EXPRESSING: Communicating Your Creative Messages

Effectively articulating ideas is of great importance as its success and uptake depends on others buying into the idea and providing resources to take the idea beyond a mental picture to reality and successful adoption. In creativity and innovation idea expression enables individuals to influence and persuade others, facilitating the transformation of novel concepts into tangible outcomes.

In the ever-changing landscape of modern business, effectively conveying creative messages is both an art and a science. This chapter delves deeper into influence and persuasion and covers the expression of ideas in six pivotal facets that empower brands to craft compelling narratives, distinguish themselves in competitive markets, and forge meaningful connections with their audiences.

1. Differentiation & Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

At the heart of successful marketing lies the ability to differentiate a brand through a compelling USP. This involves highlighting unique benefits that resonate with consumers, setting the brand apart from competitors. Businesses must reach the heart and the reach consumers’ wallets. Messages need to relate value, trust and a shared purpose (i.e., the product will deliver to satisfy needs) to have marketing impact. Well-articulated USPs not only attract prospects’ and clients’ attention but also fosters brand loyalty by addressing specific consumer needs. Research confirms that advertising strategies emphasizing a clear USP can effectively enhance brand distinctiveness and consumer preference.

2. The Art of Storytelling

Storytelling transcends mere information dissemination; it engages consumers on an emotional level, making brand messages memorable and impactful. Narratives that incorporate structure, emotional appeal, and relatable characters can lead to narrative transportation, where consumers become immersed in the story. This immersion can positively influence brand attitudes and purchase intentions. Studies have shown that storytelling in advertising contributes significantly to brand distinctiveness by creating engaging and joyful consumer experiences, enhancing recall and recognition and allowing customers to bond emotionally with the product and brand. Strong brand personalities make the brand “come alive” and allow consumers to become fans and supporters – as if the brand were a living thing.

3. Goldenberg’s Advertising Templates

Goldenberg’s Advertising Templates offer a systematic approach to creative ideation, providing structured patterns that have been empirically shown to enhance the originality of advertisements. By using these templates, marketers can generate innovative ideas that are both creative and strategically aligned with brand objectives. Recent research indicates that applying such templates can improve the creative performance of advertising professionals, leading to more effective marketing communications.

4. Cases of Brand Identity Building

Building a strong brand identity involves consistent and strategic communication of brand values, aesthetics, and messages. Examining case studies where brands have successfully established or revitalized their identities provides valuable insights into effective practices. For instance, the use of storytelling has been identified as a strategic tool that facilitates consumer–brand relationships by eliciting cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses.

5. Infusing Aesthetics into Creative Messages – Visualization & Tangibilization

Aesthetics play a crucial role in how consumers perceive and connect with a brand. Visual elements and tangible representations of brand messages can enhance consumer engagement and recall. An experience-focused approach to design, which considers sensory and emotional aspects, can effectively communicate brand identity and values. Research in this area highlights the importance of aligning aesthetic elements with brand strategy to create cohesive and appealing brand experiences.

6. Beyond a Message or Idea – Crafting Unique, Memorable, Emotive Experiences

In an era where consumers are inundated with information, creating unique and emotive brand experiences not only helps with cutting through the media clutter and “noise” in the marketspace, it also helps to create memorable moments of impact. This involves moving beyond traditional messaging to craft experiences that resonate on a personal level with consumers. The integration of art, aesthetics, and sensory effects into brand communications has been shown to enhance consumer engagement and brand perception. By focusing on a holistic experience, brands can foster deeper connections and loyalty among their audience.

By exploring these dimensions, this chapter aims to equip marketers and business leaders with the knowledge and tools to express creative messages effectively, thereby influencing and persuading their target audiences in meaningful ways.

Creating a Strong Value Proposition – Differentiation & USP

Value Proposition:

• Definition: A clear statement that explains how your product or service solves a problem, delivers specific benefits, and why it is better than alternatives.
• Why It Matters: A strong value proposition communicates the unique value your product offers, making it easier for your audience to see its worth.

How to Craft a Value Proposition:

• Identify the Problem: Clearly define the problem your product or service addresses.
• Highlight the Benefits: Focus on the specific benefits and outcomes your audience will experience.
• Differentiate from Competitors: Explain what makes your offering unique and better than other available options.

Value Proposition Formula:

For  {…target customer…}  who {…statement of need or opportunity…}, our {…product/service…}  is {…category…}  that  {…statement of benefit…}. Unlike {…competing alternative…}, our product/service {differentiating factor}, offering {…this unique, hard to copy/difficult to find…} additional feature, delivers  {…this benefit or value…}.

Alternatively:

We are the {…} that offers {…} to {…} to achieve {….} for them and {…} for us.

Example:

For busy professionals who need to eat healthy but have limited time, our meal delivery service provides nutritious, chef-prepared meals that can be ready in minutes. Unlike traditional meal kits, our service requires no cooking or preparation, saving you valuable time.

• Definition: A unique feature or benefit that sets your product or service apart from competitors.
• Why It Matters: A strong USP makes your offering stand out in a crowded market and gives customers a clear reason to choose you.

How to Develop a USP:

• Analyze Competitors: Understand what competitors offer and identify gaps or areas where you can excel. Identify points of parity (PoP) and points of differentiation (PoD). We expand in the next section on POP and POD.
• Identify Unique Features: Focus on what makes your product different and better.
• Communicate Clearly: Articulate your USP in a way that is easy for your audience to understand and remember.

