Normally I keep all my ideas to myself and only share them with a select few. Protecting them until I can roll them out. But I recently watched an interview with Philip Rosedale who created Second Life and was inspired by his openness to not hold on so tightly to all my ideas. So I have an idea swimming around in my brain that I wanted to share and see if it has merit.

Since we first started the Church Marketing Lab, my heart always went out for the person that was on a church staff and handle the torch of design. I could tell they were really trying but they just have a really long road ahead of them, learning as they go and struggling to put it all together.

Now, we’re all on different parts of that road. We all started somewhere. For some they just need a push or clear and constructive critique. Others need definite art direction, and others need someone to take their idea and design file and bring some polish to it and bring it up a notch. They need their design pimped out a bit.

I’m considering offering those last two as a service of Holy Cow: art direction and next level design assistance.

Art Direction would be like a critique but much more hands on and continuous through a project.

Next Level (or whatever I end up calling it) would be hands on with the actual files but also instruction of what and why we did what we did. This produces a better end product so that the church can communicate to its best and fosters a better artist connected to the project.

I don’t know what I’d charge or even specifically how it would all work, but it’s something rolling around and I thought I’d listen to what you thought.

So, what do you think of this idea?

Here’s one big highlight, in fact it highlights a big reason I started Holy Cow.

Anything and everything that connects to your organization communicates something about it.

Again, I’m only half way through it and there is a ton of great content in the 274 pages, but if pastors only grab hold of that quote and begin to look at what we’re doing differently it will be a huge win.

I started Holy Cow to help change and improve the way the church communicates. And while what we do is translated to logos, sermon branding, etc. and in the beginning that was my sole focus, what we were outputting, communication goes much deeper than that.

How you treat volunteers, the way people are greeted, how you take your offering, and yes, the car the pastor drives…all communicates.

For me, I define marketing within the church as communication. It’s not about slick sales pitches or bait and switch, that’s not the type of marketing I talk about when I talk about church marketing. The bottom line, as Vince points out, is the everything we do, how you are doing church, is marketing.

It’s not enough to hire us to create a great logo. We have to constantly be asking, how does this communicate?

There is a serious disconnect between how culture communicates and how the Church does.

It’s not enough to construct your communication efforts out of a checklist of to-do’s. We have to pay attention at HOW we are communicate just as much, and even more so, than WHAT.

How does your childcare check-in communicate?
How does the way people are greeted communicate?
What about how you take your offering?
Does your sermon title invite new people or speak members-only language?
And yes, how does using that typeface communicate?

I encourage you to take a look and buy the book…if you don’t win a copy. Vince has graciously given me one copy to give away. So tell me how you judge how you are communicating and I’ll pull one random comment out of the hat.

I have followed The Accidental Creative podcast ever since I first found it a few years ago, if you don’t subscribe…go subscribe now. For me it’s like having someone on the other line that gets where I live. That understands the creative process and the challenges that come along with it. Brilliant stuff.

So, when I heard Todd Henry was publishing a book, I knew it was going to be great. It just hit my door so I’ve not cracked it open yet, but I already know it’ll be one of the must reads on my bookshelf (which is why I have the print version instead of Kindle).

I’ll have a review up on Church Marketing Sucks as soon as I digest it, but in the meantime here’s a video that while obviously intended as a promo video, is a great message of the role that creativity plays and how important it is to not just be creative when a project looms, but to realize that you were created to always be taking in creation.

Of course if you already know the Grade A stuff that comes from Todd, just go order it. I’d suggest the hardback because I think this will be the kind of book you share with others, but Kindle is cool too. Yes, those are affiliate links but trust me I’m not writing or promoting this for the grand .10 per book I might get (if it’s even that much). I believe Todd has a lot that needs to be heard by artists in the church, a place that “on demand” takes on a whole other level sometimes.

If you’ve ever tried to create, you’ve run into roadblocks. Whether you’re a pastor working on a sermon series or the artist working on the design, we’ve been there.

So I’m glad that Standing On Giants has encouraged the conversation.

Like any roadblock, when I run into a creative block the first thing I try to figure out is if there’s a way to avoid or workaround it. If something is causing it, I want to fix it. A few causes in my creativity:

too big: the project in front of me is huge and I feel over my head. In this case, I take a step back, divide it up into pieces and dig in.

fear: along with being too big, sometimes the project feels too important, it’s the equivalent of stage freight for me. I start questioning my ability, self talk failure into it…this is a tough one to break out of. In fact, I usually can’t break out on my own so I find someone to talk to about it. My wife, a friend, someone that I know can put wind back in my sails.

not interested: the project may just not light my fire. fortunately this is an easier one to solve, as I’m surrounded by others that are very talented and one of them may very well connect with the project. This is getting easier and easier as I admit that I don’t (and shouldn’t) do it all.

