Breakthroughs don’t happen by asking “What is?”
-but by asking “What if?”
And creating something no one realized they needed.
Im breaking down some powerful examples;
That will inspire you to innovate today.
(Why and How?)
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Life Before Uber and Dyson?
Remember life before Dyson, Uber, or Nespresso?
These products didn’t fill obvious gaps.
No one asked for an £400 vacuum or a £5 coffee !
(before they existed)
These innovations redefined expectations;
-and created demand where none seemed to exist.
Think about that.
But how did they manage to achieve this?
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Who Wanted Red Bull?
One of my fave Marketers of all time -
Rory Sutherland said it best:
''Before Red Bull, no one craved an overpriced, odd-tasting drink in a tiny can.''
It's true isn't it !
But their brand image - associated people who drink
Red Bull to being a little bit daring.
A little bit away from the mainstream...
A little bit more interested in something that -
'Gives you wings.'
What does that even really mean?
And what about Coffee?
When the price of an entire jar of Nescafe is the same as buying one Starbucks...
No one was clamoring to pay £5 for a Starbucks.
Until they suddenly were...
But through a combination of clever marketing,
brand image, and innovation.
Well...We all know the rest of that story...
Very soon people were 'proud' to walk down the street clutching a cupful...
Was it the taste, the experience or the brand image?
All of that - and more...
These products succeeded by inventing desires we didn’t even know we had.
But nothing lasts forever and innovation as well as brand image is also so important.
Lets talk about it...
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And The Psychology Behind The Brands...
Or take Apple as an obvious example.
Yes, their products are 'better' (in the main)
But by making people proud to associate with them...
And showing the world we are part of the Tribe...
Is what creates the brand loyalty that becomes the secret sauce...
From the marketing to the product experience itself.
Its all part of the same powerful (and clever) package.
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Vacuum Shopping for Fun?
Have you ever heard someone say,
“Let’s go vacuum shopping for fun!”
Of course not.
Yet Dyson made vacuums desirable, proving that sometimes, you must introduce people to something they didn’t know they needed.
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Nespresso: The Psychology of Value
Nespresso didn’t just sell coffee,
It sold convenience and luxury.
But also...Value.
And that doesn't seem obvious on the surface...
When the machine costs £100+
Thats a lot of Coffee...However...
50 pence for a pod seems like a bargain when compared to a £5 Starbucks,
-even though it's more than instant coffee.
So is a one cupful of the 'bucks.'
Nespresso turned a basic need into a premium HOME experience.
But there is more to it than that as well...
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Nespresso’s Clever Framing
When you pop a 50 pence Nespresso pod into your machine, you're not comparing it to instant coffee.
Your reference point is now Starbucks.
Suddenly, 50 pence cents feels like a steal,
-even though the math doesn’t add up.
It’s all about perception!
And what you manage to accomplish peoples comparison to already existing beliefs...
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Rolls-Royce’s Genius Shift
Rolls-Royce stopped showing cars at auto expos, where a £400,000 car seems outrageous.
Instead, they displayed at yacht and plane shows.
Compared to million-dollar jets, the car looks like an impulse purchase !
It’s like putting candy by the register.
Fascinating isn't it !
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Zoom: Success by Simplicity
Zoom had no chance against tech giants like Microsoft or Apple, on paper, at least.
But it wasn’t just technology that helped Zoom win; it was its simplicity.
By focusing on ease of use, Zoom became the go-to platform when it mattered.
But even the 'greats' get overtaken by innovation...
And who uses Zoom anymore...
Lets talk about another fascinating example;
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Uber’s Psychological Advantage
Here in the UK, Cab Drivers do a thing called -
'The Knowledge.'
They learn every single street in London.
And people paid a premium for this.
Getting a London Taxi was expensive...
But then Uber and Sat Nav came along...
And technology changed the whole game.
Its a little bit like AI and writing.
For most of my life my 'knowledge' and writing ability helped earn a lot of money.
But very soon everybody will be able to do so.
(and arguably can already with AI...)
Yet, the most innovative users of any tools will still hold an obvious advantage...
And when coupled with human imagination, lived experiences, perspective, storytelling and innovation:
That becomes your unique selling point.
(among other things of course)
So these are the factors that everybody needs to be thinking about now...
Uber didn’t win by JUST being the most innovative technology.
It succeeded by mastering psychology.
The ease of booking, knowing your driver, and cashless payments redefined how we think about transportation.
Uber won by making the process feel effortless.
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The Times They Are A Changing...
So what I want you to think about is how you are going to adapt...
And innovate in an AI world.
-Will it be your brand image?
-Your Innovation of what you offer?
-How you enhance an existing experience?
-Your Marketing or your product or service?
That does something better, or differently?
Is the question that I have also been pondering today.
Many years ago I created my own Coaching Model.
It was bespoke and innovative.
And is what ended up gaining me 90% of referrals.
And although I have made my money...
If I had to start over, these are the questions that I would be asking.
-What differentiates my offer from all the others?
-Why would people choose me?
And it's the same in other businesses.
Now 'everybody' is becoming aware that a Personal Brand is the way of the future...
That's the question that I encourage you to also think about today.
What makes you different or better?
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