Example:

• Product: A noise-cancelling headphone.
• USP: The only headphone with adaptive noise cancellation that adjusts to your environment in real time.

Competitor Analysis: Points of Parity and Points of Differentiation

Competitor analysis is a crucial step in crafting a compelling message and developing your unique selling proposition (USP). It involves examining your competitors to understand their strengths and weaknesses, and identifying opportunities to differentiate your product. Two key concepts in competitor analysis are points of parity and points of differentiation.

Points of Parity (PoP)

Points of Parity are the attributes or features that your product shares with its competitors. These are the baseline qualities that must be met for your product to be considered a viable option within its category. Ensuring that your product meets these points is essential for credibility and market entry.

Example: Mobile Phones

Feature: High-resolution camera

• Competitor A (iPhone 14): 12MP camera with advanced night mode.
• Competitor B (Samsung Galaxy S22): 12MP camera with advanced night mode.
• Your Product: 12MP camera with advanced night mode.

Feature: Fast processing speed

• Competitor A (iPhone 14): A15 Bionic chip.
• Competitor B (Samsung Galaxy S22): Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor.
• Your Product: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor.

In this example, all three phones share high-resolution cameras and fast processors, establishing them as comparable options in the market. These shared features are points of parity that ensure your product is on par with competitors.

Points of Differentiation (PoD)

Points of Differentiation are the unique attributes or benefits that set your product apart from competitors. These are the aspects that provide a competitive edge and make your product more attractive to consumers.

Example: Mobile Phones

Feature: Battery Life

• Competitor A (iPhone 14): Up to 20 hours of video playback.
• Competitor B (Samsung Galaxy S22): Up to 18 hours of video playback.
• Your Product: Up to 24 hours of video playback.

Feature: Display Technology

• Competitor A (iPhone 14): Super Retina XDR display.
• Competitor B (Samsung Galaxy S22): Dynamic AMOLED 2X display.
• Your Product: Quantum Dot OLED display with enhanced color accuracy.

Feature: Software Integration

• Competitor A (iPhone 14): Seamless integration with Apple ecosystem.
• Competitor B (Samsung Galaxy S22): Integration with Samsung ecosystem.
• Your Product: Open-source integration allowing seamless connection with multiple ecosystems (Apple, Google, Samsung).

In this example, your mobile phone differentiates itself with superior battery life, advanced display technology, and versatile software integration. These unique features provide compelling reasons for consumers to choose your product over others.

Practical Steps for Competitor Analysis

1. Identify Competitors: List your main competitors and their key products.
2. Analyze Features and Benefits: Compare the features and benefits of your product with those of your competitors.
3. Identify Points of Parity: Ensure your product matches the essential features that competitors offer.
4. Identify Points of Differentiation: Highlight unique features and benefits that set your product apart.
5. Communicate Differentiation: Clearly articulate your points of differentiation in your marketing messages to persuade potential customers.

Example in Practice: Mobile Phone Messaging

Core Message: “Experience the ultimate mobile performance with our new phone.”

Points of Parity:

• “Enjoy high-resolution photography with our 12MP camera and advanced night mode.”
• “Experience lightning-fast speeds with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor.”

Points of Differentiation:

• “Stay powered up longer with up to 24 hours of video playback.”
• “See every detail in vibrant colour with our Quantum Dot OLED display.”
• “Connect effortlessly across multiple ecosystems with our open-source software integration.”

By conducting thorough competitor analysis and understanding points of parity and differentiation, you can craft a compelling message that highlights why your product is the best choice for consumers. This strategic approach not only establishes your product’s credibility but also emphasizes its unique advantages, making it stand out in a crowded market.

 

The Art of Storytelling

Storytelling is a powerful tool in persuasion, enabling you to connect emotionally with your audience and make your message memorable. Here’s how to craft a compelling story in easy-to-follow steps, along with examples from well-known brands like Nutella, Marcone, and Nespresso.

1. Characters and Conflict

Characters: The people (or sometimes animals or inanimate objects) involved in your story. They should be relatable and evoke empathy.

Conflict: The challenge or problem the characters face. This element is crucial as it drives the narrative and engages the audience.

Example: Nutella: In Nutella’s campaigns, the central character is often a family or child enjoying breakfast. The conflict might be the challenge of starting the day right, and Nutella is presented as the solution that brings joy and energy.

2. Resolution and Takeaways

Resolution: How the conflict is resolved. This should highlight the benefits of your product or idea.

Takeaways: The lessons or messages your audience should remember. These should align with your brand values and the problem your product solves.

Example: Nespresso: Nespresso often features characters (like George Clooney) facing the conflict of needing a high-quality coffee experience. The resolution comes with the perfect Nespresso cup, emphasizing luxury, quality, and convenience. The takeaway is the promise of a superior coffee experience at home.

Using Stories to Illustrate Your Points

1. Real-Life Examples

Share stories from actual customers or brand experiences. These stories build credibility and relatability.

Example: Marcone’s campaigns might feature real-life homeowners who faced challenges with home appliance repairs. The stories highlight how Marcone’s reliable parts and services resolved their issues, restoring normalcy and comfort to their homes.

2. Hypothetical Scenarios

Create fictional but plausible scenarios that illustrate how your product can solve a problem or improve a situation.

Example: Hypothetical Scenario for Nespresso: Imagine a busy professional who struggles to find time for a quality coffee break during hectic mornings. By investing in a Nespresso machine, they enjoy a moment of calm and luxury every morning, boosting their productivity and mood for the day.

Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Your Story

1. Identify the Core Message: Determine the main point you want to communicate. For example, “Nutella makes breakfast joyful.”
2. Choose Your Characters: Decide who will be the focus of your story. For Nutella, it could be a child or a family.
3. Introduce the Conflict: Present the challenge your characters face. In Nutella’s case, it might be the struggle of getting children excited for breakfast.
4. Show the Resolution: Demonstrate how your product resolves the conflict. Nutella spreads on toast makes breakfast fun and enjoyable.
5. Highlight the Takeaways: Conclude with the key message or benefit you want your audience to remember. Nutella transforms ordinary mornings into delightful experiences.

Example Story Using the Steps: Nutella

1. Core Message: Nutella brings families together at breakfast.
2. Characters: A busy family with two kids.
3. Conflict: Mornings are chaotic, and the kids are picky eaters who don’t look forward to breakfast.
4. Resolution: The mom introduces Nutella, spreading it on toast. The kids’ faces light up with excitement, and they eagerly come to the breakfast table.
5. Takeaways: Nutella turns breakfast into a moment of joy and connection, making mornings smoother and happier for the whole family.

By following these steps and incorporating elements of a good story, you can create engaging narratives that effectively communicate your message and resonate with your audience.

Storytelling: How to

Screenwriting coach Robert McKee, who consults with Disney, Pixar, and Paramount, shares his secrets about storytelling. This entire section on “how to…” covers the key points from McKee’s Work. It has been simplified for young entrepreneurs who wish to compose impactful business presentations as persuasive stories.

Lesson 1: Focus on Emotion, Not Mere Facts

• Elicit Emotions: Ask yourself, “What emotion do I want to evoke?” Connect with your audience emotionally.
• Remember the Impact: People remember how you made them feel more than what you said.

Lesson 2: Apply Visuals

• Use Visuals: Add photos, videos, and graphics to engage visual learners.
• Keep It Relevant: Use pertinent visuals to support your points and avoid clutter.
• Aid Recall: Visuals help with memory and recognition later.

Lesson 3: Personalize Your Call to Action

• Know Your Audience: Understand their needs, desires, and fears.
• Link to Needs: Make your call to action relevant and solve their problems.
• Be Clear and Direct: Use visuals to simplify and enhance your message.

Lesson 4: Speak with Passion and Conviction

• Build Trust: Show expertise and passion to gain trust.
• Use Powerful Words: Words like “eliminate,” “ignite,” and “lead” can engage your audience.
• Be Authentic: Only talk about ideas you truly believe in.

Lesson 5: Prioritize Information and Value (WIIFM – What’s In It For Me?)

• Keep It Short: Be concise and focus on what’s most valuable for the audience.
• Highlight Key Points: Place vital information at the beginning and end of your presentation.
• Summarize Effectively: Offer a concise summary without introducing new information.

Steps for Effective Storytelling

1. Identify Emotion: Determine the primary emotion you want to convey.
2. Use Visuals: Incorporate relevant visuals to enhance understanding and retention.
3. Customize Your Message: Tailor your call to action to address your audience’s specific needs.
4. Show Passion: Speak with conviction to build trust and credibility.
5. Prioritize Content: Keep your presentation focused, concise, and engaging.

By following these steps, you can create powerful, memorable presentations that resonate with your audience and effectively communicate your ideas.

How to Infuse Aesthetics into Your Creative Ideas

As the book author and small business owner, I’ve learned that having an eye for aesthetics and design isn’t just a nice bonus – it’s absolutely crucial for allowing your creative visions to shine. Whether you’re launching a new product, developing a marketing campaign, or designing your company’s brand, injecting aesthetics into the expression of your ideas makes them infinitely more impactful and memorable.

Over the years, I’ve picked up some useful frameworks and best practices for seamlessly incorporating aesthetics and design principles into the process of expressing and realizing my creative concepts. In this essay, I’ll share my approach and mindset when it comes to building aesthetics into my ideation and creative workflows.

The Importance of Aesthetics for Small Businesses

But first, why does aesthetic expression even matter for a small business? There are a few key reasons:

1. It helps your ideas stand out in a crowded marketplace.
2. Good aesthetics convey quality and professionalism.
3. Aesthetics connect with people’s emotions in powerful ways.
4. Beautiful designs and visuals are simply more memorable and sticky.

With so much competition and noise out there, nailing the aesthetic presentation of your concepts gives you a huge edge. It makes your ideas look polished and high calibre. And most importantly, it allows you to connect with people on a deeper, emotional level through visuals rather than just words and specs.

Humans are incredibly visual and aesthetic creatures. In fact, it is said that 75% of humans consume information best when delivered as pictures or in visual elements (video, infographics, icons, symbols, etc.). We have evolved to be wired for appreciating beauty in all its forms. By tapping into that hard-wired appreciation for aesthetics, you make your ideas far more impactful, engaging, and memorable.

The caveat is that aesthetics can’t just be an afterthought or a final “coat of paint” you slap on at the end. It needs to be ingrained into your creative process from the very start in order to feel intentional, consistent, and natural.

My Integrated Approach for Aesthetic Expression

My personal approach is to treat aesthetics not as a separate deliverable, but as an integrated part of ideating and expressing my creative concepts from day one. It’s baked into how I frame and visualize the problem, how I explore solutions, and how I ultimately realize and articulate the final vision.

