Category Archives: Creativity

If Opinions Can Live In A Silo, Can Creativity?

Over the past few weeks I’ve shared several articles on trending topics in advertising and marketing and what they say or imply about creativity. This week’s blog is really no different. This time around I came across an opinion piece I thought interesting and, yes, I wanted to share their view.

Ernie Schenck argues that creatives must put their politics and biases aside to tap into their full potential. This is obviously easier said than done. Is that realistic, you might ask? Doubtful, you might say. Well, in either case, what say you? After you read this blog, let me know your thoughts.

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Recently, I (Ernie) came across a post on LinkedIn in which the author claimed to have sworn off news for three years. Wait, what? Three years of no news? No Chicago Tribune or New York Times or San Francisco Chronicle. Three years without Fox or Morning Brew or MSNBC or NPR or Politico. No nothing. For three years.

Crazy, right?

Who pulls the plug on the news? Madness. If a bus in California went off a cliff last night, if another one of Elon Musk’s rockets blew up trying to land on its feet, if a few thousand people got their stomachs pumped after an encounter with a bean burrito at Chipotle, well, we’d need to know that. Wouldn’t we?

We might, but the evidence is pretty solid that our brains might not. As any neuroscientist will tell you, the human brain is neuroplastic. That means it has a tendency to change the way it thinks according to the ideas and attitudes that surround it.

If those ideas and attitudes are positive, then the brain sees things through a positive lens. Subject it to a steady diet of negative stuff, and bingo: suddenly, it starts seeing everything, and I mean everything, through a dark lens that can influence how you perceive your family, your friends, the people you work with and—if you’re in a creative field, this is the scary part—your creative ability.

But it’s possible something might be smothering your creative powers even more than the Debbie Downer we call the news. Something so insidious, it could be sucking the creative energy out of you at this very moment, and you’d never even suspect it. Even worse, there’s not a whole lot we can do about it unless we’re ready to loosen our grip on our opinions.

Why is that?

Creativity has to be unbound. It has to be free to go here and go there, uninfluenced by anything that could keep it from pursuing a particular path. If I believe Republicans are hateful, narrow-minded mouth breathers, if I believe that Democrats are elitist, holier-than-thou snobs, if I’m absolutely dug in on the idea that television is only screwy, branded entertainment and social media is rotting our brains, then the scope of my thinking is limited. We might think we can put our personal biases in a box. We might think we can keep them from seeping into our work. And maybe some of us can. But most of us? Not likely.

Creativity has to be unbound. It has to be free to go here and go there, uninfluenced by anything that could keep it from pursuing a particular path.

When you’re a creative director, you see this all the time. A team comes in. They’ve got some ideas they want to run by you. As they go through the work, you can’t help but think: OK, just like I don’t want to see the strategy bleeding through, I don’t want to see that East Coast intelligentsia thing bleeding through either. The same way I don’t want to see that red state thing if you’re in, say, Texas. In both cases, opinion leaks into the work. It skews things. It forces you to miss paths, blinded by your biases. And that’s a problem.

What this suggests is that the most creatively liberated people are the ones who don’t have a stubborn point of view on anything. It’s called “intellectual humility,” the willingness to recognize that knowledge is fallible and that no one possesses absolute understanding of any subject or issue. When you’re intellectually fluid, anything is possible.

Dogs and cats are both great. Red is as good as blue or purple or chartreuse. Vanilla? Pistachio? Praline fudge? Yes. Yes. And yes. You’re open to anything, so you’re open to any ideas—no matter how odd or quirky or misshapen—that might bubble up into your consciousness. In theory at least, you cannot be your most openminded, creatively untethered self unless you can truly empathize with other perspectives.

Few people are capable of this, as you can imagine, and creatives are no different. We think dogs are cool and cats are freaks. Beyoncé rules, and Sheeran is overrated. Steak is good, and tofu is, well, what was it our mothers used to say? If you can’t say something nice…

All that said, maybe you can convince me that I’m wrong about all of this. Maybe you can stuff your opinions away so that they won’t send your work off in one direction or another. Maybe you can do that. And I promise, I’ll try to remain open to the possibility that you could be right. But I don’t believe it. 

Ernie Schenck is a freelance writer, a creative director and a regular contributor to CA’s Advertising column.

