Creativity Unpacked

I got to chat to the wonderful Peter Brennan. Pete is the co-founder of the non-alcoholic Aussie beer sensation Heaps Normal. He also owns a Branding and Design Studio called, Electric and Analog. Interestingly, this week I was in Melbourne, having a drink in a pretty swanky cocktail bar. The guy sitting at the bar next to me was drinking Heaps Normal. And I have to say, I don't think that would have happened a few years ago, especially with the way Aussies love to drink. So, this incredible beer is changing drinking culture, challenging what’s normal and offering a beautiful solution to what is a huge problem for a lot of people. In this episode we dive into why some ideas fly and others don't. You see Pete’s launched a few businesses before this one but never had the success Heaps Normal is having. So What's the difference you might ask and why did this one blow up? It’s definitely a few things like timing, having the right people and skills but I’d say it’s all about purpose. Pete has a very personal motive driving him and he’s deeply connected to the brand’s purpose. In this episode you’ll hear Pete's story from growing up with an abusive alcoholic father and his own struggles with alcohol and why he had to scratch his own itch. Pete took on the crazy challenge of creating a non-alcoholic beer that actually tastes good!  Pete gives us all a creative challenge and it's got to do with finding your purpose. I hope you enjoy the episode.  You can find Peter Brennan at his branding and design studio Electric and Analog  or on LinkedIn. You can find me, Nicole Velik at www.theideasbodega.com.au or Nicole Velik on LinkedIn.

In this episode I'm speaking with my good friend Ben Cooper. He is the Group Innovation Director for M&C Saatchi and the Founder of Tricky Jigsaw, their innovation capability. Ben and I share a passion for all things creativity and innovation. Every time I meet up with Ben, I learn something and this chat was no exception. He's one of the smartest, most interesting and humble people I know. He has had such an interesting life and career journey and he's worked on some incredible innovations. I can't wait for you to hear us unpack some of these epic ideas such as the infamous Clever Buoy - an idea that started from one Brit's fear of sharks ended up solving a global problem and winning the coveted Titanium Lion at Cannes amongst many other accolades. You'll also hear about the brilliant work Ben has done for Uber. Rather than just hand them ideas, Ben and his team created a tool that helps Uber's employees generate their own ideas, stay creative and disruptive. Ben is also really into technology so brace yourselves as we dive into how you can get creative in the Metaverse, with NFT's and blockchain. Ben points out that with NFTs, Creatives have an incredible opportunity right now to create and get paid for their work in a way they haven't before. This chat was really inspiring. I hope you enjoy it! You can find Ben here https://www.trickyjigsaw.com And you can find me here theideasbodega.com.au

In this episode I speak with Tara Mckenty, Creative Head for Google in the Asia Pacific Region. Tara is an absolute creative powerhouse! We unpack why the best creative ideas come from really understanding the audience you're creating for on a deep level. Tara brings to life some of her best ideas that have earned her some of the most prestigious accolades in the advertising industry from Cannes Gold Lions , D&AD Pencils, Clios and Effies. I can't wait for you to hear the story about Penny the Pirate and how Tara has managed to brilliantly combine ideas for Google with dog food and also The Wiggles. We also dive into her creative process, what it's like being a creative working at Google and the powerful initiative called Rare that Tara has created with her 20% Google time. Rare is a global program that provides equitable opportunities for underrepresented creatives to thrive at every stage of their career. You can find more info about Rare (and Tara) here https://rare.withgoogle.com/ And you can find me, Nicole Velik here www.theideasbodega.com.au

In episode 4 of Creativity Unpacked, I speak with Beck Feiner. She's an illustrator, designer and author living in Sydney Australia. Her illustrations, stories and memes shine a spotlight on social issues and tap into what's going on in society at the time. We dive into one of Beck's most brilliant ideas that went viral, The Aussie Legends Alphabet. She got so bored with the generic material and design out there that she created her own alphabet for kids. Instead of A is for apple and B is for banana, Beck created something truly legendary, A is for Adam Goodes, B is for Bob Hawke, C is for Cathy Freeman etc. This brilliant idea went viral, earned Beck a book publishing deal and propelled her career as a full time illustrator. Beck lets us under the bonnet and she shares some of the creative techniques that she learned working in advertising, lessons that she still uses in her daily creative practice. You can find Beck on instagram at www.instagram.com/beckfeiner_illustrations And you can find me, Nicole Velik at www.theideasbodega.com.au

In this episode we dive into creative confidence and I bust the biggest myth around - that some people are born creative and others are not. This is such an important topic because when there is an underlying fear or lack of confidence when it comes to ones creativity, it becomes a huge block and impediment. Before learning any innovation or creativity tools or techniques, we need to have a good baseline of creative confidence. I then give you three practical ways to boost your creative confidence. You'll learn about my favourite word in the English language "Neoteny" and why I recommend that you embrace the willingness to be really crap at something new.

In this very first episode of Creativity Unpacked, I share a bit about myself and my beliefs on creativity. I also share what you can expect to hear in each episode, including the amazing guests I'll have on the show, practical creativity and innovation techniques and advice you'll be getting along the way to become the best creative you can be. Let's dive in and unpack some creativity!