I fundamentally believe that the most elegant, beautiful, and “sexy” ideas are those where aesthetics arise organically from the core purpose and utility of the concept itself. Form follows function in its purest sense.

This integrated aesthetics mindset is the antithesis of taking a strictly functional idea and then putting lipstick on a pig with some fancy visuals at the end. Instead, the aesthetic expression grows naturally and holistically out of the core purpose behind the idea.

Does this mean I just wildly “go with my gut” with no structure or process around aesthetics? Of course not! I rely on some key frameworks and design principles to systematically inject aesthetics throughout my creative workflows.

The Four Pillars of Aesthetic Expression

In my experience, there are four key pillars or dimensions to focus on when building aesthetics into the articulation of your ideas:

1. Visual Design

2. User Experience

3. Storytelling

4. Personality/Branding

Let’s dive into each of these and how I incorporate them in my process.

Pillar 1: Visual Design

This is the most obvious and intuitive dimension of aesthetics – the visual look and feel of how you present your ideas. This includes everything from color palettes and typography to layout, iconography, data visualization, etc.

From a framework perspective, I start every new creative project by creating a visual mood board to explore different stylistic directions. This allows me to experiment with different aesthetics in a low-stakes way before committing to an overarching visual identity.

I’ll gather tons of inspiration images – not only “design porn” but also interesting patterns/textures I stumble across in nature or everyday life. A good mood board should evoke a certain vibe and emotional response.

From there, I distill the mood board down into a more cohesive visual guidelines document with defined principles around color, typography, layout grids, common icons/UI elements, data visualization styles, etc. This guidelines doc becomes the system of aesthetics that I reference to maintain visual consistency throughout expressing my idea across different mediums and touchpoints.

For example, if I’m designing a new product, the visual guidelines would be applied across:

• Product design & packaging
• Marketing website
• Pitch decks & sales collateral
• Tradeshow booth displays
• Social media & digital ads
• Physical branding & swag

And so on and so forth. This commitment to cohesive visual expression across every channel is what creates a unified, professional, and memorable aesthetic experience.

Pillar 2: User Experience

While visual design is about the look, user experience (UX) is all about the feel. It’s applying aesthetics to the actual experience of interacting with or consuming your idea.

This UX dimension of aesthetics is absolutely crucial, especially for products, services, or experiences that people will directly interface with and encounter in a hands-on way.

Some key UX aesthetic considerations I focus on include:

– Intuitive navigation & information architecture

– Clear visual hierarchies & directional cues

– Appropriate use of animation, motion, & micro-interactions

– Delightful, cohesive “moment” experiences along the user journey

– Purposeful attention to layouts, negative space, & content choreography

For example, if I’m designing a new e-commerce website, the UX dimension of aesthetics involves mapping out the full end-to-end user journey from landing on the site all the way through checkout and beyond. I storyboard all the key moments and transitions to make sure they flow in an elegant, frictionless way while providing moments of visual micro-delight along the way. This end-to-end UX perspective is key for designing holistic, aesthetically-cohesive experiences rather than just disjointed individual screens or touchpoints.

UX aesthetics are (arguably) the most important for generating long-term word of mouth and building a beloved brand experience. People may be attracted to something initially for its pure visual aesthetics. But it’s the experience of using or interacting with it that creates a lasting emotional bond.

Pillar 3: Storytelling

Numbers, facts, and function are important. But humans are hardwired to be captivated by a good story. Crafting a compelling narrative around your idea elevates it from just another pragmatic business concept into an emotionally resonant creative expression.

When I develop a new idea, product, or creative direction, I put just as much thought and energy into purposefully storytelling and worldbuilding around the concept as I do into execution and delivery.

My storytelling framework looks something like this:

1. Frontload with a relatable human struggle, tension, or unresolved desire that I’m solving for (this hooks the audience in)

2. Cast my idea as the guide who takes the audience on a transformative journey to resolve that tension and achieve their aspirational goals

3. Bring the concept to life through rich visual storytelling devices like:

• Character profiles & user personas
• Illustrative product vignettes & rendered usage scenarios
• Artifact examples & design object storytelling
• Analogy & conceptual metaphors to relate the abstract to the tangible
• Visual workflows and illustrated process breakdowns

4. Ultimately arrive at an elevated transformative resolution, giving the viewer/audience a sense of meaning, enlightenment, or aspiration

This purposeful narrative sequencing and arcs does wonders for grounding even the most abstract idea in a compelling and resonant human context. It makes your audience get emotionally invested in your idea’s world from the beginning. They are no longer passive bystanders but active participants in the journey you’re taking them on.

The Hero’s Journey – An Ode to Joseph Campbell.

Just look at great product stories and mythologies like those developed around Apple’s products, the Star Wars universe. They resonate so deeply not just because of the pragmatic merits, but because of the heroic human stories they tap into.

A very well-known and useful framework designed by Joseph Campbell, namely the 12 Stages of the Hero’s journey, is often used by Disney and other famous story-tellers to plan an engaging and persuasive story.

Here is a quick overview of the ‘template’ or framework to find a compelling storyline for your brand or your invention applied to the famous story of Simba in “the Lion King”. This journey consists of twelve stages that depict a hero’s transformation through trials and self-discovery. Simba’s journey exemplifies these stages, illustrating the archetypal hero’s path.