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To begin with, I’m not sure that opinions can or do live in a silo. Creativity? True, the more one isolates, the more limited is creativity. I should know. I’m living that now and have been for the past few years. But that doesn’t mean creativity is dead in that environment. Creativity does need room to flourish, no question. Realistically, though, creativity will always be doing some sort of battle with outside influencers. That’s just life. However, they need to be kept to a minimum.

 

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog, Joe’s Journey, for personal insights on life and its detours.

And, check out creative selections from my website.

Jolan tru!

“Weirder, more human, less serious”

As the creative community still grapples with how best to get their collective hands around AI, a group of creatives interviewed by Chelsea Pippin of Creative Boom, one of the UK’s leading platforms dedicated to the creative industries, give their vision for creativity’s future. I think it pertinent and interesting enough to share with you.

 

AI is here to stay, but the future of creativity still depends on human ingenuity

Advances in AI are unsurprisingly top of mind for most creatives trying to imagine the future of their work. They seem to agree that the next five years will be about finding ways to make AI work in service of human creativity.

Lawrence Jones, creative director for Framestore, anticipates we’ll see “greater integration of AI and machine learning in the creative process, helping artists and designers to automate routine tasks, freeing them up to accelerate the generation of new ideas.

Found Studio’s Clayton Welham agreed, suggesting that discovering the nuance of AI-creative partnership will be a major theme in the working lives of artists and designers in the coming years. Welham told Creative Boom: “With all the talk of automation, AI assistance, and tools that cut corners and make us more efficient on a day-to-day basis – I think it’s important that we continually reflect on the fundamentals of our practice and our industry. We have to embrace the new, but I feel strongly that we have to do so with our own ideas in hand and with respect for the craft aspect of our work. It will ensure any advancements remain rich, surprising and engaging and avoid becoming formulaic, predictable and machine-made.”

David Sedgwick, meanwhile, remains wary but ultimately cautiously optimistic about what AI can do in the right hands – or when partnered with the right brain. He said: “I just hope that there’s still room for ideas and concepts and that the role of AI doesn’t leave us all totally redundant. As things currently stand, I still feel we have a big role to play in the way we use AI in our jobs, and we mustn’t confuse AI as a tool to help us work better or quicker with the best tool we will always have, which is our brain.”

Ben Tallon
Ben Tallon

Creatives also need to stay on top of, and curious about, other tech advancements

Framestore’s Lawrence Jones is also betting on other technological innovations playing a crucial role in the evolving roles of creative professionals. He told Creative Boom that he expects the next few years will bring about “advancements in 3D printing technology enabling artists and designers to inexpensively create more complex and intricate designs, sculptures, and products.”

Beyond that, Jones is also keenly following the “invention and use of new types of input devices like neural interfaces and brain-computer interfaces in creating art forms such as motion design and VFX, allowing artists to create works that reflect their thoughts and emotions.”

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Balancing Creativity and Constraints: Reflections of a Designer

Having worked with a variety of designers in my time, I found this piece interesting from not only the perspective of a designer but also from that of most creatives. She, as in Shreya Agarwal, asks pertinent questions about which we all have pondered at one time or another. My question to you is this: Do you agree? Comments?

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As I transitioned from the consultancy to the in-house design universe, a lingering question became my guiding star: What truly brings a design to life?

My time as a consultant was full of lessons learned across diverse industries and work cultures. As my former boss aptly noted, we should be paying our clients for the crash courses we received with each new project. However, I felt a sense of dissatisfaction. I yearned for my designs to be more than just concepts — I wanted them to inhabit the real world, to be used, tested, and improved upon.

After spending some time as a designer in a product company, my perception of the design role has undergone a shift, and I believe it’s a change for the better.

We’re all familiar with the romanticized notion of a ‘designer’. In this fantastical world, problems fall neatly into line, leaving us with ample time for creative musings. Our brilliance is celebrated, and our perspectives are treated as profound wisdom. We’re devoted to catering to every user, doing deep research, and crafting smooth micro-interactions.

In an ideal world, it would be sunny-side up, but reality’s clouds have a habit of raining on our parade.

How often have we been told, “This looks great, but it’s not feasible”? How many times has our enthusiasm been dampened by the weight of business constraints? This pain is real and shared by many, including myself. Yet, I’ve grown to relish these moments. Now, every time someone utters those discouraging words, I respond with a curious, “Which part? Why not? How can we change it? How can we enhance it?” I prioritize the well-being of users over the pixel-perfect transition from Figma to code, which becomes less crucial. What truly matters is delivering value to users, regardless of the means. This leads me to the question that continually echoes in my thoughts: Who can collaborate with me to transform my design into reality?

