Global Trust in Advertising and Brand Messages: How to Improve Your Creative Thinking

Global Trust in Advertising and Brand Messages: How to Improve Your Creative Thinking

In a world saturated with advertisements and brand messages, it can be challenging to discern which sources are trustworthy. However, according to a Nielsen online survey conducted across 58 countries in 2013, word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family still hold the highest level of trustworthiness. In fact, 84 percent of respondents considered this source to be the most reliable form of advertising.

The influence of word-of-mouth recommendations can be attributed to the inherent trust we place in our loved ones. When someone we know and trust recommends a product or service, we are more likely to believe their opinion and consider it in our decision-making process. This showcases the power of earned advertising and highlights the importance of building strong relationships with customers who can become advocates for your brand.

Now, let's shift our focus to the topic of creative thinking. Creativity is the ability to generate novel and useful ideas within a given social context. It involves making connections between seemingly unrelated concepts and producing something new. Recent research suggests that semantic memory structure plays a crucial role in fostering creativity. The way we relate language-based concepts in our memory can determine our ability to think creatively.

Creativity is often seen as a two-part process. The first part involves generating candidate ideas and making novel connections between them. This requires the activation of a brain network known as the "default network," which is responsible for spontaneous, self-generated thought. Mind wandering, a form of divergent thinking, activates this network and allows for the exploration of various ideas.

The second part of the creative process is narrowing down the ideas to the most useful one. This requires the engagement of a brain network called the "control network," which allows us to think flexibly, inhibit distractions, and draw from our memory. The interplay between the default and control networks is governed by the "salience network," which helps us switch between different modes of thinking.

To enhance creative thinking, it is important to consume other people's ideas through conversations, reading, or listening. This stimulates creativity and deepens existing associations in our memory. However, it is not enough to seek out ideas that are drastically different from our own. Incremental steps outside our filter bubble are more effective because new information needs to overlap with what we already know to be assimilated and associated effectively.

Taking notes, making highlights, and revisiting material related to our current thoughts can strengthen connections in our memory. These connections often occur during periods of mind wandering or engaging conversations, when our attention is less focused or when someone else's ideas spark our own. It is crucial to maintain a positive mood and avoid anxiety, as a positive affective mental state enhances creative thinking.

In conclusion, trust in advertising and brand messages can be fostered through word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family. Creative thinking, on the other hand, relies on the interplay between different brain networks and the associations we make in our memory. To improve creative thinking, we should actively consume other people's ideas, make incremental steps outside our filter bubble, and maintain a positive mood. By incorporating these actionable advice into our lives, we can enhance our ability to think creatively and generate innovative ideas.