Straight From The Killer's Mouth

Almost.

This is Dan Wieden, the Weiden in W+K.

He also wrote "Just Do It" - the line that has defined Nike since, well, forever.

And in this video he let's you in on how he came up with it.

Watch some awesomeness:

What's cool about the video is that he shows that inspiration can come from anywhere. When talking about inspiration I can't imagine a more morbid start to a story than "well, he was sentenced to firing squad." But even with the inspiration of the killer's last words Wieden tweaked it to become the mantra for the brand, he took the line and made it his own.

It's also cool to see that something he thought might be a throwaway ended up have mass impact on the brand and culture. Sometimes the best ideas aren't quite as obvious to us as they are when they get presented. It's easy to dismiss an idea if you don't get input. The same can be said for promoting bad ideas.

If a killer's last words can influence one of the most popular lines ever it's hard to say that great inspiration can't come from anywhere. What's the coolest way you've ever developed an idea?

BONUS Here's another great video of Dan talking about what makes a good idea. For your viewing pleasure: