1. Myth
Great Ideas Sell
Themselves

2. Fact
DISREGARDS one of the UNDERLYING
HINDRANCES of innovation!

3. Disregards Underlying Hindrances

4. Reality
Many times the reason behind a new product’s
failure lies NOT in the idea itself!
Poor communication both INSIDE a company
and/or BETWEEN the company and its
consumer is oftentimes the culprit!

5. Reality
Poor communication internally results in companies
not going forward with potentially great
innovations.
Poor communication in concept tests results in
great innovations receiving poor test results.
Poor communication in advertising/packaging
results in great innovations that tested
well….ultimately failing in the marketplace!

6. DUH !

7. DUH !

8. DUH!

11. Communication is
difficult!
Understanding WITHIN a company is greatly biased by:
• EXPERIENCES
• INTERESTS & NEEDS
• PHYSIOLOGY
We see things not as THEY are but as WE are!

13. Time is NOT on our side!
Faster communication can cause more misconceptions—no body language
voice tone!

14. Innovation communication
is even MORE difficult!
• The newer or more unusual something is….the
harder it is to understand.
• People (whether inside company or consumers) do
NOT like to take risks.
– Nay saying is common.
– Workers are busy enough without having to take on
something new!

15. Innovation communication
is even MORE difficult!
• Many different people and departments within a
company are involved in developing and launching
innovations.
• Our business world is ruled by NORMS,
Procedures—THE PAST! Yet Innovation is in the
NOW and FUTURE.

16. Who needs to be “sold?”
BOSS/CEO
DISTRIBUTORS IDEA RETAILERS
CONSUMER

17. What they want to know?
• R&D/Engineering ………………..‖How does it work?‖
• Marketing………………………..‖ What does it do?‖
• Retailers and Consumers………..‖What benefit does
it have for ME?‖

18. My Mistake

19. My Mistake

20. What do they need?
• R&D/Engineering – What’s the problem, the
parameters. How does it work?
• Marketing – What’s it do? What’s the benefit.
• Brand – Make it turn-key. How am I going to get it
done?
• Finance- Make it profitable, reasonable investment.
• Management/Boss- Fit with company (my personal
need?)

21. What do they need?
• Owners/CEO- Fit with company objectives and
vision.
• Distributors/Sales – What’s in it for retailer? Quota’s?
• Retailers-Will it grow my category? Increase Profits?
• Communications Agency/Package Designers -
What’s the KEY selling proposition?
• Customers- What’s the benefit to me?

22. Communication Grid
Who What Needed What to Tell
Marketing Make Job Easy What will be
delivered
Make me a hero Volume
estimates
Cost & Timing Cost & Timing
Fit with Brand Brand Rationale

23. And… Communicating
WITH the Consumer???
• Marketers know the importance of ―impulse‖ buying yet
they require consumers to be ―logical‖ in research.
• Consumers don’t really know what they want or why they
do things.
• When ―testing‖ we are wedded to NORMS and
PROCEDURES anchored in the PAST

25. What did they want?
Market-Focused Innovation

26. What did they want?
Market-Focused Innovation

27. What did they want?
Market-Focused Innovation

28. Focus Groups

29. Traditional Concept Testing

30. And… Communicating
TO the Consumer???
• People see the same thing…..differently!
• Customers buy the SIZZLE not the STEAK!
• Customers do not know what you know!
• BASES new product testing cites communication
breakdown as the #2 reason for product failure!

