FEATURE16 November 2015

Searching for the new

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Features Impact Innovations UK

Innovation is the lifeblood of business; it’s what drives the constant evolution and, in some cases, revolution that are the hallmarks of the world’s most successful brands. These brands begin by identifying the problem their customers most need solving and they can do this because they take the time to do their homework.

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Indeed the brands that are most committed to thinking big and bold are generally those that are even better at conducting the groundwork. Think of Virgin and the way it has diversified since it began life as a record label, or Lego, which has moved beyond being a simple toy to become licensed by many major movies (that’s without even considering its own movie) and offering retailer exclusives and consumer engagement via its own theme parks.

These are the companies which consider the wider context, draw their inspiration from other industries and categories, look closely at their competitors and what they are focusing on and then use this knowledge to differentiate their own approach. They explore the context in which their product functions and look for sometimes, adjacent innovations, which may be harder for others to replicate over the short to medium term.

Many of the most successful innovators seek to understand consumers at the very first stage of innovation. This may ...