If you want to be smart, start out stupid.

I’m stealing this from something i saw on Ben Kay’s lovely blog.

It’s something we in advertising (should) know all too well.

That your “intelligence” is worth fuck all when you’re selling floor cleaner to the masses.

Quite often, you have to break down the most mundane products and processes into their constituent parts to begin to have any ideas.

What is the role of the product in people’s lives?

Do they care?

Does it matter?

If so, how? And in what way?

What is the purchase decision? Is it a last minute thing or a considered thing?

it goes on and on.

And in this process, you set aside your “intelligence” and your biases in the service of selling what you’re selling.

You surrender. You become an unquestioning sponge.

And, only much later, do you re-engage your critical thinking cap.

And the idea-thinking-stage begins.

But only then.

It’s a bitch really. And it never gets old!