Following our recent rebrand, we thought we would catch up with the architect behind it, BIG’s creative director, Steve Hill.
As we pursue our careers, we invariably learn what works and what doesn’t. Through trial and error we can often fall into the trap of habit; what worked before will work again, so let’s just stick with that. We apply mental shortcuts* – a path of least resistance if you like. This is particularly likely when you are under pressure and time is tight (and when isn’t it?).
As a creative agency, we recognise there are times when we need to be a little more child-like in our work. I don’t mean having a temper tantrum and throwing yourself to the office floor (not in front of clients anyway), but having the wonderful curiosity that children have – that we all once had. The desire to know how everything works, why the grass is green and the sky blue, and what happens if I…?!
For grown-ups, it’s difficult to unlearn learned habits. In our case, as creatives, it might be how we look at our clients’ challenges in different ways. That could be as simple as remembering to consider if the brief is asking the right questions.
Being curious is rarely the easy path. It’s not following our “route one thinking”* but means applying cognitive load to our already-busy brains. It can be a lot of fun though! Learning something new is said to help confidence and our ability to tackle all sorts of new tasks. The sense of achievement from learning something new has a positive impact on our mental wellbeing and, after the last few months, who couldn’t do with a little positive impact on their mental wellbeing? So, while we all have tried and trusted techniques and methodologies we know work, there’s always room for adding a little ‘Creative Curiosity’ to our thinking.
Steve Hill – Creative Director
**Thinking Fast & Slow by Daniel Kahneman – if you want to know why we have two modes of thought and what system 1 and system 2 are, then get this book.
Back to blog