This paper examines how ideation techniques like the Templates method (Goldenberg, Mazursky and Solomon 1999) can overcome the limitations of poor client quality and low intrinsic motivation so to produce highly creative outcomes. We present a 2 X 4 experiment manipulating client quality and ideation techniques respectively, involving 207 working creatives in major agencies in South Africa and Nigeria. Each creative was asked to develop two ads in response to a hypothetical brief. Creatives’ self-reports were analysed using ANOVA and showed not all ideation techniques work in all client situations. The Unification template overcomes motivational limitations in situations of a poor quality client. Alternatively, the Metaphor template works well on average, little known client. The Extreme consequences template does not work well in either situation
