No prize for second

Being innovative is never easy – on any level. From coming up with a unique concept to the selling of that concept to a client. The whole process is a hard and often dark road.

Some months ago we pitched for an account that required this very skill – innovative thinking. We set about being as creative as possible and focused on meeting all the strategic needs, all the while ensuring that the end result was super innovative.

The core of the pitch was based on 3D. Now there’s nothing new about 3D. It’s been around for years. Decades even. The difference was, we predicted a trend from some very subtle clues. Now, you need to keep in mind that this was long before Avatar or 3D television technology was being splattered across our screens. It was unique and innovative.

Unfortunately we couldn’t get the prospective client over the line and at the end of the day we appeared to be ahead of our time. It didn’t take more than a few weeks after they released there new material that the 3D wave hit and to date…it hasn’t stopped!

With HD commercial grade 3D cameras being released by Panasonic in October, Cinema’s now offereing advertising in 3D and a range of websites being created in 3D, the world is buzzing with the possibilities of 3D.

The big issue though is, there is no prize for being second.

Sure there have been 3D movies before but Avatar was first and everything else is second. The same will apply for creators in these other genres who take advantage of it before it’s really even happened.

The point is, that to be the first you have to take a risk. Risks don’t come with a guarantee and thus many people are hesitant to put it all on the line for the reward that can ‘sometimes’ come from it.

The problem though, is that we live in a world where everyone is super competitive. Little to no differentials exist between most businesses and the consumer simply places the price game. If you’re not different in some way then you’re just simply part of the crowd or perhaps, at worst, ‘in the mix’.

To be noticed and different means taking a risk and doing what nobody else has thought to do or is willing to do.

It’s the innovation that separates you at the end of the day.