Creativity on Demand

My passion for marketing is contagious - I'm constantly talking about new ideas in the world of branding and marketing with my friends. At a dinner party on Friday night, I was dreaming up a strategy to expand a local established bar night to new markets. While buying glasses at Warby Parker, I was taking notes on how their customer service experience is amazing. While volunteering to interview a new Executive Director at my alumnae college, I brainstormed a list of questions with other alums and narrowed down which ones I would strategically ask. ...

The world is full of marketing and branding challenges, and I love applying these skills in the randomest of places. So when my friend posed a question this past weekend about her husband's work event, I jumped at the chance to brainstorm. His company is a mid-sized start-up, and each year they host a food competition where each team draws the name of a protein and a spice. The goal is to use the ingredients in an appetizer, entree, and dessert, and then compete against other teams on both food and theme. His co-workers take the competition very seriously.

What elements did his team pick out of a hat? "Red pepper" and "Fish." The team had already made a delicious three courses: red pepper soup, salmon with red sauce, and red velvet cupcakes. What was their theme? Red. "Lame theme," my friend and I both said.... they're never going to win. 

My friend said: you can do better! What should their theme be? Any ideas? ..... 

I have the perfect theme, I thought, rising to the challenge. How about "Well Red"? It's a play on the words "red" and "read" -- and he can pick literature or even cookbooks that feature the appetizer, entree, and dessert that they made. For example, they can reference Paula Dean's cookbook or the "Red Velvet Cupcake Murder"....  a pun will tie it all together. What would you have suggested? And doesn't this sound like the best work event ever? Yum!