Contents
- What is brainstorming?
- History of the method's emergence
- Why is brainstorming needed in marketing?
- How to conduct a brainstorming session?
- Brainstorming techniques
What is brainstorming?
Brainstorming, also known as a brainstorming session, is a methodological approach to collective idea generation. The main objective of this process is to gather diverse and unique solutions, as well as to evaluate them for further practical application. During a brainstorming session, participants have the opportunity to freely express their ideas as soon as they come to mind, creating an atmosphere of creativity and openness.
Brainstorming generally yields the best results when certain rules and methods are followed. For example, the Federal Agency for Tourism of Russia and the Association of Branding Companies organized a brainstorming session to develop the country's tourism brand, during which more than 20 hypotheses for the global positioning of Russia as an attractive tourist destination were proposed.
History of the method's emergence
The brainstorming method was developed by Alex Osborn, one of the founders of the BBDO advertising agency in the USA. In 1942, he described this process in his book "How to Think Up." Osborn proposed four key rules that formed the basis of brainstorming:
- No criticism during the session.
- The more ideas, the better.
- Encouragement of even the most unconventional suggestions.
- Ideas can be combined and developed.
Over time, this method has been adapted and expanded, leading to the emergence of numerous technologies and approaches for its implementation in various business sectors.
Why is brainstorming needed in marketing?
Brainstorming is an effective tool for gathering opinions and solutions in marketing. It has several advantages:
- Stimulates the search for unexpected ideas, activating creative processes in the brain.
- Allows breaking down complex problems into simple tasks, simplifying the process of solving them.
- Promotes critical thinking, allowing for the analysis and comparison of one's ideas with competitors.
- Unites the team, especially newcomers who can bring a fresh perspective to the product.
Brainstorming can be applied to solve various marketing tasks, such as developing packaging design, choosing a brand mascot, or creating target audience profiles.
How to conduct a brainstorming session?
The process of brainstorming can be broken down into six stages:
- Preparation: Participants are informed about the meeting in advance and the task is described.
- Gathering participants: The optimal number of participants is from 5 to 12 people with varying experiences.
- Defining the problem: The formulation of the problem should be clear and specific.
- Warm-up: Exercises to switch to a creative mode.
- Idea generation: Collecting and recording all participant suggestions.
- Classification and evaluation of ideas: Critique and selection of the best ideas for further refinement.
Brainstorming techniques
There are many brainstorming techniques beyond Alex Osborn's classic method. Here are some of them:
- Brainwriting: A method where participants write down their ideas and exchange them for further development.
- Reverse brainstorming: Generating ideas to identify the weaknesses of an existing product.
- Method of eidetic imagery: Using visual images to enhance the product.
- Starbursting technique: Exploring the main idea and answering key questions.
- Six thinking hats method: Using different perspectives for a deeper analysis of the idea.
These techniques allow approaching problem-solving from different angles and finding original solutions, making brainstorming a universal tool for creative work.