Comedic folklore pertains to ‘commit to the bit’. John Cleese suggests Monty Python’s successful formula was down to taking absurd concepts incredibly seriously. Conan O’Brien has spoken about the importance of following through with seemingly ridiculous ideas while Tina Fey advises against dismissing dumb ideas too quickly, as they can evolve into brilliance. This advice is not just for comedy; it’s a beacon for the creative process. Take dumb ideas seriously, commit to them fully and watch them fly.

Diamond Shreddies is a shining example of committing to a seemingly dumb idea with the utmost seriousness. Kraft Foods faced the challenge of returning Shreddies to the top of the breakfast market. Sales were stagnating, but the taste was still beloved. A USP-lite brief with no new news, no new message, was a brief with nothing to go on. Enter Hunter Somerville, a 26-year-old intern with a flash of easily dismissable dumb brilliance: Shreddies weren’t square, they were diamonds.

The team embraced the idea wholeheartedly. Diamond Shreddies were born and the launch was treated as seriously as any new product, with new packaging, testimonial television commercials, radio ads and in-store sampling. Consumers had the option of choosing between the two shapes — traditional or diamond — both of which were, in fact, the exact same product.