developed with two parallel goals: To help creatives become not only more expansive thinkers, but also more efficient ones.

The new way I’ve learned to think has completely changed my way of working—and it’s not my first course in advertising or my first year in the industry.”
– N Berman

A more efficient thinker? Sounds counter-intuitive.

Not at all!  Coming up with brilliant ideas is not alchemy. Put into practice, Make Brilliant Ideas has helped hundreds of creatives become more productive thinkers, more confident contributors and more valued creatives.

Mark’s course has blown my professional horizons wide open.”
– A Webb

It’s given young creatives a powerful foundation to succeed.

Killer work provides you with a creative foundation you can build a career on.”
– E Clancy

And helped re-energize careers.

Killer work made me fall in love with advertising again!”
– R Lesrum

The Make Brilliant Ideas method of creative problem-solving was developed with input from brilliant creative minds in advertising as well as great minds in other fields where creative problem-solving is at the core of what they do (architects, composers, screenwriters – everyone from Mary J Blige to Martha Stewart).

In order to determine which ideas resonate best with creatives, I test these insights and original thinking in the advertising course I teach at NY’s School of Visual Arts. My long association with this iconic school has served me well as a 20-year living lab.

It’s been gratifying to see how the method has helped creatives think of themselves in a new light.

Mark taught me to develop ‘global thinking’. I realized I’m not just an advertising writer, I’m a creative!”
– J Ortiz Feljoo

And even helped them look at their lives in a more productive way.

Mark, you’ve not only taught me a more efficient way to think conceptually in advertising but a better, more efficient way to think critically in life.”
– J Esposito

Though designed for creatives, the method’s also been used effectively by brands.

My job involves evaluating the work of agencies. Killer Work’s given me a framework for differentiating between big creative platforms and simple executions.”
– C Prieto, Google Brand Manager

And I use it today in my brainstorming work with executive teams to reposition brands, develop communications platforms, and bring new brands to market.

Out of the brainstorming journey Mark led emerged insights and understandings that have shaped the new direction for our brand and the story we want to tell.”
– S Colleau, CEO dr. brandt skin care

Mark led us through the positioning for a new Tommy brand. He sees both the big picture and the small brand details – qualities that were key to bring the brand to life.”
– G Sheinbaum, North American Chairman, Tommy Hilfiger

Learn more here about Make Brilliant Ideas or shoot me an email to chat.

Below are some insights, tools and tips to help inspire and jump-start your thinking, that have emerged over my years working with creative teams and facilitating brainstorming sessions