Race to Express Yourself

Running is not a hobby, but a lifestyle. Grant it I did not have this lifestyle until my senior year in high school. It takes dedication to keep running when your body feels like it is going to collapse, and it takes time to work your way up to run a race. I am not super fast or great at long distances, but I have successfully added running into my life where it has changed me.

Tomorrow my friend Hannah and I will compete in the UnBULLievable Race. It is a fun scavenger hunt like the Amazing Race. We are given a set of clues that take us all across campus in hopes of finishing first and winning a $500 gift card. With the race in mind, I was thinking about how the running culture in America could relate to creativity. Then it hit me – or more like smacked me in the face.

Hannah and I wanted to create team T-shirts and they ended up close to a Pinterest fail. I will post pictures later once they dry. However, it made me consider how people are creative in order to be remembered, to express themselves or to have a statement in the world. (We wanted to look cute.) At races, people have the same motivation. You want to place so you get some glory and have an identity of being good at something. Everyone wants to stand out and release a bit of who she is into the world.

Running has impacted me for the better because I am healthier, but also because it is a way for me to get away from everything. It is fun and challenging. Through realizing this, I see it is the same for creativity. How beautiful it is when you finish a race, but even more so when you make something that might be messy, a little weird and not what you were expecting (may I say T-shirts), but totally your own.

Food Art

Food is now considered an art. It takes thought, effort and a vision for a chef to create their cuisine. Sometimes they need to be inspired just like any other artist. The best part is that their masterpieces taste delicious.

My friend Tu made a gourmet chocolate cheesecake for someone’s birthday recently. It was amazing and when asked what intrigued her to make it she said, “She loves eating desserts.” Tu is always mixing something up in the oven. She says, “The interesting desserts always seem too expensive to buy at the store, so I give them a try at home.” Even though some ideas turn into a flop, Tu does not get discouraged. “As I say, as long as you put your heart into everything you do, you will be good at it.” It takes skill to not only bake the cheesecake to perfection, but also to have creative baking ideas.

Creativity is an art. It is an achievable skill through training. In anything, practice makes perfect, whether it is sports, painting, advertising or cooking. With time and patience, one becomes comfortable in their skill set where they can blend and match colors, words, ideas and flavors into a new creation. With this truth, what are you going to do in the world?

Want something more convicting? Watch this video of little kids cooking gourmet meals in the Master Chef Junior competition. I think some of them are not even 10 years old.

 

What Does it Mean to be Human?

Recently I stumbled upon the phenomenon of “Humans of New York.” This incredibly unique blog delivers daily updates of photographs of random people in New York. It is not fancy. There is no glitter or special effects. It simply consists of the raw quotes and stories from people on the street and a picture. The blogger/photographer Brandon is on a quest to take 10,000 photographs, and so far he is getting close with about 6,000. With more than 4 million likes on Facebook, Brandon’s idea has been wildly successful.

I found that people are interested and drawn to his blog, not because his pictures are spectacular or all his stories are amazing, but because he captures reality in such a truthful and captivating way. By pairing a somewhat interesting photo of an average person with a story that conveys such strong emotion, it immediately impacts a person’s heart. Everyone can relate to heartache, hardship, joy, laughter and confusion. “Humans of New York” is brilliant because creativity is telling a story and everyone has one they want to tell. Humans desire to understand and to be understood. Brandon simply provides the platform for interaction that highlights the importance of the individual, yet its insignificance at the same time. Check out the humans’ stories from today.

http://www.humansofnewyork.com/

Talk about Sass

Taco Bell recently released a commercial for their new breakfast that jabs McDonald’s big time. They interviewed several guys all named Ronald McDonald who turn out to love Taco Bell’s breakfast. The viewers are in on the joke. We see what Taco Bell is trying to do, but that only makes it funnier. It gives Taco Bell an attitude – some sass. Now, it is in McDonald’s court to respond, giving the impression that Taco Bell’s breakfast is better just because McDonald’s has not come up with anything yet. Here is the commercial.

