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A man of below average intelligence and looks bumbles his way through a home improvement project, setting up electronic equipment, or finding the right gift – take your pick. His beautiful, but extremely intelligent, wife saves the day with her brilliant solution. It's far better than the sexist commercials your parents and grandparents were subjected to:

Still, while watching TV for a couple of hours yesterday, I saw this same scenario about six times – hot wife, goofy husband. It's still just as sexist - nerdy man marries fantasy woman that's clearly out of his league. The casting has become so cliché. As my wife would say, "You know a man wrote this."

You want to be seen as a fresh thinker? Do yourself a favor a purge every cliched idea that's sitting in your portfolio right now. I guarantee:

• We've seen it all before.
• It's not as funny as you think.
• Creative directors are groaning in agony right now as they review your work.*
• You have better ideas hidden somewhere.

*(If the CD loves the work, I would be concerned.)

Now here I am telling you to kill your cliched work, but how is stuff getting produced?

Agencies know what clients want and what they can sell. Sometimes you give people what they are paying you for and that's it.

How do you break the cycle?

Present more than one idea.

Do what you are asked to do, but also show your "more creative solution" to the problem. Many times, decision-makers will still go with the old idea, but at least you did your job – you were creative.

Now if you create a story and everyone knows how it ends before you finish telling it, then you are the problem. There's nothing wrong with a common set-up, but avoid the common ending. You need to analyze the work at various points and look for ways to create a twist and surprise your audience.

Do your job.

Avoid the obvious.

Kill the cliché.

Be creative.