Improv At CMWorld: Dying Is Easy, Comedy Is Hard

Comedian Tim Washer—one-time student of Amy Poehler and other comedic stalwarts—took to the stage today to explain how comedy improvisation techniques can amp up your content marketing game.

As part of the “Visual Storytelling” track at Content Marketing World, in Cleveland, comedian Tim Washer—one-time student of Amy Poehler and other comedic stalwarts—took to the stage today to explain how comedy improvisation techniques can amp up your content marketing game.

Washer—who, in addition to doing comedy has held marketing positions at at least a couple of global technology giants—explained that there will always barriers to creativity that must be overcome if one is to try something different.

“Often, the office environment can suck the creativity out of you, so try to avoid mediocrity,” he said. “In the end, complexity and ‘the committee’ get in the way of doing something new and fun.”

The purpose of committees, he explained, is to “reduce risk, take credit, and place blame.”

What he suggests marketers do instead with new ideas or projects is to narrow the scope, build relationships, support partners, find champions, and make room to “play in the sandbox.”

Washer then provided a couple of improvisation techniques that he believes can help marketers become and stay creative. “Understand that there are no mistakes, only gifts, so be prepared to play and experiment,” he said. “Also, follow the fear—run after, not away from, the idea that scares you the most. It represents a new frontier.

In the end, he said, “Pivot. Try to do some old thing in a new and different way.”

Read previous CMWorld article: “Lego Content Puts Another Creative Brick In The Wall”