The Twelve Stages of the Hero’s Journey – “The Lion King”

1. Ordinary World: Simba begins in the Pride Lands, living a carefree life as the son of Mufasa.
2. Call to Adventure: The death of Mufasa prompts Simba to flee, marking the start of his journey.
3. Refusal of the Call: Simba initially struggles with guilt and avoids returning home.
4. Meeting the Mentor: Rafiki serves as a guide, helping Simba reconnect with his past.
5. Crossing the Threshold: Simba returns to the Pride Lands, confronting his fears.
6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies: He faces Scar and allies with Nala and Timon.
7. Approach to the Inmost Cave: Simba prepares for the final confrontation with Scar.
8. Ordeal: The battle against Scar tests Simba’s resolve and courage.
9. Reward: Simba claims his rightful place as king.
10. The Road Back: He begins to restore the Pride Lands.
11. Resurrection: Simba leads the Pride Lands into a new era of harmony, demonstrating wisdom and leadership
12. Return with the Elixir: Simba restores the Pride Lands and ensures a prosperous future for his pride.

Here is another example from the more human, perhaps even more well-known world of wizardry by JK Rowling’s Harry Potter.

 

The Twelve Stages of the Hero’s Journey – “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”

1. The Ordinary World

Harry begins as an ordinary boy living with his neglectful aunt, uncle, and cousin in the mundane world. He is unaware of his magical heritage and suffers from a sense of unimportance and isolation.

2. The Call to Adventure

Harry receives his letter from Hogwarts, revealing he is a wizard and inviting him to attend a magical school. This disrupts his ordinary life and hints at a greater destiny.

3. Refusal of the Call

Initially, Harry struggles to believe that he could belong in the magical world or be the famous figure others claim he is. This self-doubt is his internal resistance.

4. Meeting the Mentor

Hagrid acts as Harry’s mentor, introducing him to the wizarding world and offering encouragement and practical help. Later, Dumbledore also provides wisdom and guidance.

5. Crossing the First Threshold

Harry boards the Hogwarts Express, leaving the non-magical world behind. He enters the enchanting and unfamiliar realm of Hogwarts, where his adventure truly begins.

6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies

At Hogwarts, Harry faces challenges such as mastering magic, learning to play Quidditch, and dealing with dangerous situations. He forms close friendships with Ron and Hermione, while encountering enemies like Draco Malfoy and the shadow of Voldemort.

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave

Harry learns about the Philosopher’s Stone and realises Voldemort seeks it to return to power. Determined to prevent this, he and his friends prepare for the challenges ahead.

8. The Ordeal

Harry ventures into the depths of Hogwarts to protect the Stone. He faces life-threatening challenges, including a deadly chess game, and finally confronts Voldemort, who is hidden in Professor Quirrell.

9. Reward (Seizing the Sword)

By standing up to Voldemort and safeguarding the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry earns the respect of the magical community and demonstrates his courage and potential as a hero.

10. The Road Back

The school year ends, and Harry returns to the Dursleys for the summer. He brings with him a sense of accomplishment and a clearer understanding of his place in the magical world.

11. Resurrection

Harry undergoes a symbolic resurrection by surviving the ordeal and emerging stronger. He gains the confidence to face future challenges, including Voldemort’s inevitable return.

12. Return with the Elixir

Harry’s success preserves the Philosopher’s Stone and temporarily halts Voldemort’s return. He also solidifies bonds with his friends, which will prove invaluable in future battles.

Conclusion

In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the Hero’s Journey unfolds as Harry discovers his identity, faces profound challenges, and emerges as a courageous figure who is ready to embrace his destiny.

Pillar 4: Personality & Branding

The final pillar for infusing aesthetics into your creative expression is around purposefully defining and projecting an overarching brand personality that your idea lives within.

This brand personality is essentially the human avatar or personified identity that people can latch on to and connect with on a personal level. It’s what transforms your ideas from just pragmatic solutions into distinct creative forces that people can develop genuine affinity and loyalty towards.

My process for developing an idea’s distinct brand personality involves defining a few key components and assets:

1. Brand Persona

I start by anthropomorphizing my core concept, product, or company as if it were an actual person. I give it human traits, personality quirks, values, idiosyncrasies, and even physical attributes to make it feel like a multi-dimensional entity.

As part of this exercise, I actually create a mood board or storybook that fleshes out the brand persona visually through things like character sketches, style guides, digital avatars, and even short vignettes that provide glimpses into “a day in the life.”

2. Brand Voice & Tone

To complement the overarching persona, I codify specific voice and tone guidelines to govern how the brand expresses itself through language, copywriting, and messaging.

This covers components like:

– Core message pillars & mantras

– Values & personality traits

– Distinctive verbal styling & word choice

– Prescriptive “we do/we don’t” guidelines

– Sample applications like taglines, email templates, FAQs, etc.

Defining this purposeful brand voice makes all copy, messaging, and all accompanying content feel like a natural extension of the brand persona’s distinct personality.

3. Custom Brand Assets

The final component is developing custom brand creative assets and universes to reinforce the brand persona and bring it to life through aesthetic expression. This could include elements like:

FILL THE SPACE NEXT to this list with the pictures

• Custom mascots, characters, or spokespeople
• Brand-specific illustrations or visual iconography
• Motion-based brand animations and kinetic visual identity
• Brand content series or narrative franchises
• Branded virtual environments, games, or augmented reality worlds

The goal is to create an entire parallel visual universe and system of proprietary brand aesthetics that makes your ideas unmistakable and inseparable from your unique creative force.