Design isn’t a lone ranger, it doesn’t ride solo; it’s more like a supporting actor in a complex drama. Design exists in a symphony with other functions like product, engineering, and analytics. This collaboration and compromise is the journey from creation to implementation. It’s the teamwork with engineers who turn your meticulously crafted visions into digital reality, with product managers who chart the course, and with analytics that provide the feedback loop for iterative improvement. However, let’s address the misconception that some designers harbor, I did too — the idea of single-handedly reshaping the universe through a UI overhaul. Allow me to interject with a resounding “Ahem, no.”

Yes, that’s the revelation. Design isn’t here to sprinkle fairy dust on the company; it’s here to serve business goals. Granted, serving the business also involves doing good by the user.

A good design can sometimes be the tiniest adjustments that wield the most significant impact. Because, let’s be honest, even seemingly minor modifications like resizing carousels or revamping interactions can come with hefty price tags. From my counterparts in product management, arises a crucial question for every designer: What is the return on investment for this design?

Design embarks on a journey — from pixels on your screen to the engineers’ coding stations, culminating in its release into the wild. This is why, before you seek investments from a myriad of collaborators (product, engineers, analytics, marketing, and beyond), ask yourself this question: Does it merit bringing this design to life? It is not about possessiveness over your design but nurturing it, allowing it to adapt and endure the rigors of technical considerations, budget constraints, and ever-shifting user landscapes.

Design can be extravagant or accessible, the essence lies in understanding your company’s ethos and financial scope. My personal quest is to make the most bang for the least buck, maximizing impact while minimizing expenditure.

Being a designer resembles tightrope walking — a delicate balance of creative aspirations and business considerations, the sweet spot where brilliance meets pragmatism, where innovation doesn’t tip over into extravagance. So, how much design is too much design? Well, it’s the amount you can manage without tumbling off the rope.

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For the most part, I agree with her perspective. However, IMHO, good design echoes and enhances the idea it is supporting. If the design is such that it overtakes the idea or muddies the concept, not to mention the message, one might need to go back to the proverbial drawing board.

The challenge to those egotistical creatives out there (most, if not all of us) is to strike that balance between creativity and the constraints that embody the project as it is presented to us. Admittedly, that’s easier said than done. But try we must. Failure’s a part of the process . That’s a possible outcome of reality. It’s included at no extra charge during the process of creativity. Those who embrace that concept will be better off than those who don’t.

 

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog, Joe’s Journey, for personal insights on life and its detours.

And, check out creative selections from my website.

Jolan tru!

Copywriting Ain’t What It Used to Be – That’s a Shame!

Some might say yes. Some might say it is what it is. Either way, it’s extremely competitive with all brands fighting for attention. I must say, though, that when I hear a tag line or read a catch phrase I often times think to myself, “what were they thinking?” or “how did that get out of committee?” It’s so stupid or simply doesn’t make sense.

While I don’t think copywriting is a dying art, I do think it’s a shrinking art in its creativeness. I recently ran across an article by Nick Emmel, founder and strategy partner of Mr President, which poses the same sort of question about whether or not copywriting is dying. What’s your take?
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One hundred and seventy thousand. That’s supposedly the number of words in use in the English language.

Advertising’s vocabulary has been reduced seemingly to the most meager selection of acceptable words. While we all simultaneously preach the importance of distinction. It’s too easy simply to blame the industry for getting lazy, or bemoan the lost art of copywriting. The reality is the job is so much harder now.

At the dawn of advertising, there were so many unused words to own, so many more unclaimed claims to make, so much more prose to play with. “We try harder”, “Have a break”, “Finger lickin’ good”, “Beanz meanz Heinz”, “Snap! Crackle! Pop!”, “Never knowingly undersold”. Lines, rich in insight and idea. Gorgeous, evocative three word combinations that have stayed in popular consciousness for decades. But one by one each word has been taken, every construct used, every idea explored.

As if it wasn’t enough that we have to forage for language leftovers, there is a heightened expectation of what those words must do. No longer must it simply be the perfect encapsulation of the brand promise, it needs a sprinkling of purpose, a dash of authenticity, a pinch of zeitgeist. The three little words are burdened with headlining the annual report as well as becoming a trending #hashtag. More than an ad strapline, it’s now the all-pervading branded equity in every channel and for every audience. All with a global “translatability” that renders any wordplay dead.

