You have probably come across a brand, idea, or business model that achieved huge success, and with the role of social media in our lives, not only does that success become so visible to our eyes, but can sometimes go viral. It is easy, at that very point, to want to follow in the same footsteps or adopt that model, aiming to reach the same results and achieve the same success. The question here ‘Is it imitation or inspiration?’
Before technology and social media overtook our lives, creatives had to spend time and effort seeking out inspiration. It wasn’t a scroll of a button that would inspire you that Podcasts are the next best thing to get famous or that mochi ice cream is the trendiest idea for a food stall. Then, before you know it, you find yourself overwhelmed with too many Podcasts, too many mocha stalls, and too many of the same things at the same time, everywhere.
Humans like to observe, to test the results on others first, and when the results prove successful, it sounds safer to just replicate the same idea rather than remolding it into something different, or tweaking it around. So, yes, maybe an idea inspired you to do something yourself, but then, it’s a pitfall of imitation.
From Creativity to Normalcy
No one likes to look or to try something that is overused and abused, and no one wants to see several copies of things that are already out there. An overconsumed idea loses its edge, it no longer becomes creative and original. It may, yes bring you a lot of recognition at the beginning, be it financial or professional, but it is not too long until it fades in the background with everything with likes of it. In short, imitation is boring and lazy.
Rekindling the Spark of Inspiration
When you look around for inspiration, you need to delve deeper, to see where the gaps need to be filled with fresh, original ideas. So let’s say, instead of recreating an existing idea with your own touch, look for things the market needs, or a service people would love to use. Creativity is both introspective and extrospective at the same time; meaning you need to spend a lot of time with yourself, on a deeper level of thinking about the thing you are really good at and how to make use of it, and also thinking about how to fit that within your surroundings be it the culture, or the market.
The Fine Line between Imitation and Inspiration
Caught up in the middle between both, not knowing whether you are inspired or imitating? This might make things a bit more clear. Think of a brand like Nefertari, a local brand specializing in cosmetics. Cosmetics in itself is not new, but reviving ancient beauty secrets of the Pharaohs to be introduced to the market with a modern twist to fit the current needs, is an inspiration. Another striking example is when Up-Fuse emerged in the Egyptian market, turning plastic waste into trendy fashion. The list goes on and on, where brands and individuals knew how to leverage this inspiration spark to make a change to their surroundings.
Imitation, on the other hand, doesn’t strike you with ingenuity; you come face to face with an idea and a concept that is just brought into being, rather is an extension of an existing one. Imitation is everywhere around us, in brand ideas, arts, trends, and a lot more. Take for instance the famous incident of the Egyptian artist plagiarizing and copying a Russian artist’s work in Cairo Metro Station. You have also probably noticed how Taiyaki (the Japanese ice cream) is everywhere around you; at first, when it arrived it was exotic, but then with so much of it, it became like any other food you are used to.
Your Brain Needs a Bit More of a Tickle
Before you introduce an idea or a concept to the public, you need to challenge it. Ask yourself how widely it will strike an impression or keep a hold of the public’s attention, how it can change what is already there, and how immensely it will pique people’s interest. Stretch your horizons far beyond the known and the familiar because no one likes overconsumed ideas. They might grow fond of them at the beginning but this won’t last long enough.
In the end, creativity is not just for artists, musicians, actors, and writers. Everyone has creativity locked up within them, waiting to be unleashed. In the right environment, you will be able to bring out more of your creative side and will find inspiration in so many things around you. Most importantly, don’t confine yourself within a comfort zone or limit yourself within the frame of safe options, don’t be scared to break the rules or to come up with a completely unconventional idea, because here is where creativity really is at its finest.
Comments
Leave a Comment