Thinking

There is a delicate balance of “here-and-now” and “then-and-there," when it comes to innovation investment. And as such, many brands find themselves leaning towards short-term focus as the pressures of today outweigh the concerns of tomorrow.

Organizations are becoming more and more reliant on ideation session to spark ideas and build future roadmaps. Before you plan your next ideation session, use our five strategies to drive success.

Finding your sweet spot of innovation requires a bit of reflection to ensure deeper thinking at the onset, anchor ideas in every dimension & fuel on-target solutions. Here are four reflection points to steer the conversation.

On the surface, the notion of pivoting from in-person to virtual experiences could mean compromising a deeper understanding of customer needs. But in actuality, it can open the door to valuable insights.

Like so many other adjustments forced upon us this year, shifting from a physical to virtual approach has uncovered unexpected possibilities that would have gone unrealized otherwise.

With the rise of cable-cutting and a growing generation of “cord nevers,” it’s clear the era of traditional mass messaging is over. Learn why brands need to fundamentally rethink strategies as we transition from mass messaging to targeted storytelling.

We can all agree this year has forced us to respond and adapt in ways faster than ever before. And make no mistake, uncertainty is here to stay.

As many organizations struggle to navigate the uncertainty of the here and now, let alone the long term, understanding what matters most to this generation can help paint a clearer picture of tomorrow and fuel strategic future planning.

With stay-at-home orders, people are looking for ways to connect to others—and brands have a unique opportunity to be that connector. Those that invest in deeply understanding the changes in consumer behavior as well as their mindsets and needs will be able to differentiate and create lasting lifetime value.

With the rise of human-centered design, design thinking, and similar frameworks that preach a focus on user needs to guide innovation and solutions, many organizations are struggling to truly operationalize it as a day-to-day practice.

Humanistic design is about creating for all people. Whether you're creating a product, a public space, a survey or a website or working in client services, you have the opportunity to ask, “How can what I’m creating be accessible to more people and cast a wider net that embraces all humans?”

Consumers increasing openness to sharing sensitive information speaks volumes about the desirability of personalization, but it is not to be taken for granted. Brands must prioritize gaining and maintaining consumer empathy and trust for this comfort level to continue.

Millennial consumers are becoming more and more willing to provide brands with personal data in exchange for convenient, customized and timely treatment. But success--or failure--hinges on retailers’ ability to develop a “fair value exchange” with consumers.

Customization does more than offer bragging rights and give a reason to impress friends and social media followers; it's a way to make people feel more emotionally invested in products and experiences.

Our hardwired ability to stereotype makes us efficient at processing information but can hold businesses back from understanding consumer thinking.

While the explosion of data and the application of advanced analytics has accelerated the evolution of marketing in the digital age, it has fueled consumers’ desire for more personalization.

The shifting sands of competition and the elusive quest for brand “stickiness” is only amplifying the critical need for Human-Centered Design (HCD) as a core growth strategy.

While a proponent of design thinking, Greg Heist shares his thoughts with Marketing Land on why career designers won't be losing their jobs anytime soon.