Inspiration can strike at any time, but it’s often hard to find. So how do creatives bake up ideas? And can they cater to all clients equally (and on time)?
Sometimes, even the best chef orders out. That’s the premise behind Fat Muffin a “creative playground where users get paid to play.” Started last year by Rahul Panchal (creative) and Jonathan Sadlowe (strategy), the start-up aims to crowdsource advertising (a model that his since been mimicked by some larger shops). As they put it, “We have convinced some fun companies to let you come up with their advertising. Now, all those ideas you have for better commericals have a place to be unleashed.” Users can brainstorm for a range of clients: from a “Firewater” beverage to a baby-based social network to a band from the future.
Essentially, Fat Muffin traffics in inspiration. So what inspired it’s co-founders? We asked them for this week’s installment of “What’s Your Inspiration?”
In a pinch, the internet is pretty much the most inspiring place ever. We in the creative industry are constantly seeking inspiration to fulfill short term goals. For the big client pitch, or for the new design we need to deliver last minute. We exert so much energy trying to get inspired for these things we truly do not care about that we end up losing touch with what truly drives us.
What seems to be missing in the creative industry is the kind of inspiration that makes us want to be greater than ourselves, and create things that do more than just sell more junk.
When we have the luxury of time, innovation gets much more interesting. Some of the best ideas I’ve ever been a part of have been the result of a misunderstanding with someone with a different perspective. They say one thing, I hear something else and the confusion ends up being the solution. But now that I’m really thinking about it, that’s not really my inspiration either. Just another quick way to get a rad idea.
The stuff that keeps me up late at night, the stuff that has my girlfriend convinced I do not sleep, is a perspective on life. I love seeing basic human goodness, and people creating ideas and systems that help everyone. Things like cradle-to-cradle thinking and learning how to operate in harmony with nature. That’s the stuff that’s going to keep us, as a species, alive and able to live on this planet. I love hanging out at the NYC Natural History Museum and seeing all the creatures and systems that existed, thrived and failed on this planet. I’d love to see us all come up with amazing ideas and solutions make us as humans a better species. That’s what keeps me up late at night. So I guess that’s my real inspiration.
I don’t have to look far for inspiration. Most of my time is spent living and working in New York City where I’m constantly exposed to fascinating people and newness of all sorts. I’m inspired by just about everything I see, hear, touch, smell, and taste. From the subtleties of my everyday routine to the creative leaps from once in a lifetime travel, inspiration is ever-present and welcomed in my life.
I’m inspired when I experience the emotion of disappointment or surprise. I find inspiration when I experience kindness and beauty and other virtues. I think true inspiration can be found within every person. You must be quite and listen closely; it’s subtle, not weak. I believe inspiration is a process that can be practiced and built upon.
Most importantly I look to nature for inspiration. I find myself more in touch with the world when I’m surrounded by trees, wind and fast moving creeks. The sights and sounds of nature are the patterns I gravitate towards, and it is those patterns I use to make sense of the world around me
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It’s a nice post, now added to my crowdsourcing 101 over @ http://www.youth-marketing-buzz.com/2008/10/buzz-words-crowdsourcing.html
I’m interested to see how Fatmuffin goes esp in comparison to other crowdsourced FMCG brands such as Starbucks, Jones Soda and Mountain Dew.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:54 am