It’s these strategic imperatives that are forcing creativity into a corner.  In trying to focus on the many things we have to do, we are forgetting about the one thing we need to do – connect with people. It’s telling that the most iconic lines were born of campaign ideas and only later promoted to hallowed brand line status. “I’m lovin’ it”, “Think different”, “Just do it”. Briefs where the creatives were given greater leeway to do what they do best. 

Perhaps we need to unburden ourselves from the expectations of the brand line. Prioritise the strength in the idea over the stretchiness of application. Open up our accepted vocabulary to the idiosyncratic, the flamboyant, the funny, the painfully truthful, the counterintuitive, the untranslatable. Then even the most familiar of language might find a new lease of life.

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The art of copywriting is still that, an art. If used creatively and smartly, it can extend and enhance an idea. That doesn’t mean, however, the copywriter needs a thousand words or so to accomplish and attain his art. A great example is the famous Volkswagen ad of the Beetle in the sixties, “Think Small.” Yes, I know, that was a long time ago but the idea and execution are timeless. Creative excellence. We just need more of it.

 

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog, Joe’s Journey, for personal insights on life and its detours.

And, check out creative selections from my website.

Jolan tru!

AI’s Impact on Creativity in Ad industry: A Panel Review

How do you think AI will impact creativity in the ad industry – positively and negatively – in the near future? This is the question put forth to a panel of nine industry gurus, moderated by one Carol Cooper of Shots, in a recent article. There’s been so much written already about AI that I felt it appropriate and timely to share this panel discussion since it relates to creativity and advertising.

 

Johnny Vulkan, Founding Partner, Anomaly

The first photograph was allegedly taken in 1826 but it wasn’t until just shy of 100 years later that an American gallery deemed photography worthy of inclusion in their collection. After all, what artistic skill does it require to create a mechanical and chemical replication of reality?

We’re now, hopefully, more enlightened about photography and the still; moving and digitally manipulated form has become a central part of our industry. And now we have a new tool, AI.

Whilst it can be crude, nascent, often clumsily disappointing and inaccurate, we’re already seeing exquisitely crafted images and concepts brought to life. Some of these outputs would’ve taken weeks to achieve using more conventional methods, and maybe only the finest of today’s craftspeople would be able to even come close. Now, like so much software before it, seemingly impossible ideas can take seconds to render, and that democratizing of creation is exciting and terrifying in equal measure.

Jobs will be lost. New jobs will be created, but it’s clear that the best insurance anyone can have would be to experiment, learn and play. 

AI is not without problems and it’s natural for us all to experience some discomfort as ‘bad actors’ have the same access to tools as people with less malicious intent, but this genie will not be going back in the bottle. We can probably predict a few years of highly litigious legal jeopardy as all industries struggle to define new rules and concepts in intellectual property and rights but this will only slow rather than reverse the direction of travel.

It won’t take 100 years for AI creativity to appear in gallery collections, in fact it’s already controversially helping to win awards and competitions. But it’s still ultimately a tool. One that any one of us can wield and learn to master. What a great chance for us all to learn.

Above: Anomaly founder Johnny Vulkan, made by AI with Lensa.

 

Johnny Budden, Executive Creative Director at AKQA

As with any new technology, you could choose to limit human advancement or take people to the moon. When cars were invented we didn’t change our previous methods of transportation – we still walked, cycled and moved around as before. We simply had access to technology that improved our method of getting around.

There are countless possibilities of using AI to add creativity to our work – not replace it. And we are now harnessing those possibilities to advance civilization. For example, HeyPi.com is a compassionate AI that cares about your needs. GoFundMe used AI animation to bring donation stories to life.

The power of machine learning created a match between Serena Williams and her past self, from her first Grand Slam at the 1999 US Open versus her most recent at the 2017 Australian Open. We are going to the moon, everyday.

The advantages of AI means that our boutique team is expanded now into a team of a million. We are still driven by the same imagination and passion as before, only now with access to an infinite resource of information to help us achieve the future faster.

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Here Comes Fall, and October’s Quotes

Well, another month has gone by and as we await the arrival of Fall, weather-wise, here in the Southern States, let me present the Halloween month’s array of quotes. October showcases its share of genius and, hopefully, awe-inspiring thoughts from a variety of well known, and not-so-well known folks. It’s still a good read, though!

