Creating ways to get inspired is a way to fuel your goals.
Everyone here has a dream—just look around you. The person sitting next to you in class, the person lining behind you for the microwave. This makes the Humber Polytechnic and the University of Guelph-Humber places of vibrant inspiration. These places spell out a common denominator full of dreamers who aspire to make something out of themselves.
However, finding inspiration to get to your goal is not always as easy as walking in the park. This is especially true when the going gets tough and your plate of deadline submissions stacks up.
Do not fret! Inspiration is easier to find than you think. There is an easy fix to get your creative juices flowing and those ideas popping. In this article, let’s answer the question, “Where do you find inspiration?” It’s good to hear the pulse of the students for this one. Here is what they had to say.
Book: Hey Whipple, Squeeze This: The Classic Guide to Creating Great Advertising
Books have always been a gateway for you to get in-depth information on pretty much any topic under the sun. From history to concepts, there is an author who can give you what you need. You just have to pick the right one for you.
Sifat Chawla, a bachelor of creative advertising student, said her go-to inspiration choice is a book. She said Hey Whipple, Squeeze This: The Classic Guide to Creating Great Advertising by Luke Sullivan is a must-read book for students entering the advertising industry. She even mentioned it had been the first and only book she had read in its entirety during her time in post-secondary—It is that good!
With the premise of what’s good and what’s bad in advertising, this book offers a peek into the creative process in the industry.
Chawla said her most significant takeaway from the book was the principle of simplicity. It has since then been her motto whenever she designs.
“So if you keep it simple, it’s a chef’s kiss,” Chawla said.
TV commercial: Nescafe anime commercial
We learn with our eyes. That’s for sure! With the world turning into a visual landscape, the videos you watch can be a source of your next lightbulb moment.
Advertising and marketing communications student Homer Lin said that watching advertisements has inspired him to pursue the field of advertising. Lin revealed that this practice was something that he had developed even as a child.
“I was a TV kid,” Lin recalled.
He remembered liking the Nescafe commercial about a girl in an animated Hong Kong, his home country. The commercial gained his attention as an anime lover. At the same time, it has sparked a deep sense of inspiration for him to also be part of the advertising field.
Lin was amazed at this ad and wondered how they could have spent so much producing the spot. He was particularly struck by how it was able to not directly promote the brand but rather help create brand awareness. This curiosity eventually led him to his current path.
Today, he still continues to be on the lookout for the newest produced advertisements to keep his fire burning. He enjoys watching each ad’s creativity, shifts and turns as he hopes to someday be a part of making great ads.
Documentary: What Are We Feeding Our Kids?
Britany Conway-Chung, a student in the social service worker program, always knew she had a passion for children. With a soft heart for the young, Conway-Chung said her source for the much-needed inspiration boost is taking a reality check on children’s current struggles.
Conway-Chung said she does this by watching the documentary What Are We Feeding Our Kids? directed by Tristan Quinn and Vicki Cooper. It tackles the problem of how more children are struggling with their relationship with food as obesity among the youth has become prevalent. The documentary details what causes obesity in this day and age.
“Most documentaries focus on adults being obese. This one focuses more on children,” Conway-Chung said.
As a child advocate, the documentary reminds her of why she works hard to be able to be a part of the solution.
Movie: I am Sam
Tamoya Thompson, an aspiring developmental service worker, has nominated one of her favourite movies: I am Sam, directed by Jessie Nelson, as her source of inspiration boost.
Thompson said that her program is all about giving people autonomy to say, “Although I may not fit in your box, I am still capable of doing whatever you can do. The only difference is you may have to adapt it differently.”
The movie is inspirational to her because it serves as a reminder of what her program stands for—adopting the system to work for other people’s perspectives. Thompson said that as she got into her career, it was the movie that stuck in her head because, for her, Sam was such a great parent.
Thompson has gained a better understanding of the movie through her program. She said she understood why the system said “no.” However, she can now think of how it could have been a “yes,” so that Sam and his child could have stayed together.
Advertisement: Assume that I can campaign
Holly Wilson, also from the same program as Thompson, shared an ad that caught her attention. A source of inspiration for her is the Assume that I can campaign from the Italian non-profit organization CoorDown.
The ad was released for World Down Syndrome Day last March 21, 2024. She said it perfectly encapsulates what her program stands for and what they do.
“It’s about how we are supposed to view society regardless of their categorization,” she said.
Wilson said that the ad was the best thing that came by. It seeks to break the stigma that people have when it comes to individuals with intellectual disabilities. She said championing this cause has been sweeter with the reminder that the “Assume that I can” campaign brings.
Inspiration is everywhere!
Feeling uninspired? This read proves that you can find inspiration anywhere. It doesn’t have to be in the grandeur of things; sometimes, it’s in the sliver of light.
The next time you get too unmotivated, there will always be a resource that tickles your senses. You can easily find one. So, visit the Humber Library or watch the latest movies at the theatres—it just might be what you need to get inspired.
Do you have any book or video recommendations? Make sure to share it with us @shareignite! We would love to see what keeps you going!
Feature image courtesy of Phuong Ngo via Pexels.
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