What made it great isn’t something that data can dissect, analyse and put into a formula. (Although, you can bet that this has been tried a lot more than once.) Here’s how Chad MacKenzie, national executive creative director, sees it.

  Chad MacKenzie

What Made It Great: Involuntary Emotion

You know it’s great when it delivers a feeling that makes the hairs on your arms stand up.

And here’s the kicker – that feeling is an involuntary one.

Goosebumps are the bumps on a person’s skin which involuntarily develop when a person is experiencing strong emotions such as fear, euphoria or sexual arousal. Now, I might leave the latter alone and concentrate on the first two.

Creativity has the power to make you feel. In fact, you could argue that it should be its primary purpose. But it can make you feel to the point of delivering an uncontrolled reaction that causes your nervous system to react. That’s great.

Music, film, acting, half-time speeches, standing ovations. There have been numerous moments over the years that have forced us to stop, think, cry, react, act and share what we just experienced. Often, we go back for seconds.

Here are some that still get me to this day.

Let’s start with music, as it’s arguably where gooseys really come alive. Some of the world’s most creative minds keep creating genre after genre of crescendos and key changes that make your skin tingle. Tell me you can keep your skin calm while listening to this.

Movies do it well. And often. This movie was average at best. But the half time speech is one of the great involuntary moments in film.

Oh, and this…. 1:36 in.

TV finds it occasionally. Like Susan Boyle’s first audition….oh, come on, it was pretty damn magical.

Advertising has been doing it for an age. And to this day, this spot still gets me. I distinctly remember seeing this film for the first time. Wow, talk about hitting you in the feels. I’m pretty sure hearing that line for the first time made me tingle too.

One of Australia’s greats. We all remember turning up the volume when this one aired. The song, scale and humour made the euphoria flow.

Combine human spirit, dreams and sport and you get a film (and idea) that triggers an almighty reaction. One that challenges you to reassess your own motives.

In this industry of ours we have the ability to put forward ideas and conversations that make people feel. Even involuntary feelings. That’s powerful. So, let’s use that power wisely.