The importance of creativity: Lessons from tacos and film projects

Published August 22, 2013 at 7:29 am

 

What do tacos and 48-hour film projects have in common? More than you might think, as lessons in creating successful and unique advertising campaigns can be drawn from each.

Heather Hansen wrote a Forbes contribution piece on her experience at the 48-Hour Film Project that took place in Denver last weekend. She said that it taught her some important lessons about how success can be found in the advertising industry.

First, it is important to realize that even the smallest part of your project could be a major contributor toward its success. Additionally, planning ahead is crucial, as it can help you anticipate possible speed bumps and then create a solution before they even occur.

Another important lesson is that you are only as good as your team. According to Hansen, whether you’re making a movie or creating a marketing campaign, you cannot do it all by yourself.

Lastly, it’s necessary to build suspense and be surprising. Audiences will appreciate something new, but it also has to be relatable to them in some way.

Taco Bell has also taken some of these lessons to heart in its most recent ad campaign. The fast food chain has found immense success with its “Loco Taco” product—tacos with Doritos shells. According to AdAge, to introduce the “Fiery” version, Taco Bell turned to social media.

Specifically, the company enlisted YouTube content creators to design commercials for the new product. The result? A total of 65 different ads underscoring how great the new Doritos Los Tacos flavor is. Tressie Lieberman, the company’s director of social and digital marketing, said that the web-based marketing approach was part of Taco Bell’s new goal to create authentic relationships with consumers who are actually fans of the brand.

Lieberman added that the chain’s online direct marketing tactic was designed to not only reach customers who use YouTube, but also Twitter and Facebook.