 

Chaos is the only thing that honestly wants you to grow. The only friend who really helps you be creative. — Dan Wieden, member Advertising Hall of Fame

This is what I learned at Antioch-when something was wrong, I could get up on my own two feet and make comment on it… I think the idea of questioning is not only a right, it is a responsibility. ~ Rod Serling

Advertising is what you do when you can’t go see somebody. That’s all it is. — Fairfax Cone, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstance. — Bruce Barton, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. – Søren Kierkegaard

It is easier to tone down a wild idea than to think up a new one. — Alex Osborne, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

The heart of creativity is discipline. — William Bernbach, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit. – Elbert Hubbard

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. – Robert F. Kennedy

Do not allow your mind to be imprisoned by majority thinking. Remember that the limits of science are not the limits of imagination. – Patricia Bath

 

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog, Joe’s Journey, for personal insights on life and its detours.

And, check out creative selections from my website.

Jolan tru!

The Big Idea: Do We Still Need It?

Sometimes I play the creator. Other times I play the curator. This week I, again, play the curator and offer up an unexpected article I found that proposes a different point of view from the one expressed just last week.

The Big Idea. Is it still needed? Some advertising practitioners say yes while others are doubtful. While last week’s post revealed the rationale that the Big Idea is not necessarily Better. This week’s post maintains the POV that the Big Idea is still important and that it should always be sought after.

Now, for the article . . .

Through a thousand tiny cuts, the building blocks of historical media have been broken into millions of pieces.

But those pieces must be managed somehow. If we zoom out and see them as a single territory (instead of micro-managing every mini experience), the pieces are more similar than different. Which hints at a full circle. The pendulum has begun its return swing and we’re about to see a fresh bloom of imagination and excitement to command brands’ millions of interactions.

But have we still got the know-how? And who has the big ideas to transcend the granularity of today’s media mix?

How little clicks superseded the big idea

Being in the right place at the right time was always marketing’s core strategy. For most of its history, that meant renting room in everyone’s heads so your brand would be at the top of the pack when someone was ready to buy. Crystal-clear and well-wrought propositions conveyed through imaginative, emotional executions allowed brands to occupy well-defined emotional territories for that magical moment of purchase.

This was the ‘big idea’.

With each media innovation, from radio to smartwatches, the battleground expanded, and budgets tried to keep up. In the early days of the internet, it was still just posters on the screen, with Alex Tew’s Million Dollar Homepage representing peak experiential pandemonium.

But then, the entirety of human knowledge got squeezed into people’s hand-held devices. For brands, being in the right place at the right moment became operational rather than psychological.

Presence became the ‘big idea’, and everybody had it at the same time. Everything became a numbers game; clicks, hits, and likes were the new money. Measurement became all-important and promised the end (again) of the missing half of John Wanamaker’s advertising spend.

Suddenly, if it could not be counted it didn’t count. Data floated to the top of an increasingly unfathomable ocean of media possibilities. Data, data, data. At a time when we have more media options than ever before, the strategic playing field has narrowed almost to the point of singularity.

Continue reading →

Big Ideas Don’t Always Equal Better

I recently came across an article about generating ideas and the belief that generating the Big Idea will produce the Best Idea. This isn’t necessarily so, as the article points out. Also, the Big Idea isn’t, and rarely is, the Best Idea.

Arriving at the Big Idea is usually the end result of utilizing one of several exercises. When one settles on the Big One, several smaller ideas have usually already been introduced. Don’t discard these. They might yet be useful even if leading into a different angle. This is where due diligence comes into play. But, I digress; this is the subject of a different blog post.

Now, about that article by Ahab Nimry . . .“Big Idea” is often a misnomer. Big Ideas can actually be small ideas, and most of the best ones are. They do not necessarily point to unique selling propositions (USPs), but rather single out a small aspect of what a brand does and elevate it. Such an approach works in many categories, from the probably insignificant additives in brand name gasoline to the distinctive but largely unused camera features in cell phones. But when treated with creativity and ingenuity, they can become touchstones for a brand that symbolizes far more. 

