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Creativity

Creativity is a crucial skill assessed during case interviews. While traditional case interview preparation often emphasizes analytical and quantitative abilities, creativity is equally important. This skill demonstrates a candidate's ability to think outside the box, develop a wide array of viable ideas, and propose innovative solutions. In this article, we will explore why creativity is vital in case interviews, how interviewers assess it, and strategies to ensure you never run out of creative ideas during your case-solving process.

Table of contents

The Importance of Creativity in Case Interviews

How is Creativity Assessed in Case Interviews?

Demonstrating Creativity in Case Interviews Effectively

Avoiding Creative Blocks in Case Interviews

Key Takeaways

The Importance of Creativity in Case Interviews

Creativity is not just about coming up with any ideas, but about generating a diverse set of sound and practical solutions. During case interviews, candidates are often faced with complex, open-ended questions that require more than just textbook knowledge. These scenarios test your ability to apply common sense, imagination, and innovative thinking to real-world business problems. Demonstrating creativity shows that you can navigate ambiguity and generate strategic insights that could give a company a competitive edge.

💡 Pro Tip: Use our Case Library to familiarize yourself with a variety of business problems and potential solutions. This will help you build a reservoir of ideas to draw from during your interviews.

Company case provided by Company case by

Simon-Kucher

Simon-Kucher Case: GST Cruise Company

Cruise company German Sea Tours (GST) is a successful operator of international cruises. GST currently offers several cruise trips, lasting between 5 and 24 days. Additional services can be booked on board (e.g. excursions at each destination, onboard leisure activities). Customers tend to book their tickets several months in advance. GST has had a long history of revenue growth, but in the past five years, it showed lower growth rates. Board members are not sure whether the market, in general, saw lower growth or whether the problem is specific to GST. GST recognizes that winning new customers and stimulating existing customers to book their vacations with GST is crucial for future growth and therefore has always focused on keeping a close relationship with its (potential) cruise-trip bookers. GST’s chief commercial officer (CCO) Ms. Brown has hired Simon-Kucher & Partners to assess the market environment and competitive positioning for cruise ships and to conduct a subsequent evaluation of potential growth options.

4.5

75.3k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Growth strategy

Pricing

Open case

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BCG Platinion

BCG Platinion Case: ERP strategy & S/4HANA migration for “DekoKonzept”

Our client is the company “DekoKonzept”, which primarily sells home accessories and small furniture. DekoKonzept generates approximately €700M in revenue and operates mainly in Germany, with some presence in other European countries. The company is particularly represented through physical stores in major German cities and downtown areas but is also expanding its online shop significantly. A variety of outdated and often self-developed IT systems are currently used for core processes such as procurement, warehousing, and point-of-sale operations. DekoKonzept is also facing the challenge that its ERP system (SAP ECC 6.0) will soon no longer be officially supported by SAP. Therefore, they aim to migrate to the successor system SAP S/4HANA as soon as possible. This migration presents an opportunity to review, standardize, and harmonize many of the existing processes and systems. The next step is to further assess and evaluate the impact on costs, budget, and scope. Note: This case is interviewer-led. The cases in our interviews are more candidate-led. In this case, you take the lead and manage the entire case from start to finish. So be prepared for this when you apply to us.

4.2

11.0k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Operations strategy

Open case

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E.ON Inhouse Consulting

E.ON Inhouse Consulting Case: Heating Systems

The European Union pursues the target of lowering the CO₂ emissions of their residents. Therefore, the EU introduced a CO₂ tax to create incentives for consumers to switch to more climate friendly alternatives and stabilize carbon dioxide emissions. Accordingly, and as E.ON’s strategy focuses on creating a better tomorrow for its customers, E.ON is investing significantly to grow its ‘Customer solutions’ area with climate-friendly solutions, including its heating solutions business. You have recently joined E.ON Inhouse Consulting and E.ON’s Head of Heating Solutions has hired you to conduct an analysis concerning the European CO₂ tax. Specifically, you are asked to assess whether the EU uses the right tool to steer consumers towards more climate-friendly heating systems.

4.4

4.9k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Market analysis

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

American Airlinks

Your client American Airlinks has seen its inflight revenues stagnate for the past 3 years. The CEO offers the possibility of doing a partnership with Balzac Coffee and of selling Balzac Coffee in the future, instead of handing out the current non-brand coffee for free. Advise the CEO if AA should either do this partnership or put a price on the current, non-brand coffee that is currently given out for free.

4.4

19.0k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Market analysis

Profitability analysis

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

Inverto Case: Fast Dish Restaurant

Fast Dish, a publicly traded Quick Service Restaurant (Franchise) company with over €20 billion in revenue and more than 20.000 restaurants globally, has recently faced major challenges with regards to supply chain management and sustainability. The client's top management has engaged the SCM and procurement specialized consultancy Inverto to advise the company in this critical situation.

3.5

16.1k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Operations strategy

Organizational behavior

Pricing

Profitability analysis

Open case

Expert case by

Francesco

Bain Case Style - Growth offensive at ChemCorp [NEW]

Your client is the Performance Chemicals division (revenues of $500 million) of a Specialty Chemicals Company with total revenues of $14 billion. The CEO wants the company to become the fastest-growing specialty chemicals company and has therefore asked all the divisions to present growth strategies to him. Accordingly, the client would like us to help them develop their division’s growth strategy.

4.3

9.2k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Growth strategy

Market analysis

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

RWE Consulting Case: Floating Wind in Japan

RWE is an international renewables company with a proud heritage of more than 125 years in the energy business. Recently, during the Capital Markets Day in 2023, RWE’s CEO renewed the company’s 2030 vision of being a global leader in green energy. To achieve this, additional substantial investments in clean technologies are planned, allowing for a total capacity of more than 30 GW to be added until then. Against this background,RWE is constantly scanning for attractive investment opportunities in core and new markets with a focus on renewable energy sources like offshore or onshore wind as well as photovoltaics. After winning an offshore wind project on the Japanese West Coast, let us assume, for the context of this case study, that RWE is now actively exploring additional opportunities in Japan. The RWE Consulting team was asked to evaluate the attractiveness of the Japanese market and find suitable additional investment opportunities with special interest in the new technology of floating offshore wind. Specifically, your job as a consultant is to provide a “Go or No-Go” recommendation on whether to invest in floating wind in Japan.

4.6

33.9k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Market analysis

Market entry

Market sizing

Profitability analysis

Open case

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BearingPoint Germany

BearingPoint Case: Nachhaltigkeit on the Road – Potenziale der Kreislaufwirtschaft für den Automobilhersteller

Der Automobilhersteller YourCars denkt zunehmend darüber nach, wie er seine Kosten senken und gleichzeitig seinen ökologischen Fußabdruck minimieren kann. Eine mögliche Lösung besteht darin, die Prinzipien der Kreislaufwirtschaft, insbesondere die „5Rs" – Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle – in seine Produktionsprozesse zu integrieren. Hauptziel dieser Überlegungen ist es, den Verbrauch und die Verschwendung von Ressourcen zu minimieren, die Lebensdauer von Produkten und Materialien zu maximieren und letztendlich einen nachhaltigeren und effizienteren Betrieb zu gewährleisten. Zu diesem Zweck beauftragt die Geschäftsführung eine Unternehmensberatung mit der Erarbeitung erster Ansätze. Du als Unternehmensberater:in sollst der Geschäftsführung die Chancen und Risiken des Kreislaufwirtschaftsansatzes erläutern. Darüber hinaus möchte die Geschäftsführung wissen, in welchen Bereichen Einsparpotenziale bestehen. Schlussendlich sollst du basierend auf der Analyse eine Empfehlung aussprechen.

