Staring at a blank screen with a deadline looming over our heads and the wheels in our brains struggling to turn. Yep, we’ve all been there. Usually, we just wait for inspiration to suddenly pop up. But in the world of marketing, that method may cause delays in project turnovers, resulting in dissatisfaction among clients. Never in a million years do we want that. That’s why we’re sharing some brainstorming hacks you can try the next time you hit a creative wall.

Word Dumping

Structure is important, but if you’re really stuck at the beginning, you can save it for later. Start by writing down every single word that comes to mind when you read the brief. It also doesn’t have to be just one category. Go with emotions, colors, pop culture references, and random metaphors. The goal here, after all, is to bypass your inner critic.

This creates raw material you can work with later on. And yes, even the “wrong” words will help spark some right ideas.

Reverse Thinking

It may also be helpful if your pessimistic side shines just a tad bit. So instead of asking, “What should this campaign say?” Ask, “What’s the worst thing it could say?”And from there, you can flip those around.

This helps you define boundaries and challenge assumptions. There’s also a chance that you stumble upon a golden idea by flipping the script.

Moodboarding

If you can’t think of words, start with visuals. Gather images that evoke the feeling or energy you’re after, even if you can’t put them into words yet. Pinterest boards, color swatches, typography, or even screenshots from shows and films. The sky’s the limit!

This taps into your emotional intuition and sets a visual tone before you craft the message.

Connecting the Dots

After the chaos comes the calm. You can now start organizing those thoughts. What themes are repeating? What contrasts are interesting? What visuals match which phrases?

This is where raw ideas begin to form into more structured concepts.

Having a creative block is normal, but it’s important that we practice battling it rather than letting it pass. Because, after all, we don’t always have the luxury of time to wait for a eureka moment. You need to set the stage so the path to an epiphany is clear. So the next time your team’s stuck, try this 4-step hack. It’s okay to get messy first.