Long
live screw caps on wine. Serious wine connoisseurs may cringe yet
business innovators will long applaud this simple closure’s ability to
circumvent some serious sacred cows. And, isn’t that what we all dream
of: Thinking of that one simple idea which transforms our product or
creates a brand new one?
Whether developing a break-through
marketing strategy or a genius new product, the secret is rethinking
pre-conceived notions, questioning the unquestionable and breaking free
from ennui. A vacation –
or a nap – may do the trick. Inspiration
for new ideas can come from surprising sources:
Attack those sacred cows. In the
case of wine production, there are only so many areas you can tweak to
enhance the wine drinker’s experience. Yet, corked wine, spoilage due
to a bad cork, was long tolerated since many believed the public was not
ready to accept an alternative to the traditional top. Finally,
practicality won out (not to mention economics). Wine makers reasoned
that if screw tops really improved products, wouldn’t consumers accept
them? It seems so. Frank J. Prial, “Wine Talk” columnist of The
New York Times, predicts that within a decade, 75 percent or more of
wines (out of the 98 percent that is drunk within six months after its
purchase) will be sold with metal caps.
Feel free to borrow. Through its
more than 200 years in business, DuPont saw the value of sharing
technology and solutions across its varied companies. Bringing brilliant
minds together, for instance, the company would ask how a coating
technology developed for its white pigment business was relevant for a
food product. Today, DuPont Food Industry Solutions is successfully
bringing this cross-industry technology to the food industry, resulting
in both process and product innovation. Inventions as diverse as the
light bulb and Lifesavers® came from borrowing learning and technology.
It’s a good thing.
Take a trip. A revolutionary car
rental concept, Zipcar, was inspired by a vacation in Berlin. There, cars were parked around the city for members to rent by the
hour instead of owning their own vehicles. To Americanize the concept,
the founders capitalized on the capacity of the Internet and wireless
data transmission to make car reservation and access as hassle-free and
seamless as using an ATM. For urbanites longing for a country drive or
business travelers tired of leaving their fates in the hands of public
transportation or expensive alternatives, the idea resonated. Today,
thousands of members drive hundreds of the self-service, on-demand
Zipcar vehicles conveniently parked throughout major metropolitan areas
such as Boston, New York
and Washington,
D.C.
Defy tradition. As
star salaries and production costs escalated, it was obvious traditional
television needed a remake. Mark
Burnett found the answer: Reality
TV. The originator of shows
like “Survivor” and “The Apprentice,” Burnett defied the age-old
formulas of sitcoms and dramas, proving that entertainment could be both
popular and cheap (well, comparatively) by putting ordinary people in not
quite so ordinary circumstances and doing some fine editing.
To
sleep, perchance to dream. Here’s
a great excuse for a nap. Automotive
legend Carroll Shelby struck on the name of his now-famous sports car
while slumbering: Cobra.
Mohandas Gandhi dreamed of bringing warring religious factions
together peacefully and did it. Experts
don’t agree on the reasons behind this creative outlet, but “sleeping
on it,” may indeed be just the way to solve that pressing challenge.
As Ronald S. Burt, a sociologist at the
University
of
Chicago
recently said in a New York Times interview, “The usual image of
creativity is that it’s some sort of genetic gift, some heroic act. But
creativity is an import-export game. It’s not a creation game.”
So, take a quiet moment and indulge in some
creative brainstorming with your team or just yourself. And, if you’re
really stuck, try unscrewing that cap on the wine bottle (for research
purposes only!).