4.3

10.2k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Operations strategy

Profitability analysis

Open case

Company case provided by Company case by

Oliver Wyman

Oliver Wyman Case: Full Electrons Ahead

Your client, large automotive OEM WyCar, has developed its first fully electric vehicle (EV) and introduced it as a pilot on the Austrian market last year. However, sales have been far below the expected numbers. The management has engaged you to support them in understanding the reasons and advise them on how to adjust the product offering.

4.4

141.1k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Growth strategy

Market analysis

Market sizing

Operations strategy

Open case

Expert case by

Benjamin

BCG Beginner Case: Fashion startup

Your client is a D2C (direct to customer) online fashion business in a developing country. It is a new brand, launched about 2 years ago and founded by ex-investment bankers. Their brand focuses on trendy, edgy design that is less main-stream (versus big brands like H&M, Uniqlo, Zara etc) for adult men. While they have been growing fast, they want to understand how they can further improve their sales.

3.9

2.0k times solved

Difficulty: Beginner

Interviewer-led

Growth strategy

Open case

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Mercedes-Benz Management Consulting

MBMC Case: Exploring the future of automotive mobility

As a consultant at Mercedes-Benz Management Consulting (MBMC), you are actively shaping the future of automotive mobility. While you are contributing to decisive projects that design the future of the world’s No.1 premium carmaker, you also develop your own career path, and you have the unique possibility to build your personal brand and cultivate relationships with the top management. Your client on your current project is the head of product strategy who reports directly to the CEO. She asks you to explore new profit pools and business opportunities regarding innovations and monetarization strategies. Initially, you shall structure and explore potential business models, and discuss necessary conditions and implications of these business models. In a next step, you shall quantitatively analyze possible options and prepare them for decision. And of course, the client is interested in your recommendation.

3.7

13.5k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

New product

Profitability analysis

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

Disguise distribution

Your client is a German manufacturer of disguises for events and parties called KostümCo. They segment their products in two lines: round-the-year and seasonal products. Round-the-year products serve customers that celebrate birthdays and common parties during the whole year. Seasonal products aim at special occasions like the carnival or the beer festival in Munich and are only sold for some time before these events. KostümCo makes the design, manufacturing and resells the disguises to retailers in 5 different German cities. Recently, though, the largest retail customer complained that KostümCo’s prices are too high. After some internal analyses, the client found this to be due mainly to distribution costs. You have been asked to figure out how we can reduce distribution costs.

4.4

38.5k times solved

Difficulty: Beginner

Candidate-led

Market analysis

Operations strategy

Profitability analysis

Open case

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Deloitte

Deloitte Case: Footloose

Duraflex is a German footwear company with annual men’s footwear sales of approximately €1 b. They have always relied on the boot market for the majority of their volume. In this market they compete with three other major competitors. In the fall of 2019, Badger – one of Duraflex’s competitiors – launched a new line of aggressively priced work boots. The strong success of this line has caused Duraflex’s management to re-evaluate their position in work boots. With limited additional resources, the management must now decide if they should focus their efforts on competing with Badger in the work boot sector, or allocate their resources on further strengthening their position with casual boots. The management team approached you and asked for your advice. In order to advise them on their future work boot strategy please prepare first some insights regarding market size and competitive landscape.

4.4

102.7k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Competitive response

Market analysis

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

Electric Mobility

Our client is a start-up company that wants to mass-produce an electric vehicle for the US market. So far it has developed a prototype all-electric vehicle. They hired us to solve the problem of swapping to mass-production.