31. What do you see?

32. What did they see?

33. The Sizzle!
1988 Game of Year

34. The Sizzle!
#1 Leisure Product in the World

35. P4
CONCEPT
PERT PLUS Day Off
Daily washing of your hair is not only time-consuming, it can
cause excessive dryness and strip the strands of critical
nutrients.
That’s why we created PERT PLUS Day Off: a 2-in-1
shampoo plus nourishing conditioner specially designed to
be used every other day. Not only will you save time with
less shampooing, you will be giving your hair the optimum
care and rest it needs.
35

36. HUH????
36

37. What did THEY know?
COMMUNICATION – A shampoo that allows one to only have to
shampoo every other day.
Men:
•Confused….probably at least partly caused by men not understanding the need
for this whatsoever.
•Name means pest control.
Women:
•Day Off = Bug Spray
•Confusion on when to use the product—‖Daily use optional‖ is not understood
•Like the wording of Less Hair Stress
•Seems like a dry shampoo
•Very masculine and unappealing package
37

38. What did THEY know?

40. Why Unique Ideas Fail to Test
Well
• Consumers do not take risks!
• Communication is not relevant.
• No real reason for being.

41. •Innovators – Brave,, will “pull” and help communicate
•Early Adpts – Opinion leaders, will try but careful
•Early Majorty – Thoughtful, will accept change carefully.
•Late Majorty – Skeptic, will try only after majority uses.
•Laggards – CRITICAL about new ideas. Will accept only after mainstream.

42. Why Unique Ideas Fail to Test
Well
• Consumers do not take risks!
• Communication is not relevant.
• No real reason for being.
Therefore:
• Take pains to show relevancy, frame of
reference
• Root idea in an insight/reason for being

43. New Idea
An innovative extension of Pop Tarts toaster pastry
that would remove the top pastry layer, providing
an ―open faced‖ more tasty filling experience.
(Pop Tarts are a brand of flat, rectangular, pre-baked toaster pastries
and have a sugary filling sealed inside two layers of thin pastry crust)

44. Product X
A (Product X) that blows the lid off taste!
We’ve blown the top off our signature crusts to make room for delicious toppings with amazing texture
and tastes like chocolate brownie, oat clusters and yummy fruit. And because they’re toaster and oven
friendly, they taste even better warm.
Flavors:
Fun Chips
Chocolate Brownie
Strawberry Oat Cluster
Cherry Chocolate Cluster 44

45. What????
• No true insight (other than taste and that of course is a
given for food)
• No consistency on package design
• No true benefits or RTB's- NOT relevant!
• Not rooted in a reason for being

46. Introducing Product X
Wholesome, sweet, bakery-inspired delights in an individually-wrapped toaster pastry.
Sometimes, it’s the real ingredients you can see that are the most delicious. New Product X is the open-faced toaster
pastry bursting with flavors that satisfy and start your day off right.
Product X is individually-wrapped, and made without a top crust to allow more room for edge-to-edge goodness and
premium ingredients like big pieces of yummy strawberry, sweet brown sugar, cinnamon, oats, and a touch of honey. They
all come together with a taste that can’t be beat. Whether straight out of the box or warmed in the toaster, each bite is sure
to brighten your morning every time.
Available in the following varieties, in packs of 5 for $X:
• Strawberry Crisp
• Blueberry Crumble
• Raspberry Chocolate Streusel

47. What

48. News is made…..November, 2009!

49. HUH??????

50. HUH????

51. WRONG TARGET…WRONG COMMUNICATION
• Sell CFO’s, Plant Managers….NOT Engineers
• Communicate Benefits….NOT Attributes!

54. Actions
• Develop Communication Grid to make certain that the CORE IDEA is
understood & RELEVANT to all Key Decision Makers.
• Develop consumer research that uncovers INSIGHTS not misleading
FACTS.
• Do not be afraid to employ innovative testing methods more appropriate to
the actual innovation and marketplace realities….Don’t be a slave to
NORMS!
• Constantly re-check to make 100% sure that what you think you are saying
is what the respondent is understanding.
• Double check all written, verbal and visual communications to consumers
and make sure….in the end.. that what is ―delivered is what was ―tested.‖
• In case of failure…..re-check the communication!

55. In Conclusion…..

56. THANKS!
Dave Siegel
TinkThank Innovation
dsiegel@tinkthankinnovation.com