Have you noticed the inevitable, gravitational pull towards the middle and the masses? Trend reports have a lot to answer for in the dilution of some of the world's most important brands. The false positive of large sums of money changing hands between company and consumer so often hides the reality that the late majority are calling the shots. Why is that a problem if it's paying the bills? Because any investment into the prevailing market is a move towards becoming that market.
We have a saying where if your brand could put its logo on something as basic as a toothbrush or toilet paper and it still sells then it's acknowledgment of brand heat, but a dangerous warning sign for long term growth (or lack thereof). Perhaps this is normally defined as "selling out," but there are subtleties and that's why it is so important for a business to understand the difference between expansion and evolution. We also like to say that if tomorrow you were asked to "start an airline" then you should know exactly what to do.
We've spent 25+ years exploring the limits of brand and business model as innovators with a special pedigree. We don't just talk the talk, we walk it and our results should speak for themselves. So what have we learnt along the way? Critically, we have identified 3 ways to innovate and grow and this does not refer to the claiming of new territories or channels. This is about changing the way people experience your creations.
First is the aforementioned "market follower." This is the race to the middle where majority rules, the competition is high and it's shortly followed by a race to the bottom where promotional discounting often ends up the defining factors for "success." It's not unusual to see low double digits of growth and certain large consultancies will often fill their extensive decks with exciting numbers and easy progress. We do not support this type of growth because it dilutes, distracts and ultimately destroys brands. Take sportswear as an example. The shift towards comfort and versatility between the different modes of our busy lives created a space for athleisure to be born. Some brands built that and maintain a connection to the evolving problem as tastes and lifestyles change. For "most" brands that choose to participate they take on the style cues but never really explore the question being asked of their qualification to play. And don't get us wrong, we're careful not to confuse qualification with permission. Many brands can put their logo on sweatpants and hoodies to make a sale. We make that a harder decision and ask why, why you and why would people choose you beyond your logo. If that question has no answer then it may as well be a toothbrush or toilet paper.
The second and third innovation growth drivers are based on you being you. The very best version of you and perhaps an experience of you that not only stretches your operating model but might even redefine the total addressable market (TAM) for everyone.
The second method is therefore to be more of "you," but to somehow complete the experience for your consumer without compromising your operating model. This can result in entirely and significant new revenue streams providing high double and occasionally triple digit growth numbers. Imagine you were a sports apparel company and considering what other categories would be important to your consumer AND where your unique point of view as a brand might create new options e.g. footwear. But this is the important part. What footwear could you do that no-one else can? Maybe the trend is moving towards running so you are tempted that your entry into footwear should be a running shoe but if your DNA is not in running then this misses an opportunity to stand out as you stand up. Your unique insights and perspective should be driving towards "what is the shoe that only we can do?" But, alas this is rarely the case and we have seen first hand how this can go so wrong.
The third one is our favourite but truth be told it's without doubt the hardest, riskiest and least understood. It is also simply not available to all businesses but for those who have successfully separated brand from operating model the impact is not just exciting for your business, it can raise the water levels for your entire industries (particularly because of the tendency of most companies adopting the first, middle seeking behaviours). This method of growth is achieved by addressing what we call your Unique Addressable Market (UAM). Through the forensic exploration and codification of what makes you, your products and your experiences uniquely special you can identify growth drivers that offer 10x returns and more. You've probably noticed the growing narrative around challenger or niche brands and we are all encouraged to behave more like this even sitting as the largest of incumbents. But it's not as simple as that. Shifting the meaning of an entire industry or market involves irreversibly shifting the rules of the game. The successful rewriting of consumers expectations requires a specification or brief that transcends any single thing that you might do. It's as if your brand becomes a fundamentally different feel-state, not just a better option.
You'll know if this lives somewhere inside your business because somehow you'll be what we call "eyes closed" recognisable. This means that consumers can tell the difference in anything that you do beyond your logo. In fact if your logo needs to get bigger as you grow then things are clearly going in the wrong direction!! No doubt there are many great products and experiences out there where this sensorial recognition is true, so the next question is "do you know why?" And this is where it gets a little complicated. This is not a question of being recognised for how you do something or an output of your operating model, that's too easy to decode and copy. It is a question of the deeper connection between sensation, perception and the capabilities or behaviours that you enable. It requires scientific scrutiny mechanistically, experiential and contextually. This is where we step in. If you have something that works but you do not yet understand or if you want to codify your adjacencies for growth at scale that is uniquely you then our methods can help just like they have influenced major brands in sports, wellbeing, automotive, consumer electronics, food & beverage and personal care. If a human consumer is the object of your obsession and your brand aspires to shape the market where it resides then we can help.