Innovation Is Not Doing The Same Thing Over And Over
Innovation, fresh thinking and new ideas are all bantered around in the business world today, but what do they actually mean for a business that wants to seriously remain competitive and successful? questions Christopher Melotti, marketer, author and copywriter.
Most organisations fail to take innovative initiatives seriously and others believe they’re thinking outside of their square, but really are underestimating its potential. In today’s turbulent commercial world, innovation is necessary for simple survival, let alone success. It’s time all organisations, both big and small, wake up and start viewing themselves as competitive entities, scanning the horizons for dangerous threats and exciting new opportunities.
We’re Already In ‘The Future’
Business today isn’t simply changing- it has already changed. We’re already deep into an era of phenomenal and unpredictable commercial growth and evolution: segments are progressing, markets are fragmenting, demographics are blurring, consumers are vastly complicated, unique and extremely well informed, people are incredibly well connected, social media is soaring and all industries are shifting at exponential rates.
In not-so-rare-anymore examples, the change in an industry is so incredible that it almost never could’ve been imagined only a short year or so before. Take the whole Freemium model as an example, where products are no longer simply ‘paid for and owned’ anymore, but acquired for free and then compensated for with more creative, alternative ways. There are innovative organisation models in effect today, such as crowd sourcing content, skillshare, conscious consumerism amongst countless others, which are surviving successfully despite experts claiming that failure was inevitable.
As a result of this phenomenal era, big organisations accustomed to “same-same smooth-sailing” are under great threat, sometimes without even knowing it. They’re failing to grasp the seriousness and the complexity of this new age of rapid transformation; and not surprisingly too, given the diversity of the changes and the time frame it’s doing it in. However, complacency is not an excuse, especially if reputation, profitability and employment and are on the line.
With the surge of social media, big data and the internet, barriers to competitive entry have been filed down significantly, if not diminished almost completely in some cases. Smart competitors and challenger organisations are literally devoting their entire resource bank to picking holes in the ways things are being traditionally done, developing a new, different method, entering the market and then turning the entire product on its head within very short spaces of time, removing the rug from all other stake holders. By the same token, new and exciting opportunities present themselves constantly, sometimes in odd or unpredictable ways, just waiting for the right organisation to seize it and take full advantage for amazing success.
So, what’s the problem?
Innovation isn’t taken seriously. Its value is often underestimated and too difficult to predict or document. The blinkered financial outlook at the helm of a business cannot assign a monetary figure on the concept, and so its lack of tangibility means it’s ignored or seen as “something fun and sparkly that the Marketing department is up to again.”
Despite the countless examples of organisations that have greatly suffered due to lack of creative thinking and therefore their competitive edge (Kodak, Blockbuster, Borders, Dell, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, Sony, Toys’R’Us, Yahoo… do I need to go on?), most businesses seem to think that it will never happen to them. They believe that everything will remain as certain and predictable as they always have. Yet, they fail to see the water draining from beneath their soap bubble of ignorance.
Well established companies can often recognise the concept of ‘innovation’, but believe it to be a novel or interesting concept, and therefore fail to take it at all seriously. And the ones that do understand its importance still put it as a back-burner, rainy day project rather than an engrained culture or built into the organisational strategy. Even more alarming, most organisations when asked about how they perform innovatively, are so convinced that they are doing so and ‘moving with the times’ that they’re fooling themselves into believing they are. How can you truly act innovatively if you think your lacklustre attempt is enough?
Ironically, organisations which actively attempt to practise ‘innovative thinking’ have methodical processes, rules and guidelines to facilitate new ideas, and so, fresh new concepts and the trailing of new methods which could inevitably save an organisation in the future, are snuffed out by the very processes set in place to encourage them.
Innovation is the key to mere commercial survival in such an era as we have now, let alone success; write this down and plaster it on the walls in your office. While tried and tested methods do have their place- this cannot be discounted- they can (and should) no longer be just relied upon. Innovation and new ways of thinking must be embraced and encouraged by all organisations if they truly wish to continue to operate competitively into the future. Creative ideas and their application in creating solutions are the essential building blocks of innovation.
Not all innovation is profitable, but all is beneficial
That’s just get this out of the way. Not all ideas have merit or sprout instant rewards, however at very least, they spur an organisation to engage rather than just exist. It’s far better to be challenging the status quo and pushing the boundaries, than performing the same black-and-white task for ten years, and then wondering where all of your customers have gone.
Single ideas that may not have distinction alone can often snowball into other ideas, or be merged with different concepts to eventually create that one gold nugget needed propel an organisation into that winning niche it so desperately needs.
Please login with linkedin to comment
YellLatest News
TV Ratings (18/04/2024): I’m A Celebrity Wins Prime Time And Key Demos
Aussie viewers can be a harsh lot at times. Only days after Ellie Cole bled her heart out, she has been sent packing.
Effie&co Launches New ConnectAsia Division To Help Aussie Brands Market To Asian Consumers Overseas & At Home
Not provided is advice on using chopsticks and not spilling ramen down your shirt.
Cashrewards Sets Out Stall For New CMO
Thinking of applying for the Cashrewards CMO gig? Here are some insider tips that, yes, are tantamount to cheating.
‘I Ask For The TV Industry To Stand Up And Defend Itself’ – Seven Boss James Warburton Steps Down
The Seven supremo heads for the exits after five years. Here's hoping the Spotlight team organised the farewell bash.
Poh! Jamie! Adriano! Paramount ANZ reveals its tasty plans for this year’s MasterChef
It's your fan's guide to this year's MasterChef! Although no tips on how to pronounce crudités or use a un fait-tout.
