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As marketing professionals it is our job to utilize our experience and the tools available to us to understand consumers and help brands develop solutions to communicate effectively with them. I would love to say we understand what people are thinking and why they are thinking it, but unfortunately even with all the tools and research available, people will always be unpredictable. So though these tools arm us with a better understanding of consumer behavior we are still only making our best guess on how consumers will react. Marketing is not a definitive science.

How can we avoid common mistakes and increase the chances that our “guesses” or marketing initiatives will be innovative and successful? In the IMEDIA Connection article, “Top Marketing Innovation Killers”, Sean X Cummings discusses four key barriers to successful marketing innovation and solutions to overcome them.

In his article Cummings discusses how the “big idea”, relying on historical reflection, the knowledge gap between agency and client, and ideation by committee are all killing marketing innovation. Too often agencies use the “big idea” as bright and shiny window dressing to excite the client, but don’t have the technology or strategy to back it up. This leads to unsuccessful campaigns that scare brands off from future innovative programs. Vicky Tamaru discusses the concept of the “big idea” and why Microsoft had to pull the plug on an agencies “innovative” campaign in her AllBusiness article, “What’s the Big Idea?”.

Cummings makes a good point that agencies need to design smaller ideas that are more nimble and adjustable and launch off the same basic platform. But it is key to remember that each of these smaller ideas need to build on top of one another, reinforcing the end goal of the overall comprehensive marketing strategy. It also important to make sure that each of the initiatives addresses the brand and its overall goals.

Marketers will not succeed by relying on a “one-size fits-all” approach. It is great to learn from past campaigns, but just because a campaign was successful for one brand does not mean it will be successful for another. Look at Subway’s Jared Campaign versus the new Taco Bell weight loss campaign. Though the Taco Bell campaign is still young it is hard to imagine it will garner the same success that Jared did for Subway. Have you met Christine? Every brand has a unique audience and unique goals, so it is important their marketing programs are unique to them. Work closely with clients to educate them as well as learn from them to bridge the knowledge gap, so you can find the most appropriate solution to achieve their goals.    

Though Cummings makes many good points I disagree on his argument that “ideation through committee” stifles innovation. Brain-storming sessions can be very effective and can limit problems with execution if they include the proper people—designers, developers, writers, and even producers. As I mentioned earlier, it is also very important to collaborate. This approach will help you find the most effective, innovative, long-term solution to meet each client’s specific goals.

With digital marketing still in its infancy and many clients not having a full understanding of the power and pitfalls, it is important for marketers to educate clients on the benefits. Rather than throwing out the “big idea” in bright, shiny packaging that can distract potential clients, marketers need to engage the client to learn their goals before suggesting solutions. Marketing approaches must continue to evolve to be more user-focused than brand-focused to be effective in this highly fragmented, over-saturated age.  But we also must remember that relying on focus-studies doesn’t always result in the best ideas, we must continue to innovate and ideate based on the perceived needs of the consumer.