Sifting through destructive to cliché ideas: masterclass by Lisa Evans and Paul Drake

Mumbai: On Day 2 of Goafest 2024, Paul Drake, the Foundation Director of Design and Art Direction (D&AD) kicked off the masterclass by introducing the concept of ‘Win One, Teach One’, underscoring the importance of nurturing new talent. 

Lisa Evans took the stage to explain how creative excellence is categorised and nurtured. She emphasized the importance of the idea-execution-relevance triad in creating impactful work. 

Adding more to the basket of ideas, she also introduced the unique categorisation of creative work using the D&AD pencils: Wood, Graphite, Yellow, White, and Black. D&AD Pencils symbolize creative excellenceWood Pencils recognize the best work yearly; Graphite Pencils highlight standout entries; Yellow Pencils are for outstanding creativity; White Pencils reward projects driving change; and Black Pencils are the ultimate accolade for groundbreaking work.

Furthermore, Evans detailed how creative excellence is assessed, presenting a hierarchy from destructive to legendary:

• Destructive: Leads to rejection or disgust.
• Cliché:  Easily understood but not memorable.
• Fresh: Grabs attention positively and enhances the experience.
• Contagious: Talked about online and at the water cooler.
• Legendary: Iconic, famous work that defines a generation.

As the masterclass moved on, Evans and Drake shared a structured approach to generating award-winning ideas. The approach embodied the five P’s and they are mentioned as follows:

• Understand the Problem: Begin with a clear understanding of the challenge.
• Create Lots of Possibilities: Paul Drake led an activity with the Heinz Tomato Ketchup brand, where groups brainstormed ad ideas tailored for the Indian market. 
• Choose What to Push: Select the most promising ideas to develop further.
• Build a Prototype: Create a tangible version of the idea.
• Make Your Pitch: Teams presented their pitches, showcasing their creative solutions.

The session concluded with each team presenting their innovative pitches, demonstrating the power of collaboration and structured creativity in producing award-winning ideas.