Nik Mahon is a senior lecturer in advertising at Southampton Solent University, where he teaches on the BA (Hons) Advertising course and several other communication degree programmes. Graduating in Graphic Design at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, Nik then worked as an art director for BB&P Design & Advertising in Grand Cayman, British West Indies. On returning to the UK, he joined Rayner Advertising as creative director. Nik's clients have included British Gas, Ordnance Survey, the Inland Revenue and United Biscuits. As a writer and commentator on creative advertising Nik has published Basics Advertising 02: Art Direction (AVA Publishing, 2010), and co-authored The Fundamentals of Creative Advertising, 2nd Edition (AVA Publishing, 2011). He has also contributed to several other key advertising and marketing texts.

A must for all advertising students packed with interesting case studies from all around the world, plus most importantly – practical exercises to complete along the way ... We also liked the Working with Ethics section at the back of the book which is designed to make readers question their work through topics such as sustainability and stereotypes.

• Introduction. What is ideation?: The principles of ideation; Personal creative blocks; External blocks; Interview - Simon Cenamor and Raymond Chan of HMDG; Give it a go - Having plenty of ideas. Breaking through to ideas: Breaking routine; Re-interpreting the problem; Lateral thinking; Challenging assumptions; Observations, curiosity and experience; Risk-taking; Interview - Nigel Clifton of EHS 4D; Give it a go - The assumption challenge - challenge!. Using creative tools to generate ideas: Mind maps; Consequences; Metaphors and similes; Checklists; Assumption reversals; The rephrasing technique; Random stimulus and free association; The second-guess technique; Morphological analysis; Group brainstorming; Case study - The Toyota iQ launch; Give it a go - Focusing on the proposition. Executing creative ideas successfully: Reframing; Humour; Shock and sex; Playing with type and wordplay; Demonstrations and comparisons; Engaging the audience in your campaign; Exaggeration; Experts and invented characters; Even more creative approaches; Case study - James Boag's Great Tasmanian Pipeline; Give it a go - The idea notebook. Conclusion. Bibliography. Glossary. Index. Acknowledgements. Working with ethics.