Dentsu’s iProspect Partners With MOOD Tea Ahead Of May Campaign Launch
We love a Mood Tea here at B&T. Although we do store old screws and nails in the International Roast caterer's tin.
Opinion: When Culture Starts Eating Itself: Navigating The Age Of Self-eating Nostalgia
Born boss David Coupland asks is adland going through a nostalgia period? But please, no repeats of Best Of Red Faces.
Who’s Going To Cannes?! The TikTok Young Lions Winners!
It's Aussie adland's next gen! They're off to Cannes with high hopes of bringing back a Lion & a foot-long Toblerone.
Adobe Launches Express Mobile App With Firefly AI
Want to be the coolest kid at Friday staff drinks but forgot your retro Nikes? This new Adobe wizardry may do the trick.
ThinkNewsBrands & IMAA Extend News Publishing Education In Brisbane
Industry duo takes its publishing roadshow to Brisbane. Was disappointed no male attendees were wearing walk socks.
B&T Chats With Wavemaker’s Provocative Pioneers On Their Cross-Pacific Sojourn
B&T TV heads to Wavemaker's Sydney digs to interview two staffers from its New York & LA digs. If that makes sense?
HoMie & Champion Launch “Give One. Get One” Campaign Supporting Youth Homelessness Via Town Square
Much like the fête's prized chutney wears a blue winners sash, so too should this top initiative from HoMie & Champion.
Thinkerbell Takes Us Back To Summer In Latest Work For XXXX
This beer ad wants to take you back to summer! Just minus any chance of a shark attack on your morning bus commute.
Cannes Lions Unveils 2024 Programme Featuring Queen Latifah, Jay Shetty & P&G’s Mark Pritchard
Are you one of the lucky ducks heading to Cannes in June? Check out the headliner acts you'll be queueing hours to see.
Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch
Costa Panagos set to bring South American flair to the Scroll offices. Assuming that he is, indeed, South American.
Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs
Born around the 2000s? Need to amp up your AI creds? This guide's for you (although it's not really that age specific).
General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
Do you rage about oversized American cars on our roads? You need to bail up Heath Walker at parties & industry events.
VML Launches New “Envoyage” Brand For Flight Centre
VML unveils new brand for travel operator Flight Centre. Alas, no sign of those paid actors pretending to be pilots.
Subaru Places Media Account Up For Review
Subaru puts media up for review, as adland journos get set for mandatory "agency drives off with..." headline.
TV Ratings (17/04/2024): Contestants Faced With Harsh Realities As Alone Australia Heats Up (Or Cools Down)
Alone still doing the business for SBS. Overly long train journeys not doing the business, but they persist anyway.
Ben Fordham Loses Number One Spot As Ray Hadley Celebrates 156th Ratings Win
The radio numbers are in! Discover who's off for a boozy lunch today & who's waiting for the dreaded HR death knock.
Gourmet Ice Cream Brand Connoisseur Launches New “Thrill Your Senses” Iteration, Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Rattling the old "truth in advertising" adage comes this ice-cream spot full of noticeably thin people.
Paramount’s Global Sales Boss: ‘Australia’s Converged Model Is A Blueprint For How I’d Like All Of Our Markets To Be’
Paramount's global sales boss gives local sales ops the thumbs up. Didn't weigh-in on the Lisa Wilkinson debacle.
TikTok Starts Testing Its Instagram Rival In Australia
In exciting news for piano playing cats & brattish pranks in shopping centres, TikTok unveils its Insta rival plans.
Man Wrongly Named By Seven As Bondi Killer Hires Lawyers
Struggling to save for a house deposit? Why not get wrongly identified by Sunrise!
Smartsheet Appoints Indie Agency Sandbox Media To Its Media Account
Can't stand your colleagues? Like to dob them in when they miss a deadline? These work management platforms are ideal.
Boss Not Letting You Come To Cannes In Cairns? Use This Business Case To Convince Them!
Stingy boss won't spring for a ticket to Cairns? Add this to your persuasive argument repertoire. Or grovel.
Alt/shift/ Brisbane Builds Portfolio With Ausbuild Creative, PR, Content & Social Account Win
The Brisbane comms/PR agency lands constructor Ausbuild. Also hoping for a discount on its new glass conservatory.
Young Guns Versus The Old Guard: Who Adds More Value to Our Industry?
Cannes In Cairns poking this hornet's nest in a lively debate. Just so long as the oldies can get up the stairs.
70% Of Aussies Don’t Have Green Power Plans ENGIE Says In Major Brand Campaign Via HERO
Are you the notorious "light leaver on-er" in your flatshare? Quell any infighting with this green energy news.
PrettyGood Launches Offering Brand & Media Solutions For Australasian SMEs
B&T applauds the charitable nature of this new agency. Although we'd hate to see it impact any Chrissie present sends.
A Blunt End: Dolphins Medicinal Cannabis Sponsorship At Risk
Yes, it's another NRL drug story. Yet, thankfully it doesn't involve coke in Kuta during the off-season.
Slew Of New Creative Hires At Leo Burnett Australia
Ahhh, all black! The outfit of choice for agency creatives, David Jones staff and everyone in Melbourne.
Under Armour Unveils Local “Live in UA” Campaign
American apparel brand set for yet another tilt at the Aussie market, as Nike declares "we'll see about that".
Pepsi Launches New Look, Refreshing Classic Fashion Staples Via Special PR
Are you always the bridesmaid, never the bride, as the old saying goes? How do you think Pepsi feels?
Pure Blonde Returns To A Place Purer Than Yours In New Campaign Via The Monkeys
B&T's always been a huge fan of the 'drink yourself thinner' diet plan. So big thanks to Pure blonde, vodka & tequila.