Dr. House Was the Ultimate Advertising Creative

One of my favorite TV shows was the medical drama, House. A patient comes in with a mysterious, life-threatening illness. Doctor House and his team are their only hope. Tests are run, ideas thrown around, treatments prescribed. Nothing works. The patient slips precariously closer to the brink.

In the waning moments of the episode, and after the last set of commercials, the sardonic genius that is House has his grand epiphany and saves the patient. Cue the credits.

Interestingly enough, this greatly parallels the creative process in advertising.

A client (patient) comes to you with a problem that needs solving. While much less harrowing than the show, trying to increase widget sales in a crowded marketplace still takes a deft hand.

You get to know your client, their product, brand, competitors and market position. You try a variety of treatments to accentuate the benefits, connect with your target audience and differentiate this widget from the rest. Countless ideas are shared and shot down. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking.

Finally, with your deadline looming and every creative option seemingly exhausted, something clicks. A spark just hits you out of nowhere — maybe while you’re sleeping, in the shower or chatting with Gary in accounting. That spark turns into an idea. And that idea transforms into a campaign.

Next thing you know, widget sales skyrocket and the client is happy. Your creativity has saved the day.

Cue the credits.

By Modern Postcard

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