4.2

14.0k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Market analysis

Operations strategy

Open case

Expert case by

Agrim

BCG Final Round: Stadium Naming Rights

Our client is NeuBank, a neobank in the US. A soccer stadium in Ohio is offering exclusive naming rights, and NeuBank is considering bidding for them. The client wants to understand the following: - If this is a good idea? - How much they should bid? - How to make the deal a win-win? NOTE that this case is very long and is meant for learning casing skills. If you intend to use it for mock practice then focus on very specific segments to complete it in time. Also check out the video solution at the bottom of this page for a step-by-step work-along and detailed explanantion

4.4

3.4k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Brain teaser

Competitive response

Growth strategy

Market analysis

Market entry

Mergers & Acquisition

New product

Pricing

Profitability analysis

Valuation

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

GamingHub

Our client, GamingHub, is a large diversified entertainment corporation that received a request to approve a $200 m capital allocation from its video game manufacturing division. The division wants to triple the capacity. The client hired us to help him decide if he should approve this capital request and have asked you what critical issues are to be looked into to decide if the division's market is attractive enough to expand.

4.2

11.1k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Growth strategy

Market analysis

Open case

Expert case by

Alberto

MBB Case - Sierra Springs

Our client is Sierra Springs, a top 3 spring water producer in the U.S. The company owns the entire bottled-water production supply chain, including water sourcing, production of water-based products, bottling and packaging and distribution to retail outlets. Sierra Springs also leads its own brand design, marketing and sales efforts. Sierra Springs has several brands across still and sparkling water drinks, 3 large bottling plants throughout the country and distribution agreements with most major retailers. Sierra Springs is evaluating the launch of a new product, a flavored sparkling bottled water called Berry Fizz. The company’s Chief Marketing Office has asked us to help analyze the major factors surrounding the launch of Berry Fizz and its own internal capabilities to support the effort.

4.9

3.5k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

New product

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

PiedPaper

You have successfully completed your trainings for your new role as Consultant at a consulting firm from PrepLounge’s FastTrack Application pool. After a briefing done by the CEO of an internationally known, globally operating industry corporation regarding the upcoming examination of the commercial printer paper subdivision of the organization, you are discussing the project with your project manager during lunch. Specifically, the question at hand is, how to get back on the track of growth. The CEO is willing to invest and has asked your team to provide and evaluate opportunities for growth.

3.0

5.1k times solved

Difficulty: Beginner

Candidate-led

Growth strategy

Market analysis

Open case

Expert case by

Ben

Winter Wall Revival: Advising Knight’s Watch Municipality on Public Sector Strategy

Your client is the Knight’s Watch Municipality. Their governor, John Snow, has engaged you, explaining that an evil army composed of White Walkers plans to destroy all of Westeros. He tells you that the Northern Kingdom is the only fortress capable of stopping this force. However, the wall is severely damaged from previous battles. Governor Snow needs our help determining what steps to take in repairing the wall before the White Walkers arrive.

0.0

900+ times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Non-conventional

Operations strategy

Public sector

Open case

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OC&C

CleanWave – When the Suds Settle

CleanWave is a leading branded manufacturer of dishwashing products in Germany, primarily selling dishwashing tabs and liquids. During the Covid period (2020–2021), the company experienced unusually strong growth in revenues and profits. Since 2022, however, CleanWave’s revenues and profitability have declined significantly. Management believes this is mainly driven by weaker consumer demand and increased price pressure. You are asked to: - Estimate the size of the German dishwashing market - Analyse the drivers of CleanWave’s declining revenues and profits - Understand the impact of Covid and post-Covid market dynamics - Develop strategic recommendations for CleanWave going forward

4.5

900+ times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Growth strategy

Market analysis

Market sizing

New product

Open case

How is Creativity Assessed in Case Interviews?

Interviewers typically assess creativity through open-ended questions that lack exhibits or starting information. These questions challenge candidates to think on their feet and come up with multiple solutions independently. For example, you might be asked how to increase a company's market share without being given specific data points or frameworks. The expectation is to generate a variety of ideas, usually aiming for at least five distinct concepts. This not only showcases your creativity, but also your ability to think deeply and broadly about a problem.

💡 Pro Tip: Check out our Brain Teaser Collection to sharpen your creative thinking skills and prepare for unexpected questions.

Brainteasers

Challenge Your Logical and Numerical Thinking

Keep calm!

