Combining Unrelated Ideas: The Mashup Method
By Team Creative Hub
What do a toaster and a skateboard have in common?
At first glance, absolutely nothing.
But what if that toaster had wheels and delivered toast to you on the go? Suddenly, you’re imagining “Toast on Wheels,” a breakfast food truck for pedestrians, or maybe even a quirky new animated short.
Welcome to The Mashup Method—a creativity exercise that invites participants to combine unrelated ideas to generate something entirely new. In the world of innovation, mashups aren’t just for DJs or music lovers—they are powerful tools to train your brain to think divergently and creatively.
At Team Creative Hub, we believe everyone has the potential to be creative. All it takes is the right nudge. Today, we’ll explore the Mashup Method in detail, teach you how to do it alone or with a team, and explain why this approach is one of the most effective and fun ways to break out of mental ruts. Let’s dive in!
What Is the Mashup Method?
The Mashup Method is a structured creativity technique where two or more unrelated concepts are merged to create a novel idea, product, story, service, or solution. It’s rooted in the principles of associative thinking, which encourages the brain to link things that don’t logically connect. This approach is often used by designers, inventors, marketers, and even scientists.
Think of the Mashup Method like mental cross-training. It forces you to flex different cognitive muscles—imagination, abstraction, and synthesis—by juxtaposing contrasting elements.
Famous Examples of Mashup Thinking:
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Smartphone + Camera = Instagram
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Bed + Bicycle = Camper bike for minimalist travelers
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Yoga + Goat = Goat Yoga (Yes, it’s a real thing!)
These ideas might sound strange at first, but that’s exactly what makes them powerful.
Why the Mashup Method Works
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It Disrupts Linear Thinking:
Most of us are conditioned to think in straight lines. Problem A leads to Solution B. The Mashup Method forces you to break that line and take creative detours. -
It Cultivates Playfulness:
Creativity thrives in environments where there’s room to play, laugh, and explore. The sheer absurdity of mashing up two unrelated ideas opens the door to imaginative possibilities. -
It Encourages Divergence Before Convergence:
Good creative processes begin with lots of options (divergence) before narrowing down to the best ideas (convergence). Mashups help you rapidly generate diverse possibilities. -
It Sparks Unpredictable Innovation:
Because the starting points are random, the results are often surprising—and that's where innovation lives.
Step-by-Step: How to Do the Mashup Method
Whether you’re flying solo or leading a team, the Mashup Method can be done in as little as 20 minutes. Here's how:
Materials Needed:
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Index cards or sticky notes
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Pens or markers
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Timer
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A willingness to be silly
Step 1: Create Two Unrelated Word Pools
Prepare two separate lists of nouns. You can do this yourself or use a random word generator. Some examples:
List A (Objects/Concepts):
Toaster, Umbrella, Telescope, Balloon, Skateboard, Alarm Clock
List B (Industries/Activities):
Banking, Fitness, Gardening, Cooking, Travel, Education
Step 2: Randomly Pair Items
Draw one item from each list and pair them together. For example:
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Toaster + Fitness
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Telescope + Gardening
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Skateboard + Banking
Step 3: Brainstorm Mashup Ideas
Set a timer for 5–10 minutes per mashup. Challenge yourself or your group to come up with as many ideas as possible that combine the two elements.
Examples:
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Toaster + Fitness:
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A toaster that counts your calories and recommends workout routines while your bread browns.
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“ToastFit”: a gym café serving high-protein toasts post-workout.
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Telescope + Gardening:
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A gardening telescope that detects moisture and pests from a distance.
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“StarGarden”: an app that maps out constellations and matches them to plant arrangements.
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Step 4: Evaluate the Ideas
After brainstorming, ask questions like:
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Is it feasible?
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Is it funny, functional, or inspiring?
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Can it be applied to a real problem?
Don’t be afraid to pick the most ridiculous idea and explore it further—you never know what might emerge when creativity is in full swing.
Step 5: Prototype or Pitch
Take your favorite mashup and turn it into a sketch, pitch, or elevator speech. If you're working with a team, have a mini “Mashup Pitch Night” to vote on the wildest or most promising concept.
Mashup Method Variations
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Mashup for Writers
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Combine a random location with an object:
“What happens when a violin appears in the middle of a desert?” -
Or mash up genres:
A horror + rom-com = “Ghosted at First Sight”
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Mashup for Product Designers
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Combine materials with unexpected functions:
Rubber + Lighting = Flexible wearable lamps.
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Mashup for Entrepreneurs
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Combine problems with hobbies:
Stress + Knitting = “Knit Calm,” a mindful therapy app that teaches knitting for anxiety.
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Mashup for Educators
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Mash topics for lesson plans:
Math + Music = Rhythm Fractions: learning fractions through drumming.
Tips for Successful Mashups
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Quantity Before Quality: Don’t censor ideas while brainstorming. The more ideas you generate, the better the odds of finding a winner.
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Celebrate Absurdity: Some of the most innovative ideas start as jokes. Give yourself permission to explore the weird.
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Use Visual Aids: Drawing the mashups often helps you see connections you might miss with words alone.
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Keep It Moving: Limit your brainstorming to quick sprints. Creativity often flows best under time pressure.
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Build on Others’ Ideas: If working in a group, use “yes, and…” statements to expand ideas rather than shut them down.
Real-World Applications of the Mashup Method
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Corporate Teams: Use mashups to prototype new services or branding strategies during design sprints.
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Classrooms: Help students stretch their imaginations across disciplines with daily mashup prompts.
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Content Creators: Find fresh ideas for blogs, YouTube videos, or social media campaigns.
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Personal Growth: Use it as a journaling or self-coaching exercise to explore new interests or goals.
Try It Now!
Here’s your challenge:
Mashup Prompt: "Umbrella" + "Music"
Spend 5 minutes brainstorming as many ideas as you can. Then, choose your favorite and write a quick description of how it works. Don’t overthink it—just let your imagination lead.
Some starter thoughts:
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An umbrella that plays relaxing rain sounds even when it’s sunny?
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A music-activated umbrella that changes color to the beat?
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An umbrella that turns into a guitar?
Go wild.
Final Thoughts
The Mashup Method reminds us that innovation doesn’t always come from the most obvious places—it often arises when we venture off the beaten path and allow unexpected collisions to happen. The ability to see links between unrelated ideas is a hallmark of genius—and a skill we can all cultivate.
So next time you’re feeling stuck, don’t wait for inspiration to strike. Make your own spark by mashing up ideas and seeing where they take you.
What’s the weirdest mashup idea you’ve come up with? What surprising results came from it?
We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts, experiments, and recommendations in the comments below—or tag us @TeamCreativeHub on social media. Let’s celebrate creativity together.
Stay curious,
Team Creative Hub
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