The Creative Process Illustrated: How Advertising's Big Ideas Are Born [Paperback]

W. Glenn Griffin (Author), Deborah Morrison (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 2010

FINALLY, ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION: HOW ARE BIG IDEAS BORN?

Foreword by Sally Hogshead, author of Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation

Creative directors, art directors and advertising copywriters are some of the great artists and thinkers of our time. Considering the scope and power of their influence in our culture, that's not such a crazy idea.

Take an intimate look into the creative processes of some of the top minds in the advertising industry. Get inspired as you learn about the people behind smart ad campaigns and see how they visualize their own search for a great idea.

You'll find outstanding work from an eclectic mix of agencies, including TBWA\CHIAT\DAY, The Jupiter Drawing Room, Wieden+Kennedy, McGarryBowen, McCann Erickson, Ogilvy & Mather, Carmichael Lynch and 72andSunny.

The Creative Process Illustrated represents a rare and remarkable look at the minds that fuel the ad industry. You'll be inspired to fresh thinking and better work immediately. Inside you'll find:

Process canvases—sketches that visually represent the thought process leading to an idea, from some of the best minds in advertising.

Profiles—insightful commentary from contributors, samples of their favorite work, perspectives from their colleagues and details of their professional accomplishments.

Practical analysis—a breakdown of models of creativity, creativity as a problem-solving device, and putting the creative process to work for you.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Glenn Griffin teaches courses in creativity and portfolio development and leads the Method Creative program at Southern Methodist University's Temerlin Advertising Institute in Dallas, Texas. His research has appeared in the Journal of Advertising, the Journal of Advertising Education and Journalism and Mass Communication Educator, among other publications. He is a frequent speaker at professional and academic conferences on the topics of creativity, advertising education and social responsibility.

Deborah Morrison teaches conceptual thinking and brand development and is the Chambers Distinguished Professor of Advertising at the University of Oregon in Eugene. She was one of the original architects of the world-renowned Texas Creative program at the University of Texas at Austin and is a board member of The One Club for Art & Copy in New York. She regularly judges awards shows and consults with agencies and other organizations about creative capacity and ideation.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: How; 1 edition (September 2, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600619606
• ISBN-13: 978-1600619601
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #45,249 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

W. Glenn Griffin, Ph.D., teaches courses in creativity and portfolio development at The University of Alabama. His research on creativity, education and social responsibility has appeared in the Journal of Advertising, the Journal of Advertising Education and Journalism and Mass Communication Educator, among other publications. His students' work has been featured in both national and international press, including Advertising Age, Adweek and CMYK magazines and recognized by The One Club for Art & Copy, the Art Directors Club of New York and the Clio Awards, among many other organizations. He is a frequent speaker at professional and academic conferences on the topics of creativity, advertising education and social responsibility.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and surprisingly unoriginal, December 12, 2010

By 

Dan Bergevin (danbergevin dot com) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Creative Process Illustrated: How Advertising's Big Ideas Are Born (Paperback)

I just finished reading this book from front to back. It was very interesting and a lot of fun.

One thing you'll learn is that the creative process, as described by James Webb Young in his 1965 book A Technique for Producing Ideas, is the same for all the people who contributed to The Creative Process Illustrated. They all just quote Young in illustrated format, using fish or networks or ink blots, and some of them don't even seem aware that they're using Young's technique at all. This was probably the most profound insight in this book.

In short, The Creative Process Illustrated is the long scenic route through Young's technique. Young's book is the shortcut. Some people like long, scenic drives, and others don't. If you're in doubt, get both books and go from there.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Love it!, October 22, 2011

By 

tavodu - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Creative Process Illustrated: How Advertising's Big Ideas Are Born (Paperback)

I love this book. You can see how different a creative mind thinks compared to another. There's an irreverent and very human side of the designers revealed through their sketches/notes/explanations of the creative process, and you can tell by the cover. The only thing I don't love about this book is its size. The pages are too large and I cannot carry it around without bending its corners. Other than that, it is an excellent book. If you're looking for a more serious, text-only book I recommend Millman's How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic concept, fascinating read, September 20, 2010

By 

discerning reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Creative Process Illustrated: How Advertising's Big Ideas Are Born (Paperback)

This book falls into the category of, "Why didn't anyone think of this before?" Griffin and Morrison asked rock stars of the advertising industry to draw the process of how they come up with the ideas that influence popular culture through advertising. It's incredible to see how so many exceptionally creative people think, and it's nothing short of amazing that they can conceptualize the process for us in pictures. The authors' analysis of the process behind creativity is thought-provoking and inspiring.

A great read for anyone who's in the advertising field or studying advertising as a major, but also entertaining and informative for the intelligent layperson.

I predict that this book will be talked about for years to come and will establish itself as a staple of advertising education.