Flag Association

Another very well known creative mechanism is what in Spanish we call "free association". I understand that in English it's called "word association" and it is also used in psychology.

It consists in a ping-pong game between two people -could be therapist and pacient or just two creative minds trying to come up with an ad or improvements to a product, for example- where one shoots words or concepts and the other one should shoot back with the first word of idea that comes to his/her mind without really thinking.

This "game" can also be useful in focus groups , to understand how a brand is positioned in the consumer's mind. Basically you are trying to get to the surface the more "raw" thoughts, without the normal censorship that good manners, proper behavior and/or politically correctness imposes to our brains, or better said, to that small gap between brain and mouth. Is all about your unconscious and your own experiences surfacing.

At the same time, it can also get you in trouble. Like I may be in trouble after making public my own association when -spending the weekend in Islamorada- I saw this car/boat at the dock of a restaurant.

Check it out:


Baptized "Nautilimo" and with some not so comfortable seats (at least in appearance, I didn't try them, but you can see them below) it was a really odd thing to see at the dock....


What was my very first thought that could get me in trouble? That the flag on it was the wrong one...

Remember, I live in South Florida.... and as I said before this "free association" is based on your own experiences. So my very first thought was that something like that should have the Cuban flag instead of the American one. Or at least both of them. I know..., it may not be a politically correct thought. But believe me, it was the very first thing that crossed my mind and when you see in the news more or less often the improvised boats trying to cross from oppressed Cuba to free Cuba (a.k.a Miami) the connection has a logic.

My apologies in advance if someone takes offense, but as a very well known song from Spain states: "Nunca es triste la verdad, lo que no tiene es remedio" ("truth is never a sad thing but there is no cure for it").