Demonstrating Creativity in Case Interviews Effectively

While creativity is important, maintaining structure in your answers is equally crucial. Here are some strategies to effectively showcase your creativity during a case interview:

Organize by themes: Instead of listing random ideas as they come to mind, group your thoughts into high-level themes. This approach demonstrates structured thinking and helps you cover different aspects of the problem comprehensively. For instance, if asked to improve customer satisfaction, you might categorize your ideas into themes like product quality, customer service, and marketing strategies.

💡 Pro Tip: Use our Structuring Drills to practice breaking down complex problems into manageable themes. This will help you organize your ideas logically during interviews.

Drills

Structuring, logical, and numerical reasoning drills prepare you for the big day!

Check out drills

Sense-check ideas: Ensure that your ideas are practical and can be implemented in the given context. It’s important to show that your creative solutions are not just imaginative, but also feasible. Discuss the potential impact and challenges of each idea briefly to indicate your practical understanding.
Differentiate between quick wins and long-term solutions: Highlighting a mix of immediate actions and strategic, long-term initiatives shows that you can think short-term and long-term. Quick wins might include small adjustments that can be implemented quickly with minimal resources, while long-term ideas might involve significant investments or strategic changes.
Summarize and wrap up: After brainstorming, summarize your ideas along the key themes and indicate how they inform your overall answer to the case. This step not only reinforces your structured approach but also helps the interviewer follow your thought process and the rationale behind your recommendations.

Avoiding Creative Blocks in Case Interviews

Running out of ideas can be a challenge during a case interview. Here are some tips to keep the creative juices flowing:

Mind map on how to be creative in Case Interviews with four tips: using frameworks as starting points, being inspired by business news, practicing regularly with cases, and avoiding stress while collecting ideas.

Preparation: Familiarize yourself with common business problems and innovative solutions. Reading case studies and business news can provide a wealth of ideas and inspiration.
Practice: Regularly practice with case scenarios to build your creative muscle. The more you practice, the easier it becomes to generate ideas on the spot.

👉 Participate in Mock Interviews on PrepLounge to simulate real interview conditions and receive feedback on your creative thinking.

Use frameworks: While creativity goes beyond traditional frameworks, they can serve as useful starting points to ensure you cover all bases. Customize and expand upon these frameworks with your unique insights.
Stay calm and positive: Stress can stifle creativity. Stay calm, take a deep breath, and approach each question with a positive mindset.

💡 Pro Tip: Use our Stress Question Tool to improve your ability to stay creative and focused under pressure.

Stress Questions

Be prepared for your personal fit interview and stay calm under pressure.

Answer questions

Key Takeaways

Creativity is a vital component of case interview success, reflecting your ability to generate diverse, practical, and innovative solutions. By organizing your thoughts into high-level themes, ensuring the feasibility of your ideas, balancing quick wins with long-term strategies, and summarizing your key points, you can effectively showcase your creativity. Preparing thoroughly, practicing regularly, and maintaining a positive attitude will help you keep your ideas flowing. Embrace the creative challenges of case interviews, and you’ll be well on your way to impressing your interviewers and securing that coveted consulting role.

Let's Move On With the Next Articles:

Business Sense

Consulting Skills & Preparation

Business sense refers to the ability to quickly grasp economic dynamics and make decisions that are both strategically and commercially sound. In consulting, it’s not enough to repeat theories from your business degree. What matters is a deep understanding of how companies operate, what drives markets, and what different stakeholders are aiming to achieve. Consultants with strong business acumen can quickly adapt to new industries, understand client needs, and set priorities that make economic sense. They don’t just ask, “What is analytically correct?” – they also ask, “What truly benefits the company?” This mindset often makes the difference in a case interview.