One of the best campaigns is All State’s “Mayhem.” In the spots, Mayhem is a middle-aged man who acts out likely causes of chaos. Sometimes he’s a teenager distracting you with social media, other times he’s the latest hashtag campaign or even a dopey, former frat boy who ruins a wedding. Typically, he intervenes in the lives of ordinary people, resulting in crashed cars, smashed windows, and destroyed dreams. At the end of each commercial, he explains that if you have discount insurance rather than All State, you might have to pay for it all yourself.

While the commercials are humorous, the concept is not unique to the company. Protecting against the results of random mayhem is what insurance companies do. All State has merely taken a creative approach to an ordinary function of every company in its category. Of course, this process is much easier said than done.  

Start with (and reject) the first big idea

When you look at a brief, it’s a good idea to take careful note of the first idea that springs to mind. The really obvious one. The amusement park with the happy family. The extreme ski resort with someone doing a backflip off of a jump. The cruise ship with a gorgeous model emerging from a crystal-clear pool. Identify this idea as quickly as possible because it’s exactly what you don’t want to do. 

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Ask Wicked Questions to Enhance Your Creativity

Enhancing one’s creativity is not difficult when you utilize various tools. One such tool is the art of questions. A recent article I read by Lee Duncan, IBM Enterprise Design Thinking Leader, explores this practice. He aims it toward designers but, in fact, all creatives should learn from it and profit by it.

I’ve heard it described by asking Better questions, too. Whichever you select, dig deeper into the problem to get to the soul of the matter to uncover more options to deliver the solution. In this post, I pass along Lee’s contribution so that you may also glean some suggestions that will help you derive better solutions to enhance your creativity.

 

As designers, we often get caught up in the details of our work and lose sight of the big picture. It’s easy to get bogged down in the nitty-gritty of design, but sometimes what we really need is a fresh perspective. This is where wicked questions come in.

Wicked questions are questions that challenge assumptions and shake up our thinking. They don’t have simple answers, and they force us to think deeply and creatively. By asking wicked questions, designers can gain a better understanding of the problem they are trying to solve, and ultimately create better solutions.

Why a Beginner’s Mind Matters

One of the keys to asking wicked questions is to approach a problem with a beginner’s mind. This means letting go of preconceptions and assumptions and approaching the problem as if you were completely new to it. By doing this, you open yourself up to new possibilities and ideas that you might not have considered before.

When you approach a problem with a beginner’s mind, you are more likely to ask questions that challenge assumptions and push boundaries. You are also more likely to see the problem from a fresh perspective, which can lead to innovative solutions.

The Value of Being Curious

Curiosity is an essential trait for designers. It’s what drives us to explore new ideas and try new things. By being curious, we can ask questions that lead to new insights and discoveries.

When you are curious, you are always asking questions. You want to know more about the problem you are trying to solve, the users you are designing for, and the world around you. This curiosity fuels your creativity and helps you come up with innovative solutions.

Continue reading →

September’s Quotes

Because we’re starting a new month, I thought I’d change things up a bit. Hence, submitting this month’s quotes at the beginning of the month. As per usual, this post, along with others forthcoming in this blog, center around some aspect of creativity.

 

Everything is reduced to facts and figures but the things that count. — George Gallup, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

Creativity is no longer about grabbing attention or raising consumer awareness. Its goal is to remind consumers about what is fundamental and gratifying about a brand. — Peter A. Georgescu, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

Every area of trouble gives out a ray of hope, and the one unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable. — John E. Kennedy, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

When we so cheapen the concept of human life that we can be permissive to the occasional bomb or bullet, I think we’ve taken a giant step back into the Dark Ages. And I don’t think there’s a light at the end of that tunnel. ~ Rod Serling

There is a cult of ignorance in the US, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ,y ignorance is just as good as your knowledge. — Isaac Asimov

Advertising becomes a dialogue that becomes an invitation to a relationship. — Lester Wunderman, member, Advertising Hall of Fame

A deadline is negative inspiration. Still,it’s better than no inspiration at all. – Rita Mae Brown

Our imagination is stretched to the utmost, not, as in fiction, to imagine things which are not really there, but just to comprehend those things which are there. – Richard Feynman

The only means of strengthening one’s intelligence is to make up one’s mind about nothing —to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts. – John Keats

I doubt that the imagination can be suppressed. If you truly eradicated it in a child, he would grow up to be an eggplant. – Ursula K. Le Guin

 

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog, Joe’s Journey, for personal insights on life and its detours.

And, check out creative selections from my website.

Jolan tru!