Idea generation tools
for creative professionals

By Juggi Ramakrishnan and Todd McCracken

Before You Begin
01. Glorify and Celebrate02. Empathize and Support03. Dramatize the Problem04. Dramatize the Solution05. Let the Solution Create a New Problem06. Find an Analogy for the Problem07. Find an Analogy for the Solution08. Make the Product Precious09. Tell a Story10. Create Fantasy Worlds, People and Things11. Demonstrate12. Take the Audience Backstage13. Define, Label and Group14. Get a Testimonial15. Use a Recurring Character or Mascot16. Compare and Contrast17. Swap Roles18. Challenge Yourself19. Challenge the Consumer20. Connect Cause with Effect21. Use a Unique Attribute22. Adopt Another Category’s Style23. Make the Familiar Unfamiliar24. Humanize25. Make a Parody, Satire or Spoof26. Make an Enemy27. Use the Power of Guilt28. Champion the Underdog29. Resolve Conflicts30. Make Someone’s Day31. Overturn Prejudice32. Be Brutally Honest33. Apply Social Pressure34. Stage a Spectacle35. Use the Power of Cute36. Be Brutally Simple37. Invent a Complementary Product38. Customize and Personalize39. Crash Someone Else’s Party40. Invite Participation41. Conduct an Experiment42. Play a Prank43. Set Up an Installation44. Turn it into a Game45. Make it a Work of Art46. Offer Something Irresistible47. Partner with Another Brand48. Conduct a Product Trial49. Find a Fitting Location50. Replace a Real Experience With a Virtual One51. Dress Up as News or Entertainment52. Push the Boundaries of Technology