This brand dimension is so crucial because it allows your ideas to transcend the confines of pure utility and become distinct creative properties that evoke strong feelings of affinity, belonging, and human resonance.

Bringing It All Together

Okay, by now you’ve gotten a full download of the models and frameworks for fusing aesthetics into the expression of creative ideas! Those four pillars – visuals, UX, storytelling, and brand personality – are the key dimensions I focus on weaving together into a cohesive aesthetic execution.

To give you one final, unified example pulling all of these elements together, let’s walk through a hypothetical example:

Let’s say I’m an entrepreneur looking to launch a new consumer tech product in the smart home/home automation space (a sector ripe for some fresh creative innovation beyond the utilitarian Nest, Ring, and Amazon offerings!)

Rather than just approaching this as another marginal iteration on existing home devices, I would begin by defining an aspirational, human-centered vision and backstory around topics like:

• The tensions and struggles of modern family life and household responsibilities

• The isolation and disconnection of our tech-driven routines

• The desire for more quality time, meaningful connections, and life/work balance

With this narrative as my anchor point, I’d craft a product concept centered around this relatable human struggle and position it as the heroic guide to help families reimagine and achieve this more harmonious, balanced lifestyle.

Then it’s about bringing that story and that vision to life through purposeful aesthetic expression across all the dimensions we discussed:

• A rich visual brand identity with a warm, inclusive, humanistic personality
• UI/UX centered on elegant, approachable, friendly interactions between family members
• Visual brand storytelling through custom character illustrations, digital vignettes, and a bold “Life from Home” manifesto
• A unified end-to-end experience of micro-delights from unboxing to setup to daily use
• Hardware and packaging design born from the ethos of warm, cozy, hearth-inspired forms
• An entire parallel brand “Life from Home” universe of digital content, masterclasses, AR/virtual spaces, etc.

The ultimate goal is for EVERY aspect of visual identity, experience, language, and brand world to ladder up to that central aspiration of harmonious family life and modern life balance. There is no distinction between aesthetic expression and core product vision – the two become completely intertwined. This holistic, integrated aesthetic approach results in an idea and eventual productized vision that connects emotionally and viscerally on multiple levels. It’s no longer just another piece of tech for the smart home. It emerges as a fully-realized creative force and relatable brand universe that people can develop real affinity and loyalty towards because it aesthetically embodies the deeper human aspirations and struggles of modern living.

Hopefully this full example, along with the frameworks and principles I laid out, provides a clear articulation of my personal approach for consistently injecting aesthetics into the realization and expression of ideas!

While aesthetics and intentional design thinking take extra time and creative cycles upfront, they pay endless dividends downstream. Your ideas land with infinitely more impact, resonance, and lasting memorability – which is crucial for separating your creative vision from the endless sea of pragmatic pitches and proposals. That aesthetic distinction is truly invaluable.

So, stop presenting generic pitches, concepts, and products! Unleash your full creative expression by holistically baking visual delight, elegant user experiences, compelling human narratives, and rich branded personalities into everything you conceive and create. Embrace aesthetics as the powerful creative amplifier it is. That’s how you bring bold ideas to life.

A visual summary of the frameworks in Chapter 5

The section that follows is a visual summary of the most important frameworks and models in this chapter. This is to illustrate the use of visuals to aid with recall and memory and to “say a thousand words in a single picture”.

1. The Four Pillars of Aesthetic Expression:

2. UX or CX Storyboarding & Journey Mapping:

4. Narrative Framing & Concept Storytelling:

• Relatable Human Tension/Desire (The hook)
• Character Introductions & World-Building
• Transformative Journey/Process
• Elevated Aspirational Resolution

5. Brand Persona Development:

Putting It All Together

Step-by-Step Process:

1. Define Your Core Message: Clearly state what you want to communicate.
2. Simplify and Clarify: Use simple language and a clear structure to convey your message.
3. Align with Values: Tailor your message to resonate with your audience’s values and beliefs.
4. Craft Your Value Proposition: Highlight the unique benefits and solutions your product offers.
5. Develop Your USP: Identify and communicate the unique feature that sets your product apart.
6. Example in Practice: Imagine you are launching a new productivity app aimed at freelancers. Here’s how you might craft your message:
7. Core Message: “Boost your productivity and streamline your freelance work with our innovative app.”
8. Simplify and Clarify: “Our app helps you manage tasks, track time, and invoice clients effortlessly.”
9. Align with Values: “We understand the challenges of freelancing and designed our app to save you time and reduce stress.”
10. Value Proposition: “For freelancers who need to maximize productivity, our app offers an all-in-one solution that integrates task management, time tracking, and invoicing. Unlike other productivity tools, our app is specifically tailored for freelancers.”
11. USP: “The only productivity app that combines task management, time tracking, and invoicing in one seamless platform.”

By following these steps and focusing on simplicity, clarity, audience alignment, and strong value propositions and USPs, you can craft compelling messages that effectively persuade and engage your audience.

We’ve explored the essential components of persuading others that your idea is great through the push-pull strategy, understanding the psychology of persuasion, crafting compelling messages, handling objections, building loyalty, and leveraging case studies. Let’s wrap up with some real-world examples and lessons from notable campaigns, as well as common pitfalls and strategies to avoid them.

