However, what if you made taking the stairs fun. Volkswagon put this “fun theory” to the test when they made a piano out of a staircase:

They also made throwing out trash and recycling fun. By simply adding a sound effect or making a game out of recycling, they’ve generated more interest and consequently, more impact.

For non-profits, the fun theory can be the difference in minimal impact or long-term sustainability. By injecting fun into your initiatives, you can create a lasting impact on your audience and those you support. Instead of starting with the money, start with the fun.

For instance, take jet skiing. Why not create a course whereby jet skiiers donate X amount of dollars for each hoop they go through. It drums up support in a fun, impactful way. It’s not enough to ask for money, put a little fun into the mix and people are more willing to help out.

But for this guy, I could certainly spare a couple of quarters. If he was just asking for change, I’d keep my money. But I had to reward him for his creativity. The same principle applies to advertising. The typical message is, “could you give us your money because we have a better product?” Thank you for asking, but I’ll keep my change. You’re no better than the guy just simply asking for money because… what, he’s worth it?

Inject some creativity into your message. It could be as simple as, “No dogs. No cats. But who are we to say no if you bring in a walrus?” (This line was used by a coffee shop I believe. Not sure who to credit, as I first heard in about four years ago.) With more voices vying for attention on the web, it’s not enough to just say your better, show how you are better with a bit of creativity and guts.

Everyone remembers gym class: sweaty locker rooms, dodgeball, track, etc. Across the board it wasn’t the most thrilling class, but at the University of Houston, they are trying to change that. They are offering something a bit more interesting and technologically advanced. The phys ed teachers decided to incorporate the Wii Fit into their curriculum. Had I had such forward-looking gym teachers, I would have actually enjoyed attending class.

What the teachers at the University of Houston have done is bring a new demographic into the fold by taking a new angle to an old tradition. Including the Wii into the course gets student excited about exercising while providing entertainment at the same time.

How can you put a new spin on an old website or product? Apple utilized touch-screen technology to revolutionize the way we interact with our mobile devices; Starbucks offered high-quality coffee when people thought quantitatively about coffee; Arm & Hammer found their product could not only be used in baking recipes, but baking soda is also a deodorizer; or even Ms. Baker’s high school biology class has a blog and wiki where students report on experiments. It can be subtle updates or completely re-thinking the traditional model.

Too often we are bound to one dimensional thinking; too often we ask, “what can fit inside this frame?” For example, how many lawn care services can one town have? Mowing grass is all the same… it’s one dimensional. What if you dare to be more? What if you incorporated a social mission into your business–give it depth, meaning and character. No longer are you just another lawn care service, you have a emotional connection with the community and do good by your business and those you support.

To further illustrate multi-dimensional thinking, I stumbled across this incredible video that embodies many of the key characteristics of multi-dimensional thinking:

How does this video work in multi-dimensions:

Scrap and Start Anew — The artists that created this video were not afraid to scrap and paint over time intensive and intricate designs.

Be Ruthless — Be ruthless and re-examine what is possible. As you can see, this video incorporates many artistic styles that make it fascinating and unique.

Be Cohesive — It’s not enough to just throw random ideas at a wall and hopefully one will stick. It’s about having a clear mission and statement. Just because Revlon wants to paint a mural in make-up doesn’t mean it’s right for them. This video uses a motion and layers to create a cohesive and interesting story.

Be Off-the-wall — Literally. This piece starts on the floor, moves to one wall, then another, to the second floor, then back to the first–circling around the courtyard. One of the most important and unique qualities of this video is it is not bound by one setting.

The value in this video is that it showcases creative thinking that works. It’s about creating layers and multiple dimensions. When you have a new idea, explore it. Don’t dwell on what has been, explore what is possible.