We all want to be creative.
But let’s be honest — coming up with bold, breakthrough ideas? It’s hard.
So what if the problem isn’t the ideas… but the way we think about creativity itself?
In this week’s Beyond the Billboard, I sat down with Jason Keath — co-founder of Social Fresh and author of More Bad Ideas — to talk about why B2B and B2C marketers alike are getting creative strategy wrong… and what to do instead.
We dug into the myths, the mindset shifts, and the practical ways to build campaigns that feel fresh — even in noisy, algorithm-driven spaces.
Watch the full episode here.
Here’s what stood out.
1. The “Bad Ideas” Framework
Jason’s whole thesis is simple: if you want good ideas, you need more bad ones first.
In his words:
“You can’t just brainstorm once and expect brilliance. You have to stretch. You have to get uncomfortable.”
Why? Because most teams stop too soon. They self-edit. They default to “safe.” But the real magic happens when you go past the obvious.
This mindset shift isn’t just about being weird for the sake of it. It’s about building creative stamina — the ability to think longer, deeper, and more originally.
2. Marketing as a Creative Craft
Jason made a strong case: the best marketers treat their work like a craft.
That means:
- Studying the greats
- Practicing daily (not just during campaign season)
- Taking risks, even small ones
- Getting comfortable with iteration, not perfection
The result? More resilient teams. And better creative that doesn’t rely on “last year’s playbook.”
We talked about how creativity isn’t about waiting for a spark — it’s a muscle. And in a world of AI tools and templated content, craft is your differentiator.
3. Real-World Campaigns that Zigg When Others Zag
Jason gave a few great examples of brands leaning into bold ideas.
One favorite? Spotify’s “Thanks 2016, It’s Been Weird” campaign. It started as a risky, offbeat concept — but it became one of the most talked-about outdoor and digital campaigns that year.
The takeaway? Don’t ignore out-of-home. Don’t play it safe. The best creative breaks pattern — and OOH is a wide-open canvas for that right now.
4. How to Make Creative Work Work
Here’s where it got really tactical. Jason broke down his own process for moving from idea to execution.
It looks like this:
- Start with quantity — aim for 100 “bad ideas”
- Don’t judge early — get them all out
- Look for patterns and sparks
- Refine into 3–5 viable concepts
- Pressure test with real humans
- Build. Launch. Learn.
This is a huge unlock if your team feels stuck or overly reliant on paid ads or one-note messaging.
5. Where AI Fits Into All This
We had to go here.
Jason’s take on AI? It’s a great assistant — not a replacement. It can help you get unstuck. It can speed up iteration. But it won’t invent the next big idea for you.
“AI rewards marketers who already know how to think creatively,” he said. “It’s not a crutch. It’s a multiplier.”
Totally agree.
The Bottom Line
If you want more creative marketing, stop looking for perfect ideas. Start with bad ones. Then keep going.
Jason’s book More Bad Ideas is full of prompts and practical ways to do this — and our convo on Beyond the Billboard brings that mindset to life.
Whether you’re in B2B, B2C, or somewhere in between, creativity is the edge that lasts.
🎧 Listen to the full episode here
📘 Grab Jason’s book: morebadideas.com
👋 And if you’re ready to test bold creative in out-of-home campaigns, talk to us at OneScreen.