Case Studies and Real-World Examples

1. Successful Push-Pull Strategies in Action

Analysis of Notable Campaigns

Case Study 1: Apple’s iPhone Launch

• Push Strategy: Apple’s launch events are filled with detailed technical specifications and direct comparisons to previous models and competitors, ensuring that the audience understands the advancements and value.
• Pull Strategy: The emotional appeal is created through sleek design, powerful narratives about innovation, and the promise of a better, more connected life.
• Lesson Learned: Combining clear, factual presentations (push) with compelling, aspirational storytelling (pull) can create a powerful impact.

Case Study 2: Nespresso’s Marketing

• Push Strategy: Nespresso uses detailed advertisements highlighting the quality of its coffee, the technology of its machines, and endorsements from experts.
• Pull Strategy: Emotional appeal is built through stylish, aspirational advertisements featuring George Clooney, promoting the luxurious lifestyle associated with Nespresso.
• Lesson Learned: Aligning your product with a lifestyle or identity can enhance its desirability and emotional connection with consumers.

2. Lessons Learned from Successful Entrepreneurs

• Steve Jobs (Apple): Focus on the user experience and tell a story that connects on an emotional level, while also providing clear, compelling information about the product’s benefits.
• Sara Blakely (Spanx): Leverage personal stories and customer testimonials to build credibility and create a sense of community and shared success.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

1. Examples of Missteps

Pitfall 1: Overloading with Information

• Example: A tech startup presented too many technical details without connecting them to user benefits, leading to a disengaged audience.
• Mitigation Strategy: Balance technical details with relatable stories and clear benefits to keep the audience engaged and informed.

Pitfall 2: Ignoring Audience Needs

• Example: A fitness product launch focused solely on features without considering the specific needs of the target audience, resulting in poor reception.
• Mitigation Strategy: Conduct thorough audience research to tailor your message to their needs and pain points, ensuring relevance and resonance.

2. Strategies for Mitigation

• Simplify Your Message: Ensure clarity and focus on the core benefits that matter most to your audience.
• Engage Emotionally: Use stories and visuals that connect on an emotional level, making your message more memorable.
• Seek Feedback: Regularly gather and act on feedback to continuously refine your pitch and address any concerns.

By analyzing successful campaigns and learning from common pitfalls, you can refine your push-pull strategies, craft compelling messages, and build long-term relationships with your audience. Implement these lessons to enhance your persuasive efforts and drive your entrepreneurial success.

Goldenberg’s 6 Templates for Creative Advertising

Goldenberg (Goldenberg, Mazursky & Solomon 1999) suggests that successful advertisements share and are characterized by abstract patterns termed creativity templates. The six templates identified in the empirical studies were derived by inference from a sample of 200 award-winning advertisements. I offer a brief overview here, not to try to box your thinking into these six frameworks, but rather to help with ideation and perhaps lay the seeds for growing your own templates. I also illustrate the templates with first the example from Goldenberg’s work and then a second example from more recent advertisements.

1. Extreme Consequences

Explanation: This approach shows what happens if a product or service is used or not used, exaggerated to an extreme level. Imagine using a product and having unbelievable, over-the-top results that make you laugh or think, “What if?”

Original Example: An ad for a gym shows a man lifting an enormous weight effortlessly after using their services.

Current Example: A deodorant commercial depicts a man attracting swarms of admirers due to his irresistible scent, illustrating an exaggerated consequence of using the product​, or smelling better like other expensive fragrances or famous celebrities. (See the early Lynx Air advert here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKcRMAJhWbw and the more recent Lynx campaign here: https://youtu.be/vOqTrRw-QJ0).

2. Inversion

Explanation: This type flips the situation, showing what happens if the product or service wasn’t available. The advert pictures a life without the product and how much worse or different things would be, highlighting its importance.

Original Example: A hair product advertisement shows someone with terrible hair after using a different product, emphasizing the benefits of the advertised product.

Current Example: A car insurance ad demonstrates a driver’s chaotic life without their coverage, highlighting the security their service provides.

3. Absurd Alternative

Suggests a ridiculous or impractical alternative to the product or service. It proposes a silly or impossible solution to a problem, making the real product seem like the best choice.

Original Example: A lock advertisement suggests an old lady absurdly barking like a dog to scare away burglars, instead of using their product.

Current Example: A Wi-Fi provider ad proposes using carrier pigeons for sending messages as an alternative to their fast internet service​.

4. Extreme Effort:

Shows the intense effort someone goes through to achieve what the product does easily. The core message demonstrates how hard it would be to do something without the product, making you appreciate its convenience.

Original Example: A vacuum cleaner ad shows someone painstakingly picking up dirt piece by piece, to contrast and emphasize the product’s ease of use.

Current Example: An ad for a water purifier shows a family traveling miles in their car, spending their weekends to get clean water, contrasting the convenience of having a purifier at home​.

 

5. Consequences

Focuses on the direct consequences of using the product, often shown in a surprising or humorous way. The message highlights what happens immediately after using the product, often with a funny or unexpected twist.

Original Example: A toothpaste ad depicts teeth rotting to show the consequences of not using their product.

Current Example: A public service announcement demonstrates the long-term health issues of smoking, using extreme visual consequences to deter smoking​.

6. Competition

Pits the product against something else to show how it stands out. Applying this template means to compare the product to another option, showing why it’s the better choice in a clear and engaging way.

Original Example: A battery ad shows the firm’s product outlasting the leading competitor in a side-by-side comparison.

 

 

Current Example: A smartphone ad displays its device outperforming a competitor in various real-world tasks, like speed and camera quality​.

