When working on a concept, it’s easy to become emotionally attached to your idea. This attachment, often called cognitive fixation, can block creativity and reduce problem-solving. Stepping back allows us to assess our ideas objectively, helping us decide whether our “darling” truly serves the brand and audience or if we’re just pushing out our ego.
Taking a break or gaining distance from the work can lead to better judgment. People often think more clearly when they engage in slow, reflective thinking . Letting go isn’t failure, it’s strategy.
Since I am still writing the concept for my Carhartt spec, I literally reached this exact point. I stepped away for a second, picked the project up later, and decided to change the feel of the video. In one of our brainstorming sessions, we asked whether the current idea was the best way to portray the vibe I want to transmit and the short answer was no.
It took some time to be okay with that, but now I love the new idea even more. And here comes the ego problem again: who wants to admit that their concept didn’t really work? Especially for directors, that’s kind of our whole identity. But just because you come up with a better idea during the process doesn’t mean you failed, it’s just part of the process.
At our excursion to OFF, big agencies talked about how they completely went back to the drawing board even though some concepts were already fully developed. Of course, it’s also a question of budget, time, and trust whether clearing everything and starting from scratch is even possible.
But how can you actually kill your darling?
Two things really help me:
- Reviews with team members who are not emotionally invested in the concept. Objective perspectives highlight blind spots and help test whether the idea really works. Constructive criticism often leads to stronger concepts but it really has to be constructive.
- Time and space. As already mentioned leaving the idea alone for some time helps detach emotions from your work. When you revisit it with fresh eyes, what once seemed perfect might now feel stale or you might discover a new twist.
The Payoff: Stronger Concepts
Killing your darling doesn’t mean abandoning your vision, it means strengthening it. By being open to change, you make space for innovation and authenticity. Commercials live or die based on relevance, clarity, and emotion. Those are hard to achieve when we are too close to our own ideas.
In short, letting go of your first concept can lead you to the right concept. It’s not easy. It takes time to do it without funny feelings. But in a world where attention spans are short and expectations are high, only the best ideas survive. And often, those best ideas come after you kill your darling.
I killed mine and went some steps back, changed the vibe but not the idea and now it’s time to adapt the Treatment and get the rest of the work done!
