Table Of ContentCreativity
in Public Relations
P R I N P R A C T I C E S E R I E S
Creativity
in Public Relations
Fourth Edition
Andy Green
London and Philadelphia
Dedicated to Amanda Marsh, a dear friend; to my mum; and to Judith, Charlotte
and Lizzie for putting up with their husband and dad being a pain while writing
this book.
Publisher’s note
Every possible effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this book is
accurate at the time of going to press, and the publishers and author cannot accept responsi-
bility for any errors or omissions, however caused. No responsibility for loss or damage
occasioned to any person acting, or refraining from action, as a result of the material in this
publication can be accepted by the editor, the publisher or the author.
First published in Great Britain and the United States in 1999 by Kogan Page Limited
Second edition 2001
Third edition 2007
Fourth edition 2010
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or
review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication
may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior
permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accor-
dance with the terms and licences issued by the CLA. Enquiries concerning reproduction
outside these terms should be sent to the publishers at the undermentioned addresses:
120 Pentonville Road 525 South 4th Street, #241
London N1 9JN Philadelphia PA 19147
United Kingdom USA
www.koganpage.com
© Andy Green, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2010
The right of Andy Green to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him
in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
ISBN 978 0 7494 5650 4
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Green, Andy, 1958-
Creativity in public relations / Andy Green. -- 4th ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-7494-5650-4
1. Public relations. 2. Creative thinking. 3. Creative ability in
business. I. Title.
HD59.G683 2009
659.2--dc22
2009025963
Typeset by Jean Cussons Typesetting, Diss, Norfolk
Printed and bound in India by Replika Press Pvt Ltd
Contents
Foreword x
Acknowledgements xii
Introduction 1
1. A definition of ‘creativity’ 3
Some possible definitions 4; A time and a place 6; A
definition for public relations practitioners 7; Creativity,
the nemesis of stupidity 7; Added value 8; The context for
creativity 11; Creativity versus innovation 13; Creative
thinking versus non-creative thinking 13; Big ‘C’ or
little ‘c’? 14; Summary 15; Key words for your creativity
vocabulary 15
2. Creativity: some myths debunked 16
The myth of the instant ‘Big Idea’ 16; The myth of
left-brain/right-brain theory 21; The myth of ‘lateral
thinking equals creativity’ 23; Summary 24; Key words
for your creativity vocabulary 24
v
Contents
3. How you think in ‘boxes’ 25
Same Box, Smaller Box and Bigger Box thinking, 25;
Why there is no such thing as ‘outside-the-box’
thinking 28; Examples of Bigger Box thinking 28;
Examples of Smaller Box thinking 29; Being flexible
in the different boxes you use 31; Your ‘creative
thinking spectacles’ 31; Using ‘creative thinking
spectacles’ to progress your creative idea 34;
Questions are a creative practitioner’s best
friend 34; Summary 35; Key words for your
creativity vocabulary 35
4. The creative process 36
The five ‘I’s 36; Information 38; Incubation 43;
Illumination 45; Integration 48; Illustration 49;
Summary 58; Key words for your creativity
vocabulary 59
5. Green Light thinking: creative techniques 60
Suggested techniques for stimulating ideas 61;
Creating new angles for your story 73; Structuring
for information gathering, idea creation and evaluation
of ideas 76; Techniques for encouraging a creative state
of mind 81; Summary 84; Key words for your
creativity vocabulary 84
6. Green Light thinking: brainstorming 85
General principles 86; A new way ahead: structured
brainstorming 89; Nominal Group Technique
(NGT) 96; Summary 98; Key words for your
creativity vocabulary 98
7. Creativity –the consultation tool 99
Identify different audiences to be consulted 101;
Engage hard-to-reach audiences 101; Overcome
initial objections 102; Obtain political buy-in from
key targets 103; Express and make a statement
about your own creativity 103; Generate new ideas
and alternatives from those being consulted 105;
