If you want to make an impact, you need a big idea. But there's more to big ideas than a flash of inspiration. They need to be guided by a central concept known as the controlling idea.
Can you summarise your central message or proposition in a single phrase? If not, you are likely to be going round in circles in search of that big idea. Screenwriters emphasise the importance of the controlling idea; it's the fulcrum on which the whole story turns, the essence of the movie. There are simple ones such as 'crime doesn't pay' or 'the ruthless pursuit of contemporary values will destroy your life'; and more abstract ones such as 'belief systems as systems of control'; for the Matrix.
In business communication, controlling ideas are likely to be more prosaic: 'Arson can be prevented if everyone takes personal responsibility' or 'Anti money laundering measures protect the bank's reputation and increase customer trust.'
Simple though these ideas may be, you can see how they frame a message and provide creative direction. Big ideas that don't work are often the product of a creative whim - a preconceived big idea about a big idea.
Messages
It helps to define what you want the communication to achieve and to agree these messages before you proceed with scripting.
Positioning
Positioning relates to how message are packaged to meet the needs of a particular audience. The tone of voice, the choice of metaphor and the format of the communication all vary according to whom you are communicating with. The main variable is whether a communication is designed to inform or persuade. Click here to find out more about positioning.
Theme
This is the creative glue that holds the messages together. Themes can combine visual metaphors or narrative elements. Sometimes the theme is extant, such as 'back to the future' or 'unseen heroes'. Or it may be an expression of the controlling idea such as taking a customer perspective. Without a theme, you will have an uphill struggle to make your communication work.
Context
Context changes everything. It's the baggage that comes with every project; the history, the attitudes and expectations of the audience, it's the market conditions and what the competition did yesterday.
Creative Solution
The creative solution is the big idea that encapsulates all of the above. By being creative in the way you communicate your messages, not only do you produce something that is memorable and hence more effective, you also tell the audience something about yourself. For an expanded version of this article in PDF format click here
Back to the Future
Narrative can be used in many ways, especially on the web. Here is a bit of fun where I use a narrative approach to get people to think about ways to improve their marketing. It's called Back to the Future... click here