Creativity has to do with presentation and emotion. What matters is not only what is being conveyed, but also how the message is presented. This simple idea becomes a hit because it creates Taco Bell’s image as feisty and fun. They are the brand that enjoys making a few jokes. It works because it adds value to the brand, and it is an idea that can be built further. Sometimes the best thoughts are not too complicated, but packed with feeling.

Vandalism Worth Millions of Dollars – Not in Damages

It is something hard to do, yet Banksy, UK street artist, has created a “portfolio” of graffiti art that is extremely valuable. He is well known for his controversial tags using stencils. What I love most about him is his sense of humor and anonymity. Despite having pieces sold for thousands of dollars, his identity remains a mystery. He has even created an organization called “The Pest Control Office” to manage and authenticate his work so he can keep his name secret. Banksy’s artwork usually makes a bold statement against current events or social issues. Among the themes of his tags and exhibitions are anti-capitalism, anarchism, anti-war, poverty and boredom. He thinks it is crazy that people actually buy his art, since it pokes fun at the very act of doing that. After Sotheby’s sold three of his pieces, Banksy posted on his website an image of people in an auction room bidding on a picture that said, “I can’t believe you morons actually buy this shit.” Banksy also does what he preaches. Even though many call him a sell out and say he has forgotten where he has come from, when a water tank he painted on was removed to be a sold and it was discovered that a homeless man had been living there for seven years, Banksy gave him enough money to get an apartment and live for a year. He also refused to authenticate his work meaning the tank became worthless again.

His creativity comes from understanding people and the way they react. Through observing culture and creating opinions, Banksy makes statements that shake some people’s worlds. It is creative work because it seems different to the majority. I could write a lot more about him and his art, but his work can speak for itself. Look up more of his graffiti and check out some of these interesting reads about Banksy if you are still curious.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-story-behind-banksy-4310304/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/daniellerahm/2013/10/22/banksy-the-20-million-graffiti-artist-who-doesnt-want-his-art-to-be-worth-anything/

 

 

Truthful Photography

Imagine being asked by a random photographer to pose with a complete stranger for a picture on the street. That is exactly what Richard Renaldi does. I discovered his talent and creativity a couple months ago while reading an article online. His most recent project is called “Touching Strangers,” a compilation of pictures of unfamiliar people across the United States in intimate poses. No, I do not mean that kind of intimate. Look at this simple picture of a guy and young girl. They do not actually know each other, yet the picture is beautiful and so genuine.

Touching Strangers Chris and Amaira; Chicago, Illinois, 2013

What I found amazing was that despite people not knowing each other, the photographs produce an intense vibe that creates a back-story in the mind. As a viewer, you get a sense of who these people are, just in the way they interact with others. I also like how raw and exposed Renaldi’s photography is. Life is indescribable, but reality does not always look picturesque. Renaldi captures people and the world in a light that is beautiful but still real. Another project of his was “Fall River Boys.” This picture of an abandoned mill shows the truth that things decay, but there always can be a way to look at something and make it new.

Fall River Boys Abandoned Mill, 2001

Renaldi’s creativity impresses me because he gets at the core of the human heart. He takes simple, clean pictures, but is able to wrap up a lot of emotion in it. People like to relate to each other and to the world around them. He proves even strangers can tell a story, and that most of the time we do not want to hear a fairy tale, but the truth. That is just it, creativity is being able to communicate and share your real life without having to dazzle it up.

You can check out more of Renaldi’s work at this link.

http://www.renaldi.com/

When Songs Never Leave the Head

I discovered this song called “Chasing You” by Bethel over spring break even though it has been out for a while. I absolutely love it and since it is so catchy I have been singing it in my head for the past three days. The song has a sound that is a lot of fun and full of life.