Obtain valuable market intelligence and insight 105;
Create super-advocates for your cause 106;
vi
Contents
Key lessons for successful creative consultation 107;
Challenges with consultation 108; Feedback 108;
The consultation quandary 109; Overview 109;
Summary 109; Key words for your creativity
vocabulary 110
8. Red Light thinking: the evaluation of ideas 111
Formal evaluation methods 112; Benjamin Franklin’s
‘prudential algebra’ technique 114; External
evaluation 115; You decide 117; Summary 117;
Key words for your creativity vocabulary 117
9. Creativity is not just for photocalls 118
Creativity as a strategic tool 118; Creativity as a
tactical tool: 24 practical examples 121; Summary 132;
Key words for your creativity vocabulary 132
10. Creativity and social media 133
New opportunities and challenges for the creative
practitioner 134; The age of pull strategies 135; Telling
a good story – in a shared way 138; The end of the
stunt as we know it? 139; Using your fan base 139; Don’t
be creative with the technology 141; The qualities of the
creative social media champion 141; The inevitable
brickbats, whatever way you turn 142; New thinking
heads required? 143; Summary 144; Key words for your
creativity vocabulary 144
11. The creative meme master 145
Is public relations an art? 145; What is a meme? 146;
Developing meme-sensitive creative thinking 148;
Meme judo 148; Some examples of memes in
action 148; The growing significance of understanding
memes in communications 152; Creating your next
meme: the meme triangle 153; Meme strategies 154;
The creative practitioner: a master of memes 155;
Summary 156; Key words for your creativity
vocabulary 156
vii
Contents
12. Obstacles to creativity 157
The nature of the problem 158; Poor Green Light/
Red Light thinking in the creative process 159; Poor
management of the creative process 162; Cultural/
socialization problems 162; Overcoming
the obstacles 164; Summary 166; Key words for your
creativity vocabulary 166
13. You are never more than 12 feet from an opportunity 167
The Millennium Bridge 168; Be principled 171;
Believe there are opportunities –prime yourself 172;
Try more, little and often 173; See a bigger picture 173;
Use every connection 174; Flip the negative 175;
Be persistent 175; Do more 175; Overview 176;
Summary 176; Key words for your creativity
vocabulary 176
14. The ‘creative diamond’ 177
The four Qs 178; The four Qs overview in creativity –
getting the balance right 181; The rigid, inflexible
mind 181; Summary 183; Key words for your creativity
vocabulary 183
15. The creative individual 184
Be uncomfortable 184; Be a pig, a mule and a
Zebedee 188; Have a positive anchor and be Robert
Davy 190; Overflow your jug 191; Take your hunches
to lunch 195; Work, work –and work 196; Be a
professor of public relations and parlezPR 196;
Is your escalator a stairway? 197; Speak the
language of the positive 200; Reach for the
stars 203; Break the rules, be happy and have
fun 204; Summary 205; Key words for your creativity
vocabulary 206
16. Creating a creative culture 207
The ‘Creative Challenge’ 207; Managing creative
individuals 209; The characteristics of a creative
organization 211; The creative director –to have or
have not? 219; Summary 221; Key words for your
creativity vocabulary 221
viii
Contents
17. The ethics of creativity: lies, damned lies and 222
impropaganda
Dealing with ‘impropaganda’ 222; The creative
use of ‘impropaganda’ 227; Final thoughts on
‘impropaganda’ 232; Summary 233; Key words for
your creativity vocabulary 234
18. The future of creativity 235
The Creative Range 235; The Information stage
transformed 236; The Incubation stage transformed 238;
The Illumination stage transformed 239; The
Integration stage transformed 240; The Illustration
stage transformed 242; And finally: greater study of
creativity 243; Key words for your creativity
vocabulary 243
19. Award ceremony 244
20. Interested in finding out more? 246
Other books by the author 246; Favourite books on
creativity and developing your mind’s creative skills 247;
Books on creativity in marketing 248; Books on creativity
in organizations 248; Books on self-development 249;
Biographies and memoirs 249; Neuro Linguistic
Programming 249; Internet sites 250; Training courses 250;
Organizations 250
Index 251
ix
