I know this day is coming....

Don't you just love it when advertising strikes an emotional chord? When there is a powerful insight that leads to great brand storytelling. It happened to me the other day with this Subaru spot called "Baby Driver".

As a father of two little girls, this campaign is certainly making a connection with other people who are in my same lifestage. A nice little reminder that yes, this day is coming...

No TV at home.... time for the iPad

It's been over a month since we've been living without a TV at home (I'd rather not mention what happened....) and it's interesting to see how much the whole Family has been reading much more than before. The girls and I have been spending a few hours after dinner downloading and reading books on the iPad. We just love it. Last night, after they went to sleep, I continued on the iPad but this time reading through the Cool Hunting app which is absolutely essential for anyone working on innovation. It's a great way to read a bit about what's going on in other markets without having to travel at all.

I can't get over how e-books will transform the publishing business in a big way and certainly engage a new generation of readers. An awesome disruptive revolution in the making.

Folding bikes and the art of innovation

I love bikes and I would like to be able to take my two daughters biking beyond our Sao Paulo neighborhood.  Unfortunately, our three bikes don't fit in our family bike (let alone in my Mini Cooper).  

For the past week I've been doing some online research on folding bikes, from very simple concepts to high-end folding mountain bikes. Some really fascinating projects.  

One video I found on YouTube, part of the Open University series, is absolutely fantastic because it has UK Industrial Desginer Mark Sanders  explain step-by-step the entire process he went through in creating his revolutionary Strida folding bike.  The video shows how he started off with a very specific brief inspired by baby strollers.  It goes on to show his rigourous approach to developing hypotheses, creating as many designs as possible, validating, screening, prototyping and testing, testing, testing.  I particularly enjoyed how, after launching the first commercial version, he incorporated consumer feedback to evolve and refine each aspect of his project.  At the end, he mentions a few ideas he has to take his project to the next level, confirming how great design and product development should be a continuous process.  

For those who love design and the innovation process, this is a truly inspirational video.

Where do you go to ideate?

Later this month we will be putting together a 2-day innovation workshop. The planning phase has been incredible, from establishing clear objectives of the territories and cultural correlations we will be ideating against, to finding the right moderator, to debating on the stimulus we will be using, to confirming the final list of some extraordinary people with a variety of different backgrounds who will be helping out in our collaborative effort. We found a fantastic location here in São Paulo called Casa do Saber (the house of knowledge) - a trendy space with an awesome calendar of short-term courses in areas such as philosophy, arts, geopolitics or literature. We went there last week to check it out and we couldn't have found a more inspiring place to hold our innovation session. A perfect lounge-type setting that seems to be just right to spark the type of discussion we want to have on what's next.

Tom Kelly from IDEO, mentioned in his book 'The Ten Faces of Innovation' the importance of finding an ideal space outside of the office to listen, think, discuss, ideate.  I couldn't agree more. 

Where do you go to ideate?

 

Dreadful news, a few days in NY and a bowl of oatmeal

I'm in New York this week to attend a few seminars as part of Advertising Week. To be honest, after what happened to the financial markets last week, it's probably not the right timing to be listening to panels on self-regulation or the opportunity of social networks on advertising. On the other hand, I must say that the credit crunch that is threatening to throw the economy in a deep slump, also creates a unique opportunity for brands that can provide a sense of comfort and trust.

I guess I was one of the first to have breakfast this morning here at the hotel anxiously reading the Wall Street Journal to try and make sense of what's going on in the world. I ordered a bowl of oatmeal and honey, which I rarely do. It was only after breakfast that I thought it was probably because in times of uncertainty comfort food feels just right. It's certaintly an opportunity for companies that provide little moments of comfort and pleasure.

I wonder what changes in consumer behavior we will be seeing in the aftermath of the economic crisis and which marketers will be able to convert a potential downside into opportunities?

Interesting way to talk about sustainability

MTV Brazil just launched a new consumer study on how millenials view sustainability. The final report is a wonderful look into the minds of our future generation and how they deal with topics like recycling, global warming or corporate responsibility. MTV found an innovative way to communicate the study to the business community. The ad entitled "Coma Este Anúncio"('eat this ad') was printed on paper made from potato flakes, so, according to the press release, it can be eaten after read.

A little bit of disorder, randomness and failure is a good thing

Last night, I was reading an article on a new book from Don Peppers and Martha Rogers called "Rules to Break and Laws to Follow" that had a wonderful quote:

"An efficient execution requires order, routine and uniformity.  Creativity and innovation is about disorder, randomness, experimentation and failure."

I couldn't agree more.  I have to add this book to my list (and the list is getting longer...).  What a great thought.  Order versus disorder... process versus randomness... ok, there are strategic frameworks that assist in the innovation journey and there are proven research techniques that validate assumptions and correct the course.  But it's also a process that requires an amazing amount of intellectual curiosity, unorthodox thinking, experimentation and a lot of failure. Pure and simple trial and error.  I always ask myself and my team if we're experimenting enough, questioning ourselves enough... and yes, failing enough.

Experimenting with a more collaborative approach to marketing

It's been a few months now that we have been experimenting with a millenial collaboration panel. Basically, it's a panel made up of 40 college kids located on different campuses around the country who are collaborating with us on our teen brands. It all happens online in a social network-type environment. Every week we post a different stimulus, usually in a graphic format, from new product concepts to packaging to ideas on brand activation. Sometimes we ask them to answer questions on what they've been up to, what blogs they're reading or what they're carrying in their backpacks. These kids are what our research consultancy calls alphas, people who are slightly ahead of everyone else and are key influencers among their group. Because of that, the project took longer to set up than I had originally imagined. It was absolutely critical to find the right people. Going over their bios it's amazing the breadth of life experiences and interests.

