When you source inspiration from the same digital feeds as everyone else, you’ll notice that the work can often look and feel identical. It’s a cycle our Executive Design Director Paul LaFleur, calls the “sea of sameness,” where creatives get trapped using the same reference points, which ultimately bleeds into the work.

For this year’s One Club Creative Week, Paul teamed up with our Motion Director Heather Seidel for a Morning Buzz conversation on how to find creative inspiration where others aren't looking. Here are a few of their insights:

Change your process

When looking at a creative brief, instead of asking “what should this look like,” ask “how can I approach this differently?” Heather recommends experimenting with your starting point. Even if you’ve solved this problem before, try combining different motion styles and techniques and intentionally creating something “weird” to break out of predictable patterns.

Mine the environment

Political campaigns often fall strictly into red, white, and blue territory, but for Paul, NYC’s latest mayoral campaign win was a masterclass in using your environment as your creative advantage. By drawing iconography inspiration from the New York MetroCard and blending the candidate’s personal heritage into the design system, the branding became a one-of-a-kind personal experience that resonated with local audiences.

Stay curious

Inspiration can show up anywhere, at any time, so move throughout your day with curiosity. Building your unique perspective is what ultimately turns standard execution into work that truly stands out.

If you want to fine-tune your creative practice, check out the full Morning Buzz talk here (Paul and Heather's talk at 25:38).