Always on the lookout
It’s almost intangible, defies precise definition, and yet is the essence of their work: m&k asked Switzerland’s top advertising professionals where they draw their inspiration from. Statements on thinking, not thinking, and everything in between.
Andrea Bison: I am convinced that creativity can answer any question. A single thought can have the power to change everything. And I believe that anyone can have that thought. That’s why, in my view, creativity shouldn’t simply be delegated to the creative department, but should be an expectation for everyone in their respective fields and according to their abilities.
The prerequisite for this is free thinking; only then can space be created for creative solutions. For this kind of thinking, we need an environment where thinking differently is not seen as a threat but as an opportunity—a workplace that offers the freedom to structure our daily work as the task requires, and where a sense of well-being and trust are part of the culture. To create these conditions, I strive day in and day out to break away from familiar patterns, question standard procedures, and remove barriers—all to make room for something new. And when new, unusual, or perhaps unconventional ideas are on the table, my motivation is to open doors and remove barriers to make them a reality.
My inspiration? Pretty much everything and everyone in this world who approaches things differently and finds new ways of doing things. Nature is basically our best role model when it comes to creativity. It shows us every day how to find new ways of doing things.
And last but not least, it’s also children who inspire me time and time again. They don’t yet have all those mental barriers that keep getting in our way. They help me question things, see new solutions, and always believe that anything is possible.
«Children don't yet have all those mental barriers that hold us back. They help me question things.»
Parvez Sheik Fareed: What inspires me? I don’t know. Or at least, I think I know that I don’t know what inspires me. In any case, it’s not the kissing muse—the one who suddenly appears and provides that stroke of genius when you’re stuck. If such a muse really exists, she doesn’t seem to find her way to me.
Searching for an idea—thinking—is a quiet process. I’m usually sitting down while I do it. Sometimes with my head propped up like Rodin’s «The Thinker,» but not naked. If no ideas—or only lousy ones—come to mind, I let the whole thing rest for a while. When I actively return to it later, new ideas sometimes suddenly come to me. If I still can’t think of anything, I let it rest again. And then I return to it later. And so on.
«Of course there's brainstorming and co-creation. But both are nonsense.»
Hitting a wall when searching for ideas is part of the process. The interesting thing about ideas is that you don’t really know where they come from. You only realize you have an idea the moment it suddenly pops into your head—like a bubble rising to the surface of the water. Where the idea came from remains a mystery.
Karin Estermann: Good questions inspire me the most: I can feel my brain kicking into high gear when faced with a surprising or unusual question, searching for answers and solutions. Good questions leave me with a spark of restlessness. Whether consciously or subconsciously, my mind sets out in search of answers and gets energized. It’s probably a habit I’ve developed in our solution-oriented, fast-paced industry—but even so, good questions lead me into new ways of thinking and, as a result, to new ideas.
Good ideas often come to me when my mental filter isn’t working quite as well or is a little foggy. My brain doesn’t immediately sort everything into «good,» «bad,» and «that’s it!»—it lets all thoughts into the mix, so to speak. To do this, I can spend hours browsing image databases online. Images are great for putting my brain into this “half-mast” state.
And then there are my countless «bad» ideas. It’s worth writing these down, too. It’s best to write down all your ideas anyway—even the «way too expensive» ones and the «they’d neeeeeever do that» ideas. It’s precisely these lousy ones that, the next morning with a fresh (or perhaps foggy) perspective, can be the springboard to a really great, golden idea—and not the one you’ve been clinging to for the past two days. True to the spirit of «kill your darlings.».
«I keep trying to break out of the daily grind and shake up my routines with new ideas.»
But regarding everything mentioned above, it’s worth noting: If you always do the same thing, you’ll always come up with the same ideas. Eighty percent of our daily lives consists of routine, and that lulls our brains into complacency. That’s why I don’t just keep looking for good questions. That’s why I don’t talk about COVID-19 anymore. I constantly try to break out of the daily grind, to shake up my routines with fresh inspiration. That might mean taking a different route to the office in the morning, traveling—or simply challenging my brain so it’s at its wits’ end and gives my thoughts a jolt again.
«Damn, I can't write it like that. That's so stupid.»
Montalcini CSS Ode to Life – going for a walk with my daughter, if I don’t focus on her – Crack Cloud Samsung Casefilm Digital Switzerland don’t boil it down Insurance Insurance – Why do I always have to do everything myself – but let myself get distracted – Build a brand only on TikTok Sir Mary Cocktail Kaspar Inefficient shit process Customers always want something new that they’ve already seen three times Call liability insurance Apartment handover – if I let it go, it gets dangerous. Give me your hand, Yael, we have to – With that logo, everything looks like crap Gold Foil Panda Film just with that shitty logo? So shitty it’s actually cool again 5 years of Sir Mary Party Fuck, we’re getting too fat – across the street, Yael, watch out!
Or I work out—I can also—Shit, I can’t write it like that. That’s so stupid. I’m not a copywriter. But that’s a stupid question, too. F355 GTB. The editor actually has a brain in his head. Walter Röhrl. Linus Bill. Boilerplate. Hegarty. Hegarty—he’s got wine in his head—a good way to unwind.
«What I do to keep my mind off things: simple things—for example, I go for a walk with my daughter.»
