Big Idea Test

Big Idea Test

Evaluate whether a creative concept qualifies as a "Big Idea" - the kind that can carry a campaign for decades and make consumers actually pay attention.

When to Use

• Evaluating campaign concepts before committing resources
• Choosing between multiple creative directions
• Assessing why a campaign isn't working
• Testing whether an idea has long-term potential
• User asks "Is this a big idea?" or "Will this campaign work?"

Inputs

Ogilvy's Big Idea Framework

Why Big Ideas Matter

"Unless your advertising is built on a big idea, it will pass like a ship in the night. It takes a big idea to jolt the consumer out of his indifference - to make him notice your advertising, remember it and take action."

The Rarity of Big Ideas

"I doubt if more than one campaign in a hundred contains a big idea."

Most advertising is forgettable precisely because it lacks a big idea. Competent execution of a small idea still produces small results.

The Five Questions Test

Ogilvy's diagnostic for identifying big ideas:

1. Did it make me gasp when I first saw it? A big idea provokes an immediate emotional reaction. If your first response is "that's nice" rather than "wow," it's not big enough.

2. Do I wish I had thought of it myself? Envy is a reliable signal. If other professionals in your field would kick themselves for not thinking of it first, you may have something.

3. Is it unique? Has this been done before? If you can point to precedents, it's not a big idea - it's a category convention.

4. Does it fit the strategy to perfection? A big idea isn't just creative - it's strategically correct. It must express the positioning, support the brand image, and communicate the promise.

5. Could it be used for 30 years? Big ideas have longevity. They're not tied to a moment, a trend, or a tactic. They can evolve while staying recognizable.

The Source of Big Ideas

"Big ideas come from the unconscious. But your unconscious has to be well-informed, or your idea will be irrelevant. Stuff your conscious mind with information, then unhook your rational thought process."

The Evaluation Matrix

Scoring:

• 40-50: True Big Idea - invest heavily
• 30-39: Good idea - worth testing
• 20-29: Competent but forgettable - improve or discard
• Below 20: Start over

Workflow

Step 1: Gather and Review Inputs

Collect all relevant information:

• Review the provided data and context
• Identify key parameters and constraints
• Clarify any ambiguities or missing information
• Establish success criteria

Step 2: Analyze the Situation

Perform systematic analysis:

• Identify patterns and relationships
• Evaluate against established frameworks
• Consider multiple perspectives
• Document key findings

Step 3: Generate Recommendations

Create actionable outputs:

• Synthesize insights from analysis
• Prioritize recommendations by impact
• Ensure recommendations are specific and measurable
• Consider implementation feasibility

Output Format

## Big Idea Evaluation

### The Concept
[Restate the idea being evaluated]

### The Product & Positioning
[What it does and for whom]

### The Five Questions

**1. Gasp Factor: [0-10]**
First reaction: [Immediate emotional response]
Analysis: [Why it does or doesn't provoke a gasp]

**2. Envy Factor: [0-10]**
Would competitors wish they'd thought of this?
Analysis: [Why this would or wouldn't provoke professional envy]

**3. Uniqueness: [0-10]**
Precedents: [Has this been done before?]
Analysis: [What makes this unique or derivative]

**4. Strategic Fit: [0-10]**
Positioning alignment: [Does it express what the product does and for whom?]
Brand image alignment: [Does it build the right associations?]
Promise communication: [Does it convey the key benefit?]

**5. Longevity: [0-10]**
30-year test: [Could this still work in 2055?]
Analysis: [What would need to evolve vs. what's foundational]

### Total Score: [X/50]

### Verdict
[BIG IDEA / GOOD IDEA / NEEDS WORK / START OVER]

### Recommendations
If Big Idea: [How to maximize it]
If Not: [What's missing and how to find it]

### The Ogilvy Perspective
[What would Ogilvy say about this concept?]

Constraints

• Big ideas are rare - don't grade on a curve
• Strategic fit matters as much as creativity
• "Clever" is not the same as "big"
• An idea that can't last 30 years is a campaign, not a big idea
• Execution quality is separate from idea quality

Outputs

Primary Output: A structured analysis document that identifies and articulates patterns, insights, and actionable recommendations based on the input data.

Format:

## Analysis: [Topic]

### Key Findings
- [Finding 1]
- [Finding 2]
- [Finding 3]

### Recommendations
1. [Action 1]
2. [Action 2]
3. [Action 3]

Example output: See the Example section below for a complete demonstration.

Example

Input:

• Idea: "Show busy professionals using our app while doing extreme sports - skydiving while checking emails, rock climbing while reviewing reports"
• Product: Project management software
• Positioning: Enterprise tool for distributed teams

Output:

Big Idea Evaluation

The Concept

Depict busy professionals using the app during extreme sports activities (skydiving, rock climbing) to demonstrate that work can be done anywhere.

The Product & Positioning

Enterprise project management software for distributed teams.

The Five Questions

1. Gasp Factor: 3/10 First reaction: "That's visually interesting but... why?" Analysis: The visual might catch attention, but not in a way that connects to the product. The gasp would be about skydiving, not about project management. Borrowed interest rarely works.

2. Envy Factor: 2/10 Would competitors wish they'd thought of this? Analysis: No. This concept has been done countless times - insurance companies, phone carriers, and productivity apps have all shown "work from anywhere" via extreme scenarios. Competitors would shrug, not kick themselves.

3. Uniqueness: 2/10 Precedents: Numerous. Every "mobile" product has done the "use it anywhere" visual. Analysis: This is a category convention executed with production value, not a breakthrough. The extreme sports are a gimmick that's been gimmicked before.

4. Strategic Fit: 4/10 Positioning alignment: Weak. "Enterprise tool for distributed teams" suggests reliability, security, and serious collaboration - not thrill-seeking. Brand image alignment: Contradictory. You want enterprises to trust you with mission-critical projects, but you're showing reckless multitasking. Promise communication: Unclear. What's the benefit? "Works anywhere" is table stakes for any cloud software.

5. Longevity: 2/10 30-year test: No. This is tied to current visual trends and will look dated within 5 years. Analysis: The extreme sports are fashion, not foundation. There's no enduring truth here.

Total Score: 13/50

Verdict

START OVER

Recommendations

This concept mistakes visual novelty for a big idea. To find the real big idea, ask:

1. What is the ACTUAL problem distributed teams face? (Probably: coordination, visibility, trust, feeling disconnected)
2. What does your product do that competitors don't?
3. What would make an enterprise CTO gasp - not from skydiving, but from "finally, someone understands our problem"?

The big idea lives in the truth about your users' work lives, not in production stunts.

The Ogilvy Perspective

You're trying to sell serious software to serious buyers using borrowed interest from extreme sports. This is precisely the kind of "creative" work I spent my career fighting. It will win awards at Cannes and lose sales in the market.

The consumer - in this case, a harried IT director at a Fortune 500 company - doesn't need entertainment. She needs to know you can solve her problem. Show her that. Tell her how. Give her facts, not skydivers.

Your advertising should make her say "they understand my problem" - not "that looks dangerous."

Integration

This skill is part of the David Ogilvy expert persona. Use it to separate genuine breakthroughs from expensive mediocrity.