How can you identify creative opportunities with analytical frameworks?

From a brand innovation perspective I often find that strengths are weaknesses and threats are opportunities. Strengths become blind spots, especially as organizations optimize around them. Threats are usually signals of those blind spots and indicate opportunity for investment.

I regularly conduct SWOT analysis for clients in the initial planning stages and find it to be a an essential strategic planning tool that can help PR and communications professionals identify creative opportunities. It involves identifying and evaluating client company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and once these factors are identified, I find it easier to develop strategies to capitalize on strengths, minimize weaknesses, exploit opportunities, and mitigate threats thus allowing a platform for developing creative and effective PR campaigns for clients that are tailored to their specific needs. This in turn helps us achieve better results for clients and to build stronger relationships with them.

A creative way to use a SWOT is to look at things from a different angle by asking challenging questions: How can my current weakness help me to overcome my biggest threat? What hidden opportunities are found in my weaknesses? How can I turn my greatest threats into my biggest opportunities?

Design thinking of the customer journey is the unlock. Take an empathy based approach to mapping the journey and identifying points of friction. That helps you identify the right goals. Reimagine the journey to provide a CX that is better for your customer and more closely aligned to your goals.

Any kind of thinking tool, and that is really all SWOT analysis is, is only as good as the integrity of the data you are able to put into it. The key to identifying those creative opportunities is getting that input into the tool right in the first place. If you don't do that your insight is leaky and if your insight is leaky your creative is going to be flaky. SWOT is just the place to put things so you can step back and see the landscape you're creating in. The heavy lifting is working out what those "things" are. That means going to back to who your audience are, knowing them brilliantly and tirelessly developing your understanding of the relationship they have with your brand, product, service or widget. That's what I think any way.

Don’t forget to go a little deeper with PESTLE Legal and Environmental. These two extra ones are more relevant today and especially when looking to build impact led businesses

On doit toujours prendre en compte les volets socio politique, économique et culturelle dans la prise de parole d'une marque. les cultures diffèrent d'un endroit à un autre. l'Analyse PEST est un bon outil pour conduire une prise de parole

Considering the velocity of change in our world today, I always approach this in two steps: first a PESTLE of the present (I call it Here), and then a projected analysis for the near future (There). By doing this we learn to appreciate the variable nature of external environments, and our planning process becomes more agile.

Yes but it’s the qualitative translation of the analytics that counts (secret sauce). And ALWAYS don’t cross the ‘cutting edge’ line over to the BLEEDING EDGE. There is such a phenomenon as being too early with an idea.

It is always good to see what exists out there when launching fresh ideas. The key thing is to continue to do so and learn from the sector but one under used strategy is to observe others. You see you might be in the creative industry but what could you learn from automotive industry (think upgrades etc)…

Very easy to get drawn into paralysis through analysis here. Beware. Not every idea is a snowflake! You just need the Brand to OWN it in the consumer’s mind.

Remember, all value is 'perceived' value. The purpose of this exercise is to answer two key questions: 1. Where to play? 2. How to win?

A value proposition could be for any product literally and not just products that are Apple/ Samsung. A lipstick that’s got it’s formulation not on any animal depletion, a fresh new range of colours that are long lasting, A gloss patent that’s one of a kind and finally the right innovative packaging of day a brush form of lip colour and through a tube that’s sourced from the ocean bed and recycled. Think about it, it could be across any product a toothpaste, a pear of denims, your bag or an undergarment

This is key in gaining competitive edge in the market. And once defined, identifying emotive commonalities, clusters or trends is where the gold is.

When it comes to a value proposition framework.. it’s important to ‘mind the gap’. Research will help identify the consumer needs and wants, and the client will tell you all about the product features and benefits. But the gap lies is in identifying how the product’s benefit ‘fits’ in and shapes the consumer’s life. This is where creativity will flourish.

The Value Proposition Canvas: it's not just a tool, it's a reality check. But let's be honest, it's often used as a fancy way to dress up old ideas. Real creativity isn’t about fitting into customer profiles or aligning with pre-set maps. It’s about challenging them. Flip the script. Instead of just solving pains, why not create unprecedented delights? Don’t just offer what customers expect; offer what they didn’t even know they wanted. It's about seeing beyond the canvas, where the real art is made. Innovate, don't just accommodate.