Shut that laptop...and get creative

Yep. Stop reading this blog. Go on. And no more checking your emails. Or texting. Turn off, tune out and switch off if you're trying to be creative. Or hire a hideously expensive hotel room in a really boring place.

These are just two of Belinda Lank's ideas for sparking creativity  - a vital skill if you're working in the modern marketing world. As Seth Godin points out, if you want to stand out in today's cluttered world you need to be either very bad or very bizarre. And 'bizarre' means so novel it's weird.

For PR, we're not talking creative images and words as much as creative strategies: it may be a weird and wonderful photo op ('Bruno' landing in Eminem's face to promote new movie), or a freaky new product (breast milk ice cream anyone?) - but it has to be DIFFERENT.

Belinda's ideas are useful strategies for that creative step, after the hard work and background analysis is done and you have to take a leap of the imagination to create something exciting...try it next time you're in the shower.