Innovation and Marketing Convergence

I went to the hardware store this weekend for zip ties. They're those semi-hard plastic strips used to hold electrical wires in place. Perhaps one of the top ten greatest handyman innovations of the past 30 years.

As I walked the cavernous isles of Home Depot, past the paint and light bulbs and sheet rock and foam insulation and air conditioners (on sale right now, imagine that as it's 20 degrees outside?), I remembered a pitch we were in a number of years ago for a hardware store chain. Our research team was doing a poll to gain insight into how people shopped in hardware stores. One of the questions was, "Do you ever walk the isles of hardware stores just to see what's new?"

At first, I thought it an odd question. But then I realized that's exactly what I do. Typically, I do not do it intentionally, but I absolutely glance left and right as I'm walking down an isle to see if anything looks new. I like looking for things that make projects easier, or things that will enhance an experience, or things that can be used in a different manner than originally intended (I suppose the screwdriver opening the paint can falls into this category).

Why do we care about new? Why do we look for innovation? Because we have been conditioned to look for new or different or enhanced or special or longer-lasting or stronger or bigger or better. We seek, and sometimes even crave, innovation.

And while many marketers work to improve their products, how many of them seek insight from their customers as part of their product development strategy? Some do, certainly. Apple with the iPhone, Southwest Airlines with their new boarding procedure and Dutch Boy Paints with their square paint can, to name a few. But the vast majority of companies, those that make up the center of the bell curve, only guess. They would argue these are educated guesses based on years of experience in the market place. But no matter how much experience a corporate person has, there is still a high likelihood their insights are still biased.

A few months ago, we met with a company who simply would not consider research. The CEO was adamant — "I've been in this business for 37 years. I know what our customers want."

We passed on the opportunity.

It is widely accepted that discovery is necessary to craft a brand message. However, it is also necessary in product development. In fact, companies should not separate the two. The product development team and the marketing team should all be in the same room at the same time.

Peter Drucker commented years ago, "There are only two things in business that matter, innovation and marketing." If he is right, then there is no reason for the discovery that drives product development to be separated from the discovery that will eventually connect the customer to the brand.

Bring both parties to the table at the same time. The results will be amazing.