Tag: Innovation

Lessons from Art to Marketing

Creativity—an elusive concept for all.

Hard to identify and more challenging to explain.

Cambridge Dictionary describes it as:

imagination
vision
inventiveness
ingenuity

and

originality

Artists and marketers know.

Creativity is necessary. It may not have always been that way, but today, it matters immensely.

Whether you’re an artist painting on a canvas (Are your colours ‘original’? Do they spark emotions we are starting to understand?) or a marketer crafting campaigns (Is your work pivotal? Does it imbue change?)—creativity is the spark that turns ordinary moments into extraordinary breakthroughs.

It’s the difference between refining and redefining.

It is a flash of brilliance.

A slow-burning fire built on curiosity and persistence.

The truth is that creativity thrives at the intersection of structure and imagination.

It’s where the messy “what ifs” meet the grounded “how-tos.” And at this junction lies the power to unlock potential within teams, organizations, and leaders. Oh, and of course, within yourself.

So, creativity isn’t just about expression; it’s about connection—linking ideas, people, and strategies in ways that inspire growth and, more importantly, progress.

It’s about being part of a larger community where each participant has recognized their unique capabilities. We have taken an intellectual oath that includes emotion and experience to persist and sway. To churn ambition into reality, to light the fire beneath, spark bold ideas and fuel new mindsets.

Lean into these queries the next time you feel stuck or uninspired. Funnily enough, doubt can take you there.

The magic happens.

The Innovator’s Dilemma

🚀 Embrace Innovation + Disruption = A Lesson for Every Marketer

I downloaded a new app called Headway. It’s a great way to learn about new books, and I recommend it to anyone. Here are some of my learnings over the weekend.

Topic: The Innovator’s Dilemma (By Clayton Christensen)

The main idea is that creating a new market poses less risk than entering an established market. It is also more rewarding. Nonetheless, small new markets can barely satisfy the required growth requirements of larger businesses.

In other words, businesses may overlook game-changing opportunities because their model is primarily to maintain the status quo. 🛳️ To lead the pack, marketers must be forward-thinking, disruption-leaning changemakers.

Here are a couple of definitions to start –

Innovation: In marketing, this is the fusion of creativity and strategy. Innovation is our ability to craft compelling narratives and experiences that captivate audiences, redefine brands, and transcend conventional boundaries.

Disruption: Closely connected to the above, disruption in marketing is the radical departure from norms, leveraging innovative approaches to challenge conventions and reshape audience/buyer behaviour on a larger scale.

So, what’s the takeaway for us marketers? Here are a few key points to keep in mind:

🔍 Stay vigilant: Keep your eyes peeled for emerging trends and technologies, even if your first inclination is to tell yourself it’s too small or too niche of an idea. Do you want to cross over strategy between industries? Why not see how it fits? Run some experiments to test the waters – but before you launch anything, earn buy-in from your team. Your role will be to convince them with supporting data.

💡 Think like a startup: Embrace agility and experimentation. Don’t get too comfortable with your current strategies. See the value for your audience. How does that influence business outcomes? And if there is a misalignment, you might focus too much on activities and output. Your strategy must respond to change, not be static or a quest for perfection.

🗣️ Listen to your audience/buyers, but watch the market too: While meeting current needs is significant, don’t ignore opportunities outside your existing customer base. Seek out different and diverse points of view. Your creative director friend? He might have some powerful assertions worth exploring. Always carry paper and a pen as it provides immediate focus and stimulation – good stuff for your head.

⚡ Be proactive: Don’t wait for disruption to hit you—seek ways to innovate and stay ahead of the curve. And you can do it by yourself! Self-learning can help learners become more autonomous, organized, self-disciplined, and able to communicate. Just remember – cross-collaboration over silos and hierarchies.

What are your thoughts on innovation and disruption in marketing?