One of the things I enjoy about the song is the creativity in the lyrics. Now do not get me wrong, it still is a simple song in my book; but for once a song has a vocabulary list longer than four words. Because I noticed this, I take it as a challenge to better myself. If I do not like music that says the same phrase repeatedly; and if I want songs to be like poetry and have depth and meaning, then I should urge myself to write with more meaning and intelligence. It applies to everything really, including the way I speak, how I think and of course ideas for ads.

The other element I liked about the song was the music video. Again, it was creative but still elementary. The lyrics changed over top of a fuzzy background that would flash some colors. The video started from the perspective of someone in a car going down a small, two-lane road in the woods. It changed to a highway later on. I liked that it was so straightforward to its message of chasing someone.

Listen to the song, and if you disagree with my thoughts, below feel free to comment. Tell me a song that inspires you or that is always caught in your head.

What’s in a Story?

A neat read that pertains exactly to my blog mission is the book The Idea Writers by Teressa Iezzi. She takes the reader through the world of an advertising copywriter and examines the current culture in the field. With a straightforward and witty approach, Iezzi also gives some insight on how to become a great creative in a rapidly changing and competitive industry.

One of the chapters I enjoyed reading is called “The Storytellers.” Most of the best ads out there do not focus on the product, but tell a story. They involve the consumer and bring something to life in their minds. An example used in the chapter is the BMW Films “The Hire.” The first one in the series of eight is posted below.

It was such a monumental move because no other brand had made solely entertainment for the internet. Despite some of the videos being a little cheesy, they were ingenious. There was no announcer voice, annoying font or lame catch phrases. They built a character and created stories, pieces of art to make a statement in the world.

The chapter also goes on to talk about another great example of storytelling in the digital world. I would encourage you to read about Beta 7, a fictional beta tester for a SEGA video game. Interactive storytelling is becoming so popular it almost seems normal. The truth is advertising is all about creating a story to relate a customer to a product. The source of creativity is finding connections, examining relationships and building off other ideas. Ty Montague, former creative director at Wieden, explains the reality of advertising – “Unlike traditional storytelling where you complete the thing and you put it out there, it’s a living thing that requires ongoing curation and involvement on the part of storytellers and participants.” To be creative is to be able to tell a story – one that is alive.

Frozen Soundtrack Melts Hearts

I know the movie Frozen has been out for a while, but many covers of the songs are now surfacing and going viral. One that is a favorite of mine and I have seen posted hundreds of times is the Africanized version of “Let it Go” by Alex Boyé and the One Voice Children’s Choir. Check it out.

Lexi Walker, an 11 year-old girl, sings the main part of the song. The video amazes me not only because of the talent, but also because of how the song lyrics transcend cultures. Many people can relate to such a feel-good song. I am impressed with how they changed the song so much and gave it a different feel, yet kept intact the meaning and power. If you have not seen the movie it is about sisterhood but also about not being afraid to be yourself. Despite it being animated and Disney, the movie does appeal to all ages since the message of freedom and victory is universal.

It is commonly said that there is no such thing as a new idea, but just something old reinvented. I agree, but I think when it comes to creativity one has to understand that process and stake a claim in the world. Make something your own. When you can change an idea to where it completely relates to you and seems refreshed, then you have been successful. Alex Boyé used his heritage, talent and connections to redo a song into one many people are saying they like better. Now, what can I do?

Too Many Ads?

With the average American easily seeing hundreds of ads in a day, people wonder when it will ever stop. This has been a debate for a while – too many ads in a cluttered market. It now takes a lot more strategy and creativity to create an ad that stands out among the other thousands of ads out there. However, one can claim that forcing problem solving thinking and stressing creativity will advance our society. I found a small campaign of ads that are hilarious and hit on the point that sometimes they can be annoying.

Click this link to see the ads on pinterest.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/419468152764100458/

What make these ads stand out are not only the striking images, but also the comical tone of urgency for someone else to advertise. The creators of the idea for the ads honed in on what the market currently thinks about advertising, which is that it can be dull and annoying. They then switched the role so that advertisement seemed like the hero for saving the day before anything else came off. A great concept of advertising for advertisement was formed.