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Presentation and Communication

Consulting Skills & Preparation

The majority and the most obvious part of preparation is, of course, the substantive preparation for your case interview. However, you also need to present what you have learned in a way that gives your interviewer an impression of your personality and character. This means that you must appear confidentand communicate clearly and precisely. The best preparation is useless if you come across as closed-off and insecure. As a consultant, you must always appear trustworthy and confident when interacting with clients to be taken seriously and to enable you and your team to work in a solution-oriented manner. This is already tested in the case interview – albeit indirectly ;)

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General Knowledge

Consulting Skills & Preparation

In case interviews, having solid general knowledge can make a big difference, especially in market sizing questions. Knowing basic facts about regions, population sizes, and economic indicators helps you build stronger arguments. It’s not just about the analysis itself but also about showing interviewers that you understand global trends and can quickly process key information — an important skill in consulting. In a case interview, quick and accurate estimates are essential. For example, if you're asked to evaluate the potential market for a product in a specific country, having solid data — like the population size — is crucial. Without this information, it can be challenging to make a meaningful calculation. In addition to national market data, it's important to know about key global markets. Being familiar with major economic regions like the U.S., China, and the EU is valuable because large consulting firms such as McKinsey and BCG operate extensively in these areas. A solid understanding of these regions shows that you can think about global factors and helps you stand out from other candidates. What Your Knowledge of Population, Economy & Geography Says About You Having strong general knowledge in specific areas not only shows that you are well-prepared, but also that you can quickly understand economic relationships—a crucial skill in consulting. When you have information like population sizes or a country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at your fingertips, you can quickly verify assumptions and make informed decisions, which is exactly what case interviews expect. Additionally, your knowledge of these topics demonstrates a genuine interest in world affairs and your ability to recognize and understand global trends. This insight is vital for evaluating how political, economic, and social changes affect businesses. It also highlights your capability to absorb and use complex data effectively. Population Country/Region Population (approx.) Worldwide 8.05 billion China 1.426 billion India 1.419 billion Europe (EU states) 450 million USA 335 million Indonesia 277 million Brazil 203 million Russia 143 million Japan 124 million Germany 83 million UK 68 million GDP Forecast in USD for 2024 Country/Region GDP 2024 (approx. in trillions USD) Worldwide 105 trillion USD USA 25 trillion USD China 18 trillion USD Japan 4.3 trillion USD Germany 4.5 trillion USD France 3.0 trillion USD UK 3.1 trillion USD India 3.9 trillion USD Italy 2.2 trillion USD Brazil 2.1 trillion USD Canada 2.2 trillion USD Key Data to Know for Your Case Interview In case interviews, making quick and accurate estimates is key. A good grasp of units, along with basic fraction and percentage calculations, is essential for working efficiently. Additionally, being comfortable with time units is important for making rough estimates and calculations. The table of larger and smaller time units below provides a handy overview of commonly needed values. These fundamental skills help you tackle tasks confidently and quickly. Overview of Time Conversions: Days, Weeks and Hours Larger Units Smaller Units Days/Year 365 days (In leap years: 366 days) Days/3 Years 1,095 days Days/4 Years 1,461 days (including 1 leap year) Weeks/Year 52 weeks Hours/Week 168 hours Seconds/Hour 3,600 seconds Conversion of Fractions to Percentages and Decimal Values Fraction Percentage Decimal 1/5 20% 0.20 1/6 16.67% 0.1667 1/7 14.29% 0.1429 1/8 12.5% 0.125 1/9 11.11% 0.1111 1/10 10% 0.10 1/11 9.09% 0.0909 1/12 8.33% 0.0833 1/13 7.69% 0.0769 1/14 7.14% 0.0714 1/15 6.67% 0.0667 1/16 6.25% 0.0625 1/17 5.88% 0.0588 1/18 5.56% 0.0556 1/19 5.26% 0.0526 1/20 5% 0.05 Remember, it’s not enough to just memorize these numbers—you also need to be able to calculate with them effectively! Use our Mental Math Tool to specifically train your math skills and prepare for your next interview.

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