Barbara Tammes is a creative director, writer, illustrator and speaker with more than forty years of experience in coming up with ideas. From her background in advertising, where she worked for agencies such as JWT and FHV/BBDO and won, among other awards, a Golden Lion in Cannes, she developed her own perspective on creativity. Barbara shows that creative thinking is not a talent that you either have or do not have, but a skill you can train. In her interactive lectures, she literally makes participants look differently at a problem. Her most striking tool? An ordinary four-colour pen.
Creativity as a skill
Barbara Tammes makes creative thinking practical. Her Magic Click method centres around the four-colour pen. Each colour represents a different way of thinking: the Explorer asks questions, the Artist thinks freely, the Critic sharpens ideas and the Coach translates them into action. By literally switching colours, participants practise switching perspectives.
This makes her lecture interesting for organisations that need new ideas, are stuck in existing thought patterns or want to help employees deal with complex challenges more flexibly.
Magic Click: an interactive lecture
In the keynote and lecture Magic Click, participants get to work themselves. With simple writing and thinking exercises, they experience how quickly you can change perspective. The lecture lasts 45 to 120 minutes and can be adapted to an organisation’s challenge. The focus can, for example, be on creativity and innovation, mental health or collaboration.
Participants do not just go home inspired, but with a concrete technique they can use immediately when their thoughts get stuck, a problem needs to be explored or a new idea is needed.
From advertising agency to creative pocket coach
Barbara started as a copywriter at the age of nineteen and worked as a creative and creative director in Amsterdam, London, Milan and Cape Town. Her work for national and international clients was awarded several prizes, including a Golden Lion in Cannes.
As a writer, she also explores how people can think more creatively. Her books Playmode and Magic Click are about creativity, imagination and mental flexibility. Magic Click was published in 2025 and turns an everyday four-colour pen into a practical tool for flexible thinking.
Book Barbara Tammes as a speaker
You can book Barbara Tammes for a keynote, lecture or interactive session on topics including:
• creativity and creative thinking
• innovation and new ideas
• mental flexibility
• personal leadership
• collaboration
• mental health