Goldenberg’s six creativity templates highlight common patterns in successful advertisements, identified through the study and analysis of 200 award-winning ads. These templates—Extreme Consequences, Inversion, Absurd Alternative, Extreme Effort, Consequences, and Competition—serve as broad guidelines or frameworks for generating engaging and persuasive messages. Each template demonstrates unique storytelling approaches, such as exaggerating results, imagining life without a product, suggesting ridiculous alternatives, or showcasing competitive advantages. Goldenberg’s examples, complemented by contemporary ones, illustrate how these methods inspire humour, surprise, and relatability, encouraging creativity while emphasising product value. These templates offer a foundation for developing innovative advertising strategies, but are equally useful in designing content videos, promotional message and other media

Storyboards, Memory Bubbles and Mood Boards

Storyboards date back 30,000 years with cave drawings illustrating the activities and rituals of the day. In modern business, storyboards effectively convey research and design insights visually, aiding team concept development in areas like bidding (doing a pitch), advertising or business presentations. Composed of sequential images or drawings, storyboards outline narratives, often used in advertising and film, and now for business pitches and presentations. They range from simple stick figures to complex visuals and can include text, infographics, and sidebars.

Using Storyboards and Memory Bubbles to Convey Your Message

As a young entrepreneur, it’s essential to communicate your ideas clearly and concisely. One of the best ways to do this is by using storyboards and memory bubbles. These tools can help you visualize your message and ensure your audience understands your ideas effectively.

What is a Storyboard?

A storyboard is a visual representation of your message, similar to a comic strip. It breaks down your idea into a series of panels, each showing a step in the process or a key point. This method helps your audience see the sequence and flow of your ideas, making it easier for them to grasp your concept quickly.

What are Memory Bubbles?

Memory bubbles, also known as thought bubbles, are small, cloud-like shapes used to highlight key points or important thoughts in your storyboard. They are useful for emphasizing critical information that you want your audience to remember.

How to Use Storyboards and Memory Bubbles

1. Start with Your Main Idea: Determine the core message you want to communicate. This will be the focus of your storyboard.
2. Break it Down: Divide your message into smaller, manageable parts. Each part will be a panel in your storyboard.
3. Sketch the Panels: Create simple sketches for each part. You don’t need to be an artist; stick figures and basic drawings are enough.
4. Add Memory Bubbles: Place memory bubbles near key points in your panels to highlight important information.
5. Review and Refine: Go through your storyboard and make sure it flows logically and clearly. Adjust as needed to ensure clarity.

Example Storyboard

Let’s look at an example of a storyboard with memory bubbles. Imagine you’re explaining how your new app helps users save time.

Panel 1: Problem Statement

• Sketch: A person looking stressed with a clock showing little time left.
• Memory Bubble: “Busy schedules can be overwhelming.”

Panel 2: Introduction of Solution

• Sketch: The same person discovering your app on their phone.
• Memory Bubble: “Our app simplifies time management.”

Panel 3: How It Works

• Sketch: The person using the app, scheduling tasks easily.
• Memory Bubble: “Quickly schedule tasks with just a few taps.”

Panel 4: Benefits

• Sketch: The person now looking relaxed and happy, with more free time.
• Memory Bubble: “Enjoy more free time and reduced stress.”

Panel 5: Call to Action

• Sketch: The app logo with a prompt to download.
• Memory Bubble: “Download our app today and take control of your time!”

By using storyboards and memory bubbles, you can present your business ideas in a way that’s easy to understand and remember. This method helps you connect with your audience, making your message more impactful.

 

References

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De Villiers, R. (ed.) (2022). The Handbook of Creativity & Innovation in Business. Springer.

Garcia, R., & Calantone, R. (2002). A critical look at technological innovation typology and innovativeness terminology: a literature review. The Journal of Product Innovation Management 19(2), 110-132.

Goldenberg, J. Mazursky, D. & Solomon S. (1999), Creative Sparks Science, 285, (5433). September p. 1495-6

Kaufman, J. C., & Sternberg, R. J. (Eds.). (2019). The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316979839

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OpenA & De Villiers, R. (2025). Baby booties for sale. Never worn [Digital illustration]. OpenAI’s DALL-E image generation platform. Created on 12 January 2025. The prompt used in DALL-E is: Create an impactful visual representation to convey the profound story theme of Hemingway’s six-word story: “For Sale: Baby booties for sale. Never worn.”It evokes emotions through the subtle interplay of light, shadows, and symbolic elements. This image will effectively illustrate the storytelling principles and color theory.

OpenAI & De Villiers, R. (2025). An Egyptian’s struggling through the desert toward an oasis. DALL-E. Retrieved January 9, 2025. Prompt here: You are an expert designer. Please use DALL-E to create and image in pencil sketch style of very tired Egyptians struggling towards a desert oasis to get some water. People face away from the camera but is bent over and dragging feet in the sand.

OpenAI & De Villiers R. (2025). Use DALL-E to illustrate the struggle mothers have for toddlers and tweens to eat a healthy breakfast. Use cartoonlike characters in pencil sketch style

Runco, M. A., & Acar, S. (2012). Divergent Thinking as an Indicator of Creative Potential. Creativity Research Journal, 24(1), 66–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2012.652929

Santo, P.E., Ferreira, S. (2021) Brands Should Be Distinct! The Contribution of Ad’s Narrative and Joy to Distinctiveness. In Martins, N., Brandão, D & Moreira da Silva, F. (Eds) Perspectives on Design and Digital Communication II, (SSDI, volume 14) 319-332

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