I'm a huge fan of adopting a more collaborative approach to marketing. So, bringing this project to life has been a rewarding intellectual experience. I feel the days of the old focus groups are over. The feedback we get is a little glimpse in the minds of a fascinating demographic. We've been having fun.

Smart insight leads to Eating Colorful

I like it when you see a product innovation based on a relevant consumer insight.  In this part of the world, many moms try to prepare meals with different colors, to provide their children with a variety of different nutrients. Nutritionists will say that colors of fruits and vegetables are associated to different nutritional properties. Therefore, a naturally colorful meal means a healthier one. Based on this insight, Knorr® launched a few months ago a line of Soups under an 'Eat Colorful' positioning. The line was initially launched in 4 colors: red, orange, yellow and green. In the case of Soup Red, it's a combination of tomato, red pepper and eggplant, with the benefits of vitamin A, C, iron, fibers and antioxidants.  

It's not easy creating a new concept in traditional categories, so I thought this was a wonderful reminder that there's always a new refreshing way way to look at things. The process always starts with a smart insight.

Photos that show how people relate to product categories

For marketers who like to see how everyday people see, relate and (in a certain way) feel about different product categories, an interesting desk research is flickr™ Groups.  Browsing though some of the groups was a great opportunity to observe what's on people's radar.  I'm assuming that for someone to go through the trouble of taking a picture and posting it, there has to be something interesting about it. One of the groups I found was called 'Japanese Snacks' with 508 members and over 2,000 photos posted.  I've always loved Japanese graphics and packaging.  It was fun looking at 'The Coffee Cup' a group with 1,162 members and about 2,300 photos.  'Brand, Marks & Logos' with over 9,300 photos is also worth browsing.

For those with a keen eye in search of insights, I'm sure there's always something to learn. 

What is the first word that pops into your mind....?

Alexandre Van Beeck's blog this week talked about a cool new online tool called Brand Tags. It's a website, created by a guy called Noah Brier, that shows you famous brand logos and asks you to type in the first word or phrase that pops into your head. The site is fascinating both to see what people have posted and also to participate yourself.  I couldn't resist and spent a lot of time last night checking out people's perception of the world's greatest brands. 

It's one more example of how the internet has become a powerful tool for consumer insights.

Check out what Wall Street Journal's Buzz Watch has to say about Brand Tags.

Do we really need a landline?

I realize that we really don't need a home phone anymore. When I'm at home, I find myself reaching for my BlackBerry to make a call. All my contacts are there, both personal and professional, everything is synchronized to my desktop, to my calendar... to my life. I read last night that according to research conducted by CDC, in 2007, 13.6% of U.S. households were already cellphone-only. A number I would only expect to grow considerably in the following years. 

There's an additional advantage... we'll get rid of those annoying telemarketing calls.

My Latest Addiction

For the past week, I have been totally addicted to TED... probably the most thought-provoking address on the web. I can't believe I just found this out now. If you already knew, forgive me for being a late comer. If it is not in you bookmarks, time to add it now. TED - which stands for technology, entertainment, design - positions itself as a destination for 'ideas worth spreading'. Click here to access the site. Every night I've been enjoying amazing lectures from people like Chris Bangle (BMW), Paul Bennett (Ideo) or Jan Chipchase (Nokia). TED is definitely my latest addiction.  Spread the word.

Insights Can Be Found Anywhere

More on one of my favorite business stories of the year.  I just read an article on Ratan Tata and the insight that led him to develop the Tata Nano - India's amazing US$2,500 car.  In 2003, going home after work in Mumbai he saw a family of four on a motorcycle... man, wife, child and baby ( a very common scene in India) struggling in traffic under a torrential monsoon rain.  A simple image that became the driving force in the development of an affordable and safer means of transportation for an emerging consumer class.  

Many times we spend tons of money and time with focus groups and other research techniques looking for insights that can drive our innovation agenda.  The wonderful thing about insights is that they are anywhere....  it just takes a good eye and a curious mind to find them and make the right connections.  Sounds easy.... but it's a rare and fascinating talent.  The beauty about this story is that it started off with a great insight, but it took a man with tremendous vision, hard work, persistence and a strong desire to change the rules of the game to make the dream a reality.  It's worth watching Ratan Tata present the Tata Nano to the International press where he talks about his insight and how he overcame many obstacles and critics.  Click here for YouTube where you can see his presentations.

Understanding How Barriers Can Become Opportunities For Innovation

One of the most significant learnings I've had in the innovation process is the importance of identifying barriers of consumption.

Why are certain people not interested in a given category or brand?
What are the barriers that lead them to become non-consumers?
How can we convert those insights in a product concept or service that can expand the business footprint to bring in these non-consumers?

This past Friday, during a business lunch we were discussing how marketers are obsessed with learning everything about their consumer base but don't use the same discipline to learn from non-consumers. To state my point I went on to talk about a personal experience I had last year at an Apple Store in Connecticut. My wife wanted to buy a MacBook®. Once in the store the salesperson noticed that, while my wife was excited, I seemed resistant. When the salesperson asked me what bothered me I said that I felt discouraged to buy a Mac because I had many personal files in my old PC. The simple thought of converting everything to a new computer seemed like a terrible hassle, especially with an operating system I wasn't familiar with. Understanding the barrier, he told me to go home and bring my PC and that the store would convert all my old files to the Mac. I could pick up my fully-loaded Mac the following day. That's exactly what I did and our Family is extremely happy with our MacBook®.

It seems simple, but why don't other computer stores do the same? Apple not only makes great products but they're willing to go the extra mile to remove barriers from consumers who spent years in the PC comfort zone, like myself.

The lesson here can apply to any business. How can we remove the barriers that some people have in relation to our products or services and use those insights in our innovation process?