“Don’t think outside the box, get rid of the box”

Everything I know about creativity is not summed up in these words.

I grew up listening to philosophers, lecturers, teachers, and coaches say “think outside the box.” It’s taken to mean limitless, to describe the boundless realms of creativity. The Merriam-Webster describes it as: to explore ideas that are creative and unusual and that are not limited or controlled by rules or tradition.

But there’s one thing we tend to forget in brandishing this phrase: the box is still there!

The word, box, has many meanings. A container with a lid, a protective casing, an enclosed area. Thus, thinking outside of it would involve an acknowledgement or regard for the protection, the enclosure, the lid.

An article by Dan Pallota on Harvard Business Review emphasizes this point clearly. Dan says that “the exhortation to think outside the box has become ubiquitous in business. So much so that it has become the new box inside of which everyone thinks.”

In essence, eagerness to think outside the box oftentimes is a resistant exercise. It’s a reaction to the box. It’s fighting the box. It’s a desperate need to identify the product of your creation as something that exists outside of a restriction. But every so often, that desperation lets out a “look, everybody, I am innovative” shout that tries hard but never quite captures the genuine excitement an innovative project would inspire.

So, like my philosophers and teachers and coaches, I have a new message: don’t just think outside the box – redefine it. Truth is, boxes can be limiting, boxes can keep us recycling old ideas to fit a dynamic audience. In a world where audiences demand authentic and engaging content, relying on recycled ideas simply won’t cut it.

At Without a Box, this has formed our ethos. We understand the importance of crafting narratives that not only captivate but also resonate with our target audience. We play within a field of understanding the consumers and what the brand seeks to stand for, and meeting both parties in the middle.

Public relations is the creation of a substantial relationship between a brand/an organization/a person and their audience. Thus, it is a job that requires a definite level of originality in bringing both sides to each other. The Christians would say that ‘as our palms are different, so are our problems’, same way different brands have different publics and would require a unique approach in meeting their needs.

Like with the most recent Joy Soap campaign called #MyLifeMyScript. We started by understanding the brand’s need to re-establish itself in the beauty space and in the minds of Nigerian audience. We understood the originality for which Joy Soap’s competitors executed campaigns. Thus, this engineered a conversational campaign that would resonate with the brand’s target audience. #MyLifeMyScript evolved into a digital sensation, entering its second phase, which propelled the conversation to a viral status, solidifying Joy Soap as a brand focused on consumers and social awareness.

This initiative of breaking grounds through the simplest of ideas has spread through many simple yet effective ideas, that exist in a space where there are no limitations (boxes).

Our approach is this: we break barriers, shatter expectations, and deliver campaigns that leave a lasting impact. Because at Without a Box, we believe that true success lies in daring to be different.

Written by: Oge Nwafor