Method plus Imagination

One day a local bookseller had the misfortune of seeing his store squeezed by two giant book retailing chains. On his right, a huge banner (larger than the bookshop's window) announced "Great Sale: All Books at 50%!". An even bigger sign stood on the chain store on his left: "Everything must go! Books at Free-Fall Prices: 60% Off". Fighting for survival seemed impossible. And yet, the bookseller came up with a better idea. On his store, he posted a sign whose huge block letters announced: "MAIN ENTRANCE." This to say that inspiration and creativity can make a big difference. And not only for small firms. The key to emerge in ever more liquid markets is not using the brute force of big budgets, but imagining unique solutions that are relevant for consumers. It's not about fantasy or extravagance: the kind of creativity that creates value and economic returns for the company must be based on a deep knowledge of the brand, and on a veritable understanding of the individuals that revolve around it. Let's consider five ways through which creativity can actually and effectively be channeled. Firstly, you should be able to look at the world with new eyes, in order to uncover opportunities from trends emerging out of society. For example, an effect of the crisis is that now people tend to eat home rather than dine out. But when the fridge is full of foods close to their expiration date, how do you fix dinner? A couple of US bloggers have launched the challenge of optimizing the food you already have locked in the fridge, and people have responded enthusiastically. Doesn't this mean that consumers need help planning their grocery shopping? Food brands should build on this insight. Secondly, you should choose a disruptive positioning in your product category. Washing liquids made by transnational corporations tend to pollute the environment. Method has then launched truly clean detergents, made out of organic raw materials, which are also nice to look at, thanks to sophisticated design packaging. In a few years, what was a small company has made giant strides by becoming one of world's most innovative and rapidly growing firms. Thirdly, instead of simply money, one should invest time, energy, ideas. By offering a job as warden of an island set on the coral barrier, the Queensland Tourism department came up with highest-return communication campaign of 2010. Its "The Best Job in the World" competition has generated planetary buzz with limited media investment. Fourthly, you have to be fast in absorbing the future, nay, the present. Kogi Taco, a mobile Korean restaurant chain in L.A., has conquered the affection of 50,000 loyal customers, who follow its food vans' meanderings over Twitter (they are never parked in the same spot). An intriguing and truly innovative way of using social media. Finally, you must be able to reinvent what is considered best practice. A San Francisco chocolate-maker has involved the customers in his drive to improve the dark chocolate he produces. Akin to software developers, he has called onto faithful consumers to test the Beta version of his chocolate. After thousands of iterations, the Thco 1.0 release is now on sale online. The key to marketing success is the virtuous circle between business method and creative imagination. This is the direction you should follow to achieve higher returns.