Take a Break, But Make It Different! Moderating Effects of Incubation Task Specificity on Advertising Idea Generation

Abstract

Experiments in psychology suggest that an incubation phase during idea generation can be beneficial. The incubation phase involves taking a break from thinking about the creative problem, usually by performing a distraction task. However, no studies test the influence of incubation phases in advertising tasks. In-depth interviews among 12 advertising creatives emphasize the practical relevance of this topic but also reveal a lack of knowledge regarding how to design effective breaks. Creating advertisements differs notably from tasks typically investigated in psychology (e.g., Unusual Uses Task). Whereas advertising idea generation requires a complex process of configuring individual elements into a coherent story, the latter requires selecting solutions from a pool of possible options. This research tests this new classification (configuration versus selection) and its implications. In two experiments, participants who engage in an incubation task that occupies brain areas similar to those used in the creative tasks do not exhibit enhanced creative performance compared with no incubation. However, those who engage in an incubation task that involves brain areas different from the creative task perform better. These outcomes reflect task-specific neural fatigue, suggesting that to gain the benefits of incubation phases, advertising creatives must engage specifically in break activities that are dissimilar from the creative task.