It doesn't seem like drinking booze and designing logos or websites or--well, anything, should work so smoothly. But I'm not talking about getting outright 'faced. When you do that, you wake up with a pen in your nose, a phone full of man-titty photos and a logo so ugly you want to sneak out of the house before it notices you're awake.
These are 5 reasons why I've found that a few ice cubes, some whiskey and a splash of Amaretto make design brainstorming 2 liquid ounces more fun.
1. Your inner critic is a lightweight.
We are our own worst critics. How many potentially brilliant ideas have been tossed because it "wasn't good enough"? But get a little bit tipsy, and that nagging voice of self-doubt has changed its tune: "I love everything you do!" You've been that drunk, I've been that drunk. Sometimes it's nice to have someone cheering for you--even if it is from under the table. Liquor up and list and all the crazy solutions you can think of for the problem at hand. Worry about the details later.
2. Impossible solutions become likely.
Reality is another things that often nixes wicked design ideas. Things like "the budget" and "logic" start to complicate the awesome. So stop thinking and start drinking! Ride the Irish Dragon for a different perspective. Imagination can make that idea too good to pass up.
3. Everything gets funny. Humor sells.
There are award contests for "funniest" stuff, complete with tribute shows, online voting and Super Bowl air-time. No such thing exists for the most "informative" or "best use of celebrity endorsement" ads. Because funny sells. I'm not saying you're going to be funnier after having a few, your friends will confirm that fact. Things do seem funnier, though. Being in this happy (read: sauced) state of mind is good for free-flow brainstorming.
4. You have deniability after the fact.
After brainstorming all night, you take a look at what you wrote down and think, "Whoa. I must have eaten the worm, too." Sometimes those ideas hatched while under the influence will be unusable, illegible or--heaven forbid--uninspired. Actually, it's not the end of the world: You were drinking! Maybe some of the ideas are salvageable seen at a more...sober angle. Or maybe none of them are. Take a Mulligan and try again; with or without the liquid muse.
5. Forced separation of creation and refinement.
As I have mentioned, drinking and designing is not about getting three-sheets-to-the-wind. Yes, get your creative juices flowing while your cheeks are glowing. But I want to emphasize this last rule. Separate your processes of development by a day. Or at least by a good meal and lots of water. Refinement of the fermented fruits of your labor should take place when you've had a mental break (e.g. sleep it off!). This is good practice even if you're not hitting the sauce. It gives you time to switch gears and you can review your work with a fresh perspective. And in case you discover that all your "brilliant" logos from last night's session resemble men's naughty bits, see rule No. 4. Then begin again.