But it’s not always something that I need to move out of the way. Most often creative blocks are my friend telling me something and it usually falls into one of these:

“it’s time to take a break”

I’m not an 8-5 kinda guy. I don’t really do life/work balance. I’m more of a life/work mix, my creative energy tends to come in larger spurts than a slow and steady stream. Often if I find myself stuck and need a break. So I take it and come back ready to go.

“you’re empty and need to refill”

This can fall into two camps.

1. I don’t have enough information. I may need more research or I may need more insight from the pastor, leader, etc.

2. I believe our creative spirit is like a sponge. We have to create habits of filling it up in order to squeeze it out. If I’m squeezing and nothing is coming out it is a reminder that I’ve neglected that habit and need to go fill it up.

How about you? How do you work through your creative block?

Who’s winning this round of the match?

Verizon

AT&T

no coffee maker
no fridge
average rooms

I’d expect 3, maybe 3.5 stars.

But then there are the ducks.

Every day, twice a day there is the “marching of the ducks”. The ducks march in on the red carpet, take a dip in the fountain and then it’s off the elevator for their exit.

And that’s where the 5 stars are born, but it doesn’t stop there..everything in the hotel tells that story and carries the brand. They know what makes them, them. It’s in everything:

The Bathmat

The Employee’s Tie

Everything

So the next time you wonder if your brand is worth the effort…remember the ducks.

“we’re putting your logo in lights”

As Dawn Nicole put it, “it was like watching my kids faces on Christmas.” I was thrilled and excited to see that come together. I was even more excited that my creativity led to someone else pouring out their creativity.

And it didn’t stop there…it was also drawn out in chalk in the cafe, and even given it’s own drink!

That’s how creativity works. It awakes areas of our brain as if to give it permission to explore and venture out. It opens up doors we never saw before. I see it all the time when a pastor allows us to speak creativity into a message; it’s not just about what we do creatively but it sparks new ideas for the pastor as well. I love the look on a pastor’s face as it hits them. They too have that Christmas morning look, ready to run and explore creative ways to bring the gospel.

It’s also a great example of how creativity builds momentum. It started when I poured out my creativity into the logo and continued as others poured out their creativity into bringing it to life in various forms.

And it comes in all shapes in sizes…it even finds its place in the men’s room.

What’s your story of creativity breeding creativity?

Microsoft launched a store. The store looks nice. In fact it even looks cool. People are talking about their store. Sounds like everything is a big win. All the requirements have been met.

But wait…they left out creative and original, and ended up creating a store that looks like they, like everyone else, wants to be just like Apple. The new commercial should be “Hi I’m a PC…and I want to be a Mac.”

The lesson: Don’t discount creativity and originality. Embrace creativity in your efforts to be effective.

Want to see creative + effective? Check out an unboxing of an Apple employee T-shirt.

a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.

It’s the last part that ties me up “primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.” Too often it is easy for creatives to focus on how something looks. Shoot, if I’m at a restaurant, 9 out of 10 times I will order something with a picture. The visual part of our brain is always hot. But if it only looks good it, like this Pepsi ad, falls flat.

The art was directed well and it’s funny but does it make you want to pick up that glass of Pepsi and drink it? Not so much. They focused on making a cool ad and not making people desire Pepsi. Your goal should be to communicate, engage and motivate. Your artistic ability absolutely plays a part in this, especially as we look at art as

the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.

but it can’t stop at looking pretty, push past focusing primarily on aesthetic and focus on creating communication that motivates and compels people to act and to change.

The greatest ideas come when seemingly unrelated content comes together and communicates in a whole new way. Remember the Reeses Peanut Butter Cup commericals, “you got your chocolate in my peanut butter”? It’s kinda like that.

By actively filling your creative tank you not only open yourself up to bigger ideas and greater creativity, you also establish your role as a creative in your church. Here it is in 140 characters from my Ninjas in the Church talk:

know the part you play and remind others of that role in the way you live it out

And as promised, here are some of the online places I go for inspiration. These are all good starters, but again be sure to venture outside of the world of design. For me that means walking down the wine isle paying attention to the labels, looking at architecture and interior design, and always being aware of the creativity that is all around me in even the most seemingly mundane places.

Wordle – Create
illustrationclass.com
LogoPond – Identity Inspiration
Logo Of The Day
SKYplay – a photoset on Flickr
iPhone pic of the day
Obey Giant
Abduzeedo
40 Beautiful Examples of Vintage and Retro in Web Design
Most Creative Agencies
Wooster Collective
Indexed
Dwell – At Home in the Modern World
Church Marketing Lab
HOW
Communication Arts
PRINT
Design is Kinky
A List Apart
GOOD magazine
Deviant Art

And that’s just a handful of them…where do you like to go to fill up your creativity tank?