The power of good ideas

When was the last time you saw a commercial that really moved you? Difficult, right? Maybe it was during the Superbowl earlier this year, or perhaps in the lead up to the Winter Olympics?I can almost guarantee it wasn't while you were watching Journey to the West on TVB.The number of bad commercials we see on screens in Hong Kong is alarming. If I hear another jingle performed by a "rapper", I may very well throw my TV off the balcony.I'm the first to admit that creativity is a subjective topic and what I like personally may very well be considered awful to someone else. But hell, I've got reasonable taste and writing about the creative industry for an extended period gives you more exposure to the world of commercial art than your average person.Good ideas have power. They move people, inspire them to share and watch over and over again. So why then do we see so few?Time is probably a major factor. Hong Kong is a rushed city and we'll sacrifice the time it takes to get something right, just for the sake of getting it done.A lack of metrics supporting this theory that ideas get results? This, I believe is changing and some in the industry are moving towards a proven business argument for bold creative moves.Cost is perhaps a big factor - but really, what's the price of brainstorm a great idea?It's hard to underestimate the power of creativity today, even though a fair chunk of the industry seems to do exactly that. In this issue we have collected a diverse set of ideas to hopefully help you towards a more creative path. I hope you like it.